John Cunliffe (footballer born 1930)
Encyclopedia
John "Dickie" Cunliffe (4 February 1930 – 15 November 1975) was an English
football left-winger
. He made 309 appearances in the Football League
, scoring 55 goals.
Signed to Port Vale
for almost the whole of the 1950s, he was on the wing for one of the most exciting periods of the club's history
, with Vale Park
still freshly built. In 1959 he crossed the city to play one season with Stoke City
. He then became a non-league player with Macclesfield Town
, Stafford Rangers
and Buxton
.
adept at taking on defenders, his finishing was poor.
in December 1950, he played through some of the clubs best years, winning the Football League Third Division North
title in 1953–54
and reaching the FA Cup
semi-finals in 1954. On the way he outplayed Blackpool
's Stanley Matthews
at Vale Park
. He missed only one match of the Football League Fourth Division
winning 1958–59 season
, but was transferred to Stoke City
, along with £2,000, in exchange for Peter Ford
and Harry Oscroft
in September 1959. He later played for Macclesfield Town
, Stafford Rangers
and Buxton
.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
football left-winger
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
. He made 309 appearances in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
, scoring 55 goals.
Signed to Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
for almost the whole of the 1950s, he was on the wing for one of the most exciting periods of the club's history
History of Port Vale F.C.
The history of Port Vale F.C., an English association football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, began when the club was formed in 1876. In 1884, the club moved to the town of Burslem, changing their name to Burslem Port Vale in the process. The club joined the Football League Second Division upon its...
, with Vale Park
Vale Park
Vale Park is a football stadium in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England. It is the home ground of Port Vale F.C., who have played at the ground since 1950....
still freshly built. In 1959 he crossed the city to play one season with Stoke City
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...
. He then became a non-league player with Macclesfield Town
Macclesfield Town F.C.
Macclesfield Town Football Club is an English football team. The club was formed in 1874 and is based in the town of Macclesfield in Cheshire. The team play its home games at the 6,355 capacity Moss Rose stadium...
, Stafford Rangers
Stafford Rangers F.C.
Stafford Rangers Football Club is a semi-professional English football team from Stafford which plays in the Northern Premier League Premier Division.The team wear black and white stripes with black shorts...
and Buxton
Buxton F.C.
Buxton Football Club are an English football club based in Buxton, Derbyshire. They were established in 1877 and joined the Combination League in 1891. They then joined the Manchester League in 1899 and won the championship in 1932. They reached the 3rd round of the FA Cup in the 1951-52 season....
.
Playing style
A skilled left-wingerMidfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
adept at taking on defenders, his finishing was poor.
Playing career
Cunliffe joined Port ValePort Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
in December 1950, he played through some of the clubs best years, winning the Football League Third Division North
Football League Third Division North
The Third Division North of The Football League was a tier in the English association football league system from 1921 to 1958. It ran parallel to Third Division South with clubs elected to the League or relegated from a higher division allocated to one or the other according to geographical position...
title in 1953–54
1953–54 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1953–54 season was Port Vale's forty-second season of football in the Football League, and their second season back in the Third Division North. Quite possibly the greatest season in the club's history, Freddie Steele's side were crowned Third Division North champions with 69 points out of a...
and reaching the 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...
semi-finals in 1954. On the way he outplayed Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
's Stanley Matthews
Stanley Matthews
Sir Stanley Matthews, CBE was an English footballer. Often regarded as one of the greatest players of the English game, he is the only player to have been knighted while still playing, as well as being the first winner of both the European Footballer of the Year and the Football Writers'...
at Vale Park
Vale Park
Vale Park is a football stadium in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England. It is the home ground of Port Vale F.C., who have played at the ground since 1950....
. He missed only one match of the Football League Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
winning 1958–59 season
1958–59 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1958–59 season was Port Vale's forty-seventh season of football in the Football League, and their first season in the newly created Fourth Division following their relegation from the Third Division South. They scored a club-record 110 goals in 46 league matches to storm to the Fourth Division...
, but was transferred to Stoke City
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...
, along with £2,000, in exchange for Peter Ford
Peter Ford (footballer)
Peter Leslie Ford is a former English footballer.-Playing career:Ford played for West Bromwich Albion and Stoke City before transferring to Port Vale, along with Harry Oscroft, in exchange Dickie Cunliffe and £2,000 in September 1959. He was a regular for his first two seasons, winning the...
and Harry Oscroft
Harry Oscroft
Harry "Ozzy" Oscroft was an English footballer. He was Stoke City's main left winger throughout the 1950s. He was named as one of the club's '101 Golden Greats' in Simon Lowe's book of that name.-Playing career:...
in September 1959. He later played for Macclesfield Town
Macclesfield Town F.C.
Macclesfield Town Football Club is an English football team. The club was formed in 1874 and is based in the town of Macclesfield in Cheshire. The team play its home games at the 6,355 capacity Moss Rose stadium...
, Stafford Rangers
Stafford Rangers F.C.
Stafford Rangers Football Club is a semi-professional English football team from Stafford which plays in the Northern Premier League Premier Division.The team wear black and white stripes with black shorts...
and Buxton
Buxton F.C.
Buxton Football Club are an English football club based in Buxton, Derbyshire. They were established in 1877 and joined the Combination League in 1891. They then joined the Manchester League in 1899 and won the championship in 1932. They reached the 3rd round of the FA Cup in the 1951-52 season....
.
Honours
with Port Vale- Football League Third Division NorthFootball League Third Division NorthThe Third Division North of The Football League was a tier in the English association football league system from 1921 to 1958. It ran parallel to Third Division South with clubs elected to the League or relegated from a higher division allocated to one or the other according to geographical position...
winner: 1953–541953–54 Port Vale F.C. seasonThe 1953–54 season was Port Vale's forty-second season of football in the Football League, and their second season back in the Third Division North. Quite possibly the greatest season in the club's history, Freddie Steele's side were crowned Third Division North champions with 69 points out of a... - Football League Fourth DivisionFootball League Fourth DivisionThe Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
winner: 1958–19591958–59 Port Vale F.C. seasonThe 1958–59 season was Port Vale's forty-seventh season of football in the Football League, and their first season in the newly created Fourth Division following their relegation from the Third Division South. They scored a club-record 110 goals in 46 league matches to storm to the Fourth Division...