Warneford Cresswell (5 November 1897 â 20 October 1973) was an English international footballer who was described as "The Prince of Full Backs" for his renowned tackling and positional skills in the right-back position. In a 17-year career in the English Football League he made 571 league appearances, and won seven caps for England.
He began his career during World War I, playing in the Scottish Football League with Morton, Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian, before signing with English Second Division club South Shields in 1919. Three years later, he moved into the First Division when he was bought by Sunderland for a world-record fee of ã5,500. He made 190 league and cup appearances and helped the "Black Cats" to a second-place finish in 1922âÂÂ23 before moving on to Everton for ã7,000 in 1927. He helped the "Toffees" to win the English Football League championship in 1927âÂÂ28 and 1931âÂÂ32, the Second Division championship in 1930âÂÂ31, the FA Cup in 1933, and the FA Community Shield in 1928 and 1932.
He turned to management with Port Vale in May 1936 and moved on to Northampton Town twelve months later. He later managed Dartford. He has also been credited with the quote: "Good goalkeepers never make great saves".
Warneford Cresswell was born on 5 November 1897 in South Shields, County Durham. He was the third of five children to Warneford and Charlotte; his father was a marine engineer. His brother, Frank, also played for Sunderland as well as clubs including West Bromwich Albion, Chester and Notts County.
He married Grace H.C. Erikson in 1924, with whom he had one daughter, Audrey (born 1925), and one son, Corbett (1932-2017). Corbett was in the Bishop Auckland team which won the FA Amateur Cup three years in succession in the 1950s. His great-granddaughter is Lincoln-based Olympic swimmer Kate Haywood. After retiring from football, Cresswell went on to manage a pub in the Sunderland area.
Cresswell was born in South Shields, Tyne and Wear (then in County Durham). He represented South Shields Schools and England Schools as a youngster and played junior football locally. However, the outbreak of World War I prevented him from playing professional football in England, where football was suspended. However, this was not the case in Scotland, where the Scottish Football League continued throughout the hostilities. Hence, the teenage Cresswell moved north of the border to play for Morton, Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian. He also guested for Tottenham Hotspur. He later enlisted in the army, and was captured and held in a prisoner-of-war camp before being repatriated at the end of the war.
In the summer of 1919 he signed for South Shields, then playing in the Second Division. He played for the club in 1919âÂÂ20, their first season in English Football League, when they finished in ninth place. They finished eighth in 1920âÂÂ21, and sixth in 1921âÂÂ22, just six points short of promoted Stoke. In all, he played 104 league and cup matches for the club.
In 1922, he moved to Sunderland, when manager-secretary Bob Kyle authorised a then-world record fee of ã5,500. The record was not broken again until Bob Kelly joined him at Sunderland for ã6,500 in December 1925. The Black Cats finished as First Division runners-up in 1922âÂÂ23, six points behind champions Liverpool. They came closer to the title in 1923âÂÂ24 despite finishing third, as they ended up four points behind champions Huddersfield Town. They then dropped to seventh in 1924âÂÂ25 before another third-place finish in 1925âÂÂ26; in the latter campaign, they were nine points behind first placed Huddersfield Town. His last full campaign at Roker Park, 1926âÂÂ27, ended up with Sunderland again in third place, seven points behind rivals Newcastle United. He made a total of 190 appearances for the club in league and cup competitions.
He moved to Everton in 1927 for ã7,000, at the age of 30, where he played alongside goal machine Dixie Dean. He won the league title in 1927âÂÂ28, his first season at Goodison Park. They then won the subsequent Charity Shield in 1928, before finishing a disappointing 18th in 1928âÂÂ29, just three places above the drop. Everton then finished bottom of the division in 1929âÂÂ30, though were just one point behind third-from-bottom (and therefore not relegated) Sheffield United. The "Toffees" made an immediate return to the top flight, marching to the Second Division title in 1930âÂÂ31, seven points ahead of runners-up West Bromwich Albion; they scored 121 goals in their 42 league games. They continued their success into the First Division, winning the title in 1931âÂÂ32 after finishing two points ahead of Arsenal. Their success continued in the Charity Shield in 1932, as they beat Newcastle United 5âÂÂ3 at St James' Park. They dropped to eleventh in 1932âÂÂ33, but lifted the FA Cup in 1933. The final, held in front of 92,950 spectators at Wembley, finished in a 3âÂÂ0 victory over Manchester City, and the Manchester Guardian described Cresswell as giving "an almost perfect display". The club's final two seasons under manager-secretary Thomas H. McIntosh ended with a whimper however, with a 14th-place finish in 1933âÂÂ34 and an eighth-place finish in 1934âÂÂ35. Theo Kelly led Everton to a 16th-place finish in 1935âÂÂ36, Cresswell's last as a professional footballer. Retiring at the age of 38, having made 306 appearances for the club, after his death, he was inaugurated into the Gwladys Street's Hall of Fame.
Cresswell was capped for England seven times. His first match was against Wales on 14 March 1921, and his last was against Ireland on 19 October 1929. His first appearance was whilst still at South Shields, thus making him South Shield's only England international.
Cresswell played in the right-back position. He was a renowned tackler and famed for his cool demeanour, fine tackling and masterful positional play. He became hugely popular with fans wherever he played, establishing a reputation as a 'gentleman' on and off the pitch. He has been described during his Everton days as: "A stylish English fullback, who made 'modern' runs forward and usually stole the ball from the opposition with skilful rather than crude tackling". One player recounted how his leg was broken following a collision with Cresswell, who appeared later at the hospital with a pouch of smoking tobacco, which at the time was probably considered more manly than flowers or a bag of grapes.
After retiring as a player, Cresswell was appointed manager-coach of Port Vale in May 1936. He introduced strict training methods to the club, the emphasis being on fitness, using activities such as running and gymnastics. These were combined with relaxed sessions of snooker and billiards. The "Valiants" were in the Third Division North, and had spent the majority of the 1935âÂÂ36 season without a manager. He signed winger Gerry Kelly from Chester; right-half Tommy Ward from Grimsby Town; and left-half Spencer Evans from Altrincham. He also traded George Stabb to Bradford Park Avenue for Tom Nolan. Results began poorly, and so Cresswell signed inside-forward Alfred Dickinson from Everton. Vale then became hard to beat, and remained undefeated for 13 matches between 24 October and 2 January, with central player Fred Obrey proving to be a revelation. The team were in fourth place at the turn of the year. However, results then tailed off, and Cresswell left the club after the campaign ended with an eleventh-place finish.
His professional manner seemed to indicate a bright future as a manager. In May 1937, he took up the management position at Northampton Town, later being the manager-secretary. He instigated a policy of promoting young players at the County Ground; this came at the expense of established players such as striker Jack Haycox, who was transfer-listed at an asking price of ã250. Under his stewardship the "Cobblers" finished ninth in the Third Division South in 1937âÂÂ38 and 17th in 1938âÂÂ39. In 1947, he was on a shortlist of 10 for the post of manager at Newcastle United. Instead, he took up the position at Dartford, resigning after a poor run of results.
Professionals
Everton
England