Reginald Clifford Sear(22 September 1936 – 8 July 2000) was a Welsh football left back who played forManchester Citybetween 1956 and 1967. During this time he made 250 appearances for the team and scored one goal.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Reginald Clifford Sear | ||
| Date of birth | 22 September 1936 | ||
| Place of birth | Rhostyllen,Wales | ||
| Date of death | 8 July 2000(aged 63) | ||
| Place of death | Chester,England | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| ?–1957 | Oswestry Town | ||
| 1957–1968 | Manchester City | 248 | (1) |
| 1969–1970 | Chester | 49 | (1) |
| International career | |||
| 1962 | Wales | 1 | (0) |
| ? | Wales under 23s | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| 1982 | Chester City | ||
| 1984 | Chester City(caretaker) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
He was captain of the Welsh under 23 team, for which he made two appearances, and also won one cap forWalesin a game againstEnglandin November 1962. Sear had joined City as a youngster fromOswestry Town.
Chester City
editIn 1968, Sear joined Chester, initially as a player. He scored on his debut againstYork Cityin August 1968, doubling his tally of Football League goals in his 14-year career. However, the vast majority of his 19-year service to the club would be in coaching capacities. Between March 1982 and November 1982 he was manager of the club (initially as caretaker), but he did not enjoy this role[1]and happily returned to working with the youth team and helping his successors in the manager's chair. He did though have another tenure as caretaker manager the helm in January 1984, after previous caretaker managerTrevor Stortonstepped down as the club awaited the appointment ofJohn McGrath.
Sear is largely credited for helping discoverIan Rush,[2]having helped guide him through Chester's youth set-up in the late 1970s. During much of his time at the club, Sear was the trusted right-hand man toAlan Oakes,who had coincidentally been a teammate atManchester City.
Other players to emerge from Sear's youth system and enjoy successful league careers includeBrian Croft,twinsPaulandRon Futcher,Chris Lightfoot,Robbie Painter,Mike WilliamsandColin Woodthorpe.
Crossing the Border
editAfter leaving Chester in acrimonious circumstances in 1987,[3]Sear joined arch-rivalsWrexhamand helped revamp the club's youth policy. Many of the players he helped bring through the ranks with Wrexham went on to play in the club's numerous giant-killing acts in the 1990s. Sear enjoyed a testimonial between Wrexham and Manchester City in 1996.
Sear died from a heart attack in 2000.[4]
Notes
edit- ^Chas Sumner (1997).On the Borderline: The Official History of Chester City 1885–1997.p. 98.ISBN1-874427-52-6.
- ^"Cliff Sear 1936–2000".chester-city.co.uk. 10 July 2000.Retrieved15 January2008.
- ^Chas Sumner (1997).On the Borderline: The Official History of Chester City 1885–1997.p. 104.ISBN1-874427-52-6.
- ^"Cliff Sear 1936–2000".chester-city.co.uk. 10 July 2000.Retrieved15 January2008.