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Ernie Collett (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Ernest "Ernie" Collett (17 November 1914 — April 1980) was an English
football
player and coach, mostly associated with Arsenal
.
Collett was born in Sheffield
and played for his working men's club
team in Oughtibridge
, before moving to Arsenal in 1933. He would remain on the club's book for sixteen years, although he only played 20 matches in this time. He played at wing half
and was mainly a reserve, having to wait four and a half years to make his first-team debut, which he did away to Stoke City
at the Victoria Ground
in a First Division
match on October 23, 1937; he went on to make five appearances that season, as Arsenal won the League title.
Collett's best run in the Arsenal season was in 1938-39
, when he made nine appearances deputising for Wilf Copping
at left half. However, soon after that World War II
began and league football was suspended. Collett still managed to make 187 unofficial appearances for Arsenal in wartime matches, winning two wartime league winners medals in 1939-40
and 1941-42
. He also guested for Brentford
, playing (and winning) the London War Cup
final with them in 1941-42
. In June 1940, he was one of five Arsenal players who guested for Southampton
in a victory over Fulham
at Craven Cottage
.
Collett played another six league games in 1946-47
before stepping down from the Arsenal first-team entirely, though he continued to play reserve-team football until 1949. After that he became a member of the club's backroom staff — he was at first George Male
's assistant in coaching Arsenal's youth team, before moving into scouting, eventually became the club's chief scout, a job he held until his retirement in 1979; in total he was with Arsenal for 46 years, making him one of the club's most enduring servants. He died in 1980, after being struck in an accident by a fire engine, aged 65.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player and coach, mostly associated with Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
.
Collett was born in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
and played for his working men's club
Working men's club
Working men's clubs are a type of private social club founded in the 19th century in industrial areas of the United Kingdom, particularly the North of England, the Midlands and many parts of the South Wales Valleys, to provide recreation and education for working class men and their families.-...
team in Oughtibridge
Oughtibridge
Oughtibridge is a residential village on the northern outskirts of Sheffield within the bounds of Bradfield Parish Council. The village stands northwest of the city centre in the valley of the River Don...
, before moving to Arsenal in 1933. He would remain on the club's book for sixteen years, although he only played 20 matches in this time. He played at wing half
Wing half
In association football, the position of wing half or wing half back) was popularly used in the late nineteenth and first half of the 20th centuries...
and was mainly a reserve, having to wait four and a half years to make his first-team debut, which he did away to Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
at the Victoria Ground
Victoria Ground
Victoria Ground may refer to:*Victoria Ground, the former name of Hartlepool United’s ground Victoria Park.*Victoria Ground, Stoke City’s ground from 1878 to 1997.*Victoria Ground, current home of Bromsgrove Rovers...
in a First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
match on October 23, 1937; he went on to make five appearances that season, as Arsenal won the League title.
Collett's best run in the Arsenal season was in 1938-39
1938-39 in English football
The 1938–39 season was the 64th season of competitive football in England.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour...
, when he made nine appearances deputising for Wilf Copping
Wilf Copping
Wilfred "Wilf" Copping was an English footballer who played for Leeds United, Arsenal and the England national team.-Leeds United:...
at left half. However, soon after that World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
began and league football was suspended. Collett still managed to make 187 unofficial appearances for Arsenal in wartime matches, winning two wartime league winners medals in 1939-40
1939-40 in English football
The 1939–1940 season was the 65th season of competitive football in England. It was suspended in September after the outbreak of World War II.-Overview:...
and 1941-42
1941-42 in English football
The 1941–42 season was the third season of special wartime football in England during World War II.-Overview:Between 1939 and 1946 normal competitive football was suspended in England. Many footballers signed up to fight in the war and as a result many teams were depleted, and fielded guest players...
. He also guested for Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
, playing (and winning) the London War Cup
London War Cup
The London War Cup was an English football competition held with the aim of helping to fill the gaping hole left in English football by the FA Cup's cancellation. It was one of several competitions held to provide football matches to entertain the public while the major competitions were...
final with them in 1941-42
1941-42 in English football
The 1941–42 season was the third season of special wartime football in England during World War II.-Overview:Between 1939 and 1946 normal competitive football was suspended in England. Many footballers signed up to fight in the war and as a result many teams were depleted, and fielded guest players...
. In June 1940, he was one of five Arsenal players who guested for 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 a victory over Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
at Craven Cottage
Craven Cottage
Craven Cottage is the name of a football stadium in the Hammersmith and Fulham area that has been the home ground of the association football team Fulham F.C. since 1896....
.
Collett played another six league games in 1946-47
1946-47 in English football
The 1946–47 season was the 67th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:The 1946–47 season was the first to feature a full football programme since the 1938–39 campaign. Eighty-eight teams competed over four divisions. Liverpool went top of the First Division with a 2–1 away win over...
before stepping down from the Arsenal first-team entirely, though he continued to play reserve-team football until 1949. After that he became a member of the club's backroom staff — he was at first George Male
George Male
Charles George Male was an English footballer.Born in West Ham, London, Male trialled with West Ham United before playing with non-league Clapton. He joined Arsenal as an amateur in November 1929, turning professional in May 1930 and made his debut in a 7-1 victory over Blackpool on December 27,...
's assistant in coaching Arsenal's youth team, before moving into scouting, eventually became the club's chief scout, a job he held until his retirement in 1979; in total he was with Arsenal for 46 years, making him one of the club's most enduring servants. He died in 1980, after being struck in an accident by a fire engine, aged 65.