Shelton Jack Image 2 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1908

Description

Wolverhampton born inside forward Jack Shelton began his football career with Willenhall Pickwick in 1904 and played for Crompton Rovers in 1905 before joining Second Division Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1907, making his Football League debut against Derby County that October. The 1907-08 season was highly successful for Shelton, he scored a hat-trick against Grimsby Town in December, and scored against Bradford City in the FA Cup Third Round to earn Wolves a replay. The club went on to reach the 1908 FA Cup Final at The Crystal Palace, and Shelton played in their surprise 3-1 victory over Newcastle United. He had two more seasons at Molineux, in total he scored 17 goals for the club in 94 appearances.

He joined non league Port Vale in August 1910, the club that had resigned from the Football League in 1907. He was an ever-present in his debut season and was a member of the sides that won the Staffordshire Senior Cup in 1912, the Birmingham Senior Cup in 1913, reached the FA Cup first round in 1914 and won the North Staffordshire Infirmary Cup in 1915. He guested for rivals Stoke during the First World War, and made 26 appearances in 1915-16. He returned to Vale to become an ever-present in the 1916-17 season.

Having served in the North Staffordshire Regiment, he was conscripted into the 2nd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment in the summer of 1917 and he was killed in action on 7th September 1918. He is buried at Epehy Wood Cemetery.