# Ron Greener > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ron_Greener > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ron_Greener.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Greener > Source revision: 1254892353 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|English footballer}} {{use British English|date=November 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Ron Greener | image = | caption = | fullname = Ronald Greener | birth_date = {{birth date|1934|1|31|df=y}} | birth_place = [Easington, County Durham](/source/Easington%2C_County_Durham), England | death_date = {{death date and age|2015|10|19|1934|1|31|df=y}} | death_place = [Darlington](/source/Darlington), England | currentclub = | height = {{height|ft=5|in=11}} | position = [Centre half](/source/Defender_(association_football)) | youthyears1 = – | youthclubs1 = [Barnsley](/source/Barnsley_F.C.) | years1 = 19??–1952 | clubs1 = [Easington CW](/source/Easington_Colliery_A.F.C.) | caps1 = | goals1 = | years2 = 1952–1955 | clubs2 = [Newcastle United](/source/Newcastle_United_F.C.) | caps2 = 3 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 1955–1967 | clubs3 = [Darlington](/source/Darlington_F.C.) | caps3 = 442 | goals3 = 5 | years4 = 1967–1969 | clubs4 = [Stockton](/source/Stockton_F.C.) | caps4 = | goals4 = }} '''Ronald Greener''' (31 January 1934 – 19 October 2015) was an English [footballer](/source/association_football), who played as a [centre half](/source/defender_(association_football)). Born in [Easington, County Durham](/source/Easington%2C_County_Durham),{{cite web |url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player2/rongreener.html |title=Ron Greener |work=UK A–Z Transfers |publisher=Neil Brown |accessdate=4 February 2010}} he played his entire career in his native North-East. He started his career with [Newcastle United](/source/Newcastle_United_F.C.), before he moved to [Darlington](/source/Darlington_F.C.) in 1955. He spent most of his playing career with Darlington, and set the club's appearance record of 490 first-team appearances. ==Football career== Greener worked as a [blacksmith](/source/blacksmith) at Easington Colliery,{{cite news |url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/2001260.The_day_Greener___s_Darlington_made_FA_Cup_clowns_of_Chelsea/ |title=The day Greener's Darlington made FA Cup clowns of Chelsea |first=Mike |last=Amos |newspaper=The Northern Echo |date=29 January 2008 |accessdate=27 November 2017}} and began his football career playing for [Easington Colliery Welfare](/source/Easington_Colliery_A.F.C.) and for [Barnsley](/source/Barnsley_F.C.) at youth level, before joining [Newcastle United](/source/Newcastle_United_F.C.) as a professional in 1952.{{cite news |url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/7124142.Why_the_grass_was_always_Greener_down_at_Feethams/ |title=Why the grass was always Greener down at Feethams |newspaper=The Northern Echo |date=1 December 2000 |accessdate=27 November 2017}} He made his first-team debut on 3 October 1953, in a 2–0 home defeat against [Charlton Athletic](/source/Charlton_Athletic_F.C.) in the [First Division](/source/Football_League_First_Division). He played only twice more for Newcastle{{cite web |url=http://toon1892.com/detail_player.php?id=302 |title=Player Profile: Ron Greener |website=Toon1892 |publisher=Kenneth H. Scott |accessdate=13 August 2014}} before signing for [Darlington](/source/Darlington_F.C.) in 1955. He immediately established himself in the first team, playing 132 consecutive games, a run which came to an end in February 1958 when he was snowbound at home, unable to join up with the team travelling to [Workington](/source/Workington_A.F.C.).{{cite news |url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/features/2030071.Blackhall_v_Dawdon__the_greatest_game/ |title=Blackhall v Dawdon: the greatest game |first=Mike |last=Amos |newspaper=The Northern Echo |date=8 February 2008 |accessdate=24 April 2018 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120928102337/http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/features/columnists/mikeamos/backtrack/2030071.Blackhall_v_Dawdon__the_greatest_game/ |archivedate=28 September 2012}} The run included the "thrashing" of [Chelsea](/source/Chelsea_F.C.), Football League champions only three years earlier, in the Fourth Round of the [1957–58 FA Cup](/source/1957%E2%80%9358_FA_Cup).