LEN SHACKLETON-COMIC? as well

You should know about Len Shackleton, if you have an interest in football!! On this day in 2000, Len passed away aged 78. Having played for Newcastle, he "crossed the boundary" and played for Sunderland, where his "showman like tendencies" made him a firm favourite. Playing against Arsenal on one occasion, Shack's team was 2-1 up and there were only 5 minutes to go! Shack dribbled the ball into the Gunners' penalty area, before standing on the ball and prending to comb his hair! Managing this, he then looked at his watch, as the minutes ticked by! 

In 1956. he published his autobiography using his nickname in the title; "The Clown Prince of Football" The book famously contained a chapter entitled "The Average Director's Knowledge of Football"!! Underneath the title was a blank page, except for a small note at the foot of the page that read: "This page has been deliberately left blank in accordance with the author's wishes!" Leonard Francis Shackleton was an English footballer. Known as the "Clown Prince of Football", he is generally regarded as one of English football's finest ever entertainers. He also played cricket in the Minor Counties for Northumberland.

Leonard Francis Shackleton was born in Bradford, England on 3 May 1922 to Leonard and Irene Shackleton; his father was a self-employed painter and decorator and his mother was a housewife. He was the elder brother to Irene and John; John went on to sign for Sunderland, though never played a first team game and quit the game to become a chiropodist and tennis coach. Shackleton attended Carlton High GS, and became the first Bradford schoolboy to represent England schoolboys when he scored two goals in a 6–2 victory over Wales schoolboys; also in the team that day was future Sunderland team mate Dickie Davies!!

Len Shackleton

Personal information
Full name	Leonard Francis Shackleton
Date of birth	3 May 1922
Place of birth	Bradford, England
Date of death	28 November 2000 (aged 78)
Place of death	Grange over Sands, England
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s)	Forward
Youth career
1936–1938	Bradford Park Avenue
1936–1938	→ Kippax United (loan)
1938–1939	Arsenal
1938–1939	→ Enfield (loan)
1939	London Paper Mills
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1940–1946	Bradford Park Avenue	7	(4)
1946–1948	Newcastle United	57	(26)
1948–1957	Sunderland	320	(97)
Total		384	(127)
International career
1935–1936	England Schoolboys	3	(2)
1948–1954	England	5	(1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Born in Bradford, he spent his teenage years before World War II with Bradford Park Avenue (sadly now a defunct club), Kippax United, Arsenal, Enfield and London Park Mills, before he turned professional at Bradford Park Avenue in 1940. He spent the war assembling aircraft radios and playing for Bradford PA, and was sold on to Second Division rivals Newcastle United for a £13,000 fee in October 1946. He scored six goals on his Newcastle debut, but fell out with the club's directors, and was sold on to Sunderland for a British transfer record fee of £20,050 in February 1948. He scored 97 goals in 320 First Division matches for the club, with the closest he came to a trophy being the 1949–50 season when Sunderland finished third in the league, and when they reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup in 1955 and in 1956. He retired due to an ankle injury in 1957, and became a sports journalist.

This is worth a read too...https://nationalfootballmuseum.com/halloffame/len-shackleton/