John Stirk
{{short description|English footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = John Stirk
| image =
| caption =
| fullname = John Stirk
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|9|5|df=y}}
| birth_place = Consett, England
| height =
| position = Right back
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Consett
| youthyears2 = 1971–1973
| youthclubs2 = Ipswich Town
| years1 = 1973–1978 |clubs1 = Ipswich Town |caps1 = 6 |goals1 = 0
| years2 = 1978–1980 |clubs2 = Watford |caps2 = 46 |goals2 = 0
| years3 = 1980–1983 |clubs3 = Chesterfield |caps3 = 56 |goals3 = 0
| years4 = 1983 |clubs4 = Blyth Spartans |caps4 = |goals4 =
| years5 = 1983 |clubs5 = Tow Law Town |caps5 = |goals5 =
| years6 = 1984 |clubs6 = North Shields |caps6 = |goals6 =
| years7 = 1986 |clubs7 = Newcastle Blue Star |caps7 = |goals7 =
| nationalyears1 = 1974
| nationalteam1 = England Youth
| nationalcaps1 = 2
| nationalgoals1 = 0
}}
John Stirk (born 5 September 1955) is an English former footballer. His primary position was as a right back. During his career he played for Ipswich Town, Watford, Chesterfield and North Shields. He also made two appearances for England at youth level.
Career
Born in Consett, Stirk played youth football for local non-league team Consett A.F.C. He joined Ipswich Town on schoolboy terms in 1971, and after making two appearances for the England youth team and winning the FA Youth Cup,{{cite news|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=17 April 1973|page=34|title=Ipswich skill earns its due reward|last=Malone|first=Roger}} 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 a Football League First Division match against Manchester City at Portman Road. His manager at the time was Bobby Robson, who later went on to manage the England national football team. Ipswich won the FA Cup in 1978, in what proved to be Stirk's final season at the club. However, Stirk himself did not play in the final, nor did he play in any of the rounds en route to the final.{{cite web |url=http://www.prideofanglia.com/page.php?page=playerAppearanceRecord&fullname=John+Stirk&season=1977-78|title=Games played by John Stirk in 1977-78 |publisher=prideofanglia|accessdate=29 September 2017}}
Another future England manager, Watford's Graham Taylor, signed Stirk for a transfer fee of £30,000 at the end of the 1977–78 season. Stirk went on to play every Watford league game in the 1978–79 season, as Watford gained promotion to the Second Division. 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 side Chesterfield, at a profit to Watford of £10,000. 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, and finished his career at non-league North Shields.
References
{{reflist|refs=
{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2009/jul/31/sir-bobby-robson-timeline-factfile|title=Timeline and factfile of Sir Bobby Robson|newspaper=The Guardian|date=31 July 2009|accessdate=29 October 2010}}
}}
{{1978–79 Football League Third Division PFA Team of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stirk, John}}
Category:Consett A.F.C. players
Category:Ipswich Town F.C. players
Category:Chesterfield F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:North Shields F.C. players
Category:Footballers from Consett
Category:Men's association football fullbacks
Category:English men's footballers
Category:England men's youth international footballers
Category:Newcastle Blue Star F.C. players