Ronnie Sewell
Encyclopedia
William Ronald "Ronnie " Sewell (19 July 1890 – 4 February 1945) was an English professional footballer (goalkeeper) who played for Gainsborough Trinity
, Burnley
, Blackburn Rovers
and England
.
Sewell was born at Wingate, County Durham
and started off by playing for Wingate Albion, a local amateur team. In the summer of 1911 he was signed as a professional by Gainsborough Trinity (who at the time were members of the Football League Second Division
), and immediately became a regular member of their first team in what proved to be the club’s final season in the Football League, missing only one of the 38 League matches.
The following season he joined Burnley, for whom he appeared in their 1914 FA Cup Final
victory against Liverpool
, although he never really established himself as a first team regular in a Turf Moor
career which was interrupted by the First World War. In all, he made a total of only 23 Football League appearances for Burnley over a seven-year period.
During the 1919-20 season he was transferred to near-neighbours Blackburn Rovers, where he remained until 1927 and where he enjoyed the best of his football career, making 227 Football League appearances for the club and winning one Full International cap for England (v. Wales
, 3 March 1924 – a match which, coincidentally, was played at Blackburn).
After leaving Blackburn Rovers, Sewell re-joined Gainsborough Trinity and was a member of their Midland League
championship-winning side of 1927-28. Whilst playing for Gainsborough in an away Midland League match against Doncaster Rovers Reserves on 9 March 1929, he sustained a hand injury that eventually prompted his retirement from football. By the time his playing days ended, he had become licensee of the Cattle Market Hotel in Lincoln
.
Ronnie Sewell died in 1945.
Gainsborough Trinity F.C.
Gainsborough Trinity Football Club are an English football club based in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire.Between 1896 and 1912 they were members of the Football League. They are currently in the Conference North, and play their home matches at The Northolme, which has a capacity of 4,304...
, 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...
, Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
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...
.
Sewell was born at Wingate, County Durham
Wingate, County Durham
Wingate is a village in County Durham, EnglandWingate is a former pit village with a mixture of 19th-century, post-war, and more recent housing developments, it was originally enhabited by around 30 farmers before 1839 when coal was discovered. It is located in the East of County Durham, three...
and started off by playing for Wingate Albion, a local amateur team. In the summer of 1911 he was signed as a professional by Gainsborough Trinity (who at the time were members of the Football League Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
), and immediately became a regular member of their first team in what proved to be the club’s final season in the Football League, missing only one of the 38 League matches.
The following season he joined Burnley, for whom he appeared in their 1914 FA Cup Final
1914 FA Cup Final
The 1914 FA Cup Final was contested by Burnley and Liverpool at Crystal Palace. Burnley won by a single goal, scored by ex-Evertonian Bert Freeman. The game was the last ever final at Crystal Palace and was played in front of a reigning monarch, George V, for the first time. Neither club had...
victory against 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...
, although he never really established himself as a first team regular in a Turf Moor
Turf Moor
Turf Moor is a football stadium in Burnley, Lancashire. It is the home ground of Burnley Football Club, which has played there since moving from its Calder Vale ground in 1883. The stadium, which is situated on Harry Potts Way, named so after the club's longest serving Manager, has a capacity of...
career which was interrupted by the First World War. In all, he made a total of only 23 Football League appearances for Burnley over a seven-year period.
During the 1919-20 season he was transferred to near-neighbours Blackburn Rovers, where he remained until 1927 and where he enjoyed the best of his football career, making 227 Football League appearances for the club and winning one Full International cap for England (v. 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...
, 3 March 1924 – a match which, coincidentally, was played at Blackburn).
After leaving Blackburn Rovers, Sewell re-joined Gainsborough Trinity and was a member of their 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....
championship-winning side of 1927-28. Whilst playing for Gainsborough in an away Midland League match against Doncaster Rovers Reserves on 9 March 1929, he sustained a hand injury that eventually prompted his retirement from football. By the time his playing days ended, he had become licensee of the Cattle Market Hotel in Lincoln
Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
.
Ronnie Sewell died in 1945.