{{cite news |title=Darlington's three quick goals |newspaper=The Times |date=30 January 1958 |page=12 |quote=Darlington joined the Giant-killers' Club by thrashing Chelsea during extra time in yesterday's F.A. Cup replay ... It was a most meritorious win, earned by a combination of sound tactics and an enthusiasm that Chelsea never equalled}} After letting slip a three-goal lead at [Stamford Bridge](/source/Stamford_Bridge_(stadium)), Darlington won the replay 4–1 after [extra time](/source/extra_time). His performances earned him selection for the [Third Division North](/source/Football_League_Third_Division_North_vs._South_Representative_Games) representative side to play against the South in April 1957.{{cite news |title=So Ackerman earns North victory No. 1 |work=Daily Express |first=Mike |last=Langley |date=3 April 1967 |page=14}} He missed most of the club's first season in the newly formed [Fourth Division](/source/Football_League_Fourth_Division) after breaking his leg in August 1958, but returned the following season to play regularly for the remainder of his Darlington career.{{cite web |url=http://www.darlington-fc.net.p.preprod.performgroup.com/page/FormerPlayers/0,,10339~91866,00.html |title=Ron Greener – 1955–1967 |publisher=Darlington F.C. |date=18 May 2007 |accessdate=24 April 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120530032758/http://www.darlington-fc.net/page/FormerPlayers/0,,10339~91866,00.html |archivedate=30 May 2012}} He was part of the squad which won promotion to the [Third Division](/source/Football_League_Third_Division) in [1965–66](/source/1965%E2%80%9366_Football_League) under manager [Lol Morgan](/source/Lol_Morgan), and a regular first-team player the following season under [Jimmy Greenhalgh](/source/Jimmy_Greenhalgh), but was released on a free transfer at the end of the 1966–67 season.{{cite news |url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/7032390.Farewell_to_Feethams__Greener_finally_getting_his_chance_to_say_goodbye/ |title=Greener finally getting his chance to say goodbye |newspaper=The Northern Echo |date=3 May 2003 |accessdate=27 November 2017}} Nicknamed "The Man Mountain", Greener had made 490 first-team appearances for Darlington, still, as of 2010, a club record, his final appearance coming in April 1967 against [Bristol Rovers](/source/Bristol_Rovers_F.C.) at [Feethams](/source/Feethams).{{cite web |url=http://www.darlington-fc.net.p.preprod.performgroup.com/page/History/0,,10339~1027802,00.html |title=Club Honours and Records |publisher=Darlington F.C. |date=7 July 2009 |accessdate=24 April 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120722051009/http://www.darlington-fc.net/page/History/0,,10339~1027802,00.html |archivedate=22 July 2012}} He finished his football career with two years at [Stockton](/source/Stockton_F.C.). In 2004, the club named a conference room at their [Darlington Arena](/source/Darlington_Arena) stadium in Greener's honour,{{cite news |url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/6983588.Former_Quakers__stalwart_to_be_honoured/ |title=Former Quakers' stalwart to be honoured |newspaper=The Northern Echo |date=23 July 2004 |accessdate=27 November 2017}} and after the Feethams ground was demolished for housing, a road on the development was named after him.{{cite news |url=http://www.durhamadvertiser.co.uk/news/13879665.Darlington_FC_legend_Ron_Greener_has_died/ |title=Tributes to arguably Darlington FC's greatest player Ron Greener |first=Nigel |last=Burton |newspaper=Durham Advertiser |date=20 October 2015 |accessdate=27 November 2017}} Greener died in [Darlington](/source/Darlington) on 19 October 2015 at the age of 81.{{Hugman|7735|accessdate=27 November 2017}} ==Honours== ===As a player=== '''Darlington''' *[Division Four](/source/Football_League_Fourth_Division) runner-up: [1965–66](/source/1965-66_in_English_football) ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== * [http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player2/rongreener.html League stats] at Neil Brown's site {{DEFAULTSORT:Greener, Ron}} Category:1934 births Category:2015 deaths Category:Footballers from Easington, County Durham Category:English men's footballers Category:Men's association football defenders Category:Easington Colliery A.F.C. players Category:Newcastle United F.C. players Category:Darlington F.C. players Category:Stockton F.C. players Category:English Football League players Category:20th-century English sportsmen --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ron Greener](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Greener) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Greener?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.