Albert Sturgess
Encyclopedia
Albert Sturgess was a footballer
who played for Sheffield United and England
.
in 1902, and made 124 appearances, scoring three times for the Staffordshire
club. He was signed by Sheffield United
from Stoke City in 1908, along with George Gallimore
, for the maximum transfer fee at the time of £350. He was a tall wiry defender and was nicknamed hairpin because of his build. He played primarily at wing-half or half-back in his time with Sheffield United, forging a formidable partnership with George Utley
and Bill Brelsford
.
Sturgess was the type of professional footballer that all football
clubs yearn for. He played with skill and determination in all positions, and, whether as a forward, half-back, full-back, or emergency goalkeeper, Sturgess never gave less than 100%, and well deserved his reputation as the one man football team. He made his debut for the Blades in a Division One
match at Bury
on 1 September 1908, replacing Ernest Needham
at left-half.
He was also part of the victorious Sheffield United FA Cup
winning team of 1915
, when United beat Chelsea
3-1 at Old Trafford, on 24 April 1915. He went on to make 353 league
appearances and five goals for the Blades, between 1908 and 1922.
After World War I
, he played mainly as full-back but turned out in most positions in the Blades team. He was noted for his fine tacking and anticipation and long accurate kicking, he gave Sheffield United and Stoke City excellent service missing very few games in a long career.
Twice an ever present in United
colours, he still managed forty league games in the season that he celebrated his fortieth birthday.
In 1923, he joined Norwich City
where he would spend one season and making 47 appearances for the Canaries helping them to (what was) their best league finish so far, 11th in Division Three South
. He retired from football at the age of 43 in 1925, and being a native of Etruria
, he opened a china shop in Ecclesall Road
, Sheffield
. He died in 1957 aged 74.
caps
- versus Northern Ireland
at the Baseball Ground
on 11 February 1911, and versus Scotland
at Hampden Park
on 14 April 1914.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who played for Sheffield United and England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
.
Club career
Sturgess started his career with amateur side Tunstall Cresswells before joining Stoke CityStoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
in 1902, and made 124 appearances, scoring three times for the Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
club. He was signed by Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
from Stoke City in 1908, along with George Gallimore
George Gallimore
George Arthur Gallimore was an English professional footballer who made more than 100 appearances in the Football League playing for Stoke, Sheffield United and Birmingham. He played as a left-sided or centre forward.-Career:...
, for the maximum transfer fee at the time of £350. He was a tall wiry defender and was nicknamed hairpin because of his build. He played primarily at wing-half or half-back in his time with Sheffield United, forging a formidable partnership with George Utley
George Utley
George Utley was an English footballer who played for Barnsley, Sheffield United and England. He was strong and powerful half back who could shoot at goal when required....
and Bill Brelsford
Bill Brelsford
William "Bill or Beau" Henry Brelsford was an English footballer who played for Doncaster Rovers and Sheffield United...
.
Sturgess was the type of professional footballer that all football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
clubs yearn for. He played with skill and determination in all positions, and, whether as a forward, half-back, full-back, or emergency goalkeeper, Sturgess never gave less than 100%, and well deserved his reputation as the one man football team. He made his debut for the Blades in a Division One
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
match at Bury
Bury F.C.
Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
on 1 September 1908, replacing Ernest Needham
Ernest Needham
Ernest 'Nudger' Needham was an English footballer and cricketer. He played football 14 times for England and captained the side in 1901....
at left-half.
He was also part of the victorious Sheffield United FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
winning team of 1915
1915 FA Cup Final
The 1915 FA Cup Final took place on 24 April 1915 and was contested by Sheffield United and Chelsea. It was the last FA Cup final to be staged before competitive football was abandoned in Britain because of the First World War...
, when United beat Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
3-1 at Old Trafford, on 24 April 1915. He went on to make 353 league
English football league system
The English football league system, also known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for association football clubs in England, with six teams from Wales also competing...
appearances and five goals for the Blades, between 1908 and 1922.
After World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he played mainly as full-back but turned out in most positions in the Blades team. He was noted for his fine tacking and anticipation and long accurate kicking, he gave Sheffield United and Stoke City excellent service missing very few games in a long career.
Twice an ever present in United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
colours, he still managed forty league games in the season that he celebrated his fortieth birthday.
In 1923, he joined Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
where he would spend one season and making 47 appearances for the Canaries helping them to (what was) their best league finish so far, 11th in Division Three South
Football League Third Division South
The Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
. He retired from football at the age of 43 in 1925, and being a native of Etruria
Etruria, Staffordshire
Etruria is a suburb of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England.-Home of Wedgwood:Etruria was the fourth and penultimate site for the Wedgwood pottery business. Josiah Wedgwood, who was previously based in Burslem, opened his new works in 1769. It was named after the Italian district of Etruria,...
, he opened a china shop in Ecclesall Road
Ecclesall Road
|thumb|200px|right|Ecclesall Road South, which runs through a large part of the Hallam Constituency, the second wealthiest in the UK.Ecclesall Road is a road in Sheffield that runs for about 3.5 miles south-west from Sheffield's city centre under the number A625...
, Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
. He died in 1957 aged 74.
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Stoke Stoke City F.C. Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts... |
1902–03 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1903–04 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1904–05 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| 1905–06 | 37 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 39 | 1 | |
| 1906–07 | 37 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 40 | 2 | |
| 1907–08 | 37 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 43 | 1 | |
| Total | 124 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 135 | 3 | |
| Sheffield United Sheffield United F.C. Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production... |
1908–09 | | | |||||
| 1909–10 | | | ||||||
| 1910–11 | | | ||||||
| 1911–12 | | | ||||||
| 1912–13 | | | ||||||
| 1913–14 | | | ||||||
| 1914–15 | | | ||||||
| 1919–20 | | | ||||||
| 1920–21 | | | ||||||
| 1921–22 | | | ||||||
| 1922–23 | | | ||||||
| Total | 353 | 5 | 353 | 5 | |||
| Norwich City Norwich City F.C. Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The... |
1923–24 | 47 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 0 |
| Career Total | 524 | 8 | 11 | 0 | 535 | 8 | |
International career
While with United Sturgess won 2 EnglandEngland national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
- versus Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
at the Baseball Ground
Baseball Ground
The Baseball Ground was a stadium in Derby, England. It was first used for baseball as the home of Derby County Baseball Club from 1890 until 1898 and then for football as the home of Derby County from 1895 until 1997. It was commonly referred to as the "BBG".As the name suggests, the stadium was...
on 11 February 1911, and versus Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
at Hampden Park
Hampden Park
Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
on 14 April 1914.
Honours
Sheffield UnitedSheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
: Winners 19151915 FA Cup FinalThe 1915 FA Cup Final took place on 24 April 1915 and was contested by Sheffield United and Chelsea. It was the last FA Cup final to be staged before competitive football was abandoned in Britain because of the First World War...