Paul Went

Paul Went was an English footballer with a quick turn of pace^[1] who played professionally for five clubs^[2] over a fifteen-year period. He was one of that generation who bridged the gap between terminological eras, beginning his career as a centre-half and ending it as a central defender^[3] despite playing a similar role throughout.

Born in Bromley-by-Bow on 12 October 1949 he played for both England schoolboys and the Under 18 youth side.^[4] After an apprenticeship he broke into the Orient first team in 1966 and became the clubs youngest ever player and played 50 games for the club before being transferred to Charlton in June 1967.^[5] He spent five years at The Valley before moving to Fulham in the summer of 1972. After only 18 months he was off to Portsmouth, part of new chairman John Deacon’s ambitious new rebuilding programme.^[6] Manager John Mortimore planned a rock-like central partnership between Went and Malcolm Manley,^[7] but the former Leicester defender injured his knee in only his 11th game for the Fratton Park club and never played professionally again. Went, by contrast, was voted "Player of the Year" at the end of his first season. As financial crisis piled on crisis^[8] manager Ian St John cut the wage bill by selling Went to Cardiff City, his last game being a 4–1 away defeat to Shrewsbury.^[9] After two eventful years in Wales ^[10] Went returned to his home town to rejoin his first club. As his playing career drew to an end Went was appointed Assistant Manager at Brisbane Road, culminating in a twenty-one day reign as full manager.^[11]

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