Chris Fairclough
Courtney " Chris " Huw Fairclough ( born April 12, 1964 in Nottingham ) is a former English footballer. The defender won the 1991 /92 Leeds United English Championship.
Sports career
Nottingham Forest (1981-1987)
Chris Fairclough started his playing career in 1981 at his hometown club Nottingham Forest. Forest had experienced in previous years under manager Brian Clough, the most successful period of the club's history. After the championship in season 1977/78, followed in 1979 and 1980 two titles in the European Cup of Champions. His debut celebrated on December 2, 1981 in the League Cup against Tranmere Rovers. In the league, he had no use. In the season 1982/83 he also managed in the Championship and the breakthrough came on 15 appearances. Together with established players like Viv Anderson, Steve Hodge, John Robertson and Hans van Breukelen he reached fifth place and qualified for the UEFA Cup in 1983/84. The following year should be the most successful year for Fairclough in his time at Forest. In the Football League First Division in 1983/84 stood at the end of the season, a third place behind champions FC Liverpool and the Vice Southampton FC to book. In the UEFA Cup, the team from Nottingham failed in the quarter finals after dubious refereeing decisions just outside the Belgian representative of RSC Anderlecht. Fairclough came on 31 league bets and also to seven international operations. The appearance in the UEFA Cup in 1984/85 was not to last, Forest had already failed in the first round at FC Bruges and also in the League, the club reached only a ninth place. In the season 1986/87 he completed again 27 league games, but decided then to a club change.
Tottenham Hotspur (1987-1989)
In June 1987, Fairclough changed hands for £ 387,000 to Tottenham Hotspur. Tottenham had previously just missed in the title in the FA Cup final defeat by Coventry City and also took third place in the championship. However, this level could not hold the team to Clive Allen, Chris Waddle and Osvaldo Ardiles and finished 1987/88 a disappointing thirteenth place in the table. Terry Venables had replaced early in the season David Pleat as a coach and celebrated no good debut. In the season 1988/89 the team finished sixth. Fairclough missed some games due to injury and joined in March 1989 on loan to Leeds United.
Leeds United (1989-1995)
At the end of the loan period Leeds signed him early in the season 1989/90 for £ 500,000 from Tottenham. Under coach Howard Wilkinson managed the team that played since 1982 in the second division, the promotion to the First Division. There, the team drew on the achievements of the previous season and played on the fourth place in the Football League First Division in 1990/91. An increase experienced the team to Fairclough, Gary McAllister, Gordon Strachan, Steve Hodge and Eric Cantona in the 1991/92 season by winning the English Championship. This was Leeds last succeeded 18 years ago. Chris Fairclough remained the club even after the introduction of the Premier League received, but there was the team the double burden of international games difficult to process and reached only place in the table 17 in the newly running under this name, UEFA Champions League 1992/93 failed the team after the Erstrundenerfolg with replay against VfB Stuttgart ( Christoph Daum had used in the return game four foreigners), in the second round by the Rangers, and thus missed the group stage. After two fifth places in the Premier League in 1993/94 and 1994/95 Chris Fairclough moved in 1995 to Bolton Wanderers.
Bolton Wanderers (1995-1998)
Due to the huge competition in his old team his regular place had been severely compromised and so he preferred a change to the less ambitious club from Bolton. The transfer fee was £ 500,000 again. The club had risen in the previous year under Bruce Rioch in the Premier League. Rioch then moved to FC Arsenal, his successor took over Roy McFarland. After a bad course of the season took over in January 1996 Colin Todd as coach, with the Fairclough had played two years together at Nottingham Forest. Even Todd was not able to lead the team out of the relegation places and so Bolton rose at end of season as last in the second division from. The stay in the second division, however, was not permanent, the team managed rather after an excellent season as a table first sovereign direct resurgence. After Chris Fairclough so that the second climb was succeeded in the first division, it was him in the Premier League 1997 /98 saves for the second time to descend with his team. With over 34 years then he returned to his hometown of Nottingham, this time, however, for in comparison to less successful club Nottingham Forest Notts County. After only a short stay in the third division, he joined in 1999 the last time the club and went to the club unterklassigen York City. There, he finished his playing career in 2001.
After playing career
Chris Fairclough was the football faithful even after his playing days and is currently for his former club Nottingham Forest as an assistant coach of the second team active after he initially worked as a youth coach at the club.
Title
- English Champion: 1992 ( with Leeds United)