Stan Rickaby


Stanley Rickaby was an English footballer who played as a right back.

Biography

Rickaby was born in Stockton-on-Tees. He began his career with South Bank in 1940 and in July of the following year joined Middlesbrough as an amateur. He turned professional with Boro in July 1946. In February 1950 he signed for West Bromwich Albion for a fee of £7,500. He made his only appearance for England on 11 November 1953, in a 3–1 win against Northern Ireland at Goodison Park. A leg injury sustained in the 1954 FA Cup semi-final against Port Vale meant that Rickaby missed the final, but he nevertheless received a winner's medal, having played in all the previous rounds of the competition. He took up the role of player-manager at Poole Town in June 1955 before moving on to Weymouth. Rickaby transferred to Newton Abbot Spurs in August 1963 before retiring as a player a year later.
Rickaby moved to Australia in the late 1960s to work with Aboriginal communities and published his autobiography in 2002.

Death

He died on Saturday 8 February in Perth, Western Australia from natural causes at the age of 89. News of his death only reached the United Kingdom on 3 March 2014. As a tribute to Rickaby, a minute's applause took place prior to West Bromwich Albion's home game against Manchester United on 8 March.