Ernest Turner (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Ernest Turner was a Welsh footballer who played as a forward for Merthyr Town
and Southampton
in the 1920s.
and after playing for minor clubs, Bargoed and Caerphilly, he joined Merthyr Town
in May 1922.
In his first season, he played at centre forward for the Football League Third Division South
club and was their top scorer with twelve goals from forty appearances. Herbert Lewis "Bert" Turner, to whom he was not related, played alongside him at inside left, scoring five. For the following season, the players swapped positions with Bert moving into the centre, but Ernest continued to outscore his namesake, with fifteen goals to Bert's five.
In 1924–25 season, both players struggled to find the net contributing five goals each, as Merthyr finished at the foot of the table, but were re-elected to the Football League
for the following season. During his time with Merthyr, he was selected to represent the Welsh F.A.
on several occasions.
After three seasons with Merthyr, Turner moved to southern England in May 1925 to join Southampton
in the Second Division
. In his one season at The Dell, Turner failed to hold down a regular position and played at both inside-forward positions as well as centre-forward generally as a replacement for the long-serving Arthur Dominy
and Bill Rawlings
.
He made sixteen appearances, scoring three goals, in the 1925–26 season before deciding to emigrate to Canada in May 1926.
His younger brother, Herbert Gwyn "Bert" Turner
, was a Welsh
international, who had a long career with Charlton Athletic
and scored for both sides in the 1946 FA Cup Final
against Derby County
.
Merthyr Town F.C.
Merthyr Town Football Club is a Welsh semi-professional football club based in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. For the 2011–2012 season the club will be playing in the Western Football League Premier Division at Penydarren Park in Merthyr....
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...
in the 1920s.
Football career
Turner was born in Brithdir, CaerphillyBrithdir, Caerphilly
Brithdir is a small village in the northern part of the Rhymney Valley near New Tredegar, in the county borough of Caerphilly, south Wales, and within the historic boundaries of Glamorgan....
and after playing for minor clubs, Bargoed and Caerphilly, he joined Merthyr Town
Merthyr Town F.C.
Merthyr Town Football Club is a Welsh semi-professional football club based in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. For the 2011–2012 season the club will be playing in the Western Football League Premier Division at Penydarren Park in Merthyr....
in May 1922.
In his first season, he played at centre forward for the Football League Third Division South
Football League Third Division South
The Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
club and was their top scorer with twelve goals from forty appearances. Herbert Lewis "Bert" Turner, to whom he was not related, played alongside him at inside left, scoring five. For the following season, the players swapped positions with Bert moving into the centre, but Ernest continued to outscore his namesake, with fifteen goals to Bert's five.
In 1924–25 season, both players struggled to find the net contributing five goals each, as Merthyr finished at the foot of the table, but were re-elected to 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...
for the following season. During his time with Merthyr, he was selected to represent the Welsh F.A.
Football Association of Wales
The Football Association of Wales is the governing body of association football in Wales. It is a member of FIFA, UEFA and the IFAB.Established in 1876 , it is the third-oldest national association in the world, and is one of the four associations The Football Association of Wales (FAW) is the...
on several occasions.
After three seasons with Merthyr, Turner moved to southern England in May 1925 to join 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...
in the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
. In his one season at The Dell, Turner failed to hold down a regular position and played at both inside-forward positions as well as centre-forward generally as a replacement for the long-serving Arthur Dominy
Arthur Dominy
Arthur Albert Dominy was an English professional footballer, who played as an inside-forward, and football manager, spending most of his career with Southampton....
and Bill Rawlings
Bill Rawlings
William Ernest "Bill" Rawlings was an English footballer.-Playing career:Rawlings' career started in 1918 with Southampton, he stayed ten years with the club, from 1918 to 1928. His 193 goals places him third on the club's list of all-time goalscorers, behind Mick Channon and Matthew Le Tissier...
.
He made sixteen appearances, scoring three goals, in the 1925–26 season before deciding to emigrate to Canada in May 1926.
Later life and family
Turner subsequently returned to his native country, and he died in Merthyr in December 1951.His younger brother, Herbert Gwyn "Bert" Turner
Bert Turner (footballer born 1909)
Herbert Gwyn "Bert" Turner was a Welsh international footballer who played as a full back for Charlton Athletic. He was best known for scoring for both sides in the 1946 FA Cup Final, becoming the first player to do so....
, was a Welsh
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
international, who had a long career with Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
and scored for both sides in the 1946 FA Cup Final
1946 FA Cup Final
The 1946 FA Cup Final, the first since the start of the Second World War, was contested by Derby County and Charlton Athletic at Wembley. Derby won 4–1 after extra time, with goals from Bert Turner , Peter Doherty and a double from Jackie Stamps.-Match summary:The game was goalless until the...
against Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
.