Education
Born in Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, England, he spent his early years in the United States, returning to Wallsend, where he attended Carville School, in 1929.
Born in Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, England, he spent his early years in the United States, returning to Wallsend, where he attended Carville School, in 1929.
He played in the position of centre forward, although his career was limited by the onset of World World War World War II His later claim to fame was an appearance on the front cover of The Beatles" Sergeant Pepper"s Lonely Hearts Club Band album. Stubbins first played for Newcastle United in 1937, appearing in official games 30 times and scoring six goals for the team
In wartime games (classified as friendlies) he scored 188 goals in just 231 appearances.
In 1946 he was signed by Liverpool for a then club record of £12,500. Stubbins had also been approached by Liverpool"s closest rivals, Everton, and he settled the decision with a toss of the coin.
The coin should have been framed by manager George Kay as he made an immediate impact at the club, making his debut on 14 September 1946 in a league match at Burnden Park he scored an 82nd-minute goal as the Reds left it late to claim all the spoils in a 3–1 victory over Bolton Wanderers. Stubbins also scored 24 goals the following season.
However, they lost to Arsenal by two goals to nil.
On 18 October 1950, at Blackpool"s Bloomfield Road, Stubbins netted five goals in the Football League"s 6–3 victory over the Irish League in an exhibition match. Injuries forced him to retire in 1953, having scored 83 goals in 178 appearances, or 1 every 2.1 games. Foreign a player with such an impressive goal ratio, it is astonishing that he was constantly overlooked by Walter Winterbottom, the England manager at the time.
He played for the England once in an unofficial "victory" international against Wales in 1945, a game England lost 1–0.
Following his retirement, Stubbins entered a full-time career in sports journalism, although he briefly coached an American semi-professional side, the New York Americans in 1960. Stubbins" later claim to fame was an appearance on the front cover of The Beatles" Sergeant
Pepper"s Lonely Hearts Club Band album, the only football player to be given that honour. He also has a Liverpool Football Club fan club named in his honour.
He also featured as a minor character in Stephen Baxter"s time-travelling novel The Time Ships.
He died in 2002, aged 82, after a short illness. Wartime guest games (1939–1946) – 231 appearances, 188 goals
Liverpool Football Club (1946–1953) – 178 appearances, 83 goals, Football League First Division (Level 1) championship winners medal (1947), F.A Cup runners-up medal (1950).