Tony Bartley

Today at 02:37 AM

Sad news reaches us of the passing of Tony Bartley, who played for the Spireites in the 1960s. Club historian Stuart Basson pays this tribute… Stalybridge-born Tony was on amateur forms at Everton as a young teenager but was on National Service when he joined Bolton Wanderers in September 1956. Nothing came of that, so he returned to playing for his local Stalybridge Celtic side. He began to forge a reputation as a pacy winger, so much so that Bury signed him in November 1958 when his National Service finished. Tony's best years were spent at Gigg Lane. He was part of the side that achieved promotion to (the old) Division Two in 1960/61 but he might have moved on shortly after: out of the first team and having scored 16 goals in 18 Central League games at the start of 1961/62 and feeling unsure of his own future at Bury, he was transfer-listed at his own request. Recalled to the Bury first team, he was a regular from 1961/62. In April 1962, he earned praise for a performance against Stoke, where his wing play was reckoned to have eclipsed that of the great Stanley Matthews, on that day. Other […]