Spencer Prior
| Date of birth | 22 April 1971 |
| Place of birth | Southend |
| Nationality | English |
| Weight | 84 kg |
| Height | 1.91 m |
| Position | Defender |
After four years at home town club Southend United, Spencer signed for Norwich City and shortly followed manager Martin O'Neill to Leicester City where he formed a formidable defensive partnership with Matt Elliott.
After an early season move to Derby County in 1998, he fell foul of Jim Smith's regime after publicly criticising tactics and training methods eventually resulting in a transfer deadline day move to Manchester City in March 2000 for £500,000.
A brave uncompromising player, Spencer epitomises the bulldog character of the traditional centre half.
An ever dangerous presence in the opposing area on set pieces, he hit the back of the net three times in quick succession during the latter stages of 1999-2000.
A player of extensive Premiership experience, Spencer rejoined Southend United in July 2004 with a two-year contract.
Club history
| Team | Joined | Left | Loan / Trialist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southend United | 22 May 1989 | 24 Jun 1993 | |
| Norwich City | 24 Jun 1993 | 17 Aug 1996 | |
| Leicester City | 17 Aug 1996 | 22 Aug 1998 | |
| Derby County | 22 Aug 1998 | 23 Mar 2000 | |
| Manchester City | 23 Mar 2000 | 28 Jun 2001 | |
| Cardiff City | 28 Jun 2001 | 30 Jun 2004 | |
| Colchester United | 05 Jul 2004 | 16 Jul 2004 | T |
| Southend United | 28 Jul 2004 | 30 Jun 2007 |
Club stats
| Season | Team | Competition | Apps | Subs | Goals | Y | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-94 | Norwich City | League Cup | 1 | ||||
| 1993-94 | Norwich City | Premier League | 13 |
1
|
|||
| 1994-95 | Norwich City | FA Cup | 1 |
||||
| 1994-95 | Norwich City | League Cup | 3 | 1 |
|||
| 1994-95 | Norwich City | Premier League | 12 | 5 |
2
|
||
| 1995-96 | Norwich City | League Cup | 3 | ||||
| 1996-97 | Leicester City | FA Cup | 4 | ||||
| 1996-97 | Leicester City | League Cup | 7 |
2
|
|||
| 1996-97 | Leicester City | Premier League | 33 | 1 |
3
|
||
| 1997-98 | Leicester City | FA Cup | 1 | ||||
| 1997-98 | Leicester City | Premier League | 28 | 2 |
2
|
||
| 1997-98 | Leicester City | UEFA Cup | 2 | ||||
| 1998-99 | Derby County | FA Cup | 4 | ||||
| 1998-99 | Derby County | League Cup | 2 | ||||
| 1998-99 | Derby County | Premier League | 33 | 1 |
1 |
4
|
|
| 1999-00 | Derby County | League Cup | 3 | ||||
| 1999-00 | Derby County | Premier League | 15 | 5 |
6
|
||
| 2000-01 | Manchester City | FA Cup | 2 | 1 |
|||
| 2000-01 | Manchester City | League Cup | 4 | ||||
| 2000-01 | Manchester City | Premier League | 18 | 3 |
1 |
3
|
|
| 2001-02 | Cardiff City | FA Cup | 3 | ||||
| 2001-02 | Cardiff City | League Division 2 | 33 | 4 |
2 |
8
|
|
| 2001-02 | Cardiff City | League Division 2 Play-Offs | 2 |
1
|
|||
| 2002-03 | Cardiff City | FA Cup | 4 |
2
|
|||
| 2002-03 | Cardiff City | League Cup | 2 |
1
|
|||
| 2002-03 | Cardiff City | League Division 2 | 35 | 2 |
4
|
||
| 2002-03 | Cardiff City | League Division 2 Play-Offs | 3 | ||||
| 2003-04 | Cardiff City | FA Cup | 1 | ||||
| 2003-04 | Cardiff City | League Division 1 | 4 | 3 |
|||
| 2004-05 | Southend United | FA Cup | 1 | ||||
| 2004-05 | Southend United | LDV Vans Trophy | 5 | ||||
| 2004-05 | Southend United | League Two | 41 | 2 |
6
|
||
