Fred Tunstall
Encyclopedia
Fred Tunstall was a footballer
who played for Sheffield United and England
.
Tunstall started his footballing career with amateur
side Darfield St George's, before joining Midland League
side Scunthorpe & Lindsey United
. In 1922, he signed for Sheffield United from Scunthorpe for £
1,000. Tunstall who played at outside-left was part of a United team who were always guaranteeing attractive and enterprising play at the time. He made his debut for United on December 4, 1920, against Tottenham Hotspur
at White Hart Lane
.
The left wing pair of Tunstall and Billy Gillespie
was one of the dominating partnerships in the Football League
in the early 1920s. Their mutual understanding of each other, ability to command instant superiority by quick thinking, accurate passing, and determination to seize an opportunity when within goal-range, were alone sufficient to keep the Blades in contentment and respectability. The third part of an apparent attacking triangle was striker
George Green
, who had the ability to move the ball sweetly around the field. And between the three of them, they became one of the most admired and feared attacking units in the Football League
. Only Sunderland
scored more goals than United in the 1923-24 season
, and Tunstall, Gillespie and Green contributed in no small way to a final league position of 5th in Division One
.
Tunstall was a major part of the Sheffield United team which won the F.A. Cup
in 1925. On their way to their FA Cup Final
victory that year; they beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-2 in the 2nd round. And in the 3rd Round, the Blades were at home to Everton
. The match at Bramall Lane
in front of 51,745 belonged to Tunstall. The match was won 1-0 by United, and it was Tunstall's goal that won the tie. After three minutes a quick throw-in confused the Everton defenders and Tunstall - who was one of the most powerful shots of his time, scored a magnificent goal. In the 4th Round; United went through at the expense of West Bromwich Albion with Tunstall scoring one of the goals and Harry Johnson the other in a 2-0 home win in front of a record crowd of 57,197 spectators. In the Semi-final at Stamford Bridge
, United beat Southampton
with two of the goals scored by Tunstall. In the final, United met Cardiff City
at Wembley Stadium
in front of 91,763 fans. United won the match 1-0 and it was Tunstall who scored the winning goal. An error by Cardiff right-half Harry Wake
allowed Tunstall to round him and score the only goal of the game. In the 1924-25 season
, Tunstall scored 20 goals, which at the time was a post war record for a player who played exclusively on the left wing. He was revered at Sheffield United so much that "fetch Tunstall" was still the cry in the early 1960s if a home player missed a penalty
at Bramall Lane.
While with Sheffield United, he won seven caps
for England
between 1923 and 1925, and was England captain for the international matches against Canada
and France
respectively. His debut for England was against Scotland
at Hampden Park
on April 14, 1923.
Between 1920 and 1932, Tunstall made a total of 437 appearances for Sheffield United and scored 129 goals. His final appearance in United colours was in a benefit match for Jimmy Waugh (a former United player) against Darlington
on April 27, 1932.
In February 1932, he joined Halifax Town
where he made 105 appearances scoring 40 goals. On August 1, 1936, he joined Boston United
as the player-manager. Boston's biggest ever win in the F.A. Cup
victory occurred on September 18, 1937, when they beat Bilsthorpe Colliery 10-0. The star of the Boston United side was winger Tunstall. And he finished off the scoring and brought the score up to double figures with a penalty awarded in the last minute.
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...
who played for Sheffield United and 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...
.
Tunstall started his footballing career with amateur
Amateur
An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
side Darfield St George's, before joining Midland League
Midland Football League
There have been at least two different football competitions in England which used the name Midland Football League.One existed until 1982 before merging with the Yorkshire League to form the Northern Counties League....
side Scunthorpe & Lindsey United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
. In 1922, he signed for Sheffield United from Scunthorpe for £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
1,000. Tunstall who played at outside-left was part of a United team who were always guaranteeing attractive and enterprising play at the time. He made his debut for United on December 4, 1920, against Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
at White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane is an all-seater football stadium in Tottenham, London, England. Built in 1899, it is the home of Tottenham Hotspur and, after numerous renovations, the stadium has a capacity of 36,230....
.
The left wing pair of Tunstall and Billy Gillespie
Billy Gillespie
Billy Gillespie was a football player for Sheffield United over a twenty year period from 1913 to 1932, scoring over 137 League and Cup goals in 492 games for the South Yorkshire side....
was one of the dominating partnerships in 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...
in the early 1920s. Their mutual understanding of each other, ability to command instant superiority by quick thinking, accurate passing, and determination to seize an opportunity when within goal-range, were alone sufficient to keep the Blades in contentment and respectability. The third part of an apparent attacking triangle was striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
George Green
George Green (footballer born 1901)
George Green was an English footballer who played as a wing half in the Football League with Sheffield United in the 1920s and 1930s....
