Eddie Stuart

Infobox Football biography
playername = Eddie Stuart


fullname = Edward Albert Stuart
dateofbirth = Birth date and age|1931|5|12
cityofbirth = Middelburg, Eastern Cape
countryofbirth = South Africa
nickname =
height =
position = Defender
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1951–1962 1962–1964 1964–1966 1966–1968
clubs = Johannesburg Rangers
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Stoke City
Tranmere Rovers
Stockport County
caps(goals) = 287 0(1)
063 0(2)
083 0(2)
077 0(1)
manageryears = 1968–1970
managerclubs = Worcester City (player-manager)

Edward "Eddie" Albert Stuart (born 12 May 1931 in Middelburg, Eastern Cape) is a South African former professional footballer. He spent the majority of his league career with Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he won three league championships.

Career

Stuart began his professional career with Rangers of Johannesburg, where he won the South African Cup, before joining English First Division side Wolverhampton Wanderers in January 1951. After spending time in the reserves, he made his senior debut on 15 April 1952, scoring in a 1-4 loss to Black Country rivals fc|West Bromwich Albion.

A visit to his homeland saw him contract a tropical disease that hospitalised him and put him out of action for over a year. He returned to the first team for the final months of the 1953/54 season that brought Wolves their first-ever league championship. He remained in the starting team over the remainder of the decade as the club added two further league titles. He received further honour when he was made club captain in 1959 after the retirement of Billy Wright.

His Molineux career was derailed as the growing apartheid issue in his native South Africa brought pressure on him, and eventually saw him eased out the spotlight. He subsequently missed their 1960 FA Cup Final triumph - although received a medal as "12th man" - but was brought back into the fold for the new season. After two further seasons, bringing him a total of 322 Wolves appearances, he joined Stoke City for £8,000 in Summer 1962.

His first season with Stoke saw them win the Second Division championship, and he remained for their return in the top flight. He moved to Tranmere Rovers for £4,000 in 1966, and later served Stockport County, where he won the Fourth Division title. He then had a brief spell in management as he became player-manager of non-league Worcester City in 1968, but left the club when he retired from playing in 1970.

After leaving the game, he ran a string of hairdressing salons around the Wolverhampton area, where he still resides today.

References

*

External links

* [http://www.wolves.premiumtv.co.uk/page/GoldenOldies/0,,10307~65212,00.html Official Wolves site profile]

Persondata
NAME = Stuart, Eddie
ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Stuart, Edward
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Professional footballer
DATE OF BIRTH = 1931-05-12
PLACE OF BIRTH = Middelburg, Eastern Cape, South Africa
DATE OF DEATH =
PLACE OF DEATH =