| 2004-05 | Southend United | League Two Play-Offs | 3 | ||||
| 2005-06 | Southend United | FA Cup | 1 | ||||
| 2005-06 | Southend United | LDV Vans Trophy | 1 | ||||
| 2005-06 | Southend United | League Cup | 1 | ||||
| 2005-06 | Southend United | League One | 15 | 2 |
3
|
||
| 2006-07 | Southend United | League Championship | 15 | 2 |
1
|
||
| 2006-07 | Southend United | League Cup | 2 |
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Aug 1996 | Sunderland v Leicester City | D | 0-0 | Premier League | |
| 21 Aug 1996 | Leicester City v Southampton | W | 2-1 | Premier League | |
| 24 Aug 1996 | Leicester City v Arsenal | L | 0-2 | Premier League | |
| 02 Sep 1996 | Sheffield Wednesday v Leicester City | L | 2-1 | Premier League | |
| 07 Sep 1996 | Nottingham Forest v Leicester City | D | 0-0 | Premier League | |
| 15 Sep 1996 | Leicester City v Liverpool | L | 0-3 | Premier League | |
| 22 Sep 1996 | Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City | W | 1-2 | Premier League | |
| 28 Sep 1996 | Leicester City v Leeds United | W | 1-0 | Premier League | |
| 12 Oct 1996 | Leicester City v Chelsea | L | 1-3 | Premier League | |
| 19 Oct 1996 | West Ham United v Leicester City | L | 1-0 | Premier League | |
| 22 Oct 1996 | York City v Leicester City | W | 0-2 | League Cup | 3rd round |
| 26 Oct 1996 | Leicester City v Newcastle United | W | 2-0 | Premier League | |
| 02 Nov 1996 | Derby County v Leicester City | L | 2-0 | Premier League | |
| 16 Nov 1996 | Aston Villa v Leicester City | W | 1-3 | Premier League | |
| 23 Nov 1996 | Leicester City v Everton | L | 1-2 | Premier League | |
| 27 Nov 1996 | Leicester City v Manchester United | W | 2-0 | League Cup | 4th round |
| 30 Nov 1996 | Manchester United v Leicester City | L | 3-1 | Premier League | |
| 03 Dec 1996 | Middlesbrough v Leicester City | W | 0-2 | Premier League | |
| 07 Dec 1996 | Leicester City v Blackburn Rovers | D | 1-1 | Premier League | |
| 21 Dec 1996 | Leicester City v Coventry City | L | 0-2 | Premier League | |
| 26 Dec 1996 | Liverpool v Leicester City | D | 1-1 | Premier League | |
| 28 Dec 1996 | Leicester City v Nottingham Forest | D | 2-2 | Premier League | |
| 11 Jan 1997 | Leeds United v Leicester City | L | 3-0 | Premier League | |
| 15 Jan 1997 | Leicester City v Southend United | W | 2-0 | FA Cup | 3rd round |
| 18 Jan 1997 | Leicester City v Wimbledon | W | 1-0 | Premier League | |
| 21 Jan 1997 | Ipswich Town v Leicester City | W | 0-1 | League Cup | Quarter-final |
| 25 Jan 1997 | Leicester City v Norwich City | W | 2-1 | FA Cup | 4th round |
| 29 Jan 1997 | Leicester City v Sunderland | D | 1-1 | Premier League | |
| 02 Feb 1997 | Newcastle United v Leicester City | L | 4-3 | Premier League | |
| 16 Feb 1997 | Leicester City v Chelsea | D | 2-2 | FA Cup | 5th round |
| 18 Feb 1997 | Leicester City v Wimbledon | D | 0-0 | League Cup | Semi-final 1st leg |
| 22 Feb 1997 | Leicester City v Derby County | W | 4-2 | Premier League | |
| 26 Feb 1997 | Chelsea v Leicester City | L | 1-0 | FA Cup | 5th round replay |
| 01 Mar 1997 | Wimbledon v Leicester City | W | 1-3 | Premier League | |
| 05 Mar 1997 | Leicester City v Aston Villa | W | 1-0 | Premier League | |
| 11 Mar 1997 | Wimbledon v Leicester City | D |
1-1 Agg: 1-1 |
League Cup | Semi-final 2nd leg |
| 15 Mar 1997 | Leicester City v Middlesbrough | L | 1-3 | Premier League | |
