Ronnie Sewell

Walter Ronald Sewell (19 July 1890 – 4 February 1945)[1] was an English professional footballer (goalkeeper) who played for Gainsborough Trinity, Burnley, Blackburn Rovers and England.

Sewell was born at Wingate, County Durham and started off by playing for Wingate Albion, a local amateur team. In the summer of 1911 he was signed as a professional by Gainsborough Trinity (who at the time were members of the Football League Second Division), and immediately became a regular member of their first team in what proved to be the club's final season in the Football League, missing only one of the 38 League matches.

The following season he joined Burnley, for whom he appeared in their 1914 FA Cup Final victory against Liverpool, although he never really established himself as a first team regular in a Turf Moor career which was interrupted by the First World War. In all, he made a total of only 23 Football League appearances for Burnley over a seven-year period.

During the 1919–20 season he was transferred to near-neighbours Blackburn Rovers, where he remained until 1927 and where he enjoyed the best of his football career, making 227 Football League appearances for the club and winning one Full International cap for England (v. Wales, 3 March 1924 – a match which, coincidentally, was played at Blackburn).[2]

After leaving Blackburn Rovers, Sewell re-joined Gainsborough Trinity and was a member of their Midland League championship-winning side of 1927–28. Whilst playing for Gainsborough in an away Midland League match against Doncaster Rovers Reserves on 9 March 1929, he sustained a hand injury[3] that eventually prompted his retirement from football. By the time his playing days ended, he had become licensee of the Cattle Market Hotel in Lincoln.[4]

Ronnie Sewell died in 1945 aged 54.