News has just reached Club Historian Ron Parrott of the sad passing of a
former Bull. Although never having played for the first team, Mike
Burford was a popular member of United’s youth squad and spent four
years at Edgar Street, signing as a schoolboy at the age of 15 in 1974
and remaining until the end of the 1977/78 season.
Mike played mainly as
an inside-forward and was in the team that carried off the South West
& Wales Youth League and Cup double in 1977/78, playing alongside
such stars as Andy Feeley, Stuart Cornes, Kevin Sheedy & Stewart
Phillips.
After leaving Edgar Street, Mike joined Cheltenham Town but
failed to break into their first team but after a spell in local
football, he spent six happy years with Gloucester City. After a very
brief return to Cheltenham Town, Mike returned to Gloucester City before
ending his career with Shortwood United and Brockworth, whilst working
for his family’s scrap metal business in Witcombe.
Mike was also a
talented amateur cricketer and sadly was taken from us at the age of
only 56.