Ronnie Starling	Sheffield Wednesday FC, Aston Villa FC 2 appearances, 0 goals P 2 W 0 D 0 L 2 F 2: A 5 0% successful 1933-37 captain: none minutes played: 180
Profile
Full name	Ronald William Starling
Born	11 October 1909 at 62 Duke Street in Pelaw-on-Tyne, County Durham [registered in Gateshead, December 1909]. Attended Usworth Colliery Methodist School.
Census Notes	According to the 1911 census, one year-old Ronald William is the yungest of two children to William and Maria, living at 62 Duke Street in Pelaw. His father is a stoneman in the local coalmine.
	According to the 1939 register, Ronald, now married to Lily, is a professional footballer living at 386 Chester Road North in Sutton Coldfield.
	Married: to Lillie Wheeler, at St. John's Church, Ranmoor, on Monday, 14 June 1937 [registered in Sheffield, June 1937]. They were engaged on Christmas Day, 1936. "The two bridesmaids wore white dresses with red, white and blue trimmings, and carried bouquets of similar colours." - Tuesday, 15 June 1937, The Daily Mail. "After the wedding, a reception will be held at the Sheffield and Ecclesall Society, Ltd., Cemetery road, after which the bride and bridegroom will leave for their honeymoon, which will be spent at Torquay" - Saturday, 12 June 1937, The Daily Independent
	Died: 17 December 1991, aged 82 years 67 days [registered in Sheffield, December 1991].
	Height/Weight: 5' 10", 11st. 6lbs [1930]. 5' 9½", 11st. 7lbs [1937]. 5' 10" [1939], 5' 10½", 12st. [1947]
	Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] & FindMyPast.com
Club Career
Club(s)	Began his football career playing with Durham Schools as an eight year-old, then junior level with his works side, Washington Colliery FC, of the Northern Alliance. He joined Hull City AFC following a trial match against Grimsby Town FC under the name of 'Smith'. He signed as an amateur on 21 April 1926, working in the clubs' administration until he signed professional forms on 11 October 1927. He followed it up with eighty Second Division appearances and thirteen goals. On 14 May 1930, Newcastle United FC signed Starling for a £3750 transfer fee, making 51 First Division appearances, scoring eight times. In November 1931, United's asking price was too much for Derby County FC to pay. Then Sheffield Wednesday FC, at their second attempt, secured Starling's signature on 25 June 1932 for a £2750 transfer fee, beating off Everton FC's attempts to sign him also. Starling became the club captain after another attempt from Derby County FC to sign him for £4000 on transfer deadline day, 15 March 1934. He went on to make 176 league appearances and scored 31 goals, before he joined Aston Villa FC on 6 January 1937 for £8000. Rumours persisted in 1939 that he was to move on, West Bromwich Albion FC in January and Swansea Town FC in the August. Starling guested for Solihull Town FC for a couple of matches at the end of 1939, then Walsall FC in February 1940, and also helped out Nottingham Forest FC later in 1940, and Coventry City FC. He retired in July 1948 to rejoin Nottingham Forest FC, having made 88 league Villa appearances, scoring eleven, but not before he coached the Villa colts in 1946-47. He made the odd Central Alliance appearance and Midland League appearance with Forest in 1949.
Club honours	FA Cup winners 1931-32, 1934-35 (captain); FA Charity Shield winners 1935; Football League Division Two winners 1937-38; Football League (North) War Cup winners 1943-44;
Individual honours	None
Distinctions	Played in four different FA Cup semi-finals with four different clubs, Hull City in 1930, Newcastle United FC 1932 (eventual winner), Sheffield Wednesday FC 1935 (eventual winner), and Aston Villa FC in 1938. Starling was a regular attendee at the Methodist Churches he was a member of.
Source	Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990].
England Career
Player number	One of four who became 578th players (578) to appear for England.
Position(s)	Inside-right/left
First match	No. 185, 1 April 1933, Scotland 2 England 1, a British Championship match at Hampden Park, Mount Florida, Glasgow, aged 23 years 172 days.
Last match	No. 208, 17 April 1937, Scotland 3 England 1, a British Championship match at Hampden Park, Mount Florida, Glasgow, aged 27 years 188 days.
Major tournaments	British Championship 1932-33, 1936-37;
Team honours	None
Individual honours	None
Distinctions	Died thirteen days after Cliff Bastin
Beyond England
Between 12 July 1948 and 23 June 1950, he became the coach of Nottingham Forest FC, winning the Mildand League, before giving it up to run a newsagency on Middlewood Road in Sheffield. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.234/235.

Ronnie Starling - Career Statistics
Squads	Apps	comp. apps	Mins.		goals ave.min	comp. goals	Capt.	Disc.
2	2	2	180	0	0 min	0	none	none
minutes are an approximation, due to the fact that many matches rarely stick to exactly ninety minutes long, allowing time for injuries and errors.

Ronnie Starling - Match History

Club: Sheffield Wednesday F.C. - one full appearance (90 min)

F.A. International Selection Committee - two full appearances (180 min)x

Age 23
1	185	1 April 1933 - Scotland 2 England 1, Hampden Park, Glasgow	BC	AL	Start	ir

Club: Aston Villa F.C. - one full appearance (90 min)

Age 27
2	208	17 April 1937 - Scotland 3 England 1, Hampden Park, Glasgow	BC	AL	Start	il

Notes

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CG