Westcott Ronnie Image 1 Liverpool 1933

Description

Wallasey, Cheshire born centre forward Ronnie Westcott began his football career as an amateur on the books of New Brighton, without appearing for their first eleven. He then joined Liverpool, where he was a member of the reserve team and never made a first team appearance, although he was twelfth man at least once, as evidenced by the photograph, taken at Aston Villa on 9th September 1933, when he was Liverpool’s twelfth man in a 4-2 defeat at Villa Park.

In 1934 he joined Birmingham Combination club Banbury Spencer in Oxfordshire, and scored 40 goals for them in 1934-35, leading to him being signed by Arsenal in November 1935. He made his Football League debut in a 2-2 draw at Wolverhampton Wanderers on 28th March 1936 and scored on his home debut in a 1-1 draw against Bolton Wanderers on 1st April, during which he suffered a career ending knee injury and was forced to retire aged 26.

He subsequently played for Callenders Sports in Belvedere, south-east London from 1938 to 1952 as a player then as coach from 1950. He later became the manager of Erith & Belvedere F.C. in November 1955, leaving in the summer of 1957.

His younger brother Dennis was also a footballer most notably with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City and Chesterfield, and was the Football League’s top scorer in 1946-47.

NB the photograph was taken before Liverpool’s match at Arsenal on 9th September 1933.