| Joe Rutherford | |
| Birth Date: | 1914 9, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Fatfield, England |
| Death Place: | Sutton Coldfield, England |
| Position: | Goalkeeper |
| Clubs1: | Birtley Colliery |
| Years2: | 1936–1939 |
| Caps2: | 88 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 1939–1952 |
| Caps3: | 148 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Totalcaps: | 236 |
| Totalgoals: | 0 |
Joe Rutherford (20 September 1920 – 27 December 1994) was a footballer who played as a goalkeeper in the Football League for Southport and Aston Villa.
Born in Fatfield, County Durham, Rutherford played as a youth for Chester-le-Street Schools, Chester-le-Street Juniors, Fatfield Juniors, Chester Moor Temperance, Ferryhill, Blyth Spartans and Chester-le-Street, and had trials at West Ham United and Reading, before joining Birtley Colliery. He joined Southport in October 1936.[1]
Rutherford joined Aston Villa in February 1939 and played in 156 league and cup matches, retiring in 1951. During the Second World War, he played in several games as a guest, for Margate, playing one game in 1939–40, Solihull Town, Nottingham Forest, Lincoln City and Mansfield Town, but these are not counted in official league records and tallies.[1]