Wainscoat Russell Image 8 Leeds United 1928

Description

East Retford, Nottinghamshire born Russell Wainscoat was a powerful inside-left who scored a hat-trick on his Football League debut for Barnsley against Fulham in March 1920. He had joined Maltby Main Colliery Welfare in 1918 and signed for Barnsley in 1919 after the First World War had ended. He spent 5 seasons with Barnsley top scoring for them between 1920 and 1922, and by the time he joined First Division Middlesbrough in December 1923 he had scored 56 goals in 153 appearances for The Tykes. His spell at Ayresome Park started with relegation to the Second Division in 1924 and he joined Leeds United in March 1925 after 5 goals in 36 appearances.

He became a regular at Elland Road and was a popular figure with the fans in his six years with the club, and he managed to score two hat-tricks while he was with Leeds, a 4 goal burst against West Ham in April 1927 and a treble against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup in January 1930.

He won his only international cap in England’s 0-1 defeat by the Scots at Hampden Park, Glasgow played in front of 110,000 spectators in April 1929 in a match decided just two minutes from time by a goal scored direct from a corner. He also went on the FA’s Tour of Canada in 1926.

After Leeds’ relegation in 1927, he scored 18 goals as they immediately bounced back being promoted as Second Division runners up and was the club’s second top scorer both that year and in their return to Division One with 18 goals each season. Wainscoat left Leeds for Hull in October 1931 after 93 goals in 226 appearances and helped The Tigers to the Division Three (North) Championship in his second season, scoring 26 goals in 1932-33 which was his career best return. He retired in 1934 after 50 goals in 85 appearances.

In this photograph he sits between Charlie Keetley and Tom Mitchell.