Charlton Stan Image 3 Exeter City 1925

Description

Little Hulton, Lancashire born left back Stan Charlton began his football career with Williams Temperance in the Leigh and District League and the played for Little Hulton United, from where he joined First Division Oldham Athletic in August 1920, making his Football League debut against Preston North End that December. However he only made 6 appearances that season and none the following campaign before he moved to Third Division (North) club Rochdale in May 1922. A full season of first team action at Spotland saw him play 39 games before a move to  Exeter City in June 1923.

He stayed five years at Exeter where he was club captain, ever present in 1926-27, making 180 appearances and scoring 10 goals, mostly penalties. Whilst at Exeter he had the honour of being selected to tour with the Football Association team that went to Australia in 1925, captaining the team in all five games on that tour. He signed Crystal Palace in May 1928 and he missed only one match as Palace  finished runners up in the Third Division (South) in 1928-29 missing out on promotion, which they repeated in 1930-31, and in four seasons he made 136 appearances scoring 9 goals, all but one from the spot.

A transfer to Newport County in October 1932 saw a final League season of 34 games before a move to non league Margate in 1933. He subsequently played for Streatham Town in 1934, Greenbroom Athletic in 1935 and Venner Sports in 1936 before his eventual retirement.

He was the father of Stan Charlton who also had a career as a professional footballer in the 1950’s with Leyton Orient and Arsenal.