Garth Butler

Walter Garth Butler (7 February 1923 – 13 July 1995) was an English footballer. He was nicknamed "the assassin" for his habit of taking several different coloured pills before a match.

Garth Butler

Personal information
Full name	Walter Garth Butler[1]
Date of birth	7 February 1923[1]
Place of birth	Birmingham, England[1]
Date of death	13 July 1995 (aged 72)
Place of death	Ilfracombe, England
Position(s)	Full-back
Youth career
	Derby County
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1946–1951	Port Vale	128	(0)
Total		128	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

Butler joined Port Vale from Derby County in June 1946.[1] He played 12 Third Division South games in the 1946–47 season and featured in 39 league and one FA Cup game in the 1947–48 campaign.[1] He continued to be a key part of manager Gordon Hodgson's first team plans, and played 34 games in the 1948–49 season and made 43 appearances in the 1949–50 campaign.[1] He featured just five times for the "Valiants" in the 1950–51 season, and was forced to retire from professional football in October 1951 after proving unable to recover from a knee injury.[1] He had played 134 league and cup games during his five years at The Old Recreation Ground / Vale Park.[1]

Statistics

Source:[2]

Club	Season	Division	League		FA Cup		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Port Vale	1946–47	Third Division South	12	0	0	0	12	0
	1947–48	Third Division South	39	0	1	0	40	0
	1948–49	Third Division South	33	0	1	0	34	0
	1949–50	Third Division South	39	0	4	0	43	0
	1950–51	Third Division South	5	0	0	0	5	0
	1951–52	Third Division South	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total			128	0	6	0	134	0

References

1. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 49. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
2. Garth Butler at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)