Bob Pursell (footballer born 1889)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Robert Russell Pursell | ||
| Date of birth | 18 March 1889 | ||
| Place of birth | Campbeltown, Argyll and Bute, Scotland | ||
| Date of death | 24 May 1974 (aged 85) | ||
| Place of death | Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, England | ||
| Playing position | Fullback | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1911–1915 | Liverpool | 97 | (0) |
| 1919–1920 | Liverpool | 2 | (0) |
| 1920–1922 | Port Vale | 66 | (0) |
| Total | 165 | (0) | |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Robert Russell Pursell (18 March 1889 – 24 May 1974) was a footballer who played for Liverpool in the early 20th century. He was the elder brother of Peter Pursell and uncle of the similarly named Robert Wilson Pursell. He played in the 1914 FA Cup Final, but was banned for life for his part in the 1915 British football betting scandal. However his ban was lifted for his actions in World War I, and he went on to play for Port Vale, before retiring with a broken leg in 1922.
Born in Campbeltown, Argyll and Bute, Scotland, Pursell played for Queen's Park before being signed by Liverpool manager Tom Watson in April 1911 – Liverpool were subsequently fined £250 for not asking Queen's Park's permission before approaching Pursell. A "cool and brainy full-back", he made his First Division debut a 2–1 victory over Sunderland at Roker Park on 30 September 1911. He made 26 appearances in 1911–12, a disappointing season for the "Reds" which saw the club avoiding relegation from the top-flight by finishing a single point over Preston North End, who went down with Bury.
The following couple of seasons were to prove to be a testing time for Pursell as he failed to hold down a regular spot in the starting 11, he did, however, manage to play in all of Liverpool's eight cup ties, including the final, in their run to the 1914 FA Cup Final. The game was to be played in front on a reigning monarch for the first time as King George V was to attend the last cup final to be played at the Crystal Palace Park on 25 April 1914. The first appearance in the final for both Liverpool and opponents Burnley, the "Clarets" won the match 1–0 thanks to a Bert Freeman goal.
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