# Bob Delgado

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For people with similar names, see [Roberto Delgado](/source/Roberto_Delgado_(disambiguation)).

**Robert Allan Delgado** (born 29 January 1949) is a Welsh former [footballer](/source/Association_football) who made 281 league appearances in a ten-year career in the [Football League](/source/English_Football_League). He was a versatile player with power both in the air and in the [tackle](/source/Tackle_(football_move)).

He moved from [non-League](/source/Non-League_football) [Barry Town](/source/Barry_Town_F.C.) to [Luton Town](/source/Luton_Town_F.C.) in 1970 before joining [Carlisle United](/source/Carlisle_United_F.C.) the following year. Following a [loan](/source/Loan_(sports)) spell with [Workington](/source/Workington_A.F.C.) in 1973, he moved on to [Rotherham United](/source/Rotherham_United_F.C.). He helped the "Millers" to win [promotion](/source/Promotion_and_relegation) out of the [Fourth Division](/source/Football_League_Fourth_Division) in 1974–75, before joining [Chester](/source/Chester_City_F.C.) in October 1975 for £6,000. He was sold on to [Port Vale](/source/Port_Vale_F.C.) for £30,000 in December 1978, before leaving the English game for American club [Miami Americans](/source/Miami_Americans) in 1980. He later had spells with English club [Oswestry Town](/source/Oswestry_Town_F.C.), Welsh club [Colwyn Bay](/source/Colwyn_Bay_F.C.), and Hong Kong side [Bulova SA](/source/Bulova_SA).

## Early life

Robert Allan Delgado was born in [Cardiff](/source/Cardiff) on 29 January 1949. He was the son of Pedro (known as Peter) Delgado, a native of the [Cape Verde](/source/Cape_Verde) islands, a seaman who settled in Cardiff in the early 20th century. Delgado was the first Black player to represent Carlisle United and Rotherham United in the Football League.[3]

## Career

Delgado signed for [Luton Town](/source/Luton_Town_F.C.) from [Barry Town](/source/Barry_Town_F.C.) in February 1970, after [Harry Haslam](/source/Harry_Haslam_(footballer,_born_1921)) spotted him playing for the [Southern League](/source/Southern_Football_League) side. However, he never took to the field at [Kenilworth Road](/source/Kenilworth_Road) and was moved on to [Carlisle United](/source/Carlisle_United_F.C.) in 1971.[4] The "Cumbrians" finished tenth in the [Second Division](/source/Football_League_Second_Division) in [1971–72](/source/1971%E2%80%9372_Football_League) under [Ian MacFarlane](/source/Ian_MacFarlane_(footballer,_born_1933)). Failing to nail down a first-team place at [Brunton Park](/source/Brunton_Park) under new boss [Alan Ashman](/source/Alan_Ashman) in [1972–73](/source/1972%E2%80%9373_Football_League), Delgado was [loaned](/source/Loan_(sports)) out to [Workington](/source/Workington_A.F.C.) of the [Fourth Division](/source/Football_League_Fourth_Division). A move to [Rotherham United](/source/Rotherham_United_F.C.) followed, who had just been demoted to the basement division of the [Football League](/source/English_Football_League). [Jimmy McGuigan](/source/Jimmy_McGuigan) guided the "Millers" to 15th in [1973–74](/source/1973%E2%80%9374_Football_League), before the [Millmoor](/source/Millmoor) club returned to the [Third Division](/source/Football_League_Third_Division) with a third-place finish in [1974–75](/source/1974%E2%80%9375_Football_League).

He moved to league rivals [Chester](/source/Chester_City_F.C.) in October 1975, with [manager](/source/Manager_(association_football)) [Ken Roberts](/source/Ken_Roberts_(footballer,_born_1936)) paying out a £6,000 fee.[5] He became a favourite with the fans thanks to his 'hard man' approach.[4] The "Seals" finished in the lower half of the table in [1975–76](/source/1975%E2%80%9376_Football_League) and [1976–77](/source/1976%E2%80%9377_Football_League), as new boss [Alan Oakes](/source/Alan_Oakes) began to build his own team. Chester missed out on [promotion](/source/Promotion_and_relegation) in [1977–78](/source/1977%E2%80%9378_Football_League) by two places and two points. Delgado left [Sealand Road](/source/Sealand_Road) in December 1978, when [Port Vale](/source/Port_Vale_F.C.) manager [Dennis Butler](/source/Dennis_Butler) splashed out £30,000 to secure Delgado's services.[1] He made his debut on [Boxing Day](/source/Boxing_Day) in a 6–2 defeat to [Barnsley](/source/Barnsley_F.C.) at [Oakwell](/source/Oakwell).[1] He played 24 games in [1978–79](/source/1978%E2%80%9379_Port_Vale_F.C._season) and 19 games in [1979–80](/source/1979%E2%80%9380_Port_Vale_F.C._season), as the "Valiants" had some of their poorest seasons in the Fourth Division.[1] Delgado never showed his best form at [Vale Park](/source/Vale_Park), the low point in his spell coming when he scored an [own goal](/source/Own_goal) in a 7–1 defeat to [Huddersfield Town](/source/Huddersfield_Town_A.F.C.) at [Leeds Road](/source/Leeds_Road).[1] His [contract](/source/Association_football_contracts) was cancelled in May 1980 by new manager [John McGrath](/source/John_McGrath_(footballer,_born_1938)), following three months on the sidelines.[1]

