Jackie Sheldon
Encyclopedia
Jackie Sheldon was an English
footballer who played for Liverpool
during the early part of the 20th century.
, Derbyshire
, England
and played for Nuneaton and Manchester United
before being signed by Liverpool manager Tom Watson
in November 1913. Sheldon made his Liverpool debut on the 29 November 1913 in the 2-1 First Division
win over Tottenham Hotspur
at Anfield
. He opened his goalscoring account the following month on the 6 December at Villa Park
in a 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa
. The winger would go on to only miss 3 games for the remainder of the 1913/14 season
which included the whole of the FA Cup
run that saw Liverpool reach their very first final on the 25 April 1914. The game was to be the last time the showpiece final would be held at the Crystal Palace
ground but the first time the final would be played in front of a reigning monarch, George V
. Unfortunately for Sheldon and Liverpool, Burnley
won 1-0 and it would be another 51 years before Liverpool could take the FA Cup to Merseyside
.
Sheldon had a decent time during the 1914/15 season
finishing second on the Reds' appearance list and third on the goalscoring list. That season however, he became notorious for his part in the 1915 British football betting scandal
, of which he was found to be the ringleader. He was banned - initially for life - along with the other players involved in the matchfixing plot, but shortly afterward the start of the First World War saw the suspension of league football anyway. At the end of the war his ban was lifted and he returned to Liverpool where the following 2 years were much like the ones before the break, with Sheldon only missing 12 games during this period.
Sheldon was forced into early retirement due to injury. His final game in a Liverpool shirt was on the 16 April 1921 in a league match against Derby County
, the game finishing 1-1.
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...
footballer who played for Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
during the early part of the 20th century.
Life and playing career
Jackie was born in Clay CrossClay Cross
Clay Cross is a former mining town and civil parish in the North East Derbyshire district of Derbyshire, England, about six miles south of Chesterfield. It is directly on the A61, the former Roman road Ryknield Street...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, England
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...
and played for Nuneaton and Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
before being signed by Liverpool manager Tom Watson
Tom Watson (football)
Tom Watson was an English football manager who managed Sunderland A.F.C. and Liverpool F.C. around the turn of the 20th century....
in November 1913. Sheldon made his Liverpool debut on the 29 November 1913 in the 2-1 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....
win over 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 Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
. He opened his goalscoring account the following month on the 6 December at Villa Park
Villa Park, England
Villa Park is an association football stadium in the district of Witton, Birmingham, England with a seating capacity of 42,786. It has been the home of Aston Villa Football Club since 1897. The team previously played at Aston Park from 1874 to 1876 and Perry Barr from 1876 to 1897...
in a 2-1 defeat to 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...
. The winger would go on to only miss 3 games for the remainder of the 1913/14 season
1913-14 in English football
The 1913–14 season was the 43rd season of competitive football in England.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour. * indicates new record for competition-First Division:-Second Division:...
which included the whole of 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...
run that saw Liverpool reach their very first final on the 25 April 1914. The game was to be the last time the showpiece final would be held at the Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace National Sports Centre
The National Sports Centre at Crystal Palace in south London, England is a large sports centre and athletics stadium. It was opened in 1964 in Crystal Palace Park, close to the site of the former Crystal Palace, in the former parkland and also usurping part of the former grand prix circuit.It was...
ground but the first time the final would be played in front of a reigning monarch, George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
. Unfortunately for Sheldon and Liverpool, Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
won 1-0 and it would be another 51 years before Liverpool could take the FA Cup to Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
.
Sheldon had a decent time during the 1914/15 season
1914-15 in English football
The 1914–15 season was the 44th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:The 1914 Charity Shield was not contested due to suspension of football during World War I-Events:...
finishing second on the Reds' appearance list and third on the goalscoring list. That season however, he became notorious for his part in the 1915 British football betting scandal
1915 British football betting scandal
The 1915 British football betting scandal occurred when a Football League First Division match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford on 2 April 1915 was fixed in United's favour, with players from both sides benefiting from bets placed upon the result.At the time, Manchester...
, of which he was found to be the ringleader. He was banned - initially for life - along with the other players involved in the matchfixing plot, but shortly afterward the start of the First World War saw the suspension of league football anyway. At the end of the war his ban was lifted and he returned to Liverpool where the following 2 years were much like the ones before the break, with Sheldon only missing 12 games during this period.
Sheldon was forced into early retirement due to injury. His final game in a Liverpool shirt was on the 16 April 1921 in a league match 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...
, the game finishing 1-1.
Career details
- Manchester United F.C. (1910–1913) 26 appearances, 1 goal - Division 1 winner (1910/11)
- Liverpool F.C. (1913–1921) 147 appearances, 20 goals - FA Cup runners-up medal (1914)