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Bob McEvoy
1 Posted 31/07/2017 at 09:45:31
Evocative piece Rob. Thanks.
Vin McFarlane
2 Posted 31/07/2017 at 09:52:46
Great stuff Rob, as always. The word "iconic" is overused these days, but here's a fellow (and a "brand") to whom it definitely applies!
Martin Nicholls
3 Posted 31/07/2017 at 10:23:39
Great read, Rob – thanks. I particularly liked the bit about the measure of a player's status being the number of times he appeared on cigarette cards – I'll bet Roy Vernon would have liked that!
Dennis Stevens
4 Posted 31/07/2017 at 10:35:32
Another fascinating insight into days of yore – thanks Rob.
Chris Williams
5 Posted 31/07/2017 at 10:53:38
My dad used to talk about him. His dad and uncles saw him for Everton and he'd entered Everton folklore.

When I was a little boy, he used to take me to the boating lake in Walton Hall park, with my jam-jar and little net to go fishing for sticklebacks.

When we watched them and caught a few, they used to dart around a lot.

He called them Jack Sharps.

David McMullen
6 Posted 31/07/2017 at 11:37:19
Didn't know he died that long ago. I remember going in to the shop many times with my mum when I was younger and Jack Sharp was always on the programme in the 80s. Along with the Mitre ball!
Dave Abrahams
7 Posted 31/07/2017 at 13:25:43
Another great story about an Everton great, thanks Rob.

It is interesting that Jack's son spotted Wally (Nobby) Fielding during the war and recommended him to Everton, this resulted in a dispute between Everton and Charlton Athletic. Fielding was an amateur on Charlton's books and the FA had to step in and decided that it was okay for Wally to sign for the Blues.

Julian Wait
8 Posted 31/07/2017 at 13:27:10
Thanks Rob, a very enjoyable read to start my day.
Sue Brown
9 Posted 31/07/2017 at 15:30:56
Brilliant read, Rob, thank you.

I love reading about our early greats.

Paul Chauveau
10 Posted 31/07/2017 at 16:01:17
Great read, Rob.

Interesting point on the cigarette cards: the early Ogden's issues of Jack Sharp actually showed images of James Sharp of Preston!

Gerry Morrison
11 Posted 31/07/2017 at 18:13:23
Thanks Rob for a great read and a reminder of what a great legacy we have.
Jay Harris
12 Posted 31/07/2017 at 18:59:32
Great article Rob and very enjoyable.

Thanks

John McFarlane
13 Posted 31/07/2017 at 19:00:28
Great article, Rob.

For the first 11 years of my life. I lived at 75 Everton Road (long demolished and replaced by a Conservative Club), moving to live with my Grandma at Argyle Rd, Anfield (on the death of my mother). While living in Everton, we played our football where Spencer Street and Steers Street came together.

ToffeeWebbers in my age group (79 years old) will no doubt recall that, in those days, if a lad wanted to join a game where the teams were numerically balanced, he had to wait for someone to come along, and they would then go 'Puddin' or 'Beef'. However, if no-one came (and here's where the Jack Sharp connection comes in), the lone lad was allowed to join in, where he assumed the position of 'Jack O' Bo', this allowed him to play for both sides.

You can appreciate the frustration when your team was in a good attacking situation, and thinking that 'Jack O' Bo' was a team mate, you passed the ball to him, only to see him set up a goal-scoring chance for your opponents.

The point I'm really making is that, at that time, I didn't realise (and I don't think that any of my mates did) that we were keeping the name of Jack Sharp alive "Puddin' or Beef, hey" – they were the days.

Clive Mitchell
14 Posted 01/08/2017 at 00:50:27
Great article about a true Everton great who was revered by my Grandad's generation. I remember the shop so well, a magical place to a little lad at the start of the 1960s.
David Peate
15 Posted 01/08/2017 at 12:10:25
Just a thought in passing. After reading this excellent piece, I recalled that George Harold Beadles (1897-1958), who played for Liverpool 1921-1924, retired from football to Liverpool with his locally born wife.

He was occupied for a while as a prison warder in Walton jail and then as a salesman in a sports shop. I believe that this shop was Jack Sharp's sports outlet in Whitechapel. Later, Harry found better employment with Bent's Brewery

Terry White
16 Posted 01/08/2017 at 15:56:08
I spent one summer holiday from school in the mid-60s working in the Sharp shop on Whitechapel. A connection of my father's probably got me the work.

For a mad Evertonian it was heaven wondering if anybody I recognised came through the door. But, if they did, I do not remember them. I did get discounts on football and cricketing gear I needed.

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