Ted Catlin
Encyclopedia
Arthur Edward "Ted" Catlin (11 January 1910 - 28 November 1990) was a footballer who played his entire professional career for Sheffield Wednesday
. He was a strong tackling left back who made 230 appearances (including cup games) for Wednesday between 1931 and 1939. He also played for the England national football team
on five occasions. Catlin never scored a goal in an official match in his eight and a half year career at Hillsborough
although he did score in the wartime league game against Notts County in 1944 which Wednesday won 6-1.
, a north eastern suburb of Middlesbrough
and played youth football with Middlesbrough Schools and his local junior club South Bank F.C. before signing for Sheffield Wednesday. He made his debut for the Owls on 28 March 1931 in a 4-0 win over Leicester City
, but that was his only appearance that season and it was some time before Catlin became a regular in the side being kept out by England international left back Ernie Blenkinsop
. He played 16 games in the 1933-34 season then became Wednesday’s regular left back when Blenkinsop was surprisingly transferred to Liverpool
in April 1934. Many Wednesday supporters were angered by the sale of Blenkinsop, however Catlin proved to be a more than adequate replacement.
In the 1934-35 season Catlin played in all six FA Cup
ties as Wednesday lifted the cup and also finished third in the league. He was also a member of the Wednesday side which won the Charity Shield
at the start of the following season. Catlin’s good form led to five England caps in the 1936-37 season, starting against Wales
on 17 October 1936 followed by matches against Northern Ireland
, Hungary
, Norway
and finally Sweden
on 17 May 1937. During that time he also played for the Football League representative side in 1936 and in an international trial for the Probables against the Possibles on 17 March 1937 at Burnley; fellow Wednesday player Jackie Robinson
was playing for the Possibles.
Catlin lived in Wadsley Lane at Wadsley
during his time as a Wednesday player and was a close neighbour of Roy Hattersley
, Hattersley remembers Catlin in his autobiography, "A Yorkshire Boyhood", saying "Mr. Catlin, in his time the best left back in England, would sit on the wall at the end of his front garden, and I used to see him dangling his famous feet on the pavement almost every time I was taken to the Wisewood Co-Op."
Sheffield Wednesday were relegated to Division Two at the end of the 1936-37 season, despite talk of a possible transfer he stayed with Wednesday. However he lost his England place to Eddie Hapgood
and never played for the national side again. Catlin had a lucky escape just before Christmas 1938 when the car he was travelling in along with fellow player Bill Fallon skidded in snow at Wadsley Bridge
and hit a telegraph pole. Both players went to hospital and were out of the team for several weeks.
Catlin played his last game for Wednesday and last official career game in a 0-1 home defeat to Plymouth Argyle
on 2 September 1939, the day that Britain declared war on Germany. Wednesday held his registration throughout the Second World War
, meaning he was on their books for 14 years. He played 96 games for Wednesday during the war appearing in the 1943 (North) War Cup Final which Wednesday lost to Blackpool over two legs. It was in the second leg of this final that Catlin was badly injured in a collision with Blackpool's Jock Dodds
, an injury which effectively ended his career although he did play on for two more years.
landlord, running four pubs in the area, "The Anvil" at Malin Bridge
, the "Rose and Crown" at Wadsley
, the "Kelvin Grove" at Upperthorpe and the "The Magnet" in the Southey area of Sheffield. He also ran a boarding house in Blackpool for a time. Ted Catlin died aged 80 on 28 November 1990. In May 2006 Ted’s 1935 FA Cup winners medal came up for sale at Sotheby's
in London and sold for £3,600, also in the same sale was Catlin's first England cap which sold for £1,100.
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...
. He was a strong tackling left back who made 230 appearances (including cup games) for Wednesday between 1931 and 1939. He also played for the England national football team
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...
on five occasions. Catlin never scored a goal in an official match in his eight and a half year career at 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...
although he did score in the wartime league game against Notts County in 1944 which Wednesday won 6-1.
Playing career
Catlin was born in South BankSouth Bank, Middlesbrough
South Bank is a small town which forms part of the Middlesbrough urban area that lies 2.3 miles from Middlesbrough centre, in North East England. As the name suggests, it lies on the south bank of the River Tees. Although it is part of the Middlesbrough conurbation, it is a ward of Redcar and...
, a north eastern suburb of Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
and played youth football with Middlesbrough Schools and his local junior club South Bank F.C. before signing for Sheffield Wednesday. He made his debut for the Owls on 28 March 1931 in a 4-0 win over Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
, but that was his only appearance that season and it was some time before Catlin became a regular in the side being kept out by England international left back Ernie Blenkinsop
Ernie Blenkinsop
Ernie Blenkinsop was an English footballer who played as a defender at left back. He spent the majority of his career at Sheffield Wednesday, where he won two Football League titles. He also attained 26 caps playing for England....
