Satterthwaite Charlie Image 2 Arsenal 1904

Description

Cockermouth, Cumberland born inside forward Charlie Satterthwaite played as a youth for local club Black Diamonds in 1894 before he joined First Division Bury in December 1895, making his Football League debut at Aston Villa at the end of the same month and scoring his first League goal on New Year’s Day against Burnley in a 3-4 home defeat. However, frustrated by lack of opportunity, Satterthwaite then moved to non league Bacup later in 1896 and on to Second Division Burton Swifts in July 1897, where he played 9 times in a short spell before returning to non league, first with Moss Side later in 1897, then with local professional club Workington in 1898. A tall and strongly built striker known for his powerful shooting, he made enough of a name for himself at Workington to be signed by Liverpool in December 1899.

He made his Liverpool debut away to Nottingham Forest on 16th December 1899, and scored on his Anfield debut against Glossop North End on 23rd December. He continued to play for Liverpool that season, scoring five goals in 18 matches, and scored five in 22 matches the following season as Liverpool won the 1900-01 League Championship. However, although he was selected for the opening two First Division fixtures of 1901-02, he then lost his place and played on only four more occasions for the club’s first team, and after 12 goals in 46 appearances for The Reds he moved on to Southern League football, first with New Brompton (now Gillingham) in the 1902 close season and then, at the close of the 1902-03 season, to West Ham United.

After a season at the Irons, scoring 18 goals in 36 matches, Satterthwaite joined Woolwich Arsenal in July 1904, with Arsenal having just been promoted to the First Division. Satterthwaite made his debut in Arsenal’s first top-flight match, away to Newcastle United on 3rd September 1904 and on 24th September 1904, Satterthwaite scored Arsenal’s first goal in the top flight in a 2-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Satterthwaite was a first-team regular for Woolwich Arsenal for the next four seasons; although the newly promoted club were unable to challenge for the League Championship, they made a strong showing in the FA Cup, and Satterthwaite played as they reached the 1907 FA Cup semi final, where they lost to eventual winners Sheffield Wednesday at St Andrew’s, Birmingham. Satterthwaite was Arsenal’s top scorer in both the 1904-05 and 1906-07 seasons with 11 and 19 goals, respectively. However, his age was catching up with him and between 1908 and 1910 he played fewer first team matches. Nevertheless, upon leaving the club to re-join Workington in the summer of 1910 at the age of 33, he had played 141 times for Arsenal, having scored 48 goals.

During the First World War he served in the Royal Fusiliers attaining the rank of corporal.

He played together with his younger brother Joe Satterthwaite at Woolwich Arsenal in 1907-08, Joe also played for Grimsby Town, Workington, New Brompton and Mansfield Mechanics. When Joe made his Arsenal debut in March 1908 they became the first pair of brothers to play for the club.