Walter Bussey

Walter Bussey

Personal information
Full name	Walter Bussey
Date of birth	6 December 1904
Place of birth	Eckington, England
Date of death	1982 (aged 77–78)
Place of death	Exeter, England
Playing position	Inside-forward
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
1924	Denaby United
1924–1932	Stoke City	185	(46)
1933–1934	Blackpool	25	(8)
1934–1936	Swansea Town	72	(18)
1936–1938	Exeter City	75	(16)
Total		357	(88)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (goals)

Walter Bussey (6 December 1904 – January 1982) was an English footballer who played in the Football League for Blackpool, Exeter City, Swansea Town and Stoke City. He made one hundred and eighty five appearances for Stoke.^[1][2]

Career

Bussey was born in Eckington on the Yorkshire border and began working as a collier. Whilst employed in the mines Bussey played amateur football with teams in the Doncaster area.^[2] He was spotted by scouts at Stoke City and signed for the club in March 1924 initially retaining his amateur status so he could also turn out for Denaby United.^[2] He eventually signed a professional contract in November 1925 becoming one of 34 players used by Tom Mather in 1925–26 as Stoke suffered relegation from the Second Division. Bussey broke into the side in 1926–27 campaign scoring eight goals in 15 appearances as Stoke went on to win the Third Division North title.^[2]

Despite lacking in height Bussey became a vital member of Mather's team being used mainly as a playmaker and provided many goals for Charlie Wilson whilst also having a decent scoring record himself.^[2] His most prolific season in a Stoke shirt came in the 1928–29 season with saw him score 12 goals in 38 appearances. Whilst Bussey was a clear favourite with Mather and the supporters he was notoriously inconsistent being described as having "spasms of form and scoring".^[2]

With the emergence of Harry Ware and Tommy Sale, Bussey left Stoke in October 1933 for Sandy MacFarlane's Blackpool.^[2] He scored 9 goals in 27 appearances for the Seasiders before moving on to Swansea Town. He spent two season at the Vetch Field before ending his career with Exeter City. He later moved as a painter and decorator in the Exeter area until his death in January 1982.^[2]

Career statistics

• Sourced from Walter Bussey profile at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Stoke City	1925–26	Second Division	4	0	0	0	4	0
	1926–27	Third Division North	15	8	0	0	15	8
	1927–28	Second Division	21	8	4	1	25	9
	1928–29	Second Division	37	11	1	1	38	12
	1929–30	Second Division	31	6	1	0	32	6
	1930–31	Second Division	39	5	3	0	42	5
	1931–32	Second Division	37	8	3	2	40	10
	1932–33	Second Division	1	0	0	0	1	0
	Total		185	46	12	4	197	50
Blackpool	1933–34	Second Division	25	8	2	1	27	9
	Total		25	8	2	1	27	9
Swansea Town	1934–35	Second Division	37	7	2	1	39	8
	1935–36	Second Division	32	11	0	0	32	11
	1936–37	Second Division	3	0	0	0	3	0
	Total		72	18	2	1	74	19
Exeter City	1936–37	Third Division South	20	5	3	1	23	6
	1937–38	Third Division South	36	6	2	0	38	6
	1938–39	Third Division South	19	5	0	0	19	5
	Total		75	16	5	1	80	17
Career Total			357	88	21	7	378	95

Honours

Stoke City

• Football League Third Division North Champions: 1926–27
• Football League Second Division Champions: 1932–33

References

1. Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
2. Stoke City 101 Golden Greats. Desert Islands Books. 2002. ISBN 1-874287554.