Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | John Anderson Rawlinson | ||
Date of birth | 7 April 1944 | ||
Place of birth | Wallsend, England | ||
Date of death | 14 March 2006 | (aged 61)||
Place of death | Newcastle upon Tyne, England | ||
Position(s) | Centre half | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | ( Gls) |
1964–1965 | Bury | 2 | (0) |
1965–1966 | Barrow | 19 | (2) |
1966–1968 | Runcorn | ||
1968–1969 | Barrow | 0 | (0) |
Total | 21 | (2) | |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Spike Rawlings (birth name John Anderson Rawlinson; 7 April 1944 – 14 March 2006) was an English professional footballer who later became a TV entertainer after retiring as a sportsman.
After playing for amateur side Corinthian Juniors, Rawlinson - who played as a centre half - made his professional debut for Bury during the 1964–65 season, making a total of two League appearances that season. [1] After the football season finished, Rawlinson moved to Barrow. During the 1965–66 season, Rawlinson scored two goals in nineteen League games for Barrow. [1] Rawlinson later played non-league football for Runcorn, and eventually returned to Barrow (although he never appeared in a first team League game for the club again), where he got his first taste of showbiz in 1969 - after the half-time entertainment failed to show up, Rawlinson stepped in and performed instead. [2]
After finishing his career as a professional footballer, Rawlinson adopted the stage name of Spike Rawlings. His early career was spent warming audiences up on local TV show Those Wonderful TV Times. [2] Rawlings achieved fame by winning the 1976 edition of TV talent show Opportunity Knocks, which allowed him to have his own TV show. [2] Rawlings later had a small part on When the Boat Comes In, and he regularly acted in pantomimes. [2] [3]
During the late 1980s and 1990s, Rawlings suffered from financial issues. [2] He died in March 2006 in hospital, awaiting a liver transplant. [2] A charity night, organised by his children Matthew and Catherine, was held in October 2006 in Rawlings' memory. [4]
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | John Anderson Rawlinson | ||
Date of birth | 7 April 1944 | ||
Place of birth | Wallsend, England | ||
Date of death | 14 March 2006 | (aged 61)||
Place of death | Newcastle upon Tyne, England | ||
Position(s) | Centre half | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | ( Gls) |
1964–1965 | Bury | 2 | (0) |
1965–1966 | Barrow | 19 | (2) |
1966–1968 | Runcorn | ||
1968–1969 | Barrow | 0 | (0) |
Total | 21 | (2) | |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Spike Rawlings (birth name John Anderson Rawlinson; 7 April 1944 – 14 March 2006) was an English professional footballer who later became a TV entertainer after retiring as a sportsman.
After playing for amateur side Corinthian Juniors, Rawlinson - who played as a centre half - made his professional debut for Bury during the 1964–65 season, making a total of two League appearances that season. [1] After the football season finished, Rawlinson moved to Barrow. During the 1965–66 season, Rawlinson scored two goals in nineteen League games for Barrow. [1] Rawlinson later played non-league football for Runcorn, and eventually returned to Barrow (although he never appeared in a first team League game for the club again), where he got his first taste of showbiz in 1969 - after the half-time entertainment failed to show up, Rawlinson stepped in and performed instead. [2]
After finishing his career as a professional footballer, Rawlinson adopted the stage name of Spike Rawlings. His early career was spent warming audiences up on local TV show Those Wonderful TV Times. [2] Rawlings achieved fame by winning the 1976 edition of TV talent show Opportunity Knocks, which allowed him to have his own TV show. [2] Rawlings later had a small part on When the Boat Comes In, and he regularly acted in pantomimes. [2] [3]
During the late 1980s and 1990s, Rawlings suffered from financial issues. [2] He died in March 2006 in hospital, awaiting a liver transplant. [2] A charity night, organised by his children Matthew and Catherine, was held in October 2006 in Rawlings' memory. [4]