Phil Starbuck

Playing career

Starbuck was born in Nottingham, and started his career as an apprentice at Nottingham Forest. He scored on his First Division debut at Newcastle United aged 18 in December 1986 and again in his second outing, a 1–1 draw against Liverpool on New Year's Day 1987. He spent time on loan at Birmingham City, Hereford United and Blackburn Rovers before moving to Huddersfield Town on a free transfer in 1991.) when he netted against Wigan Athletic just 3 seconds after entering the game. He then went to play at a higher level with Sheffield United before appearing for Bristol City, Oldham Athletic and Plymouth Argyle in the Football League, RKC Waalwijk in the Dutch Eredivisie, and Cambridge City and Burton Albion in non-league football, before going into management. His half-season at Cambridge City was marred by a broken leg sustained in a pre-season friendly against Coventry City. In all, he made 188 first team starts in the Football League, the most being 120 for Huddersfield, for whom he scored 36 goals.

Management career

His first management job was at Hucknall Town, appointed in December 2001 and dismissed in June 2003. He joined Leigh RMI, initially as player-assistant manager, before being appointed manager in November 2003. He resigned in November 2004 and joined Arnold Town as a player. He went on to manage the club, before joining Hednesford Town on 31 May 2006. A successful first half to the 2006–07 season saw the Pitmen top the table in the Northern Premier league, before a poor run of form saw them eventually finish seventh. After losing his assistant manager John Ramshaw to Lincoln United in the summer of 2007, he brought in the experienced Jimmy Mullen as his new number two. Hednesford started the 2007–08 season well, but a run of inconsistent form saw them once again miss out on the play-offs, finishing eighth. In May 2008, Hednesford Town announced that Starbuck had left the club with immediate effect.

In October 2008, he took over as manager of Grantham Town in the Northern Premier League Division One South, and was sacked at the end of the 2008–09 season.

References

References

1. (1987). "Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88". Queen Anne Press.
2. "Phil Starbuck". Soccerbase.
3. "Phil Starbuck". Neil Brown.
4. Matthews, Tony. (1995). "Birmingham City: A Complete Record". Breedon Books.
5. "Players S". The Bridport Red Archive.
6. "Nicklas Bendtner profile". ESPNsoccernet.
7. Carbis, Ian. (14 April 2006). "England's cup quest won't go to the dogs". [[South Wales Echo]].
8. (5 September 1998). "Bristol's real bummer". Bucks Free Press.
9. "Phil Starbuck". [[Voetbal International]].
10. (7 December 2001). "The Unibond League". [[The Northern Echo]].
11. (13 June 2003). "Starbuck sacked by Hucknall". NonLeague Daily.
12. (7 November 2003). "Non-league football: Leigh turn to Starbuck". [[Manchester Evening News]].
13. Wigmore, Simon. (19 November 2004). "Struggling Leigh lose Starbuck". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
14. (31 May 2005). "Starbuck and Ramshaw take Arnold helm". NonLeague Daily.
15. (11 March 2008). "Your team A–Z Hednesford Town FC". BBC London.
16. (26 May 2008). "Starbuck goes at Hednesford". NonLeague Daily.
17. (17 October 2008). "Starbuck lands manager's job". [[Nottingham Evening Post]].
18. Burgess, John. (5 June 2009). "Grantham Town's sacked boss Starbuck replaced by former Gingerbreads duo". [[Grantham Journal]].