| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | John Stirk | ||
| Date of birth | (1955-09-05)5 September 1955 (age 70) | ||
| Place of birth | Consett, England | ||
| Position | Right back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Consett | |||
| 1971–1973 | Ipswich Town | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1973–1978 | Ipswich Town | 6 | (0) |
| 1978–1980 | Watford | 46 | (0) |
| 1980–1983 | Chesterfield | 56 | (0) |
| 1983 | Blyth Spartans | ||
| 1983 | Tow Law Town | ||
| 1984 | North Shields | ||
| 1986 | Newcastle Blue Star | ||
| International career | |||
| 1974 | England Youth | 2 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
John Stirk (born 5 September 1955) is an English formerfootballer. His primary position was as aright back. During his career he played forIpswich Town,Watford,Chesterfield andNorth Shields. He also made two appearances for England at youth level.
Born inConsett, Stirk played youth football for local non-league teamConsett A.F.C. He joinedIpswich Town on schoolboy terms in 1971, and after making two appearances for theEngland youth team and winning theFA Youth Cup,[1] turned professional in 1973. During his time at Ipswich he was largely a reserve. He made his first-team debut on 5 November 1977, in aFootball LeagueFirst Division match againstManchester City atPortman Road.[2][3] His manager at the time wasBobby Robson, who later went on to manage theEngland national football team. Ipswich won theFA Cup in1978, in what proved to be Stirk's final season at the club. However, Stirk himself did not play in the final,[4] nor did he play in any of the rounds en route to the final.[5]
Another future England manager,Watford'sGraham Taylor, signed Stirk for a transfer fee of £30,000 at the end of the 1977–78 season.[3] Stirk went on to play every Watford league game in the1978–79 season, as Watford gained promotion to theSecond Division.[6] However, Stirk did not play for Watford in the Second Division. Two months before the end of the 1979–80 season, Stirk was sold to Third Division sideChesterfield, at a profit to Watford of £10,000.[3] After making 56 league appearances over two and a half seasons, Stirk left Chesterfield in 1983 moving on to Blyth Spartans then Tow Law Town,[7] and finished his career at non-leagueNorth Shields.[3]