George Sharples. RIP

[darrenrover]

Sad to hear today that George Sharples has passed away aged 77.

He was one of my earliest memories of a player in the late sixties. He had blond/silver, receding hair and buzzed about a lot. Played wing half (in old money, midfield in decimal) and I think we signed him from Everton.

Condolences to his family and friends.

RIP George

Edited December 15, 2020 by darrenrover

[knobblybottom]

Very sad to read this. Good, strong-tackling player.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Yes we got George from Everton reserves as a squad player. That was the financial level we were operating at then. He was an elegant, skillful player with good distribution and a decent ball winner, if anything he lacked a bit of pace.  I thought he was the sort of player who found keeping his weight down a bit of a problem and a stone less would have made him a much better player. He started as a stand in for Ronnie Clayton or Mick McGrath at wing half as both of them were experiencing a few injuries. Later on he moved into the middle of the back four were he played with some success. 

George had been an England schoolboy and youth international at Everton and a great career was expected of him but it didn't really work out especially after they signed Jimmy Gabriel and latterly,Tony Kay.

A badly broken leg suffered at Derby County put an end to his career at Ewood and he left the club to have a season at Southport before retiring.

It's been a bad year for losing players from the sixties.

Thanks for the memories George.

[tonygreenbank]

He was in the squad in 1966 when we got relegated from the First Division.

England won the World Cup but I remember feeling miserable that we were down.

RIP George.

[4000Holes]

Sorry to hear about the passing of George Sharples.

He didn’t score many goals from his position at wing half but one I do remember was against Preston.  I think it was a mid week match.  Rovers went 3 up in first half hour, the Preston defence where terrible but the goal George scored was at the Darwen end from a corner.  The Nob end defence allowed George the longest run to get his head on the ball which bullited into the net.  I swear he started that run in Shadsworth.

RIP George, happy memories.

[Gav]

Lived down Pleasington near the Butlers, or used to, nice chap.

RIP George.  

[jim mk2]

Another one gone in this miserable year.

We paid Everton about £10,000 for George, which seems laughable now but was alot of money in those days. I remember him as a strolling wing half, not much pace but a nice touch on the ball and a good player to watch. I liked him

RIP George

 

[Stonesrick]

I always felt George Sharples was a reliable centre back who played most of his games partnering Dick Mulvaney. It was during the time we had been relegated and we always seemed to be a few players short of putting together a promotion push. In my mind a similar sort of player to Zurab.

RIP George. Another player from the 1960’s that has passed away recently.

Edited December 15, 2020 by Stonesrick

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 hour ago, Stonesrick said:

I always felt George Sharples was a reliable centre back who played most of his games partnering Dick Mulvaney. It was during the time we had been relegated and we always seemed to be a few players short of putting together a promotion push. In my mind a similar sort of player to Zurab.

RIP George. Another player from the 1960’s that has passed away recently.

Yes the comparison in style with Zurab is pretty accurate. 

[Mercer]

A nice guy whose career was effectively finished with a badly broken leg.

As a schoolboy/youth international, George was touted as the next Duncan Edwards but that potential didn't really develop.  Might be wrong here but seem to recall he debuted for Everton at just 16 or 17 years of age!

George lived at Pleasington and worked for Star Paper Mill in sales when his footballing days were finished.  Think he moved to the Lake District when he retired and lost track of him then.

RIP.

 

Edited December 16, 2020 by Mercer

[Alex Rover]

10 hours ago, Mercer said:

A nice guy whose career was effectively finished with a badly broken leg.

By a tackle from Dave Mackay I've been told.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 hour ago, Alex Rover said:

By a tackle from Dave Mackay I've been told.

Who'd had two broken legs himself prior to that. One on the same day I did mine.