Bertram Sharp
Encyclopedia
Bertram Sharp was an English footballer who played as a full-back with Aston Villa
, Everton
and Southampton
around the turn of the 20th century. He was the elder brother of England
international footballer and test cricketer Jack Sharp
. He later became a director of Everton Football Club.
and after playing his youth football with Hereford Comrades, played for Hereford Town and Hereford Thistle
in the Birmingham & District League. From there, in June 1897 he joined Aston Villa
who had won "the Double
" in the previous season. He was joined at Villa Park by his brother, Jack.
During the opening month of the 1897–98 season, Sharp took over at full-back from Howard Spencer
who had sustained a serious leg injury, causing him to miss the remainder of the season. Sharp made 19 appearances during the season, before losing his place to Tommy Bowman
who had been signed from Blackpool
. Villa finished the season in sixth place, a disappointment after the two previous Championship winning seasons.
For the following season, Spencer returned to the side and Sharp only made four further appearances as Villa once again took the league title.
In the summer of 1899, Sharp and his brother were both transferred to Everton
. Sharp was used as cover for William Balmer
and George Eccles, and made only three appearances in December 1899.
At the end of the season, Sharp moved to the south coast to join Southern League
Southampton
. At the "Saints", he gained a reputation as an honest, hardworking defender, who was "versatile and a good athlete". He made his debut playing at left-half in a 4–3 victory at Luton Town
; after seven matches he switched to right-back, replacing Arthur Blackburn
who was out with an ankle injury, with Bert Lee
taking over at left-half at the start of an association with the Saints that would last until 1935. Sharp performed consistently during his one season
at The Dell, at the end of which Southampton claimed the Southern League title for the fourth time in five years.
In December 1900, Southampton acquired the services of C. B. Fry, the celebrated amateur footballer — whenever Fry was available to play, Sharp was required to give way, thus missing several important games, including the FA Cup
First Round defeat by Everton
.
Sharp returned to Goodison Park
in the summer of 1901, where he made a further six appearances towards the end of the season, before retiring from professional football.
In 1904, his amateur status was restored and he turned out for Kirkdale and then Southport Central of the Lancashire Combination
.
.
In 1904, he became the landlord of a public house
situated opposite Goodison Park
. He later joined the Everton board of directors, along with his brother.
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
, Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
and Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
around the turn of the 20th century. He was the elder brother of 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...
international footballer and test cricketer Jack Sharp
Jack Sharp
John "Jack" Sharp was an English sportsman of outstanding talent who is most famous for his 9 year playing career at Everton F.C...
. He later became a director of Everton Football Club.
Football career
Sharp was born in HerefordHereford
Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
and after playing his youth football with Hereford Comrades, played for Hereford Town and Hereford Thistle
Hereford Thistle F.C.
Hereford Thistle F.C. was a football club based in Hereford, England. They joined the Bristol & District League in 1894 and won the title in 1895. They joined the Birmingham & District League in 1895 but left the league in 1899....
in the Birmingham & District League. From there, in June 1897 he joined Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
who had won "the Double
The Double
The Double is a term in association football which refers to winning a country's top tier division and its primary cup competition in the same season...
" in the previous season. He was joined at Villa Park by his brother, Jack.
During the opening month of the 1897–98 season, Sharp took over at full-back from Howard Spencer
Howard Spencer
Howard Spencer was one of Aston Villa's all-time greatest players.An incredibly gifted player, he was known as the 'Prince of Full-Backs' during his hugely successful time at the club and was renowned for his sportsmanship.While at Villa Spencer earned four League Championships in 1896, 1897, 1899...
who had sustained a serious leg injury, causing him to miss the remainder of the season. Sharp made 19 appearances during the season, before losing his place to Tommy Bowman
Tommy Bowman
Thomas "Tommy" Bowman was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a half back in the 1902 FA Cup final for Southampton.-Playing career:...
who had been signed from 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...
. Villa finished the season in sixth place, a disappointment after the two previous Championship winning seasons.
For the following season, Spencer returned to the side and Sharp only made four further appearances as Villa once again took the league title.
In the summer of 1899, Sharp and his brother were both transferred to Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
. Sharp was used as cover for William Balmer
William Balmer
Billy Balmer was an English football player who played for Everton, as well as the English national side. His brother Robert played alongside him for Everton, and his nephew was Jack Balmer....
and George Eccles, and made only three appearances in December 1899.
At the end of the season, Sharp moved to the south coast to join Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
. At the "Saints", he gained a reputation as an honest, hardworking defender, who was "versatile and a good athlete". He made his debut playing at left-half in a 4–3 victory at Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
; after seven matches he switched to right-back, replacing Arthur Blackburn
Arthur Blackburn (footballer)
Arthur Blackburn was an English footballer who played as a full-back with Blackburn Rovers and Southampton around the turn of the 20th century. He was the elder brother of England international footballer, Fred Blackburn.-Football career:...
who was out with an ankle injury, with Bert Lee
Bert Lee (footballer)
Ernest Albert "Bert" Lee was an English professional footballer who played in the 1902 FA Cup final for Southampton, and also made one appearance for England in 1904...
taking over at left-half at the start of an association with the Saints that would last until 1935. Sharp performed consistently during his one season
Southern Football League 1900-01
The 1900-01 season was the seventh in the history of the Southern League. Southampton were Division One champions for the fourth time in five seasons, whilst Bristol City were elected to the Football League.-Division One:Division One featured three new clubs:...
at The Dell, at the end of which Southampton claimed the Southern League title for the fourth time in five years.
In December 1900, Southampton acquired the services of C. B. Fry, the celebrated amateur footballer — whenever Fry was available to play, Sharp was required to give way, thus missing several important games, including 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...
First Round defeat by Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
.
Sharp returned to Goodison Park
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
in the summer of 1901, where he made a further six appearances towards the end of the season, before retiring from professional football.
In 1904, his amateur status was restored and he turned out for Kirkdale and then Southport Central of the Lancashire Combination
Lancashire Combination
The Lancashire Combination was a football league founded in the North West of England in 1891–92. It absorbed the Lancashire League in 1903. In 1968 the Combination lost five of its clubs to the newly formed Northern Premier League...
.
Career outside football
Sharp was also a good cricketer and in the summer of 1900 averaged over 40 for HerefordshireHerefordshire County Cricket Club
Herefordshire County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Herefordshire and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
.
In 1904, he became the landlord of a public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
situated opposite Goodison Park
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
. He later joined the Everton board of directors, along with his brother.
Honours
SouthamptonSouthampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
- Southern LeagueSouthern Football LeagueThe Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
champions: 1900–01Southern Football League 1900-01The 1900-01 season was the seventh in the history of the Southern League. Southampton were Division One champions for the fourth time in five seasons, whilst Bristol City were elected to the Football League.-Division One:Division One featured three new clubs:...