Blues and Whites

Footballers who have played league football for both PNE and Birmingham

L-Z

785) Trevor Matthewson

PNE 12 apps; 1 goal

Blues 168 apps; 12 goals

PNE debut 25/08/1993 v Burnley (A) - Lost 1-4

592) Tony Morley

PNE 84 apps; 15 goals

Blues 4 apps; 3 goals

PNE debut 06/01/1973 v Q.P.R. (A) - Lost 0-3

186) Arthur Mounteney

PNE 52 apps; 11 goals

Blues 91 apps; 29 goals

PNE debut 01/09/1909 v Nottingham Forest (H) - Lost 0-1

711) Michael Rathbone

PNE 91 apps; 4 goals

Blues 20 apps; 0 goals

PNE debut 15/08/1987 v Chesterfield (H) - Lost 0-1

800) Mark Sale

PNE 13 apps; 6 goals

Blues 21 apps; 0 goals

PNE debut 13/08/1994 v Darlington (A) - Drawn 0-0

812) Andy Saville

PNE 56 apps; 30 goals

Blues 59 apps; 17 goals

PNE debut 12/08/1995 v Lincoln (H) - Lost 1-2

367) George Smithies

PNE 20 apps; 10 goals

Blues 1 app; 0 goals

PNE debut 02/11/1929 v Bradford Park Avenue (H) - Won 4-1

273) George Waddell

PNE 51 apps; 2 goals

Blues 2 apps; 0 goals

PNE debut 18/09/1920 v Newcastle (H) - Won 3-2

671) Jeffrey Wealands

PNE 4 apps; 0 goals

Blues 102 apps; 0 goals

PNE debut 26/12/1984 v Walsall (A) - Lost 1-2

439) Frank White

PNE 22 apps; 10 goals

Blues 147 apps; 46 goals

PNE debut 24/12/1938 v Leeds (H) - Won 2-0

125) Harry Wilcox

PNE 99 apps; 42 goals

Blues 14 apps; 3 goals

PNE debut 28/09/1901 v Leicester Fosse (H) - Won 5-0

707) Frank Worthington

PNE 23 apps; 3 goals

Blues 75 apps; 29 goals

PNE debut 21/02/1987 v Torquay (A) - Won 2-0

Player Profile - Mick Rathbone

Michael John "Mick" Rathbone was born in Sheldon Birmingham on 6 November 1958. He had ambitions to become a doctor, but decided instead to pursue a career in football and was capped twice by England at youth level.

Birmingham, the club he supported, offered him an apprenticeship in December 1974 and made his debut as a substitute for Archie Styles in a 1-0 defeat at Tottenham on 20 October 1976. He turned professional in November 1976 and played 16 games in the First Division in the 1976/77 season. His form dipped and in the next two seasons saw him just make two appearances in each of the seasons.

Rathbone joined Blackburn on loan in February 1979, and a loan spell convinced Rovers boss John Pickering that Rathbone was just the man he need for a second division relegation fight and Birmingham boss Jim Smith reluctantly agreed to let the full-back make his move when the move was made permanent the following month for a fee of £40,000. He made 15 appearances during the season but could not stop Blackburn avoid relegation to Division Three, whilst his previous club Birmingham was relegated from Division One. His first goal came in the promotion season of 1979/80 but was an infrequent member of the starting eleven under manager John Pickering.

The arrival of Bobby Saxton in 1981 changed this and he became the first choice left back, missing just one league game in the 1981/82 season and was an ever present in seasons 1982/83, 1984/85 and 1985/86. Appearances were limited in 1983/84 due to a broken leg against Sheffield Wednesday in October 1983 and a hamstring injury deprived him of an appearance at Wembley in 1987 against Chelsea in the Full Members Cup.

In all, Rathbone spent eight seasons with Blackburn scoring twice in 273 appearances before Preston manager paid a fee of £20,000 for his services in August 1987.

Rathbone made his Lilywhite debut on 15 August 1987 in a 1-0 home defeat to Chesterfield. He made 36 appearances during the season, scoring one goal. The goal came on 9 January 1988 in a 2-0 win at Deepdale against Bristol City.

The 1988/89 season saw Rathbone score the most in one season with two goals from 34 appearances with a 1-1 draw at Bristol City and a 2-0 home win against Mansfield.

Rathbone combined playing for Preston and organising the commercial activities for Darwen but his Preston career was disrupted by a succession of injuries, including a broken arm and a fractured cheekbone to limit him to just 8 appearances in 1989/90. Rathbone scored a further goal in a 1-0 win against Mansfield in 1990/91 and made his last appearance in a 2-1 home win against Southend on 26 January 1991 as a serious knee injury forced his retirement from playing. He had scored 4 goals from 91 appearances

He began a degree course in physiotherapy at Salford University. McGrath, by then manager of Halifax, offered Rathbone the post of physiotherapist to the club, a role he could perform while continuing his formal study. In December 1992, following McGrath's resignation, Rathbone was placed in temporary charge and due to the club's financial problems meant his caretaker role lasted until the end of the season Halifax finished bottom of Division Three and dropped to the Conference and replaced by Wycombe.

Whilst continuing his role as physiotherapist, Rathbone resumed his playing career on an emergency basis for Halifax in the Conference and later became assistant manager-player-physio, but in March 1995 he was sacked as a cost-cutting measure.

Rathbone then returned to Preston as physiotherapist and spent six years at the club; When David Moyes joined Everton as manager in 2002, Rathbone followed a few months and is now head of sports medicine at the club.