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Arthur Stanton

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For the British Anglo-Catholic priest, see Arthur Stanton (priest).

Arthur Stanton
Personal information
Full name Arthur Stanton[1]
Date of birth 1892
Place of birth Leamore, England
Date of death (1915-05-08)8 May 1915 (aged 22)
Place of death Walsall, England
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[2]
Position(s) Right back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
19??–1912 Bloxwich Strollers
1912–1915 Birmingham 6 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Arthur Stanton (1892 – 8 May 1915) was an English professional footballer who played in the Football League for Birmingham.[3]

Life and career

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Stanton was born in Leamore, Bloxwich, Staffordshire; he was one of ten children of George Stanton, a coal miner, and his wife Sarah. The 1911 Census finds Stanton working as a brickyard labourer and living in Cope Street, Leamore, with his parents and four siblings.[4][5] Away from football, he enjoyed playing bowls.[6]

Stanton played football for Bloxwich Strollers, helping them win the Walsall and District League title and the Walsall Cup in the 1911–12 season before signing professional forms with Football League Second Division club Birmingham for a fee of £10.[7] In its preview of the 1912–13 season, the Birmingham Gazette described him as "a clever right back of great promise".[8] He was signed as cover at full back,[9] and made his first-team debut on 3 January 1914, deputising for Frank Womack at left back in a home game against Notts County which Birmingham won 2–1. Over the next season and a half, Stanton played five times more in the Second Division, in each case standing in for Womack or his full-back partner Billy Ball,[10] and established a reputation as a solid, powerful defender, albeit one who lacked pace.[9]

During and after a Birmingham League match against West Bromwich Albion reserves on 3 April 1915, Stanton complained of having been elbowed in the mouth by an opponent. Pain in the jaw was still bothering him two weeks later when he contracted influenza. His condition worsened and he was admitted to Walsall Infirmary, where he died on 8 May. A post-mortem examination established the cause of death as tubercular meningitis, and in the opinion of the medical officer, not attributable to the football injury. The coroner's jury returned a verdict of death from natural causes.[11][12] In Birmingham F.C.'s annual report for the 1914–15 season, the club's directors expressed deep regret at Stanton's untimely death, describing him as "a reliable and earnest player [who] always did his best."[13] He was 22 years old.[11]

References

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  1. ^ "Player search: Stanton, A (Arthur)". English National Football Archive. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  2. ^ Old Blue (29 August 1914). "The 1914–15 season at hand". Sports Argus. Birmingham. p. 1.
  3. ^ Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 248. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  4. ^ "1901 England Census for Arthur Stanton". RG13/2696 Folio 83 Page 50 – via Ancestry.com.
  5. ^ "1911 England Census for Arthur Stanton". RG14/17151 370 Bloxwich 09 – via Ancestry.com.
  6. ^ "Prizes at Leamore". Walsall Advertiser. 1 August 1914. p. 9. The Leamore players have just concluded bowling off for the prize given by Sir Richard Cooper, Bart., M.P. This has been won by A. Stanton, the Birmingham full back, who defeated Tom Moseley in the final 15–6.
  7. ^ "Bloxwich Strollers F.C. annual meeting". Walsall Advertiser. 13 July 1912. p. 9.
  8. ^ "Football's approach. Birmingham's prospects for coming season". Birmingham Gazette. 9 August 1912. p. 7.
  9. ^ a b Matthews (1995), p. 126.
  10. ^ Matthews (1995), pp. 160–161.
  11. ^ a b "Footballer's death not caused by a blow when playing". Birmingham Gazette. 11 May 1915. p. 3.
  12. ^ "Walsall. Inquest on a footballer". Staffordshire Advertiser. 15 May 1915. p. 8.
  13. ^ "'Blues' report". Evening Despatch. Birmingham. 29 June 1915. p. 6.

Sources

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  • Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
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