Sydney Howarth (20 June 1923 – 1 November 2004) was an English professional footballer who played as a centre forward in the Football League for Aston Villa, Swansea Town and Walsall. He is probably best remembered for his two spells in non-League football with Merthyr Tyrdfil.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Sydney Howarth[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 28 June 1923 | ||
| Place of birth | Bristol, England | ||
| Date of death | 1 November 2004 (aged 81)[1] | ||
| Place of death | Cardiff, Wales | ||
| Position(s) | Centre forward, left half | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| Barry Town | |||
| Aberaman Athletic | |||
| –1948 | Merthyr Tydfil | ||
| 1948–1950 | Aston Villa | 8 | (2) |
| 1950–1952 | Swansea Town | 40 | (7) |
| 1952–1953 | Walsall | 6 | (0) |
| Merthyr Tydfil | |||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Club career
editA centre forward and occasional left half,[1][2] Tucker began his career with Welsh lower league clubs Barry Town and Aberaman Athletic.[3] He came to prominence as part of Merthyr Tydfil's 1947–48 Southern League-winning squad and transferred to First Division club Aston Villa for a £6500 fee in June 1948.[3][4] He appeared sparingly in League football for Aston Villa, Swansea Town and Walsall,[1][5] before returning to Merthyr Tydfil in 1953, with whom he won a second Southern League championship.[4] Tucker was posthumously inducted into the club's Hall of Fame in 2012.[4]
International career
editHowarth was picked to represent Wales, but was prevented from being capped by his father, as he had been born in Bristol, England.[2]
Personal life
editTucker was the son of professional footballer Tommy Howarth and was born in Bristol, England.[2] He moved to Newport, Wales with his family 10 after his birth.[2] He joined the Royal Air Force at age 17 served in South Africa, Malta and Palestine during the Second World War.[4] He died in November 2004, after being admitted for treatment on a leg ulcer at University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff.[2]
Career statistics
edit| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Aston Villa | 1948–49[6] | First Division | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 |
| 1949–50[6] | First Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Career total | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 2 | ||
Honours
editMerthyr Tydfil
Individual
- Merthyr Town Hall of Fame[4]
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Syd Howarth". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- ^ a b c d e "Death of former Villa star Howarth". WalesOnline. 13 January 2004. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- ^ a b "Syd Howarth, Villa Centre Forward, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1950–51". AVFC History. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f "Hall of Fame". Merthyr Town Football. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- ^ "Players of the past". www.swanseacity.com. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- ^ a b "Syd Howarth". 11v11. Retrieved 24 September 2023.