Stan Cribb
Encyclopedia
Stanley Roy "Stan" Cribb (11 May 1905 – 13 January 1989) was an English professional footballer who played for Southampton
, Queens Park Rangers
and Cardiff City
as an outside-left in the 1920s and 1930s. He later went on to help found and to manage Gosport Borough
.
, Hampshire
and attended Grove Road School. He won County representative honours at sixteen before joining Gosport Athletic, helping them to win the Hampshire League
in 1924. This brought Cribb to the notice of Southampton
, who he joined in September 1924.
match against Crystal Palace
, replacing Jimmy Carr
on the left-wing. Carr returned after four matches, although Cribb made a further two appearances in April. Although he established a reputation as a quick outside-left, his first-team appearances were rather occasional, making only 28 appearances in his first four seasons at The Dell with firstly Jimmy Carr and then Billy Murphy
being preferred on the left. In early March 1928, Cribb finally took over the No. 11 shirt from Murphy, retaining his place for the remainder of the season.
On 24 March 1928 (Easter Monday
), the "Saints" played West Bromwich Albion
at The Dell. Albion's goalkeeper, George Ashmore
was injured and was replaced in goal by a defender and was switched to the wing. In the second half, with the scores level at 2–2, Ashmore was back helping out in defence. Forgetting that he was now an outfield player, Ashmore caught the ball in the penalty area — Cribb duly scored from the penalty spot to give Saints the victory.
Although Cribb missed the opening match of the 1928–29 season, he returned in the second match and retained his place for the rest of the season, making 33 appearances, scoring 13 goals, including two in an 8–2 victory over Blackpool
(with Willie Haines
scoring four). By the end of the season, however, Cribb had lost his place to new signing John Arnold
who retained it for the following season, during which Cribb only made eleven appearances.
club West Ham United
paid £500 for Cribb's services as cover for Jimmy Ruffell
, but he never made the first-team before moving across London to join Queens Park Rangers
the following summer. He scored 13 goals in 28 appearances for Rangers, before a further move to Cardiff City
in July 1932. After 11 goals from 29 appearances for the Ninian Park
club, he retired in the summer of 1933.
Sports F.C. before helping to found Gosport Borough
. In their first season (1944–45), the football section of the Club won the Portsmouth and District League Division One; the line-up at that time included Jimmy Scoular
and Peter Harris
who both went on to become full internationals.
Cribb continued to manage the club until 1967. Following his retirement, he retained his connections with football, scouting for Southampton and rarely missing a match at Privett Park.
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...
, Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
and 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...
as an outside-left in the 1920s and 1930s. He later went on to help found and to manage Gosport Borough
Gosport Borough F.C.
Gosport Borough Football Club are a semi-professional football club based in Gosport, England currently playing in the Southern League Division One South and West...
.
Early days
Cribb was born in GosportGosport
Gosport is a town, district and borough situated on the south coast of England, within the county of Hampshire. It has approximately 80,000 permanent residents with a further 5,000-10,000 during the summer months...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
and attended Grove Road School. He won County representative honours at sixteen before joining Gosport Athletic, helping them to win the Hampshire League
Hampshire League
Hampshire League is a name used for two distinct football competitions based in Hampshire, England. There are two leagues; Hampshire Premier Football League named 'Puma Engineering Hampshire Premier Football League' for sponsor purposes and the division below which is the Hampshire League 2004 or...
in 1924. This brought Cribb to the notice of 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...
, who he joined in September 1924.
