Len Stephenson

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Len Stephenson, born Robert Leonard Stephenson on 14 July 1930 in Blackpool, was an English footballer who played as a centre-forward. He died on 29 September 2014 at age 84. In the Football League, he appeared for Blackpool, Port Vale and Oldham Athletic, totaling 93 league games and 26 goals.

He began at St Mary’s Youth Club and turned professional with Blackpool in 1948. He made his league debut on 20 January 1951 against Sunderland, scoring Blackpool’s second goal. After a slow start in the early 1950s and an injury that kept him out for the 1952–53 season, Blackpool won the FA Cup that year. He returned in 1953–54, scoring in a 3–2 win over Aston Villa on 23 January and adding several more goals that season. He also scored in the FA Cup. In 1954–55 he hit five goals in 11 league appearances, including the only goal in a win over West Bromwich Albion on 11 December. His final Blackpool appearance came on 15 January 1955.

Stephenson joined Port Vale in March 1955 for £5,000. He scored his first Vale goal on 19 March in a 2–1 defeat to Nottingham Forest. He finished the 1954–55 season with nine further appearances for Vale. In 1955–56 he was Vale’s top scorer with 14 goals in 33 appearances. He lost his place in January 1957 after manager Freddie Steele resigned, and Vale were relegated under Norman Low. He moved to Oldham Athletic for £1,025 in June 1957, making eight appearances in 1957–58.

He finished his career with Witton Albion in the Cheshire County League, scoring 11 goals in 23 games in 1958–59 and 11 goals in 39 games in 1959–60.