Alan Bloor

Alan Bloor (born 16 March 1943) is an English former professional footballer and manager. He made 394 league appearances in the Football League for both Potteries teams.

He spent 18 years as a centre-half at Stoke City between 1960 and 1978, helping them to lift the League Cup in 1972, before spending a brief association with Port Vale as a player and manager between 1978 and 1979. He also briefly played for American club Cleveland Stokers in 1967. He is fifth in Stoke's all-time appearances list and was nicknamed "Bluto" by the club's supporters.

Playing career Stoke City Bloor played centre-half for Stoke-on-Trent schoolboys and won youth caps with England. He made his first-team debut on 19 September 1961, playing alongside Eric Skeels in a 1–0 defeat by Brighton & Hove Albion at the Victoria Ground. He made six Fourth Division appearances in 1978–79, scoring once in a 5–1 win over nearby Crewe Alexandra at Gresty Road on 25 August. He played alongside Denis Smith for much of his Stoke career. He used his intelligence to read the game and clean up any mistakes the more aggressive Smith made.

Managerial career Bloor was appointed the caretaker manager of Port Vale in August 1979 following the departure of Dennis Butler and was appointed to the position on a full-time basis the following month.

Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals

1961–62 Second Division

1962–63 Second Division

1963–64 First Division

1964–65 First Division

1965–66 First Division

1966–67 First Division

1967–68 First Division

1968–69 First Division

1969–70 First Division

1970–71 First Division

1971–72 First Division

1972–73 First Division

1973–74 First Division

1974–75 First Division

1975–76 First Division

1976–77 First Division

1977–78 Second Division

388!!17!!38!!0!!37!!1!!19!!1!!482!!19 Cleveland Stokers (loan) 1967 United Soccer Association

Port Vale 1978–79 Fourth Division

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Managerial statistics

Honours Stoke City League Cup: 1972 Watney Cup: 1973