Graham Abel

Graham Abel
Born	(1960-09-17) September 17, 1960 Runcorn, Cheshire, England
Occupation	Professional footballer (retired)
Years active	1985–1998
Known for	Football League player for Chester City and Crewe Alexandra; FA Trophy appearances with Northwich Victoria

Graham Abel (born 17 September 1960) is a former English professional footballer who operated primarily as a central defender. He competed in the Football League representing Chester City and Crewe Alexandra, and featured three times at Wembley Stadium with Northwich Victoria in the FA Trophy finals.

Playing career

Originating from Runcorn, Cheshire, Abel commenced his professional career relatively late at the age of 25 when he signed for Chester in October 1985, following periods in non-league football with Runcorn and Northwich Victoria. During the 1982–83 season, he was part of the Northwich squad that finished as runners-up in the FA Trophy final against Telford United, before playing a key role in their triumph over Bangor City in the subsequent 1983–84 final.

Abel made his Football League debut for Chester in a 1–0 victory against Aldershot on 2 November 1985 and featured in 23 straight league matches as the club achieved promotion. He maintained a consistent presence in the team until his release after the 1992–93 campaign, accumulating 30 goals throughout his tenure—benefiting from reliable penalty-taking skills and occasional deployment in attacking positions. A highlight includes scoring the last Football League goal at Sealand Road during a 2–0 victory over Rotherham United on 28 April 1990.

Remaining within Cheshire and the Football League, Abel signed for Crewe Alexandra, where he contributed to their promotion during his sole season with the club. Subsequently, he returned to Northwich Victoria for two seasons, which included another Wembley appearance in a 3–1 defeat to Macclesfield Town during the 1995–96 FA Trophy final. Abel concluded his playing career in 1998 after spells at Chorley and Witton Albion.

Honours

Chester City

• Football League Fourth Division runners-up: 1985–86
• Player of the Season: 1987–88

Crewe Alexandra

• Football League Third Division promotion by finishing third: 1993–94

Northwich Victoria

• FA Trophy champions: 1983–84
• Finalists: 1982–83, 1995–96

References

General