Ronnie Starling
Encyclopedia
Ronald William "Ronnie" Starling (11 October 1909 — 17 December 1991) was an English
footballer whose career lasted from 1926 to 1946. Starling was an inside forward
who made 413 appearances in all competitions, never a high scoring inside forward he was a player who created chances for other players, notching a modest 65 goals throughout his career. His ball carrying ability earned him the nickname of "The Man with the Fluttering Feet".
, Tyne and Wear
, Ronnie Starling represented Durham County schools as a youth and began working in the coal mines in the north-east at the age of 14, firstly at Usworth colliery and then Washington Colliery. He was spotted by Hull City
manager Billy McCracken
while playing amateur football for Washington Colliery and signed for the Yorkshire club in October 1926 at the age of 17.
semi-final in the 1929–30 season, losing to Arsenal
after a replay. Despite their good cup form that season the team struggled in Division Two and were heading for relegation when soon after the semi-final he returned to his native North-East with a £3,750 move to Newcastle United
in May 1930.
(1930–31) making 38 appearances however the following campaign he only made 15 appearances losing his place in the side before Christmas to new signing Harry McMenemy. He took no part all in Newcastle's FA Cup
run which saw the team beat Arsenal
2–1 in the final
and on 25 June 1932 he signed for Sheffield Wednesday
in a £3,250 deal.
but within a year Billy Walker
was in charge. Walker made Starling club captain and played him in a central midfield role prompting him to produce the best football of his career. He played for The Owls for four-and-a-half years, as Wednesday finished third in Division One two seasons running and captained their 1935 FA Cup-winning team. In April 1933, he won his first England
cap, playing as inside right in the 2–1 defeat by Scotland
. As Wednesday struggled near the bottom of Division One, Starling joined Aston Villa
for £6,900 on 6 January 1937, just a day after they had rejected a huge bid for Jackie Robinson
from Arsenal. In total he played 176 league matches for Wednesday scoring 31 goals, and appeared in 17 FA Cup matches without scoring.
winning the Football League North
in 1944, although he did make guest appearances for Northampton Town
, Walsall
and Sheffield Wednesday during the conflict. After the war he made single appearances in the League and FA Cup in 1946 before losing his place in the team and finally retiring in 1948, aged 39.
before retiring from football altogether, becoming a newsagent
, with a shop on Middlewood Road near to Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough
ground.
Sheffield Wednesday won the 1991 Football League Cup Final
, Wednesday's first trophy since Ronnie Starling lifted the FA Cup in 1935. Starling was photographed for the Sheffield Star
newspaper with the trophy and Wednesday players shortly before his death on 17 December 1991, aged 82.
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 whose career lasted from 1926 to 1946. Starling was an inside forward
Inside forward
In football, the position of inside forward was popularly used in the late nineteenth and first half of the 20th centuries. The inside forwards would support the centre forwards, running and making space in the opposition defence, and, as the passing game developed, supporting him with passes...
who made 413 appearances in all competitions, never a high scoring inside forward he was a player who created chances for other players, notching a modest 65 goals throughout his career. His ball carrying ability earned him the nickname of "The Man with the Fluttering Feet".
Playing career
Born in PelawPelaw
Pelaw is a district that forms part of the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead in Tyne and Wear, in north-east England.It lies in between the older settlements of Heworth to the West and Bill Quay to the East with Wardley to the south and the southern bank of the river Tyne forming the northern...
, Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972...
, Ronnie Starling represented Durham County schools as a youth and began working in the coal mines in the north-east at the age of 14, firstly at Usworth colliery and then Washington Colliery. He was spotted by Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
manager Billy McCracken
Billy McCracken
Billy McCracken was a Northern Irish association football player. His position was defender....
while playing amateur football for Washington Colliery and signed for the Yorkshire club in October 1926 at the age of 17.
Hull City
Starling initially worked in the club offices whilst playing for the club as an amateur. He was part of the side which reached the FA CupFA 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...
semi-final in the 1929–30 season, losing to 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...
after a replay. Despite their good cup form that season the team struggled in Division Two and were heading for relegation when soon after the semi-final he returned to his native North-East with a £3,750 move to Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
in May 1930.
