John Willie Sutcliffe
Encyclopedia
John William "J.W." Sutcliffe (14 April 1868 – 7 July 1947), commonly known as John Willie Sutcliffe, was an English
football and rugby union
player. J.W. was the last player to represent England at both sports.
Born in Shibden
, he started his career in 1886 at Bradford Rugby Club
playing at either full back or centre three quarter before moving to the club from Heckmondwike
where he gained his only cap for England
against the New Zealand Natives
in 1889, scoring one try
, and one conversion for five points.
Heckmondwike were suspended from the RFU
over allegations of professionalism and he switched codes to play football for Bolton Wanderers
, finally playing in the first team as a goalkeeper. Here he gained his first of five England
caps against Wales
in a 6-0 win in 1893. 1894 saw him on the losing side in the FA Cup final.
1902 saw Sutcliffe at Southern League
Millwall Athletic
before moving on in 1903 to Manchester United
where he played 28 games. His last club was Plymouth Argyle
where he recorded 218 appearances in Southern, Western League
and Cup games.
In 1911 he was made coach of Southend United
before during World War I
being in charge of Vitesse Arnhem
. He returned to Bradford in 1919 as the trainer of Bradford City
. He died in Bradford in July 1947.
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 and rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player. J.W. was the last player to represent England at both sports.
Born in Shibden
Shibden
Shibden is a village in the county of West Yorkshire, England, east of Halifax. The name of the Shibden valley comes from scepe dene meaning " sheep valley"...
, he started his career in 1886 at Bradford Rugby Club
Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.
Bradford Association Football Club, previously also known as Bradford and since its reformation in the 1970s now referred to as Bradford Park Avenue, is a football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England...
playing at either full back or centre three quarter before moving to the club from Heckmondwike
Heckmondwike (Rugby League)
Heckmondwike was a professional rugby league club.The club was based in Heckmondwike , a small town in the metropolitan borough of Kirklees, which is located geographically at the centre of West Yorkshire, England....
where he gained his only cap for England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
against the New Zealand Natives
New Zealand Maori rugby union team
New Zealand Māori is a rugby union team that traditionally plays teams touring New Zealand. A prerequisite for playing in this team is that the player is to have Māori whakapapa or genealogy. In the past this rule was not strictly applied. In the past non-Māori players who looked Māori were often...
in 1889, scoring one try
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
, and one conversion for five points.
Heckmondwike were suspended from the RFU
Rugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
over allegations of professionalism and he switched codes to play football for Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
, finally playing in the first team as a goalkeeper. Here he gained his first of five 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...
caps against Wales
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...
in a 6-0 win in 1893. 1894 saw him on the losing side in the FA Cup final.
1902 saw Sutcliffe at Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
Millwall Athletic
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
before moving on in 1903 to 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...
where he played 28 games. His last club was Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
where he recorded 218 appearances in Southern, Western League
Western Football League
The Western Football League is a football league in the south west of England, covering Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, western Dorset, parts of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire and parts of South Wales...
and Cup games.
In 1911 he was made coach of Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
before during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
being in charge of Vitesse Arnhem
Vitesse Arnhem
Stichting Betaald Voetbal Vitesse is a Dutch football club from Arnhem, which was founded on 14 May 1892. Vitesse has had considerable success in the Eredivisie, and featured in the UEFA Cup competition, but has never been considered a close competitor of the top three clubs of Netherlands...
. He returned to Bradford in 1919 as the trainer of Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
. He died in Bradford in July 1947.
External links
- Plymouth Argyle A Complete Record 1903-1989, Brian Knight ISBN 0-907969-40-2
- Plymouth Argyle 101 Golden Greats, Andy Richie ISBN 1-874287-47-3
- Statistics at scrum.com
- Biography of Arthur Budd with an England team photograph including John Willie Sutcliffe