| 19 Mar 1997 | Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur | D | 1-1 | Premier League | |
| 06 Apr 1997 | Leicester City v Middlesbrough | D | 1-1 | League Cup | Final |
| 09 Apr 1997 | Everton v Leicester City | D | 1-1 | Premier League | |
| 16 Apr 1997 | Leicester City v Middlesbrough | W | 1-0 | League Cup | Final replay |
| 19 Apr 1997 | Chelsea v Leicester City | L | 2-1 | Premier League | |
| 23 Apr 1997 | Leicester City v West Ham United | L | 0-1 | Premier League | |
| 07 May 1997 | Leicester City v Sheffield Wednesday | W | 1-0 | Premier League | |
| 11 May 1997 | Blackburn Rovers v Leicester City | W | 2-4 | Premier League | |
| 09 Aug 1997 | Leicester City v Aston Villa | W | 1-0 | Premier League | |
| 13 Aug 1997 | Liverpool v Leicester City | W | 1-2 | Premier League | |
| 23 Aug 1997 | Leicester City v Manchester United | D | 0-0 | Premier League | |
| 27 Aug 1997 | Leicester City v Arsenal | D | 3-3 | Premier League | |
| 30 Aug 1997 | Sheffield Wednesday v Leicester City | L | 1-0 | Premier League | |
| 13 Sep 1997 | Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur | W | 3-0 | Premier League | |
| 16 Sep 1997 | Atlético Madrid v Leicester City | L | 2-1 | UEFA Cup | 1st round 1st leg |
| 20 Sep 1997 | Leeds United v Leicester City | W | 0-1 | Premier League | |
| 24 Sep 1997 | Leicester City v Blackburn Rovers | D | 1-1 | Premier League | |
| 27 Sep 1997 | Barnsley v Leicester City | W | 0-2 | Premier League | |
| 30 Sep 1997 | Leicester City v Atlético Madrid | L |
0-2 Agg: 1-4 |
UEFA Cup | 1st round 2nd leg |
| 06 Oct 1997 | Leicester City v Derby County | L | 1-2 | Premier League | |
| 18 Oct 1997 | Chelsea v Leicester City | L | 1-0 | Premier League | |
| 27 Oct 1997 | Leicester City v West Ham United | W | 2-1 | Premier League | |
| 01 Nov 1997 | Newcastle United v Leicester City | D | 3-3 | Premier League | |
| 10 Nov 1997 | Leicester City v Wimbledon | L | 0-1 | Premier League | |
| 22 Nov 1997 | Leicester City v Bolton Wanderers | D | 0-0 | Premier League | |
| 29 Nov 1997 | Coventry City v Leicester City | W | 0-2 | Premier League | |
| 06 Dec 1997 | Leicester City v Crystal Palace | D | 1-1 | Premier League | |
| 13 Dec 1997 | Southampton v Leicester City | L | 2-1 | Premier League | |
| 20 Dec 1997 | Leicester City v Everton | L | 0-1 | Premier League | |
| 28 Dec 1997 | Leicester City v Sheffield Wednesday | D | 1-1 | Premier League | |
| 03 Jan 1998 | Leicester City v Northampton Town | W | 4-0 | FA Cup | 3rd round |
| 31 Jan 1998 | Manchester United v Leicester City | W | 0-1 | Premier League | |
| 07 Feb 1998 | Leicester City v Leeds United | W | 1-0 | Premier League | |
| 14 Feb 1998 | Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City | D | 1-1 | Premier League | |
| 21 Feb 1998 | Leicester City v Chelsea | W | 2-0 | Premier League | |
| 28 Feb 1998 | Blackburn Rovers v Leicester City | L | 5-3 | Premier League | |
| 14 Mar 1998 | Wimbledon v Leicester City | L | 2-1 | Premier League | |
| 28 Mar 1998 | Bolton Wanderers v Leicester City | L | 2-0 | Premier League | |
| 04 Apr 1998 | Leicester City v Coventry City | D | 1-1 | Premier League | |
| 11 Apr 1998 | Crystal Palace v Leicester City | W | 0-3 | Premier League | |
| 14 Apr 1998 | Leicester City v Southampton | D | 3-3 | Premier League | |
Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.