Joe Bolton (footballer)

Joseph Bolton (born 2 February 1955) is an English former footballer who played primarily as a left back. Born in Birtley in Tyne and Wear he started his career at nearby Sunderland as a trainee and spent nine years at the club before moving to Middlesbrough and then Sheffield United, following which he was forced to retire through injury.

Joe Bolton
Personal information
Full name Joseph Bolton[1]
Date of birth (1955-02-02) 2 February 1955[1]
Place of birth Birtley,[1] England
Height 5 ft 11.5 in (1.82 m)[1]
Position(s) Full back
Youth career
Sunderland
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1972–1981 Sunderland 273 (11)
1981–1983 Middlesbrough 59 (1)
1983–1986 Sheffield United 109 (3)
1986–1988 Matlock Town
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

Sunderland

Having joined the club as a trainee Bolton made his debut for Sunderland on 17 April 1972 against Watford in a 5–0 win at Roker Park.[2] He soon established himself in the first team and remained a stalwart of the side for the next nine seasons. A cult hero with the fans at Roker Park he was a key member of the side that clinched the Division Two title in 1976.[1] When he finally left Sunderland he had made 273 league appearances and scored 11 goals.[3]

Middlesbrough

In 1981 Bolton was signed by Sunderland's North East rivals Middlesbrough for £200,000. In two seasons, he made 59 appearances, scoring a solitary goal.[4]

Sheffield United

Bolton signed for Sheffield United on a free transfer in August 1983, brought to the club by his former Sunderland teammate Ian Porterfield who was now manager at Bramall Lane.[1] Viewed as a solid, no-nonsense defender during his time at the club, he helped United to promotion as they finished third in Division Three in his first season.[1] After making 130 appearances for the club in three years injuries began to take their toll and he was released in May 1986.[1]

Post professional career

After an unsuccessful trial with Rotherham United Bolton dropped into non-league and spent a season and a half playing for Matlock Town before finally retiring and taking a job as a lorry driver.[1]

Bolton was mentioned on the back of The Housemartins' single, 'Happy Hour', which described the band as having "more striking power than Lineker, Platini and Joe Bolton all rolled together into a great big cuddly ball."

Honours
Sunderland
Sheffield United

References
  1. Denis Clarebrough & Andrew Kirkham (2008). Sheffield United Who's Who. Hallamshire Press. pp. 56–57. ISBN 978-1-874718-69-7.
  2. "Sunderland 1-0 Watford". The Stat Cat. Archived from the original on 6 July 2008. Retrieved 8 August 2008.
  3. "Joe Bolton". The Stat Cat. Archived from the original on 4 March 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2008.
  4. "Joe Bolton". Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database. Retrieved 8 August 2008.
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