He subsequently joined up with the short-lived [American Soccer League](/source/American_Soccer_League_(1933-1983)) side [Miami Americans](/source/Miami_Americans), who only competed for the [1980 season](/source/1980_American_Soccer_League). He then joined Welsh club [Oswestry Town](/source/Oswestry_Town_F.C.). He joined Hong Kong-based [Bulova SA](/source/Bulova_SA) for the [1983–84](/source/1983%E2%80%9384_Hong_Kong_First_Division_League) season and helped the club to secure second place in the [First Division League](/source/Hong_Kong_First_Division_League). He then returned to Britain and played for [Colwyn Bay](/source/Colwyn_Bay_F.C.).[4]

## Later life

Delgado later managed Upton AA in the [West Cheshire League](/source/West_Cheshire_Association_Football_League) and played for veterans side Chester Nomads while working as a sales manager for a travel company.[4]

## Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[6][7] Club Season League FA Cup Other Total Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Luton Town 1970–71 Second Division 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Carlisle United 1971–72 Second Division 9 1 0 0 1 0 10 1 1972–73 Second Division 21 2 4 1 0 0 25 3 1973–74 Second Division 5 0 0 0 3 0 8 0 Total 35 3 4 1 4 0 43 4 Workington (loan) 1973–74 Fourth Division 7 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 Rotherham United 1973–74 Fourth Division 24 3 0 0 0 0 24 3 1974–75 Fourth Division 45 2 4 1 3 0 52 3 1975–76 Third Division 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Total 70 5 4 1 3 0 77 6 Chester 1975–76 Third Division 30 2 3 0 0 0 33 2 1976–77 Third Division 42 2 5 0 3 0 50 2 1977–78 Third Division 41 3 2 0 2 0 45 3 1978–79 Third Division 15 1 2 0 4 0 21 1 Total 128 8 12 0 9 0 149 8 Port Vale 1978–79 Fourth Division 24 0 0 0 0 0 24 0 1979–80 Fourth Division 17 0 0 0 2 0 19 0 Total 41 0 0 0 2 0 43 0 Career total 281 16 20 2 18 0 319 18

## Honours

**Rotherham United**

- [Football League Fourth Division](/source/Football_League_Fourth_Division) third-place promotion: [1974–75](/source/1974%E2%80%9375_Football_League)

## References

1. Kent, Jeff (1996). *Port Vale Personalities*. Witan Books. p. 82. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.

1. Rollin, Jack (ed.) (1980). [*Rothmans Football Yearbook 1980–81*](https://archive.org/details/rothmansfootball00roll). London: Queen Anne Press. p. [299](https://archive.org/details/rothmansfootball00roll/page/299). ISBN 0362020175. Retrieved 14 April 2020.

1. Hern, Bill & Gleave, David (2020). *Football's Black Pioneers*. Leicester: Conker Editions. pp. 168–169. ISBN 9781999900854.

1. *Where are they now? – Bob Delgado*, Chester City v Stoke City matchday programme 3/10/92, p. 20

1. ["Cult Hero in Profile – Bob Delgado"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160322031357/https://chestercityfc.wordpress.com/2010/02/13/cult-hero-in-profile-bob-delgado/). *chestercityfc.wordpress.com*. Archived from [the original](http://chestercityfc.wordpress.com/2010/02/13/cult-hero-in-profile-bob-delgado/) on 22 March 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2012.

1. ["stats"](http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player/bobdelgado.html). *neilbrown.newcastlefans.com*. Retrieved 23 April 2012.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Bob Delgado](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Delgado) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Delgado?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.