Ralph Rodgerson (footballer, born 1913)

Ralph Rodgerson (25 December 1913 – 18 April 1972) was an English professional footballer who played in the Football League as a full back for Sunderland.

For his father, see Ralph Rodgerson.

Ralph Rodgerson
Personal information
Full name Ralph Rodgerson[1]
Date of birth (1913-12-25)25 December 1913[1]
Place of birth Sunderland, England
Date of death 18 April 1972(1972-04-18) (aged 58)[1]
Place of death Sunderland, England
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[1]
Position(s) Full back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Millfield
19??–1935 Shotton Colliery Welfare
1935–1942 Sunderland 5 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Life and career

Rodgerson was born in Sunderland in 1913,[1] the son of Ralph Rodgerson and his wife Evelyn. Ralph senior was a professional footballer who played in the Football League for Huddersfield Town and Leeds United and in the Scottish League for Dundee.[2]

Rodgerson played Sunderland and District League football for Millfield – he also played cricket for the Miilfield club alongside his father[3] – and Wearside League football for Shotton Colliery Welfare before signing professional forms with Football League First Division club Sunderland in December 1935.[4] With the club's sixth League title already confirmed, Rodgerson was given a debut on 18 April 1936, playing at left back in a 4–3 win at home to Huddersfield Town,[5] and also played in the remaining two matches of the season, which were both heavy defeats.[6] He made two more first-team appearances, both at home to Manchester United, one in 1936–37 and the last in 1938–39,[7][8] before competitive football was suspended for the duration of the Second World War. He played for Sunderland and for North Shields in wartime matches,[9][10] but did not resume a professional career afterwards.[11]

The 1939 Register finds Rodgerson living in Sunderland with his wife, Vera, and working as a plater's helper.[12] He joined the police in December 1939.[13] He played for the Sunderland Police football team during the war,[9] and for their cricket team until well into the 1950s.[14] Rodgerson died in Sunderland in 1972 at the age of 58.[1]

References
  1. Dykes, Garth; Lamming, Doug (2000). All the Lads: A Complete Who's Who of Sunderland AFC. ISBN 9781899538157.
  2. "Fatal collapse". Sunderland Echo. 10 July 1939. p. 7.
    "Due to natural causes. Wearsider's death after trench digging". Sunderland Echo. 11 July 1939. p. 10.
  3. "In Durham cricket fields". Sunderland Echo. 11 May 1934. p. 15.
  4. "Sunderland sign a back". Sunderland Echo. 27 December 1935. p. 9.
  5. "1935–36: Football League Division 1 – Match 40". The StatCat. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  6. "1935–36: Football League Division 1: Game by game". The StatCat. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  7. "1936–37: Football League Division 1: Game by game". The StatCat. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  8. "1938–39: Football League Division 1: Game by game". The StatCat. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  9. "Player details: Ralph Rodgerson". The StatCat. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  10. "Shields get Sunderland back". Shields Evening News. 25 October 1939. p. 4.
  11. "Player search: Rodgerson, R (Ralph)". English National Football Archive. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  12. "Ralph Rodgerson". 1939 Register. RG101/2720K FDKZ – via Ancestry Library Edition.
  13. "Testing time for North Shields F.C. New Year games decide fate". Shields Evening News. 28 December 1939. p. 3.
  14. "Sunderland eleven wins Police Cup". Sunderland Echo. 18 September 1954. p. 7.
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