Paul Canoville
| Date of birth | 04 March 1962 |
| Place of birth | Hillingdon |
| Nationality | English |
| Position | Midfielder/Forward |
Notably, Paul was the first black player in Chelsea's first team.
He helped Chelsea win the 2nd Division Championship in 1984 and scored some spectacular goals before moving on to Reading.
Paul suffered a dislocated knee, a torn cartilage and a rupture to his cruciate ligament in a match against Sunderland on 21 October 1986 that effectively ended his professional career at the age of 24.
His memoir, Black And Blue, won a number of awards including Best Autobiography in the National Sporting Club's 2009 Book Awards and Best Autobiography in the 2009 British Sports Book Awards.
Club history
| Team | Joined | Left | Loan / Trialist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chelsea | 01 Dec 1981 | 01 Aug 1986 | |
| Reading | 01 Aug 1986 | 30 Jun 1988 |
Club stats
| Season | Team | Competition | Apps | Subs | Goals | Y | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981-82 | Chelsea | League Division Two | 1 | 2 |
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| 1982-83 | Chelsea | League Cup | 2 | ||||
| 1982-83 | Chelsea | League Division Two | 16 | 3 |
3 |
||
| 1983-84 | Chelsea | FA Cup | 1 | ||||
| 1983-84 | Chelsea | League Cup | 4 | 1 |
|||
| 1983-84 | Chelsea | League Division Two | 17 | 3 |
6 |
||
| 1984-85 | Chelsea | FA Cup | 1 | 1 |
1 |
||
| 1984-85 | Chelsea | League Cup | 5 | 4 |
2 |
||
| 1984-85 | Chelsea | League Division One | 15 | 9 |
1 |
||
| 1985-86 | Chelsea | FA Cup | 2 |
||||
| 1985-86 | Chelsea | League Cup | 1 | 2 |
|||
| 1985-86 | Chelsea | League Division One | 4 | 9 |
1 |
Please note: Career stats are based on performances in the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.
Club matches
| Date | Match | Result | Competition | Round | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Apr 1982 | Crystal Palace v Chelsea | W | 0-1 | League Division Two | |
| 08 May 1982 | Chelsea v Luton Town | L | 1-2 | League Division Two | |
| 15 May 1982 | Blackburn Rovers v Chelsea | D | 1-1 | League Division Two | |
| 28 Aug 1982 | Cambridge United v Chelsea | W | 0-1 | League Division Two | |
| 08 Sep 1982 | Derby County v Chelsea | L | 1-0 | League Division Two | |
| 11 Sep 1982 | Newcastle United v Chelsea | D | 1-1 | League Division Two | |
| 18 Sep 1982 | Chelsea v Oldham Athletic | W | 2-0 | League Division Two | |
| 25 Sep 1982 | Sheffield Wednesday v Chelsea | L | 3-2 | League Division Two | |
| 02 Oct 1982 | Chelsea v Grimsby Town | W | 5-2 | League Division Two | |
| 06 Oct 1982 | Chelsea v Tranmere Rovers | W | 3-1 | League Cup | 2nd round 1st leg |
| 09 Oct 1982 | Chelsea v Leeds United | D | 0-0 | League Division Two | |
| 09 Nov 1982 | Notts County v Chelsea | L | 2-0 | League Cup | 3rd round |
| 05 Mar 1983 | Charlton Athletic v Chelsea | L | 5-2 | League Division Two | |
| 12 Mar 1983 | Chelsea v Carlisle United | W | 4-2 | League Division Two | |
| 19 Mar 1983 | Crystal Palace v Chelsea | D | 0-0 | League Division Two | |
| 26 Mar 1983 | Chelsea v Barnsley | L | 0-3 | League Division Two | |
| 02 Apr 1983 | Fulham v Chelsea | D | 1-1 | League Division Two | |
| 04 Apr 1983 | Chelsea v Queens Park Rangers | L | 0-2 | League Division Two | |
