Percy Thorpe

Percy Thorpe

Personal information
Date of birth	18 July 1899[1]
Place of birth	Nottingham, England[1]
Date of death	1972 (aged 72–73)
Playing position	Right-back
Youth career
	Sutton Town
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1924–1928	Blackpool	113	(5)
1928	Connah's Quay & Shotton
1928–1929	Reading	72	(0)
1930–1932	Sheffield United	103	(0)
1933	West Ham United	3	(0)
1934	Accrington Stanley	2	(0)
1934–1935	Port Vale	1	(0)
Total		294+	(5+)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

Percy Thorpe (18 July 1899 – 1972) was an English footballer who played at right-back for Sutton Town, Blackpool, Connah's Quay & Shotton, Reading, Sheffield United, West Ham United, Accrington Stanley, and Port Vale.

Career

Thorpe signed for Frank Buckley's Blackpool prior to the start of the 1924–25 season after leaving non-league Sutton Town. He made his debut for the club in the opening League game, a single-goal victory at Clapton Orient on 30 August.^[2] He went on to make a further eleven league appearances that campaign, the majority of which were spent at centre-half; however, he did play up front alongside the prolific Harry Bedford for one game, in the absence of Matt Barrass.^[2]

In 1925–26, Thorpe made thirty Second Division appearances and scored three goals. He spent the majority of that campaign at right full-back, but also switched to the left side briefly. He scored his first goal for Blackpool in a 3–2 Boxing Day victory over Chelsea at Bloomfield Road. It came from the penalty spot, as did his other two goals.^[3] Thorpe appeared in 38 of Blackpool's 42 league games of 1926–27. He scored two goals – one a penalty, the other from open play.^[4] Sydney Beaumont succeeded Frank Buckley as manager for the 1927–28 campaign, and Beaumont gave 33 starts to Thorpe, in what was his final season with the club. His final appearance for Blackpool occurred in the final game of the season, a 4–0 home victory over Fulham on 5 May.^[5]

After leaving Blackpool, Thorpe joined Connah's Quay & Shotton, before returning to the Second Division with Reading. He joined Sheffield United in 1930. The "Blades" finished 15th in the First Division in 1930–31, seventh in 1931–32, and tenth in 1932–33. In three years at Bramall Lane, he scored 24 goals in 114 league and cup competitions.

He later had brief spells with West Ham United and Accrington Stanley, before he finished his career at Port Vale.^[1] He signed as a 35-year-old in November 1934 and made his final footballing appearance on 19 November at The Old Recreation Ground in a goalless draw against the club with which he made his name – Blackpool.^[1] He retired at the end of the 1934–35 season.^[1]

Statistics

• Sourced from Percy Thorpe profile at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)

Club	Season	Division	League		FA Cup		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Blackpool	1924–25	Second Division	12	0	0	0	12	0
	1925–26	Second Division	30	3	1	0	31	3
	1926–27	Second Division	38	2	1	0	39	2
	1927–28	Second Division	33	0	0	0	33	0
	Total		113	5	2	0	115	5
Reading	1928–29	Second Division	34	0	0	0	34	0
	1929–30	Second Division	38	0	1	0	39	0
	Total		72	0	1	0	73	0
Sheffield United	1930–31	First Division	38	0	4	0	42	0
	1931–32	First Division	33	0	2	0	35	0
	1932–33	First Division	32	0	2	0	34	0
	Total		103	0	8	0	111	0
West Ham United	1933–34	Second Division	3	0	0	0	3	0
Accrington Stanley	1934–35	Third Division North	2	0	0	0	2	0
Port Vale	1934–35	Second Division	1	0	0	0	1	0
Career Total			294	5	11	0	305	5

References

General

• Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992. Breedon Books Sport. ISBN 1-873626-07-X.
• Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888–1939. ISBN 1-899468-67-6.

Specific

1. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 290. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
2. Calley, p. 224
3. Calley, p. 226
4. Calley, p. 228
5. Calley, p. 230