Sheldon Jackie Image 2 Liverpool 1914

Description

Clay Cross, Derbyshire born winger Jackie Sheldon began his football career with Nuneaton Progress in 1903 and played for Coton Villa the same year, and then for Bedworth ECS in 1904, joining Nuneaton Town in 1907. From there he signed for First Division Manchester United making his Football League debut at Bradford City in December 1910. He was mainly a fringe player during his three seasons at United, scoring once in 26 appearances, before Liverpool signed him for £300 in November 1913.

Sheldon made his Liverpool debut on 29 November 1913 in the 2-1 First Division win over Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield and scored his first goal the following month at Villa Park in a 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa on 6th December. Sheldon was the smallest man in the team, but “a terror for his size.” The Derby Daily Telegraph described him as *a red-haired Adonis from Derbyshire, whose neat, natty, and diminutive figure is the joy to his admirers, but a nightmare to his opponents on the field. Built on Fanny Walden lines, he is a regular “box o’ tricks,” full of strange swerves and graces, but does not overdo the fancy work. His wing play is the acme of precision, and his centres are the sort which bring goals.”

Sheldon went on to miss only three games for the remainder of the 1913-14 season which included the whole of the FA Cup run when Liverpool reached their first Cup Final. The game was the last Final held at the Crystal Palace ground and the first time to be played in front of a reigning monarch, George V, played on 25th April 1914. Burnley won the match 1-0 and it was another 51 years before Liverpool finally won the FA Cup.

In the 1914-15 season, the last full League season for four years due to the advent of the First World War, only Jimmy Nicholl made more appearances and only Fred Pagnam and Tom Miller scored more goals than Sheldon. His career at Liverpool will, however, always be tainted by the fact that he along with three Liverpool players; Tom Miller, Thomas Fairfoul, Bob Pursell and three United players was found guilty of fixing a game between Liverpool and Manchester United on Good Friday 1915. Sheldon, who was a former United player, was accused of being the go-between the United and Liverpool players.

While in the army in France, Sheldon sent a letter to the Athletic News that was published on 10 April 1916, that proclaimed his innocence. “I emphatically state to you, as our best and fairest critic, that I am absolutely blameless in this scandal and am still open, as I have always been, to give any Red Cross Fund or any other charitable institution the sum of £20 if the FA or anyone else can bring forward any bookmaker or any other person with whom I have had a bet.” he wrote. In September 1916 Sheldon wanted to go to Anfield to watch Liverpool play Burnley. Even though he was banned he was granted free admittance as a wounded soldier but told to stay away from the dressing-rooms. When Sheldon testified in Enoch West’s case in 1917, who was one of the accused, he confessed to the court that he had convinced his teammates to play along and met with a trio of United players to decide the outcome of 2-0, with one goal scored either side of half-time. Liverpool teammate Fred Pagnam revealed that he had been offered £3 by Sheldon in a taxi en route to the match.

For his service to his country in the War Sheldon’s life ban from the game was lifted and he had two more good years at Anfield when the War was over, missing just five and seven League fixtures respectively during those two seasons. Sheldon never played for Liverpool again after he broke his left leg in a collision with Harry Storer Jr., the son of the old Liverpool ‘keeper, against Derby County on 16th April 1921. After 25 minutes had been played “The most serious happening of the football season” took place,” the Liverpool Echo reported. “Sheldon was on the half turn when tackled by Storer and beat his man first time, but Storer tackling a second time seemed to catch his man on the leg. There was an ominous crack, and every one of the 28,000 spectators feared a broken bone.” In all he scored 20 goals in 147 appearances for The Reds. He subsequently had brief spells with both Luton Town and Watford without appearing for either club’s first elevens before retiring.