George Rowlands Antonio (20 October 1914, in Whitchurch, Shropshire – 1997), was an English professional footballer who started with non-league Oswestry Town F.C., then in 1935 signed for Stoke City playing 84 times and scoring 13 goals. During WW2 he guested for Nottingham Forest making 3 appearances in 1939-40 and 7 appearances (2 goals) in 1940-41. In the 1945-1946 season, he guested for Ipswich Town, before joining Derby County in 1946. In the year he was at Derby he played 18 matches and scored twice. He joined Doncaster Rovers for the 1948-1949 season appearing 34 times and scoring 7, then signed for Mansfield Town from 1949 to 1950 playing 67, scoring 2. He finished his career again with Oswestry Town. His testimonial (1968) at Berriew FC in Mid Wales attracted a huge crowd as Sir Stanley Matthews brought a Port Vale team to play. George was an inside forward or right half.

Berriew Football Club's player of the season award is now known as the George Antonio player of the season award in recognition if their most famous player. The first award winner was Chris Gethin in 2007. The award was then won in 2008 by goalkeeper Rob Bloor.

[edit] External links

• Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Database

This biographical article related to an English football midfielder born in the 1910s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e