William Sharpley

For the former mayor of Denver, see William H. Sharpley.

William Sharpley
Personal information
Full name William Albert Sharpley[1]
Date of birth December 1890[2]
Place of birth Bow, England
Date of death 1 July 1916 (1916-08) (aged 25)[3]
Place of death Somme, France[4]
Position(s) Left back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1912 Leicester Fosse 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

William Albert Sharpley DCM (December 1890 – 1 July 1916) was an English professional footballer who played as a left back in the Football League for Leicester Fosse.[1]

Personal life

Prior to 1912, Sharpley enlisted in the Essex Regiment of the British Army.[5] After the outbreak of the First World War, his battalion arrived on the Western Front on 21 August 1914 and saw action at Le Cateau, Marne, Messines and Armentières.[5][4] Serving as a sergeant, he was mentioned in dispatches and won the Cross of St. George 2nd Class "for conspicuous gallantry in rescuing and bringing in across the open and under fire, a wounded NCO" in late 1914.[5] In February 1916, Sharpley won the Distinguished Conduct Medal for bringing another wounded man in under fire, southeast of Hébuterne.[5] He was killed on the first day of the Somme in an area between Serre-lès-Puisieux and Beaumont-Hamel and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.[3][4] As a result of his death, Sharpley's sister Kate became an anarchist campaigner.[4]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Leicester Fosse 1911–12[2] Second Division 1 0 — 1 0
Career total 1 0 — 1 0

References

  1. ^ a b Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 261. ISBN 978-1905891610.
  2. ^ a b "William Sharpley | Leicester City career stats". FoxesTalk. 16 September 2017. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Casualty Details". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d McCrery, Nigel (18 June 2015). The Final Season: The Footballers Who Fought and Died in the Great War. Penguin Random House. pp. 122–125. ISBN 9780099594666.
  5. ^ a b c d "Leicester Fosse And The First World War: Part Eight". www.lcfc.com. Retrieved 3 October 2016.


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