Often Partisan

Where Are They Now? Part XXV

After looking at Bart Griemink last week I thought I’d look at another player from a similar sort of era, signed from a non-league side who went on to play for Peterborough United. This player didn’t make a league start for Blues despite having a lot of promise and I can honestly only remember him in one game in which he scored, which was against QPR. I am of course referring to Howard Forinton.

Howard Forinton

Signed in August 1997 for £70,000 down and a further £10,000 after ten appearances, Forinton came to the club from Yeovil Town along with right-back Jerry Gill (£30,000 plus £10,000 after ten appearances). Signed after a phenomenal season at Yeovil Town in the Isthimian League with twenty-three goals in twenty-five games as the Glovers scored 101 in total, Forinton was hoped to be one of those bargain signings who made it big in the top flight.

Unfortunately for Forinton it didn’t quite work out like that; he only ever made eleven first team appearances, with two starts in the League Cup and five sub appearances in the league despite being top scorer in the ressies two seasons on the bounce. I didn’t see much reserve team football back then but it seemed that there was just no step up from the stiffs to the first; much as Chris Ward was to find out a few seasons later.

Forinton had a couple of loan spells at Plymouth and Blackpool before being sold to Peterborough United for £250,000. Howard spent three injury hit seasons there, scoring ten league goals in fifty league appearances but he never really impressed and he was released in 2002. Spells in the south-west for Torquay United on a non-contract basis and former club Yeovil Town followed but he found himself released by the Glovers in November of 2002 whilst awaiting surgery on his ankles.

Forinton then moved down to the non-league levels, playing for Oxford City before leaving for Stevenage Borough six months later only to be released within three months having failed to play a game. Farnborough Town, Banbury United and Halesowen Town followed next before Forinton returned to Banbury United, securing a player-coach role and taking up a teaching job at a school in Coventry in the PE Department. After a year-long spell at Redditch following the sacking of Kevin Brock at Banbury, Forinton returned to Banbury and then moved onto Daventry United a year later.

Forinton now has two managerial roles; by day he is Deputy Head of PE at Cardinal Wiseman School in Coventry and by night he’s player-manager of Woodford United, who play in the Evo-Stik Southern League Division One Central. Unfortunately for Forinton Woodford aren’t doing that well – at the time of writing they’re bottom of the division, having played eleven games and lost them all, scoring just three goals and conceding thirty-two.

All in all it wasn’t quite the career I think he’d have hoped for when he made that big move to Blues and I wonder if he is another player who was wasted in the stiffs, not considered to be “good enough” for the first team.

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29 Responses to “Where Are They Now? Part XXV”

  • Peter says:

    What a bargain Jerry Gill turned out to be!

  • Biggun says:

    ….and coming on for blue … Howard Forinton…. Whooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!
    I love these Where Are they Now?

    Can you look at Bak…. the polish midfielder that was supposed to be Quality lol

  • Masaccio says:

    He always appeared a bit heavy to be a good footballer, Jerry Gill on the other hand what a star.

  • prewarblue says:

    Another player from that area of the country Scott Hyland,,,,,came from Exeter

  • Tana says:

    Love these where are they now?…..I have been going to St Andrews for 71 years pity you can’t go back to really early years..Anyone remember our left winger Ambrose Mullrainey sold to the Villa for £3000….Be good to here the memories of any more oldies like me..

    • almajir says:

      Sadly Mulraney died in 2001 of a heart attack.

    • Ted Duckhouse says:

      Yes I remember Ambrose Mulraney, signed from Ipswich circa 1946, the Scott with the Irish name has he was known, Remember the song at the time sang to the tune of Lily of Laguna,
      Dougal passed to Bodle
      Bodle dribled fine
      Passed it onto Edwards who ran along the line
      And now for the centreTrigg in the scrum the game is won a goal for Brum
      Just leave it to Mulraney ,Mulraney is the one.

      Anyone remember waiting for the players to get of the No. 58 bus on the way to the ground on match days, how times have changed.

      • Tana says:

        Hi Ted..We’re you at St Andrews when Ted Duckhouse broke his leg you could here the crack all round the ground..Yeah Harold Bodel Cyril Trigg Neil Dougle Arthur Turner Denis Jennings Wheeler in goal and George Edwards was a school teacher,can you imagine that today…happy days…

        • Ted Duckhouse says:

          Yes I remember, I can think think of other great blues players of that time , the likes of Fred Harris, Frank Mitchel, who played cricket for Warwickshire, Frank was also the regular penalty taker, and dont forget the great Gil Merrick, Jackie Wheeler was the reserve goalie.

  • Paul Carter - The Voice Of Reason says:

    I’d love to hear em too Tana

    Can you remember you first ever home and away game and the first time you saw visiting fans at St Andrews?

    • krotom says:

      first home game i think was either west ham or Blackpool. and Jeff Astall scored a hat trick..i think.

      first away game definite memory league Cup final at Villa Park YESSS

  • Joseph Singleton-Matthews says:

    Jimmy Haarhoff next please.

  • Tana says:

    Hi Joe…Did’nt you mean Jimmy Greenoff….

  • Tana says:

    Hi Paul…First game was Charlton Athletic with Sam Bartram in goal…first away fans I can remember are the Villas when there was no fan segregation…

  • Blueboy88 says:

    Could you also do that Brazilian magician Caca as well please…

  • krotom says:

    Another great memory watching Barry Bridges and Bert Murray make their debut at Stratford in pre season game. All through game reports of how John Snow and Ken Higgs were batting for England in what turned out to be record last wicket stand.

  • Rich Hawketts says:

    What ever happened to Kevin Langley, signed as the poor mans Glenn Hoddle…
    Jerry Gill “go jerry, go jerry” in the style of the jerry springer chant, quality..

  • Paul Carter - The Voice Of Reason says:

    Thought the poor mans Glenn Hoddle was Kenny Lowe he of the wonder debut goal.

  • ellblueboy says:

    Heres a few I would like to know where are they now ……Tony Van Mierlo and Bud Brocken. Ted Mcminn (the tin man) and Andy Gosney.

  • jazzzy786 says:

    I remember when we signed Forinton and I wondered just what he had to do to get picked for the first team. I think he would’ve made it but wasn’t given a chance. I can’t remember us being too prolific in front of goals either during that period.

    By comparison Jerry Gill played a few games for us. Still remember the crowd shouting Jerry, Jerry, Jerry like on the Jerry Springer show.

  • iang says:

    Saw Howard get what I think was his only goal for Blues late on in a one-nil vs QPR, always seemed on the slow and heavy side

  • Rich Hawketts says:

    Kenny Lowe was later.. Langley signed around the same time as Gleghorn, evening mail dubbed Langley as a cheap Glenn Hoddle type. I missed the where are they now Richie Moran thread.. I remember his goal (couldnt miss) but saw him miss an easier chance weeks later! He was quick, but ran with his head down and his back huntched the most gangly awkward looking footballer i have ever seen. Toss up between him, Carl Richards, Colin Robinson and Trevor Aylott as the worst striker i have ever seen in a blues shirt!


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