Southampton
Cribb made his debut for Southampton on 24 January 1925, in a Second DivisionFootball 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...
match against Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
, replacing Jimmy Carr
Jimmy Carr (footballer)
James Edward Charles "Jimmy" Carr was a Scottish footballer who played at outside left for Reading and Southampton in the 1920s.-Football career:...
on the left-wing. Carr returned after four matches, although Cribb made a further two appearances in April. Although he established a reputation as a quick outside-left, his first-team appearances were rather occasional, making only 28 appearances in his first four seasons at The Dell with firstly Jimmy Carr and then Billy Murphy
Billy Murphy (footballer)
William Murphy , commonly known as Billy Murphy or Spud Murphy, was an English footballer who played as a winger for Manchester City, Southampton, Oldham Athletic and Tranmere Rovers....
being preferred on the left. In early March 1928, Cribb finally took over the No. 11 shirt from Murphy, retaining his place for the remainder of the season.
On 24 March 1928 (Easter Monday
Easter Monday
Easter Monday is the day after Easter Sunday and is celebrated as a holiday in some largely Christian cultures, especially Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox cultures...
), the "Saints" played West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
at The Dell. Albion's goalkeeper, George Ashmore
George Ashmore
George Samuel Austin Ashmore was an English football player who played for West Bromwich Albion and Chesterfield, as well as the England national team.-Career:...
was injured and was replaced in goal by a defender and was switched to the wing. In the second half, with the scores level at 2–2, Ashmore was back helping out in defence. Forgetting that he was now an outfield player, Ashmore caught the ball in the penalty area — Cribb duly scored from the penalty spot to give Saints the victory.
Although Cribb missed the opening match of the 1928–29 season, he returned in the second match and retained his place for the rest of the season, making 33 appearances, scoring 13 goals, including two in an 8–2 victory over Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
(with Willie Haines
Willie Haines
Wyndham William Pretoria "Willie" Haines was an English footballer who played at centre-forward for south coast rivals, Portsmouth and then Southampton in the 1920s and 1930s.-Football career:...
scoring four). By the end of the season, however, Cribb had lost his place to new signing John Arnold
John Arnold (cricketer)
John Arnold was an English cricketer who played in one Test in 1931.-Cricket career:...
who retained it for the following season, during which Cribb only made eleven appearances.
Later career
In the summer of 1930, First DivisionFootball 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....
club West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
paid £500 for Cribb's services as cover for Jimmy Ruffell
Jimmy Ruffell
Jimmy Ruffell was an English footballer who played for West Ham United.Ruffell was born in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, but moved south at an early age...
, but he never made the first-team before moving across London to join Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
the following summer. He scored 13 goals in 28 appearances for Rangers, before a further move to 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...
in July 1932. After 11 goals from 29 appearances for the Ninian Park
Ninian Park
Ninian Park was a football stadium in Leckwith, Cardiff, Wales. Until 2009, it was the home ground of Cardiff City F.C., who compete in the English Football League Championship...
club, he retired in the summer of 1933.
Coaching career
Following his retirement from playing, he returned to Gosport and coached with HaslarHaslar
Haslar is place in England, at the southern tip of Alverstoke, on the Gosport peninsula, Hampshire. It takes its name from Anglo-Saxon hæsel-ōra = "hazel - landing place"...
Sports F.C. before helping to found Gosport Borough
Gosport Borough F.C.
Gosport Borough Football Club are a semi-professional football club based in Gosport, England currently playing in the Southern League Division One South and West...
. In their first season (1944–45), the football section of the Club won the Portsmouth and District League Division One; the line-up at that time included Jimmy Scoular
Jimmy Scoular
James "Jimmy" Scoular was a Scottish football player and manager. Known as a tough, combative player with precise passing skills, Scoular made over 600 appearances in The Football League with Portsmouth, Newcastle United and Bradford Park Avenue, as a player-manager, and attained nine caps for...
and Peter Harris
Peter Harris (footballer)
Peter Philip Harris was an association football player.Harris is notable for his career with Portsmouth F.C., his only professional club. Born in Southsea and signed from Gosport Borough F.C., he played a crucial role in Pompey's championship-winning teams as an out and out right-winger with an...
who both went on to become full internationals.
Cribb continued to manage the club until 1967. Following his retirement, he retained his connections with football, scouting for Southampton and rarely missing a match at Privett Park.