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Tony Turley
Born in North London in October 1945 he represented London Schoolboys and signed amateur forms for Tottenham Hotspur during the 1961-62 season, at the end of the season he toured Rotterdam and The Hague with the Spurs Youth team. Also in that Spurs party were Phil Beal, Ricky George and Derek Possee.

He went on to play for the Tottenham ?A? team in 1962-63 in the Eastern Counties League and then the South-East Counties League.

After leaving Spurs Tony had a spell with Finchley, where he suffered a broken leg, before moving into the Southern League with Barnet where he remained until joining City in the summer of 1969.
Having reached the 2nd Round of the FA Cup in 1968, St Albans were expected to mount a serious challenge for both the Amateur Cup and the Isthmian League in 1969-70, as Turley joined a side that included City greats such as Phil Wood, John Butterfield, Bobby Childs, Dave Neville, Dave Lawrence and Les Burgess.

City fell at the first hurdle in the FA Cup in 1969-70 but Sid Prosser?s side did have success in reaching the final of the London Senior Cup (lost 4-2 to Hitchin Town at Enfield). Turley, though, like Butterfield, was absent for the final due to being on holiday. St Albans lifted the Herts Charity Cup with victory over Hitchin Town but it was in the Amateur Cup that City made a piece of unwanted history.

After removing Wembley, Harwich & Parkeston and Tow Law Town from the competition City faced the daunting prospect of a quarter-final meeting with Isthmian League leaders Wycombe Wanderers at Loakes Park. But City rose to the challenge in style and in front of a massive crowd of 10,200 won 2-0.
Facing Athenian League side Dagenham in the semi-final at Millwall, City were favourites to reach the final but stalled with a replay only being secured through a Butterfield goal. St Albans dominated the replay at Luton Town?s Kenilworth Road ground but a Peter Leakey goal took Dagenham through to the final. City now had the undesirable distinction of being the only side to appear in four Amateur Cup semi-finals without going on to appear in as much as a single final.

Turley washed away the misery of that defeat a fortnight later when blasting hat-tricks in successive away league matches with Corinthian Casuals (at Tooting & Mitcham United) and Clapton on 7th and 10th April. He became the first City player since 1922 to score hat-tricks in two consecutive away league games.

St Albans were tipped for further success for the 1970-71 campaign but Turley walked out shortly after playing his final game on 21st November at home to fellow title challengers Sutton United. Turley upset Prosser by walking off injured just before half time when the City manager had concerns over the fitness of fellow striker Tony Roberts. The injuries did little to disturb City on the pitch though and Sutton?s position at the top of the table was dented as the Saints overturned a two-goal deficit with four goals in the last ten minutes.

After scoring 26 goals in 79 games for the City Turley joined Enfield and the bias that Amateur England coach Charlie Hughes appeared to hold against St Albans City surfaced as Tony was selected for the national team. He won four England caps whilst with Enfield that went with two he gained in 1966 when signed to Barnet. The path to England selection, via Enfield, was one that both Phil Wood and John Butterfield also took in 1972.

In addition to representing his country Turley also played for the Middlesex F.A. and made six appearances (three goals) for Hertfordshire; one whilst with Barnet and five with St Albans.

Turley appeared for his new club, Enfield, against St Albans in the final of the London Senior Cup in May 1971 but collected only a runners-up medal as a Bobby Childs header won the cup for City. A year later and Turley made the first of two Wembley appearances as a member of the Enfield side that lost to Hendon in the Amateur Cup final. Two years later, 1974, and Turley was back at Wembley with Ilford in the last Amateur Cup final but again he was on the losing side as a Bishop?s Stortford side led by his former St Albans team-mate Dave Lawrence won 4-1.

After retiring from the game he turned to managing in youth football but he made one final appearance at Clarence Park in May 1977 as a member of the St Albans City ?Past? team that beat the ?Present? XI in Phil Wood?s Testimonial match.

David Tavener



Change player:
Tony Turley's playing record
Season Started. Used Sub. Goals Yellows Reds
Season 1969-70 54 2 19 0 0
Season 1970-71 23 0 7 0 0
Total 77 2 26 0 0
By season | In opening squad | Substituted in | Goals | Yellow cards | Red cards


Tony Turley's full debut
09.08.1969 at 15:00 Isthmian League H Tooting & Mitcham United 2 - 2


Latest opening squad appearances (max.10)Tony Turley started
21.11.1970 at 15:00 Isthmian League H Sutton United 4 - 2
17.11.1970 at 15:00 Isthmian League H Enfield 2 - 0
14.11.1970 at 15:00 Isthmian League H Kingstonian 3 - 0
10.11.1970 at 15:00 FA Cup / 4th Round Qualifying (Replay) H Hendon 1 - 2
07.11.1970 at 15:00 FA Cup / 4th Round Qualifying A Hendon 0 - 0


Latest matches where player has scored one or more goals (max. 10)Tony Turley scored
12.10.1970 at 15:00 FA Cup / 2nd QF (r) A Bedford Town 3 - 2
06.10.1970 at 15:00 Isthmian League H Clapton 7 - 1
29.09.1970 at 15:00 Isthmian League H Walthamstow Avenue 4 - 2
05.09.1970 at 15:00 Isthmian League A Sutton United 2 - 0
01.09.1970 at 15:00 Isthmian League H Ilford 2 - 2
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