Kevin Sheldon Explained

Kevin Sheldon
Fullname:Kevin John Sheldon
Birth Date:14 June 1956
Birth Place:Stoke-on-Trent, England
Height:[1]
Position:Right winger
Years1:1973–1981
Clubs1:Stoke City
Caps1:15
Goals1:0
Years2:1981–1983
Clubs2:Wigan Athletic
Caps2:29
Goals2:1
Years3:1982
Clubs3:Port Vale (loan)
Caps3:5
Goals3:0
Years4:1983–1984
Clubs4:Crewe Alexandra
Caps4:2
Goals4:0
Clubs5:Trowbridge Town
Clubs6:Burton Albion
Years7:1986
Clubs7:Leek Town
Caps7:2
Goals7:0
Clubs8:Telford United
Totalcaps:53+
Totalgoals:1+
Manageryears1:2005
Managerclubs1:Meir KA
Manageryears2:2005–2007
Managerclubs2:Stone Dominoes
Manageryears3:2009–2010
Managerclubs3:Leek CSOB

Kevin John Sheldon (born 14 June 1956) is an English former footballer. He had the nickname Bomber. A winger, he made sporadic appearances for Stoke City between 1975 and 1981 before helping Wigan Athletic and Port Vale to win promotion out of the Fourth Division. He featured twice for Crewe Alexandra before entering the non-League scene in 1984 with Trowbridge Town, Burton Albion, Leek Town and Telford United. In the 2000s, he managed Meir KA, Stone Dominoes, and Leek CSOB.

Playing career

Sheldon turned professional at Tony Waddington's Stoke City in June 1973 before making his First Division debut in a 1–0 win over Birmingham City at Victoria Ground on 19 April 1976; he went on feature in two further games in the 1975–76 season. He made nine appearances in the 1976–77 relegation campaign but made just one substitute appearance in the Second Division in 1978–79, as the "Potters" won promotion back to the top-flight under Alan Durban. Sheldon played once in 1979–80 and 1980–81, before departing for Fourth Division side Wigan Athletic in August 1981.

He helped Larry Lloyd's "Latics" to win promotion out of the Fourth Division in 1981–82. At Wigan, he had a loan spell with Port Vale, which began in August 1982.[2] He made his debut in a 1–0 defeat at Swindon Town on 28 August 1982 and played the next four games before returning to Springfield Park in late September.[2] John McGrath led the "Valiants" to promotion out of the Fourth Division in 1982–83.[2] Following his transfer in August 1983, he played twice for Fourth Division Crewe Alexandra in 1983–84, before Dario Gradi allowed him to move on to the local non-League scene with Trowbridge Town, Burton Albion, Leek Town and Telford United.

Management career

Sheldon was invited to help Leek Town manager Paul Ogden in September 2003.[3] He was appointed as manager of Midland Football Combination side Meir KA in August 2005.[4] He was sacked in November 2005, with the chairman Des Reaney citing his "bizarre managerial style" as a factor.[5] The next month he took charge at Stone Dominoes – who were in a ground-share agreement with the Meir club.[6] Dominoes finished 21st in the 22 team North West Counties League in 2005–06, before finishing in last place in 2006–07 with just nine points. He left the club "by mutual consent" in November 2007,[7] and took up coaching at Alsager Town.[8] He later went onto manage Leek CSOB of the North West Counties League in the 2009–10 season, before resigning.

Career statistics

Source:[9]

ClubSeasonDivisionLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Stoke City1975–76First Division30000030
1976–77First Division90000090
1977–78Second Division00000000
1978–79Second Division10000010
1979–80First Division10000010
1980–81First Division10000010
Total1500000150
Wigan Athletic1981–82Fourth Division1512060231
1982–83Third Division1402000160
Total2914060391
Port Vale (loan)1982–83Fourth Division50000050
Crewe Alexandra1983–84Fourth Division20001030
Leek Town1985–86North West Counties League
Division One
20000020
Career total5314070641

Honours

Wigan Athletic

Port Vale

Notes and References

  1. Book: Rollin . Jack . Rothmans football yearbook . 1980 . Queen Anne Press . London . 0362020175 . 350. 14 April 2020.
  2. Book: Kent, Jeff. Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. 263. 1996. 0-9529152-0-0.
  3. Web site: Ogden Calls in "Bomber" . https://archive.today/20120904050919/http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=12731 . dead . 4 September 2012 . nonleaguedaily.com . 19 April 2012 .
  4. Web site: Sheldon Ventures into the Unknown . https://archive.today/20120909201643/http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=29030 . dead . 9 September 2012 . nonleaguedaily.com . 19 April 2012 .
  5. Web site: Manager Set to Lose His Job This Week . https://archive.today/20120908030829/http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=31007 . dead . 8 September 2012 . nonleaguedaily.com . 19 April 2012 .
  6. Web site: Sheldon Doesn't Have to go Far for New Post . https://archive.today/20120919161924/http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=31473 . dead . 19 September 2012 . nonleaguedaily.com . 19 April 2012 .
  7. Web site: ...but Sheldon goes at Dominoes... . https://archive.today/20120908062825/http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=46336 . dead . 8 September 2012 . nonleaguedaily.com . 19 April 2012 .
  8. Web site: Sheldon for Bullets . https://archive.today/20120904100723/http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=46601 . dead . 4 September 2012 . nonleaguedaily.com . 19 April 2012 .
  9. Web site: PlayerStats – LeekTownSE . leektown.net . 11 April 2022.
  10. Book: Kent, Jeff. The Valiants' Years: The Story of Port Vale. Witan Books. 1990. 258–290. From Rags to Riches (1979–1990). 0-9508981-4-7.