 Born in Meir , Stoke @-@ on @-@ Trent , he joined local club Stoke City as an amateur in 1964 , making his first team debut in September 1968 . A hard @-@ tackling defender , he soon established himself in the first team , playing in a centre @-@ back partnership with Alan Bloor for much of his career . Stoke enjoyed one of the most successful periods of their history during his time at the club , as he helped Stoke to win the League Cup in 1972 , featuring in successive FA Cup semi @-@ finals in 1971 and 1972 and helping the club to successive fifth @-@ place finishes in the First Division in 1973 – 74 and 1974 – 75 . His bravery as a player meant that he also entered the Guinness Book of Records as the most injured man in football , although he was never able to fully recover after breaking his leg for the fifth time in his career in March 1975 . He did manage to continue to play competitive football , and helped Stoke to win promotion from the Second Division in 1978 – 79 . He missed the entire 1980 – 81 season due to injury , and left the club in May 1982 . 