| 09 Apr 1983 | Oldham Athletic v Chelsea | D | 2-2 | League Division Two | |
| 16 Apr 1983 | Chelsea v Newcastle United | L | 0-2 | League Division Two | |
| 23 Apr 1983 | Burnley v Chelsea | L | 3-0 | League Division Two | |
| 30 Apr 1983 | Chelsea v Rotherham United | D | 1-1 | League Division Two | |
| 07 May 1983 | Bolton Wanderers v Chelsea | W | 0-1 | League Division Two | |
| 14 May 1983 | Chelsea v Middlesbrough | D | 0-0 | League Division Two | |
| 27 Aug 1983 | Chelsea v Derby County | W | 5-0 | League Division Two | |
| 30 Aug 1983 | Gillingham v Chelsea | W | 1-2 | League Cup | 1st round 1st leg |
| 03 Sep 1983 | Brighton and Hove Albion v Chelsea | W | 1-2 | League Division Two | |
| 07 Sep 1983 | Blackburn Rovers v Chelsea | D | 0-0 | League Division Two | |
| 10 Sep 1983 | Chelsea v Cambridge United | W | 2-1 | League Division Two | |
| 01 Oct 1983 | Huddersfield Town v Chelsea | W | 2-3 | League Division Two | |
| 05 Oct 1983 | Leicester City v Chelsea | W | 0-2 | League Cup | 2nd round 1st leg |
| 08 Oct 1983 | Fulham v Chelsea | W | 3-5 | League Division Two | |
| 15 Oct 1983 | Chelsea v Cardiff City | W | 2-0 | League Division Two | |
| 22 Oct 1983 | Carlisle United v Chelsea | D | 0-0 | League Division Two | |
| 25 Oct 1983 | Chelsea v Leicester City | L |
0-2 Agg: 2-2 (4-3) |
League Cup | 2nd round 2nd leg |
| 29 Oct 1983 | Chelsea v Charlton Athletic | W | 3-2 | League Division Two | |
| 05 Nov 1983 | Oldham Athletic v Chelsea | D | 1-1 | League Division Two | |
| 09 Nov 1983 | Chelsea v West Bromwich Albion | L | 0-1 | League Cup | 3rd round |
| 06 Dec 1983 | Chelsea v Swansea City | W | 6-1 | League Division Two | |
| 10 Dec 1983 | Barnsley v Chelsea | D | 0-0 | League Division Two | |
| 17 Dec 1983 | Chelsea v Grimsby Town | L | 2-3 | League Division Two | |
| 26 Dec 1983 | Shrewsbury Town v Chelsea | W | 2-4 | League Division Two | |
| 27 Dec 1983 | Chelsea v Portsmouth | D | 2-2 | League Division Two | |
| 31 Dec 1983 | Chelsea v Brighton and Hove Albion | W | 1-0 | League Division Two | |
| 02 Jan 1984 | Middlesbrough v Chelsea | L | 2-1 | League Division Two | |
| 07 Jan 1984 | Blackburn Rovers v Chelsea | L | 1-0 | FA Cup | 3rd round |
| 14 Apr 1984 | Crystal Palace v Chelsea | W | 0-1 | League Division Two | |
| 28 Apr 1984 | Chelsea v Leeds United | W | 5-0 | League Division Two | |
| 04 May 1984 | Manchester City v Chelsea | W | 0-2 | League Division Two | |
| 25 Aug 1984 | Arsenal v Chelsea | D | 1-1 | League Division One | |
| 27 Aug 1984 | Chelsea v Sunderland | W | 1-0 | League Division One | |
| 31 Aug 1984 | Chelsea v Everton | L | 0-1 | League Division One | |
| 05 Sep 1984 | Manchester United v Chelsea | D | 1-1 | League Division One | |
| 08 Sep 1984 | Aston Villa v Chelsea | L | 4-2 | League Division One | |
| 26 Sep 1984 | Chelsea v Millwall | W | 3-1 | League Cup | 2nd round 1st leg |
| 20 Oct 1984 | Southampton v Chelsea | L | 1-0 | League Division One | |
| 27 Oct 1984 | Chelsea v Ipswich Town | W | 2-0 | League Division One | |
| 30 Oct 1984 | Walsall v Chelsea | D | 2-2 | League Cup | 3rd round |
| 03 Nov 1984 | Chelsea v Coventry City | W | 6-2 | League Division One | |
| 06 Nov 1984 | Chelsea v Walsall | W | 3-0 | League Cup | 3rd round replay |
| 10 Nov 1984 | Newcastle United v Chelsea | L | 2-1 | League Division One | |