. He played 16 games in the 1933-34 season then became Wednesday’s regular left back when Blenkinsop was surprisingly transferred to 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...
in April 1934. Many Wednesday supporters were angered by the sale of Blenkinsop, however Catlin proved to be a more than adequate replacement.
In the 1934-35 season Catlin played in all six 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...
ties as Wednesday lifted the cup and also finished third in the league. He was also a member of the Wednesday side which won the Charity Shield
FA Community Shield
The Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
at the start of the following season. Catlin’s good form led to five England caps in the 1936-37 season, starting 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...
on 17 October 1936 followed by matches against Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
, Hungary
Hungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
, Norway
Norway national football team
The Norway national football team represents Norway in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Norway, the governing body for football in Norway. Norway's home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and their head coach is Egil Olsen...
and finally Sweden
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
on 17 May 1937. During that time he also played for the Football League representative side in 1936 and in an international trial for the Probables against the Possibles on 17 March 1937 at Burnley; fellow Wednesday player 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...
was playing for the Possibles.
Catlin lived in Wadsley Lane at Wadsley
Wadsley
Wadsley is a suburb of the City of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It stands five km NW of the city centre at an approximate grid reference of...
during his time as a Wednesday player and was a close neighbour of Roy Hattersley
Roy Hattersley
Roy Sydney George Hattersley, Baron Hattersley is a British Labour politician, author and journalist from Sheffield. He served as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party from 1983 to 1992.-Early life:...
, Hattersley remembers Catlin in his autobiography, "A Yorkshire Boyhood", saying "Mr. Catlin, in his time the best left back in England, would sit on the wall at the end of his front garden, and I used to see him dangling his famous feet on the pavement almost every time I was taken to the Wisewood Co-Op."
Sheffield Wednesday were relegated to Division Two at the end of the 1936-37 season, despite talk of a possible transfer he stayed with Wednesday. However he lost his England place to Eddie Hapgood
Eddie Hapgood
Edris Albert "Eddie" Hapgood was an English footballer, who captained both Arsenal and England during the 1930s....
and never played for the national side again. Catlin had a lucky escape just before Christmas 1938 when the car he was travelling in along with fellow player Bill Fallon skidded in snow at Wadsley Bridge
Wadsley Bridge
Wadsley Bridge is a suburb of Sheffield 3 mi northwest of the city centre. The area is a mixture of residential housing and small industrial and commercial premises.-Etymology:...
and hit a telegraph pole. Both players went to hospital and were out of the team for several weeks.
Catlin played his last game for Wednesday and last official career game in a 0-1 home defeat to 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...
on 2 September 1939, the day that Britain declared war on Germany. Wednesday held his registration throughout the Second World War
World 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...
, meaning he was on their books for 14 years. He played 96 games for Wednesday during the war appearing in the 1943 (North) War Cup Final which Wednesday lost to Blackpool over two legs. It was in the second leg of this final that Catlin was badly injured in a collision with Blackpool's Jock Dodds
Jock Dodds
Ephraim "Jock" Dodds was a Scottish professional football player. He played in the 1936 FA Cup Final, and, at the time of his death, he was the oldest surviving player to have played in a final at Wembley Stadium....
, an injury which effectively ended his career although he did play on for two more years.
After football
After the war Catlin returned to Sheffield and became chief scout for Sheffield Wednesday for a time. He then became a pubPublic house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
landlord, running four pubs in the area, "The Anvil" at Malin Bridge
Malin Bridge
Malin Bridge is a suburb of the city of Sheffield, England. It is located at grid reference and stands 2½ miles north-west of the city centre where the rivers Loxley and Rivelin meet...
, the "Rose and Crown" at Wadsley
Wadsley
Wadsley is a suburb of the City of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It stands five km NW of the city centre at an approximate grid reference of...
, the "Kelvin Grove" at Upperthorpe and the "The Magnet" in the Southey area of Sheffield. He also ran a boarding house in Blackpool for a time. Ted Catlin died aged 80 on 28 November 1990. In May 2006 Ted’s 1935 FA Cup winners medal came up for sale at Sotheby's
Sotheby's
Sotheby's is the world's fourth oldest auction house in continuous operation.-History:The oldest auction house in operation is the Stockholms Auktionsverk founded in 1674, the second oldest is Göteborgs Auktionsverk founded in 1681 and third oldest being founded in 1731, all Swedish...
in London and sold for £3,600, also in the same sale was Catlin's first England cap which sold for £1,100.
Honours
Sheffield WednesdaySheffield 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...
- FA CupFA CupThe 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...
winner: 19351935 FA Cup FinalThe 1935 FA Cup Final was contested by Sheffield Wednesday and West Bromwich Albion at Wembley. Sheffield Wednesday won 4–2, with goals scored by Jack Palethorpe, Mark Hooper and Ellis Rimmer... - Charity ShieldFA Community ShieldThe Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
winner 1935