JOHN SUTCLIFFE

Full Name: John William Sutcliffe (also known as John Willie)

Born: 14 April 1868

Came from: Manchester United   Went to: Southend United

First game: 18 March 1905   Last game: 08 April 1912

Appearances: 220 (220/0)   Goals: 0

Sutcliffe was born in Shibden, near Halifax, Yorkshire, and was a multi-talented sportsman. His sporting career began in Rugby Union with Kirkstall RFC in Leeds, before he moved to Bradford RFC, who in 1907 split across two paths, becoming the rugby team that became Bradford Bulls and the football team that became Bradford (Park Avenue) - it was known as 'The Great Betrayal'. He later joined Heckmondwike RFC, where he was capped by England against the New Zealand Natives in 1899. He played as a fullback or a centre, and in his only cap scored three points from a try, which he then successfully converted (under the old points system) as England won 7-0 at Rectory Field, Blackheath in London.

When Heckmondwike were suspended by the RFU for alleged professionalism he then switched codes and joined Bolton Wanderers, initially as a centre-forward but soon converting to become a goalkeeper.

In almost thirteen years with Wanderers he played more than 330 games and won four England caps, becoming the last man to represent England at both Rugby Union and Association Football. He was also selected five times for the Football League representative side. During his time at the club he helped Bolton reach the 1894 FA Cup Final and win promotion to the First Division in 1899-1900. In a strange twist of fate, by Bolton's next FA Cup Final in 1904, they had another dual-coder in Dai Davies, who had also played rugby union for Wales, in goal for them.

In 1902 Sutcliffe joined Millwall Athletic (the club that later became the present day Millwall) for a single season in the Southern League, and where he also won his fifth and final England cap. At the club, he was in competition for an England place with Jack Robinson, the man who preceded him in Argyle's goal. Sutcliffe then spent 18 months with Manchester United, playing 28 times for the club. He moved to Home Park in January 1905 and by the end of the season had taken over from 'Tich' Horne as first-choice 'keeper, a position he retained for most of the next six years.

The Argyle handbook of 1905-06 describes him as "a marvel for his years" - as he had joined the club at the age of 36. He made his 218th and final Argyle appearance just days short of his 44th birthday. The 1911-12 handbook adds "England never had nor ever will have a better representative in goal".

In 1912-13 he joined Southern League side Southend United as coach and played occasionally for the first team. He wound down his career in 1913-1914 with South Yorkshire non-league side South Kirkby Colliery.

Sutcliffe was a fine all-round sportsman in his day, excelling at cricket, billiards, cycling, running and even ice-skating. A Plymouth journalist once posed the question: Did he prefer soccer or Rugby Union? John Willie Sutcliffe had no doubts, replying "Oh, soccer, every time."

During WWI he served as manager of Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem and after hostilities ceased, returned to the UK to coach Bradford City. By the 1921 UK Census however, he was listed as an 'out-of-work football trainer.'

He spent his final decades living quietly in Yorkshire and passed away in Bradford in July 1947 at the age of 79.