Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Ronald George Stainton | ||
Date of birth | 10 June 1909 | ||
Place of birth | Birmingham, England | ||
Date of death | 2 March 1966 | (aged 56)||
Place of death | Solihull, | ||
Height | 5 ft 7+1⁄2 in (1.71 m)[1] | ||
Position(s) | Left back | ||
Youth career | |||
Bournville Athletic | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1926–1927 | Bournville Athletic | ||
1927–1932 | Birmingham | 1 | (0) |
1932–1933 | Worcester City | ||
1933–1934 | Shrewsbury Town | ||
1934 | Gresley Rovers | ||
1935 | Dudley Town | ||
1935–1939 | Shirley Town / Solihull Town | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Ronald George Stainton (10 June 1909 – 2 March 1966) was an English professional footballer who played in the Football League for Birmingham.[2] He played mainly as a left back. Stainton also played non-league football for Bournville Athletic, Worcester City, Shrewsbury Town, Gresley Rovers, Dudley Town and Shirley Town / Solihull Town.
Life and career
Stainton was born in 1909 in the Bournville district of Birmingham,[3] a son of Frank Howard Stainton, a hardware merchant's clerk, and his wife Leah née Peacock.[4] He attended St Stephen's School,[5] and was a member of the King's Norton Schools football team that reached the quarter-final of the English Schools' Shield in 1922–23, in which they lost to the eventual runners-up, Birmingham Schools, in front of a 6,000 crowd at St Andrew's.[6] Stainton was selected for the schoolboy international against Scotland in May 1923 at Hampden Park, a match which England lost 5–3.[7]
Stainton played youth football for Bournville Athletic,[8] and came into the senior side in August 1926.[9] He played for Birmingham's Central League side as an amateur in the 1926–27 season, and signed professional forms in the 1927 close season.[10] The 18-year-old Stainton made his first-team debut on 1 October 1927 in a 1–1 draw at home to Bolton Wanderers in the Football League First Division. He was selected "in the hope that he would strengthen what has been a position of weakness", but his inexperience showed, and the Birmingham Gazette's reporter felt he needed "a lot more coaching" before he could expect a regular place in the side.[11]
He played for the reserves in the Central League and for the "A" team in the Birmingham Combination, but made no more first-team appearances.[3] He was eventually listed for transfer in 1932,[12] and after two months, was given a free transfer.[13] Stainton had trained as a carpenter, and joined Worcester City in part because he found a suitable employer in the area.[14] Stainton helped Worcester finish as runners-up in the Birmingham & District League,[15] and then moved on to another Birmingham League club, Shrewsbury Town, for 1933–34.[16] He appeared for clubs including Gresley Rovers and Dudley Town in 1934–35,[17] before moving to Shirley, Solihull, where he played for Shirley Town and was reinstated as an amateur.[18] The club renamed itself Solihull Town in 1938, and Stainton was captain in 1938–39.[19]
In April 1939, by which time he had established himself in the building trade in Solihull – the 1939 Register lists him as managing director of a building contractors[20] – Stainton stood for election to the urban district council as an independent, but lost out to the residents' association candidates.[21] During the war, Stainton played football for Moor Green[22] and was actively involved with the physical fitness of the local Air Training Corps.[23]
Stainton married Jessie Strother at St Stephen's Church, Selly Park, in October 1932.[24] They had two children, Maureen and John.[25] Stainton and Jessie were living in Shirley at the time of his death in 1966 at the age of 56;[26] she died the following year.[25]
References
- ^ "Birmingham". Athletic News. Manchester. 22 August 1927. p. 8.
- ^ Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 248. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
- ^ a b Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 126. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
- ^ "1911 England Census for Ronald George Stainton Worcestershire Kings Norton". RG14/17837 – via Ancestry.com.
"Birmingham, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754–1937 for Frank Howard Stainton Balsall Heath, St Thomas in the Moors 1886–1900" – via Ancestry.com. - ^ "The local schools' shield". Birmingham Gazette. 9 February 1923. p. 9.
- ^ "Schools' football". Sports Argus. Birmingham. 5 May 1923. p. 3.
"ESFA U15 Inter Association Cup". English Schools' Football Association. Retrieved 8 January 2021. - ^ "Scottish schoolboys' fine win. England well beaten at Hampden". Evening Telegraph. Dundee. 21 May 1923. p. 11.
- ^ "King's Norton". Sports Argus. Birmingham. 20 December 1924. p. 3.
- ^ "Rugby Town draw with Bournville". Rugby Advertiser. 31 August 1926. p. 4.
Amongst the new-comers was Stainton, a schoolboy international, who appeared at left back.
- ^ "Central League, Birmingham v. Wolves". Sports Argus. Birmingham. 30 April 1927. p. 4.
"Birmingham F.C.'s youthful veteran". Birmingham Gazette. 19 August 1927. p. 8.Stainton, a Bournville lad, displayed considerable promise in his games as an amateur last season.
- ^ Forward (3 October 1927). "Birmingham's need of new players". Birmingham Gazette. p. 8.
- ^ "For next season". Birmingham Gazette. 9 May 1932. p. 13.
- ^ "Stainton's transfer fee removed". Birmingham Gazette. 15 July 1932. p. 12.
- ^ Argus Junior (13 August 1932). "To-night's talk". Sports Argus. Birmingham. p. 1.
- ^ "Worcester City". Football Club History Database. Richard Rundle. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
- ^ "Birmingham League". Sports Argus. Birmingham. 26 August 1933. p. 5.
- ^ "Player database – Stainton". Gresley Rovers Online. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
"Birmingham Combination". Sports Argus. Birmingham. 12 January 1935. p. 4.Ron Stainton was at left-half
- ^ "Shirley Town's new players". Birmingham Gazette. 30 August 1935. p. 12.
"Untitled". Birmingham Gazette. 15 January 1936. p. 13. - ^ "Solihull Town F.C.". Birmingham Gazette. 17 June 1938. p. 15.
Wilson, Peter (8 January 1939). "Call them pest matches!". Sunday Mirror. London. p. 31. - ^ "1939 England and Wales Register for Ronald G Stainton Warwickshire Solihull UD QELL" – via Ancestry.com.
- ^ "To-night's talk". Sports Argus. Birmingham. 17 June 1938. p. 15.
"Solihull". Birmingham Post. 4 April 1939. p. 16. - ^ "Birmingham Combination". Sports Argus. Birmingham. 11 May 1940. p. 4.
- ^ "Solihull A.T.C.F.C.'s fine record". Evening Despatch. Birmingham. 22 October 1941. p. 3.
Under the able guidance of Ronnie Stainton, Solihull A.T.C. have a great football team and their record to date is outstanding...
"Second birthday of Solihull A.T.C.: 53 "propellers"". Evening Despatch. Birmingham. 15 February 1943. p. 3.Physical development of cadets is the charge of P.O. Stainton, and full facilities for football, cricket, swimming, boxing, and gymnastics are provided.
- ^ "Untitled". Birmingham Gazette. 24 October 1932. p. 12.
- ^ a b "Deaths: Stainton". Birmingham Post. 21 December 1967. p. 18.
- ^ "Wills and probate 1858–1996: Stainton 1966". UK Probate service. Retrieved 8 January 2021.