Bob Suart

Robert Suart (1882 – 27 September 1918) was an English professional footballer who played in the Football League for Stockport County and Fulham as a wing half. He was killed in action during the First World War.

Bob Suart

Personal information
Full name	Robert Suart[1]
Date of birth	1882
Place of birth	Stockport, England[2]
Date of death	27 September 1918 (aged 36)[3]
Place of death	near Gouzeaucourt, France[3]
Playing position(s)	Wing half
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1902–1903	Edgeley
1903–1908	Stockport County	142	(13)
1908–1911	Fulham	97	(1)
1911–1915	Port Vale	130	(4)
1915–1917	→ Stockport County (guest)	22	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

After beginning his career in non-league football with Edgeley,[4] Suart played in the Football League for Stockport County and Fulham,[1][5] before joining Central League club Port Vale in July 1911.[2] He helped the "Valeites" to win the 1911–12 Staffordshire Senior Cup, the 1912–13 Birmingham Senior Cup and the 1914–15 North Staffordshire Infirmary Cup.[2] Vale went into abeyance in 1915 and Suart returned to Stockport County as a guest.[2]

World War I

During the second year of the First World War in 1915, Suart enlisted as a private in the South Lancashire Regiment.[6] He transferred to the Royal Warwickshire Regiment later that year and went on to see action at High Wood, Guillemont, Flers-Courcelette, Morval, Le Transloy, Arras and the Third Battle of Ypres during 1916 and 1917.[6] His division was transferred to the Italian Front following the Third Battle of Ypres, but returned to France in April 1918.[6] Suart was killed during a German counter-attack near Gouzeaucourt on 27 September 1918, just over six weeks before the Armistice.[6] He is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial.[3]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	Division	League		FA Cup		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Stockport County	1903–04[5]	Second Division	6	1	0	0	6	1
	1904–05[5]	Lancashire Combination First Division	33	4	5	0	38	4
	1905–06[5]	Second Division	38	3	3	0	41	3
	1906–07[5]	Second Division	36	2	2	0	38	2
	1907–08[5]	Second Division	29	3	0	0	29	3
	Total		142	13	10	0	152	13
Fulham	1907–08[6]	Second Division	6	1	0	0	6	1
	1908–09[6]	Second Division	35	0	1	0	36	0
	1909–10[6]	Second Division	33	0	3	0	36	0
	1910–11[6]	Second Division	23	0	1	0	24	0
	Total		97	1	5	0	102	1
Port Vale	1911–12[7]	Central League	30	0	0	0	30	0
	1912–13[7]	Central League	33	2	4	0	37	2
	1913–14[7]	Central League	32	2	8	1	40	3
	1914–15[7]	Central League	35	0	3	0	38	0
	Total		130	4	15	1	145	5
Career total			369	18	30	1	399	19

Honours

Port Vale

• Staffordshire Senior Cup: 1911–12[2]
• Birmingham Senior Cup: 1912–13[2]
• North Staffordshire Infirmary Cup: 1914–15[2]

References

1. Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 279. ISBN 190589161X.
2. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 283. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
3. "Casualty Details". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
4. "Suart Bob Fulham 1910". Vintage Footballers. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
5. Watts, Ian. "Bob Suart County Record". gogogocounty.org. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
6. "Bob Suart – Football and the First World War". Football and the First World War. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
7. Bob Suart at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)