, who had the ability to move the ball sweetly around the field. And between the three of them, they became one of the most admired and feared attacking units in 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...
. Only Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
scored more goals than United in the 1923-24 season
1923-24 in English football
The 1923–24 season was the 49th season of competitive football in England.-Events:*On 11 November 1923, Aston Villa centre-half Tommy Ball was shot dead by his neighbour, thus becoming the only Football League player to have been murdered.-Honours:...
, and Tunstall, Gillespie and Green contributed in no small way to a final league position of 5th in Division One
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....
.
Tunstall was a major part of the Sheffield United team which won the F.A. 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...
in 1925. On their way to their FA Cup Final
FA Cup Final
The FA Cup Final, commonly referred to in England as just the Cup Final, is the last match in the Football Association Challenge Cup. With an official attendance of 89,826 at the 2007 FA Cup Final, it is the fourth best attended domestic club championship event in the world and the second most...
victory that year; they beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-2 in the 2nd round. And in the 3rd Round, the Blades were at home 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...
. The match at Bramall Lane
Bramall Lane
-Cricket at the Lane:Bramall Lane opened as a cricket ground in 1855, having been leased by Michael Ellison from the Duke of Norfolk at an annual rent of £70. The site was then away from the town's industrial area, and relatively free from smoke. It was built to host the matches of local cricket...
in front of 51,745 belonged to Tunstall. The match was won 1-0 by United, and it was Tunstall's goal that won the tie. After three minutes a quick throw-in confused the Everton defenders and Tunstall - who was one of the most powerful shots of his time, scored a magnificent goal. In the 4th Round; United went through at the expense of West Bromwich Albion with Tunstall scoring one of the goals and Harry Johnson the other in a 2-0 home win in front of a record crowd of 57,197 spectators. In the Semi-final at Stamford Bridge
Stamford Bridge (stadium)
Stamford Bridge is a football stadium in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, West London, and is the home of Chelsea Football Club. The stadium is located within the Moore Park Estate also known as Walham Green and is often referred to as simply The Bridge...
, United beat 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...
with two of the goals scored by Tunstall. In the final, United met Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
in front of 91,763 fans. United won the match 1-0 and it was Tunstall who scored the winning goal. An error by Cardiff right-half Harry Wake
Harry Wake
Henry Williamson "Harry" Wake is a former English professional footballer. He is most famous for playing for Cardiff City in the 1925 FA Cup Final and being part of the team that won the 1927 FA Cup, although he missed the final through injury.-Career:Wake began his career playing local football...
allowed Tunstall to round him and score the only goal of the game. In the 1924-25 season
1924-25 in English football
The 1924–25 season was the 50th season of competitive football in England.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour...
, Tunstall scored 20 goals, which at the time was a post war record for a player who played exclusively on the left wing. He was revered at Sheffield United so much that "fetch Tunstall" was still the cry in the early 1960s if a home player missed a penalty
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
at Bramall Lane.
While with Sheffield United, he won seven caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
for 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...
between 1923 and 1925, and was England captain for the international matches against Canada
Canada men's national soccer team
The Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions at the senior men's level. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association and compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football .Their most significant...
and France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
respectively. His debut for England was against Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
at Hampden Park
Hampden Park
Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
on April 14, 1923.
Between 1920 and 1932, Tunstall made a total of 437 appearances for Sheffield United and scored 129 goals. His final appearance in United colours was in a benefit match for Jimmy Waugh (a former United player) against Darlington
Darlington F.C.
Darlington Football Club is a professional association football club based in Darlington, County Durham, currently playing in the Conference National. The club was founded in 1883, and originally played its games at Feethams, before moving to the Darlington Arena in 2003...
on April 27, 1932.
In February 1932, he joined Halifax Town
Halifax Town A.F.C.
Halifax Town Association Football Club were an English football team who most recently played in the Conference National, although prior to that they participated in the Football League for over eighty years...
where he made 105 appearances scoring 40 goals. On August 1, 1936, he joined Boston United
Boston United F.C.
Boston United Football Club are an association football club based in Boston, Lincolnshire, England. They currently play in the Conference North. The club is known as 'the Pilgrims' in reference to the Pilgrim Fathers, who fled from Boston to the USA and founded Boston, Massachusetts. The club's...
as the player-manager. Boston's biggest ever win in the F.A. 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...
victory occurred on September 18, 1937, when they beat Bilsthorpe Colliery 10-0. The star of the Boston United side was winger Tunstall. And he finished off the scoring and brought the score up to double figures with a penalty awarded in the last minute.