Warney Cresswell facts for kids

Warneford Cresswell (born 5 November 1897 – died 20 October 1973) was a famous English footballer. People called him "The Prince of Full Backs" because he was so good at tackling and knowing where to be on the field. He played as a right-back.

Warney Cresswell played in 571 league games during his 17-year career in the English Football League. He also played seven times for the England national team.

He started his career during World War I in Scotland. He played for Morton, Heart of Midlothian, and Hibernian. In 1919, he joined South Shields in England.

Three years later, Sunderland bought him for a world-record fee of £5,500. He played 190 games for Sunderland. He helped them finish second in the league in 1922–23.

In 1927, he moved to Everton for £7,000. At Everton, he won the English Football League championship twice (1927–28 and 1931–32). He also won the Second Division championship (1930–31), the FA Cup (1933), and the FA Community Shield twice (1928 and 1932).

After retiring as a player, he became a manager. He managed Port Vale and Northampton Town. He also managed Dartford. He is famous for saying: "Good goalkeepers never make great saves."

About Warney Cresswell

Warneford Cresswell was born in South Shields, County Durham, on 5 November 1897. He was one of five children. His father worked as a marine engineer. Warney's brother, Frank, also played football for clubs like Sunderland.

In 1924, Warney married Grace H.C. Erikson. They had a daughter named Audrey and a son named Corbett. Corbett also became a footballer and won the FA Amateur Cup three times. Warney's great-granddaughter, Kate Haywood, is an Olympic swimmer. After he stopped playing football, Warney managed a pub in the Sunderland area.

Playing for Clubs

Starting His Career

Warney Cresswell grew up in South Shields. He played for his school teams and even for England Schools when he was young. He also played junior football in his local area.

When World War I started, professional football in England stopped. So, Warney moved to Scotland, where the Scottish Football League continued. He played for Morton, Heart of Midlothian, and Hibernian. He also played a few games for Tottenham Hotspur. Later, he joined the army and was a prisoner of war before returning home after the war.

Playing for South Shields

In 1919, Warney signed with South Shields. They played in the Second Division. He played for them in their first season in the English Football League, finishing ninth. They finished eighth and sixth in the next two seasons. In total, he played 104 games for South Shields.

Playing for Sunderland

In 1922, Warney moved to Sunderland. The manager, Bob Kyle, paid £5,500 for him. This was a new world record fee at the time! This record was broken a few years later when Bob Kelly also joined Sunderland for £6,500.

Sunderland finished second in the First Division in 1922–23. They were six points behind the champions, Liverpool. They came even closer to winning the title in 1923–24, finishing third, just four points behind Huddersfield Town. Over the next few seasons, they finished seventh, third, and third again. Warney played 190 games for Sunderland in total.

Playing for Everton

In 1927, when he was 30, Warney joined Everton for £7,000. He played alongside the famous goal scorer Dixie Dean. In his first season at Goodison Park, 1927–28, Everton won the league title!

They also won the Charity Shield in 1928. However, the next season, they finished 18th. In 1929–30, Everton finished last and were moved down to the Second Division.

But they quickly bounced back! Everton won the Second Division title in 1930–31, scoring 121 goals in 42 games. They then won the First Division title again in 1931–32, beating Arsenal by two points. Their success continued as they won the Charity Shield again in 1932.

In 1933, Everton lifted the FA Cup. They beat Manchester City 3–0 in the final at Wembley. The Manchester Guardian newspaper said Warney gave "an almost perfect display" in that game.

Warney played his last season as a professional footballer in 1935–36. He retired at 38, having played 306 games for Everton. After he passed away, he was added to the Gwladys Street's Hall of Fame at Everton.

Playing for England

Warney Cresswell played for the England national team seven times. His first game was against Wales on 14 March 1921. His last game was against Ireland on 19 October 1929. He was the only player from South Shields to play for England while at the club.

How He Played

Warney Cresswell played as a right-back. He was known for his excellent tackling and his calm way of playing. He was also very good at positioning himself on the field.

Fans loved him wherever he played because he was known as a "gentleman" both on and off the pitch. People described him as a "stylish English fullback" who would make "modern" runs forward. He would often win the ball from opponents with skill, not just brute force.

One story tells how a player broke his leg after a collision with Warney. Warney later visited him in the hospital, bringing a pouch of smoking tobacco. This was seen as a manly gesture back then!

Becoming a Manager

Managing Port Vale

After he stopped playing, Warney Cresswell became the manager of Port Vale in May 1936. He brought in strict training methods, focusing on fitness with running and gymnastics. But he also allowed relaxing activities like snooker and billiards.

Port Vale was in the Third Division North. Warney signed new players like winger Gerry Kelly and half-backs Tommy Ward and Spencer Evans.

The team started slowly, but then they became very hard to beat. They went 13 games without losing between October and January. They were in fourth place at the start of the new year. However, their results dropped off, and Warney left the club after they finished eleventh that season.

Managing Northampton Town

In May 1937, Warney became the manager of Northampton Town. He focused on bringing up young players. He sold some older, more established players to make way for new talent.

Under his leadership, Northampton Town finished ninth in the Third Division South in 1937–38 and seventeenth in 1938–39. In 1947, he was considered for the manager job at Newcastle United. Instead, he took the job at Dartford, but he resigned after a difficult period.

Honours and Achievements

Everton

• FA Charity Shield: 1928 & 1932
• Football League First Division: 1927–28 & 1931–32
• Football League Second Division: 1930–31
• FA Cup: 1933

England

• British Home Championship: 1926–27 (shared), 1929–30