Robert Sharp (born October 1894, date of death unknown) was a football

manager Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities ...

Bradford City Bradford City Association Football Club is an English professional football club in Bradford, West Yorkshire. The team competes in League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system and are currently managed by Mark Hughes. ...

who also served as Deputy Lord Mayor of Bradford. He was a football visionary who called for the introduction of Third and Fourth Divisions 12 years before they were formed.

Biography

Sharp was born in October 1894 in Bradford, England. He left school intent on making his way in business, and worked in his father's oil cloth shop. This was called Harry Sharp and Sons at this time but after Robert took control it was eventually renamed Sharps (Floor Furnishers) Ltd. It had been started as a market stall but expanded into multiple shops in several local towns before downsizing into the single one at Legrams Lane, Bradford. Later still it was handed over to his sons Peter and David. He was councillor for

Bradford Moor Bradford Moor is an electoral ward within the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council. The population of the ward at the 2011 Census was 21,210. The ward includes the areas of Laisterdyke and Thornbury. History Bradford Moor Barra ...

from 1931 to 1934 and again from 1937 to 1945. He served as Deputy Lord Mayor in 1946. He represented the Eccleshill ward from 1950 to 1952.

Football career

Sharp was elected to the

board in February 1938. In July 1943 he put his name forward as the club manager when Fred Westgarth left to join Hartlepools United. He was manager for three years but never took charge of a competitive league match because of

World War A world war is an international conflict which involves all or most of the world's major powers. Conventionally, the term is reserved for two major international conflicts that occurred during the first half of the 20th century, World WarI (1914 ...

. Instead he handed over the reins to

Jack Barker John William Barker (27 February 1906 – 20 January 1982) was an English footballer who played 327 league games for Derby County and won 11 England caps. He later managed Derby County and Bradford City. Playing career Derby County Born in ...

in May 1946. The same year, as the club's honorary secretary, at a meeting of the Division Three (North) committee he seconded a motion to introduce divisions

Three 3 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 3, three, or III may also refer to: * AD 3, the third year of the AD era * 3 BC, the third year before the AD era * March, the third month Books * '' Three of Them'' (Russian: ', literally, "three"), a 1901 ...

and Four of the football league. In 1947 he bought Norman Bank, a large house in Idle, to convert into a hostel for single City players needing accommodation. He also commissioned a City gramophone record, ''Hello Chorus''. He resigned from the City board in March 1948. Supporters bought an inscribed silver

salver A salver is a flat heavy tray of silver, other metal or glass used for carrying or serving glasses, cups, and dishes at a table, or for the presenting of a letter or card by a servant. In a royal or noble household the fear of poisoning led ...

to recognise his ten years service to the club. It was presented by Lord Mayor Alderman Councillor F. J. Cowie. Fellow directors appointed Sharp and his wife Peggy as life-members of the club.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharp, Bob 1894 births Businesspeople from Bradford Bradford City A.F.C. managers Councillors in Bradford Year of death missing English football managers