Alan A'Court
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alan A'Court | ||
| Date of birth | 30 September 1934 | ||
| Place of birth | Rainhill, England | ||
| Date of death | 14 December 2009 (aged 75) | ||
| Place of death | Nantwich, England | ||
| Playing position | Winger | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –1952 | Prescot Cables | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1952–1964 | Liverpool | 354 | (61) |
| 1964–1966 | Tranmere Rovers | 50 | (11) |
| 1966–1967 | Norwich City | 0 | (0) |
| Total | 404 | (72) | |
| National team | |||
| 1957–1958 | England | 5 | (1) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1978 | Stoke City (caretaker) | ||
| 1983–1984 | Nantwich Town | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Alan A'Court (30 September 1934 – 14 December 2009) was an English footballer who mostly played for Liverpool. He gained five caps for England and represented the nation at the 1958 FIFA World Cup.
Born in Rainhill, Lancashire, England, A'Court was a winger who started out at Prescot Cables as an amateur before he was signed by Reds manager Don Welsh. A'Court made his debut in a league match at Ayresome Park on 7 February 1953, a game that saw Liverpool take both the points from a 3–2 win. His first goal came a month later on 14 March, again, in a league match, this time at Anfield in a 2–0 victory over Sunderland.
A'Court, who followed Rugby League, signed from Prescot as an 18-year-old in September 1952, spurning the advances of Everton and Bolton Wanderers to become an Anfield apprentice, a decision that paid off as just six months after joining he made his first team debut. The following season A'Court played 16 times but Liverpool were relegated to the Second Division.
During the Anfield club's first season in the second tier of English football A'Court established himself as a first team regular making 33 league and cup appearances. A'Court remained consistent even though Liverpool failed to regain their top flight status. By the age of 24 years and 89 days he had played 200 league games for the Reds becoming the youngest player to do so, a record that still stands.
Although the strong and talented A'Court could have left to play for teams in the First Division, his loyalty to Liverpool was rewarded in 1961–62 when, as an ever-present, he and the Reds celebrated promotion back to the First Division under the guidance of the great Bill Shankly a full 8 points, in the days of 2 points for a win, clear of second placed Leyton Orient. A'Court was selected 23 times during Liverpool's first season back amongst football's elite teams; he helped Liverpool to a more than healthy eighth place.
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