Anthony Funnell (born 20 August 1957) is an English retired professional footballer who played as a forward in the Football League.
Funnell played in the Football League for Bournemouth, Gillingham, Brentford and Southampton. After a back injury forced him to retire from League football, Funnell he had a notable spell with Poole Town in non-League football. He made over 300 appearances and was inducted into the club's Hall of Fame in 2014. Funnell later became a manager.
Funnell made an impression during the second half of the 1977–78 season, scoring 9 goals to help the Saints clinch promotion to First Division with a second-place finish.[5][6] The higher level of football during the 1978–79 season meant Funnell rarely figured in the first team picture and he departed The Dell in March 1979.[7] Funnell made 20 appearances and scored 9 goals during his time with Southampton.[5]
Gillingham
In March 1979, Funnell transferred to Third Division club Gillingham for a then-club record fee of £50,000.[1][7] He made 38 appearances and scored 10 goals during just over a year at Priestfield.[8]
Brentford
Funnell joined Third Division club Brentford for a then-club record fee of £56,000 in March 1980.[2] Not rated by incoming manager Fred Callaghan, he made only 23 appearances and scored six goals during his only full season at Griffin Park.[1] Funnell departed the Bees in the summer of 1981, having made 35 appearances and scored 10 goals.[1]
Bournemouth
Funnell signed for Fourth Division club Bournemouth in September 1981 for a £5,000 fee.[2] Under David Webb's management, he had the best season of his career in 1981–82, top-scoring 16 goals in 43 league games to help the Cherries to promotion to Division Three with a fourth-place finish.[9] A back injury during the 1982–83 season ended Funnell's career in league football.[2] He made 64 appearances and scored 22 goals during his time at Dean Court.[9]
Poole Town
After two years in Sunday league football, Funnell moved into non-League football to join Southern League Premier Division club Poole Town in 1985.[10] During a long spell with the club, Funnell scored 127 goals in 308 appearances for the Dolphins.[1] He was recognised for his service with a testimonial versus former club Southampton in May 1991 and he was inducted into the club's Hall of Fame in 2014.[11]
^ abcdefHaynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Harefield: Yore Publications. p. 61. ISBN978-0955294914.
^ abcdCroxford, Mark; Lane, David; Waterman, Greville (2011). The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies. Sunbury, Middlesex: Legends Publishing. p. 294. ISBN978-1906796709.
^ abc"Tony Funnell". North American Soccer League Players. Retrieved 5 October 2014.