William (Bill) Asprey (born 11 September 1936) is an English former football player and manager. He spent thirteen years as a player with Stoke City, also managing the club for a brief period in the mid 1980s.

[edit] Biography

[edit] Playing career

Born in Wolverhampton in 1936^[2], he played 341 times for Stoke City between 1953–54 and 1965–66, winning a Second Division Championship medal and a League Cup runners-up medal. He subsequently played for Oldham Athletic before being purchased by Port Vale for £2,000 in December 1967. He enjoyed regular football until September 1968 and retired as a player in December 1968, at the age of 32.^[3]

[edit] Coaching career

After spells coaching in Southern Rhodesia and at Coventry City, he joined the staff of Oxford United. He became manager in July 1979 and was sacked at Christmas the following season after a season and a half with little success.^[4] He returned to Stoke City as assistant manager to Richie Barker, whom he succeeded in January 1984. Initially successful in keeping Stoke from relegation in 1983–84, he left through ill health in April 1985, after a poor first full season in charge.

[edit] Honours

with Stoke City

• Football League Second Division champions: 1962–63
• Football League Cup runner-up: 1964

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Bill Asprey management career stats at Soccerbase