FRED BINNEY

Full Name: Frederick Edward Binney

Born: 12 August 1946

Came from: St Louis Stars, USA   Went to: Hereford United

First game: 04 October 1977   Last game: 27 October 1979

Appearances: 81 (77/4)   Goals: 42

Binney was born in Plymouth, but joined Argyle near the end of his career rather than starting out at the club. A true Plymothian, he was born in the Mutley area and raised on the Barbican, playing youth football for the Devonport Dockyard's CM (Construction & Maintenance) Department Juniors, where he was noted by Argyle.

Argyle did not follow up and he duly joined South Western League side Launceston and played in the Devon Wednesday League for John Conway, the football team of the men's outfitter's shop in the city centre. Scoring frequently for both, professional football did not seem a consideration as he commenced an apprenticeship in the 'Yard as a shipwright. At the same time, he was also involved in the Plymouth music scene with The Hoe Nuts, a popular local group.

It was while playing for John Conway that he was spotted by a Torquay United scout and invited to play for their reserves. Initially signing as an amateur, he signed his first professional contract in October 1966 and went on to score over 60 goals in three seasons with the Gulls' second string.

However, with Torquay legend Robin Stubbs scoring freely from Binney's preferred position, first-team chances were at a premium. When called upon, though, he was consistent, scoring 10 times in 24 appearances.

In February 1969, he was taken on loan to Exeter City by former Argyle legend Johnny Newman, then in his debut managerial role at St James Park. An initial 11 goals in 17 appearances helped steer City clear of the dreaded 're-election'. In March 1970, he joined permanently for a fee of £4,000. Initially curtailed by injuries, the 1971-72 season then began a run of three consecutive seasons as City's top scorer. In 1972-73, he finished joint top scorer in the Football League with West Ham United's Bryan 'Pop' Robson, on 28 goals. He notched 25 goals the following season and also won Exeter's Player of the Season award and the PFA (Professional Footballers' Association) Divisional Player of the Year for 1973-74. At City he also played up front with David Pleat, whom he would later scout for as Pleat's managerial career took off.

In four years at City he played 189 times and scored 98 goals. With interest mounting from other clubs, he became too valuable to retain. City turned down an offer from Swindon Town in November 1973, reported to be between £35,000 and £40,000, but he eventually signed for Brian Clough's Brighton & Hove Albion for £25,000 in May 1974. Clough left for his ill-fated spell at Leeds United before Binney had even made his debut, but his second season proved more successful, as he scored 23 league goals while Albion narrowly missed out on promotion to Division Two under Clough's former assistant, Peter Taylor.

In three years on the Sussex coast, he netted 35 goals in 70 appearances. Despite those figures, when Taylor left to re-join Clough at Nottingham Forest, Alan Mullery took over at the Goldstone and allowed Binney to leave, enabling him to take up an offer from America.

Binney moved to play for Missouri-based St Louis Stars in the burgeoning North American Soccer League (NASL), which was enjoying its 1970s peak. In the 1977 season, he made 18 appearances and scored nine goals, including a memorable game against New York Cosmos. In May 1977, at the old Giants Stadium, in front of 20,112, he scored a powerful header to put the Stars 1-0 up. The game ended 2-2 before the NASL's one-on-one shoot-out, in which Binney scored the decisive final kick to give the Stars a 3-2 victory. Cosmos featured Pelé and Franz Beckenbauer, yet the Stars also won the return game in St Louis to complete a memorable double over that season's NASL champions.

After his Stateside sojourn, he finally signed for his home town team, moving to Home Park on a free transfer in October 1977 and joining the select club of players to have played in the Football League for all three Devon clubs. His first season in green was a struggle, both for the team as it battled against relegation for the second successive season and for Binney, who initially could not hold down his place. The following season saw a turnaround in fortunes, with 28 goals making him the club's top scorer and earning him the Player of the Season award for 1978-79.

However, Binney suddenly fell from favour, not fitting in with new manager Bobby Saxton's plans. In January 1980, after 42 goals in 81 appearances - including a hat-trick away at Hillsborough against Sheffield Wednesday in September 1978 - all in barely more than two seasons, he was transferred to Hereford United for £37,000. His goals had endeared him to the Home Park faithful, earning him 20th place among the forwards in the Top 25 'Greatest Pilgrims' vote in July 2019, no mean feat given the longevity of some of the other players on the list compared with Binney's relatively short spell.

In two years at Edgar Street, Binney played 27 times and scored six goals. While there, he qualified as a coach and was appointed assistant-manager to former Argyle player Frank Lord, who had taken the helm at the club. In 1982, Lord left for Malaysia and Binney soon followed, working as coach to the Malaysia national team before returning to Devon in 1985 as assistant-manager to Colin Appleton at Exeter City. After Appleton was sacked in December 1987, Binney also left and took on the role of Recreation Officer at Plymouth University, where he later became president and coach of the University of Plymouth football club.

In later years, Binney and his wife Lesley spent many years running a cream tea shop in Modbury and enjoyed travelling the length and breadth of the country's canals on their own narrowboat.