Born: 11 February 1888

Born in: Clay Cross

Died: 19 March 1941

Other clubs: Nuneaton Town (1906-09), Manchester United (1909-13)

Signed from: Manchester United

Joined Liverpool: £300, 26.11.1913

Debut: 29 Nov 1913

Final appearance: 16 Apr 1921

Debut goal: 06 Dec 1913

Last goal: 11 Sep 1920

Contract until: 1921

League: Apps / Goals: 129 / 17

All Competitions: Apps / Goals: 147 / 20

Player Profile

Sheldon was a winger who joined Liverpool from Manchester United about a third of the way through the 1913/14 season as he couldn't get into United's first team because of superstar Billy Meredith. In his Liverpool debut season, he missed only three League fixtures once he had been introduced into the side at the end of November and also played in all eight FA Cup ties which saw Liverpool reach their first major final. But there was great disappointment for all concerned at the club after the single-goal defeat by Lancashire rivals Burnley at the old Crystal Palace ground. Sheldon was the smallest man in the team, but “a terror for his size." The Derby Daily Telegraph described him as *a red-haired Adonis from Derbyshire, whose neat, natty, and diminutive figure is the joy to his admirers, but a nightmare to his opponents on the field. Built on Fanny Walden lines, he is a regular “box o’ tricks,” full of strange swerves and graces, but does not overdo the fancy work. His wing play is the acme of precision, and his centre are the sort which bring goals."

In the 1914/15 season, the last full League season for four years, only Jimmy Nicholl made more appearances and only Fred Pagnam and Tom Miller scored more goals than Sheldon. His career at Liverpool will, however, always be tainted by the fact that he along with three Liverpool players; Tom Miller, Thomas Fairfoul, Bob Pursell and three United players was found guilty of fixing a game between Liverpool and Manchester United on Good Friday 1915. Sheldon, who was a former United player, was accused of being the go-between the United and Liverpool players. While in the army in France, Sheldon sent a letter to the Athletic News that was published on 10 April 1916, that proclaimed his innocence. “I emphatically state to you, as our best and fairest critic, that I am absolutely blameless in this scandal and am still open, as I have always been, to give any Red Cross Fund or any other charitable institution the sum of £20 if the FA or anyone else can bring forward any bookmaker or any other person with whom I have had a bet.” he wrote. In September 1916 Sheldon wanted to go to Anfield to watch Liverpool play Burnley. Even though he was banned he was granted free admittance as a wounded soldier but told to stay away from the dressing-rooms. When Sheldon testified in Enoch West’s case in 1917, who was one of the accused, he confessed to the court that he had convinced his teammates to play along and met with a trio of United players to decide the outcome of 2-0, with one goal scored either side of half-time. Liverpool teammate Fred Pagnam revealed that he had been offered £3 by Sheldon in a taxi en route to the match.

For his service to his country in the war Sheldon's life ban from the game was lifted and he had two more good years at Anfield when the war was over, missing just five and seven League fixtures respectively during those two seasons. Sheldon never played for Liverpool again after he broke his left leg in a collision with Harry Storer jr., the son of the old Liverpool 'keeper, against Derby County on 16 April 1921. After 25 minutes had been played “The most serious happening of the football season” took place," the Liverpool Echo reported. “Sheldon was on the half turn when tackled by Storer and beat his man first time, but Storer tackling a second time seemed to catch his man on the leg. There was an ominous crack, and every one of the 28,000 spectators feared a broken bone.”