| Ralph Rodgerson | |
| Fullname: | Ralph Rodgerson |
| Birth Date: | 25 December 1913 |
| Birth Place: | Sunderland, England |
| Death Place: | Sunderland, England |
| Position: | Full back |
| Clubs1: | Millfield |
| Years2: | 19??–1935 |
| Clubs2: | Shotton Colliery Welfare |
| Years3: | 1935–1942 |
| Caps3: | 5 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
Ralph Rodgerson (25 December 1913 – 18 April 1972) was an English professional footballer who played in the Football League as a full back for Sunderland.
Rodgerson was born in Sunderland in 1913,[1] the son of Ralph Rodgerson and his wife Evelyn. Ralph senior was a professional footballer who played in the Football League for Huddersfield Town and Leeds United and in the Scottish League for Dundee.[2]
Rodgerson played Sunderland and District League football for Millfieldhe also played cricket for the Miilfield club alongside his father[3] and Wearside League football for Shotton Colliery Welfare before signing professional forms with Football League First Division club Sunderland in December 1935.[4] With the club's sixth League title already confirmed, Rodgerson was given a debut on 18 April 1936, playing at left back in a 4–3 win at home to Huddersfield Town,[5] and also played in the remaining two matches of the season, which were both heavy defeats.[6] He made two more first-team appearances, both at home to Manchester United, one in 1936–37 and the last in 1938–39,[7] [8] before competitive football was suspended for the duration of the Second World War. He played for Sunderland and for North Shields in wartime matches,[9] [10] but did not resume a professional career afterwards.[11]
The 1939 Register finds Rodgerson living in Sunderland with his wife, Vera, and working as a plater's helper.[12] He joined the police in December 1939.[13] He played for the Sunderland Police football team during the war,[9] and for their cricket team until well into the 1950s.[14] Rodgerson died in Sunderland in 1972 at the age of 58.[1]