 |
Date and Place of Birth 3rd February 1934 - Padiham died - 6th May 2009
Transfers to and from Burnley from Bolton Wanderers - May 1954 to Leeds United - October 1958 (£8,000)
First and Last Burnley Games Aston Villa (a) - 6th March 1957
Birmingham City (a) - 13th September 1958
Other Clubs Bolton Wanderers ---------------------------------------- Leeds United, Everton, Oldham Athletic |
Burnley Career Stats
| Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Others | Total | |||||
| apps | gls | apps | gls | apps | gls | apps | gls | apps | gls | |
| 1956/57 | 9 | 5 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | 5 |
| 1957/58 | 19 | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 19 | 10 |
| 1958/59 | 3 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 3 |
| Total | 31 | 18 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 32 | 18 |
Profile by Tony Scholes
Despite a goal scoring record of better than a goal every two games Padiham born Alan Shackleton was never able to establish himself as a first team player in the Football League and didn't quite make 100 appearances.
Shackleton's career started in the early 1950s as an amateur with Burnley where he played as a left winger in the junior teams before leaving to do his National Service. He also appeared for Bolton's reserve team, again as an amateur, this in the 1953/54 season.
At the end of that season he signed for Burnley as a professional, just three months past his 20th birthday having by now become a centre forward.
It was almost three years though before he made his debut following the departure of Peter Mackay. That debut was in an FA Cup tie against Aston Villa and he was retained for the league team that played Sunderland.
He scored in his third league game against Luton and went on to net no less than five goals in nine league games that season. He and Ian Lawson fought it out for the first team shirt but ultimately neither of them were to play on a regular basis. Over an eighteen month period he scored no less than 18 league goals for the Clarets in just 31 games but was never able to establish himself in the side. In October 1958 he signed for Leeds in an £8,000 transfer.
It didn't take him long to find the net with his new club, he scored on his debut, but his stay was just under a year. After another excellent run of goals (16 in 30 games) he was snapped up by Everton who were looking for a replacement for Dave Hickson.
Again he scored goals (this time 10 in 26 games) but Everton let him go in the summer of 1960. His last game for them was against Manchester United at Old Trafford, his next game was in non-league football for Nelson.
He played a year at Seedhill in the Lancashire Combination before returning to league football with Oldham, then in the fourth division, but he played just ten games for the Latics although added another seven goals. From there he played for Tonbridge where his career came to an end.
His league career was just 97 games in which he scored no fewer than 51 goals, some record, and yet he was never able to command a regular place in the first team at any of his four league clubs.
Shackleton sadly passed away in May 2009 in Bromley, Kent at the age of 75 after a short illness.