Alfred Ringstead (14 October 1927 – 15 January 2000) was a professional footballer who played in the position of
outside right
Forwards (also known as attackers) are outfield positions in an association football team who play the furthest up the pitch and are therefore most responsible for scoring goals as well as assisting them. As with any attacking player, the role ...
for
Sheffield United
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional football club in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, which compete in the . They are nicknamed "the Blades" due to Sheffield's history of cutlery production. The team have played home games at ...
between 1950 and 1959.
He was the son of jockey Charlie Ringstead. As a 14-year-old, Ringstead played his football for Everton junior teams where he received a wage of just three shillings and sixpence. The
Merseyside
Merseyside ( ) is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in North West England, with a population of 1.38 million. It encompasses both banks of the Mersey Estuary and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wi ...
club showed little interest in keeping him and he returned home without any encouragement. After serving in the
Army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
in
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
upholsterer
Upholstery is the work of providing furniture, especially seats, with padding, springs, webbing, and fabric or leather covers. The word also refers to the materials used to upholster something.
''Upholstery'' comes from the Middle English word ...
.
In 1950, Alf joined
non-league
Non-League football describes football leagues played outside the top leagues of a country. Usually, it describes leagues which are not fully professional. The term is primarily used for football in England, where it is specifically used to d ...
Northwich Victoria in the Cheshire League, and after little more than a handful of games, he had scored eleven goals, and it was while he was with them that he was spotted by Sheffield United. He was watched by
United
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in a match at
Buxton
Buxton is a spa town in the Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire, England. It is England's highest market town, sited at some above sea level.Teddy Davison in November 1950, in a double transfer along with fellow wingerDerek Hawksworth, for a total outlay of £15,000, with Hawksworth joining two weeks later.
After two appearances in the
Central League
The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League in the annual Japan Series. It currently consi ...
side, Ringstead made his first team league debut against Coventry City at Bramall Lane on 2 December 1950, scoring with a flying header and, scored in the following two games in Division Two. He was fast, penetrative, determined, eager to take on an opponent, and shared these characteristics with the ability to shoot and centre with power and accuracy with both feet.
He was a good header of the ball, but it was his sense of anticipation for being in the right place at the right time, that brought him so many goals.
He made his debut for the
Republic of Ireland
Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern ...
against
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
at
Dalymount Park
Dalymount Park (Irish: ''Páirc Cnocán Uí Dhálaigh'') is a football stadium in Phibsborough on the Northside of Dublin, Ireland.
It is the home of Bohemian F.C., who have played there since the early 20th century. Affectionately known ...
, Dublin, on 13 May 1951, and had such a good game that he won a regular place in the side, building up to a total of 20 international
caps
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.
Ringstead played a significant part in Sheffield United's 7-3 defeat of
Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club is a professional association football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The team competes in League One, the third tier of the English football league system. Formed in 1867 as an offshoot ...
in the
Steel City derby
The Steel City Derby (also known as the Sheffield Derby) is a local derby that takes place between Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday, the two professional football league teams based in the city of Sheffield, England. It is widely consi ...
at Bramall Lane on 8 September 1951, scoring two of the goals in the famous victory. In total, he played 247 league matches for the Blades and scoring 101 goals, in his eight years at Bramall Lane.
Soon after scoring his 101st League goal for Sheffield United, Alf was transferred to Mansfield Town in July 1959. He played 27 matches scoring three goals for the Stags.
He then played for non-league Frickley Colliery,
Buxton
Buxton is a spa town in the Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire, England. It is England's highest market town, sited at some above sea level.Macclesfield Town.