Stuart Sharratt

Stuart Edgar Sharratt (born 26 February 1942) is an English former football goalkeeper who made 152 league and cup appearances for Port Vale between 1966 and 1972. He previously played for West Bromwich Albion, Nantwich Town, and Oswestry Town.

Stuart Sharratt
Personal information
Full name Stuart Edgar Sharratt[1]
Date of birth (1942-02-26) 26 February 1942[1]
Place of birth Leek, Staffordshire, England[1]
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
Ball Haye Green
Padgate Teacher Training College
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
West Bromwich Albion 0 (0)
Nantwich Town
Oswestry Town
1966–1972 Port Vale 143 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

Stuart played for Ball Haye Green, Padgate Teacher Training College, West Bromwich Albion, Nantwich Town and Oswestry Town, before joining Jackie Mudie's Port Vale for £2,000 in March 1966.[1] He was favoured ahead of the ageing Jimmy O'Neill and the inexperienced David Ikin, and played 15 Fourth Division games at the end of the 1965–66 season.[1] He played 49 of the club's 50 games in the 1966–67 campaign, beating off competition from young hopeful Billy McNulty.[1] Sharrat was an ever-present during the 49 game 1967–68 season.[1] In March 1968, manager Stanley Matthews arranged a £15,000 transfer to Huddersfield Town, however Sharratt refused the move.[3] However injury struck on 14 August 1968 as he cracked a kneecap in a 2–0 defeat at Wrexham in the first round of the League Cup, later contracting a virus in his blood.[1] Upon his recovery he became a part-time player and barely got a game, though he did play instead of Keith Ball in 18 Third Division games in the 1970–71 season, and went on to feature 18 times in the 1971–72 season.[1] His contract was terminated by manager Gordon Lee in May 1972 because he was unable to get release from his work as a college lecturer to play in a testimonial game.[1] He appealed and the club were forced by the Football League to honour his contract to 30 June 1972.[1]

Post-retirement

Stuart increasingly attended Vale matches as a supporter from 1986.[1] In 2015, he underwent surgery to treat a brain tumor.[4]

Statistics

Source:[5]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Port Vale 1965–66 Fourth Division 1500000150
1966–67 Fourth Division 4503010490
1967–68 Fourth Division 4601020490
1968–69 Fourth Division 40001050
1969–70 Fourth Division 00000000
1970–71 Third Division 1800000180
1971–72 Third Division 1501000160
Total 143050401520

References

  1. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 262. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  2. "Portsmouth v Port Vale, 1967". onevalefan.co.uk. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  3. Kent, Jeff (December 1991). Port Vale Tales: A Collection Of Stories, Anecdotes And Memories. Witan Books. p. 228. ISBN 0-9508981-6-3.
  4. Baggaley, Mike (5 June 2015). "Fans send support to Stuart Sharratt after brain surgery". The Sentinel. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  5. Stuart Sharratt at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
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