Newcastle United
Starling was a regular in the Newcastle team in his first season at St James' ParkSt James' Park
St James' Park, known for sponsorship reasons as the Sports Direct Arena, is an all-seater stadium in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is the home of Newcastle United Football Club and is the sixth largest football stadium in the United Kingdom with a capacity of between 52,387 and 52,409.St James'...
(1930–31) making 38 appearances however the following campaign he only made 15 appearances losing his place in the side before Christmas to new signing Harry McMenemy. He took no part all in Newcastle's 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 which saw the team beat 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...
2–1 in the final
1932 FA Cup Final
The 1932 FA Cup Final was contested by Newcastle United and Arsenal at Wembley Stadium in what became known as the "Over The Line" final. Newcastle won 2–1, both of their goals scored by Jack Allen....
and on 25 June 1932 he signed for Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
in a £3,250 deal.
Sheffield Wednesday
Starling was signed by Bob BrownRobert Brown (football manager)
Robert Brown was an English association football player and manager in the early twentieth century.After an undistinguished career in semi-professional football in his native north-east England, Brown joined Sheffield Wednesday as a scout. In 1911 he joined Portsmouth as secretary, a job he held...
but within a year Billy Walker
Billy Walker
William Henry "Billy" Walker was a prominent English footballer of the 1920s and 1930s. He is considered by many to be the greatest footballer to ever play for Aston Villa Football Club-Biography:...
was in charge. Walker made Starling club captain and played him in a central midfield role prompting him to produce the best football of his career. He played for The Owls for four-and-a-half years, as Wednesday finished third in Division One two seasons running and captained their 1935 FA Cup-winning team. In April 1933, he won his first 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...
cap, playing as inside right in the 2–1 defeat by 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...
. As Wednesday struggled near the bottom of Division One, Starling 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...
for £6,900 on 6 January 1937, just a day after they had rejected a huge bid for Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson (footballer)
John Allan "Jackie" Robinson was an English footballer player and player-coach. He played as an inside forward, and signed for Sheffield Wednesday in 1934 at the age of 16. He went on to play for Sunderland and Lincoln City, also taking up managerial duties in his brief time at Lincoln...
from Arsenal. In total he played 176 league matches for Wednesday scoring 31 goals, and appeared in 17 FA Cup matches without scoring.
Aston Villa
Starling was a prominent member of Villa's 1937-38 side which won promotion to Division One. During his time with Villa he made his second England appearance on 17 April 1937, also against Scotland, as inside left in the 3–1 defeat. He remained on the books at Villa Park throughout World War IIWorld 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...
winning the Football League North
Football League North and South
The Football League North and Football League South divisions of the Football League were created for the League to continue while limiting the amount of movement that was required by teams. The Leagues started in 1941; however, the leagues only had one full season, in 1945-46...
in 1944, although he did make guest appearances for Northampton Town
Northampton Town F.C.
Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season...
, Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
and Sheffield Wednesday during the conflict. After the war he made single appearances in the League and FA Cup in 1946 before losing his place in the team and finally retiring in 1948, aged 39.
Retirement
After retiring as a player, he spent time as a coach with Nottingham ForestNottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
before retiring from football altogether, becoming a newsagent
Newsagent
A newsagent's shop , newsagency or newsstand is a business that sells newspapers, magazines, cigarettes, snacks and often items of local interest. In Britain and Australia, these businesses are termed newsagents...
, with a shop on Middlewood Road near to Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough
Hillsborough Stadium
Hillsborough Stadium is the home of Sheffield Wednesday football club, Sheffield, England. Football has been played at the ground since it was opened on 2 September 1899, when Wednesday moved from their original ground at Olive Grove. Today it is a 39,812 capacity all-seater stadium, making it the...
ground.
Sheffield Wednesday won the 1991 Football League Cup Final
1991 Football League Cup Final
The 1991 Rumbelows Cup Final was a football match played on 21 April 1991 between Manchester United and Sheffield Wednesday. It was the first of two years that the competition was sponsored by Rumbelows....
, Wednesday's first trophy since Ronnie Starling lifted the FA Cup in 1935. Starling was photographed for the Sheffield Star
Sheffield Star
The Star, often known as the Sheffield Star is a daily newspaper published in Sheffield, England, from Monday to Saturday each week. Originally a broadsheet, the newspaper became a tabloid in 1989...
newspaper with the trophy and Wednesday players shortly before his death on 17 December 1991, aged 82.