Harry Sharratt

Harry Sharratt refused to turn professional because the money he made as a teacher of mathematics combined with the expenses received playing for a top amateur club was more than he could expect to earn as a full-time footballer. A goalkeeper with Bishop Auckland FC at a time when they dominated English amateur football, he won three successive FA Amateur Cup winners medals between 1955 and 1957 and played six times for the English national amateur team.

A colourful and eccentric personality, when he was told that he been named by a magazine as the fourth best goalkeeper in the world, he asked “What’s so special about the other three?”

He would ask for sweets and cigarettes from the crowd (although he refused to smoke the cigarettes until the match had ended) and on snowy days would have snowball fights with supporters. Sharratt is probably the only man in football history to be cautioned for building a snowman on the goal line, “It was a good one as well” he was quoted as saying.

Bishop Auckland was so dominant in their league that he was able to entertain the crowd with such tricks as playing an entire half with only one boot or if the team were winning easily he would throw the ball to an opponent just to wake up his defenders.

On one memorable occasion Bishop Auckland were 12-0 ahead in a cup tie when Bob Hardisty, the captain, told them to “go easy” on their opponents. Sharratt rested himself against the goalpost and failed to move as their opponents quickly scored four goals. Hardisty came over to Sharratt and said “Not that bloody easy, Harry! not that easy!”. When asked about his behaviour he said “It’s only a game. I do it because I want to enjoy it.”

Sharratt also played briefly for Blackpool, Oldham Athletic and Nottingham Forest.