| 17 Nov 1984 | Chelsea v West Bromwich Albion | W | 3-1 | League Division One | |
| 21 Nov 1984 | Chelsea v Manchester City | W | 4-1 | League Cup | 4th round |
| 24 Nov 1984 | Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea | D | 1-1 | League Division One | |
| 01 Dec 1984 | Chelsea v Liverpool | W | 3-1 | League Division One | |
| 08 Dec 1984 | Sheffield Wednesday v Chelsea | D | 1-1 | League Division One | |
| 15 Dec 1984 | Chelsea v Stoke City | D | 1-1 | League Division One | |
| 19 Jan 1985 | Chelsea v Arsenal | D | 1-1 | League Division One | |
| 26 Jan 1985 | Wigan Athletic v Chelsea | W | 0-5 | FA Cup | 3rd round replay |
| 28 Jan 1985 | Chelsea v Sheffield Wednesday | D | 1-1 | League Cup | Quarter-final |
| 30 Jan 1985 | Sheffield Wednesday v Chelsea | D | 4-4 | League Cup | Quarter-final replay |
| 02 Feb 1985 | Leicester City v Chelsea | D | 1-1 | League Division One | |
| 04 Feb 1985 | Chelsea v Millwall | L | 2-3 | FA Cup | 4th round |
| 06 Feb 1985 | Chelsea v Sheffield Wednesday | W | 2-1 | League Cup | Quarter-final 2nd replay |
| 13 Feb 1985 | Sunderland v Chelsea | L | 2-0 | League Cup | Semi-final 1st leg |
| 23 Feb 1985 | Coventry City v Chelsea | L | 1-0 | League Division One | |
| 02 Mar 1985 | Ipswich Town v Chelsea | L | 2-0 | League Division One | |
| 04 Mar 1985 | Chelsea v Sunderland | L |
2-3 Agg: 2-5 |
League Cup | Semi-final 2nd leg |
| 09 Mar 1985 | Chelsea v Southampton | L | 0-2 | League Division One | |
| 20 Apr 1985 | West Bromwich Albion v Chelsea | W | 0-1 | League Division One | |
| 06 May 1985 | Chelsea v Sheffield Wednesday | W | 2-1 | League Division One | |
| 08 May 1985 | Chelsea v Luton Town | W | 2-0 | League Division One | |
| 11 May 1985 | Stoke City v Chelsea | W | 0-1 | League Division One | |
| 14 May 1985 | Chelsea v Norwich City | L | 1-2 | League Division One | |
| 04 Sep 1985 | Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea | L | 4-1 | League Division One | |
| 14 Sep 1985 | Chelsea v Southampton | W | 2-0 | League Division One | |
| 21 Sep 1985 | Chelsea v Arsenal | W | 2-1 | League Division One | |
| 25 Sep 1985 | Mansfield Town v Chelsea | D | 2-2 | League Cup | 2nd round 1st leg |
| 28 Sep 1985 | Watford v Chelsea | L | 3-1 | League Division One | |
| 05 Oct 1985 | Manchester City v Chelsea | W | 0-1 | League Division One | |
| 06 Nov 1985 | Fulham v Chelsea | W | 0-1 | League Cup | 3rd round replay |
| 30 Nov 1985 | Liverpool v Chelsea | D | 1-1 | League Division One | |
| 14 Dec 1985 | Chelsea v Sheffield Wednesday | W | 2-1 | League Division One | |
| 21 Dec 1985 | Birmingham City v Chelsea | W | 1-2 | League Division One | |
| 28 Dec 1985 | Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur | W | 2-0 | League Division One | |
| 04 Jan 1986 | Shrewsbury Town v Chelsea | W | 0-1 | FA Cup | 3rd round |
| 18 Jan 1986 | West Bromwich Albion v Chelsea | W | 0-3 | League Division One | |
| 22 Jan 1986 | Queens Park Rangers v Chelsea | D | 1-1 | League Cup | Quarter-final |
| 26 Jan 1986 | Chelsea v Liverpool | L | 1-2 | FA Cup | 4th round |
| 31 Mar 1986 | Queens Park Rangers v Chelsea | L | 6-0 | League Division One | |
| 03 May 1986 | Chelsea v Liverpool | L | 0-1 | League Division One | |
| 05 May 1986 | Chelsea v Watford | L | 1-5 | League Division One | |
Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.