Edward "Ted" Copeland (19 May 1921 – 12 July 2001) was an English professional footballer who played for

Newcastle United Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Newcastle upon Tyne, that plays in the Premier League – the top flight of English football. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End ...

, Hartlepool United and

Spennymoor United Spennymoor United Association Football Club was an association football club based in Spennymoor, County Durham, England. History Spennymoor United Association Football Club was formed in 1904 as an amalgamation of Spennymoor Town and Weardale ...

. Born in Hetton-le-Hole,

County Durham County Durham ( ), officially simply Durham,UK General Acts 1997 c. 23Lieutenancies Act 1997 Schedule 1(3). From legislation.gov.uk, retrieved 6 April 2022. is a ceremonial county in North East England.North East Assembly �About North East E ...

. Copeland was a winger.

Club career

Copeland played in the Wartime League for Newcastle United F.C. Originally signed in 1939 as an amateur, he played games throughout the war alongside United legends Jackie Milburn and

Albert Stubbins Albert Stubbins (17 July 1919 – 28 December 2002) was an English footballer. He played in the position of centre forward, although his career was limited by the onset of World War II. While playing for Liverpool, he won the League Champions ...

. Copeland signed as a Professional on 20 August 1943 and received roughly £2 a month. Prior to the season beginning, he was part of Jackie Milburn's first appearance, trialists ('The Stripes') played against a Newcastle United First XI featuring

and Jimmy Gordon ('The Blues'). Copelands first game for Newcastle United came as they took on

Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C. Bradford (Park Avenue) Association Football Club is an association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The team compete in , at the sixth tier of the English football league system. The name derived from their former h ...

and they went on to win the game 2–1, in front of a crowd of 10,000. He scored his first and second goals away to Gateshead on 18 December 1943, in the Football League North First Championship. His third goal came on 5 February at Middlesbrough in a 2–1 loss in the Football League North/War Cup Qualifying. He appeared in 4

Tyne-Wear derby Tyne and Wear () is a metropolitan county in North East England, situated around the mouths of the rivers Tyne and Wear. It was created in 1974, by the Local Government Act 1972, along with five metropolitan boroughs of Gateshead, Newcas ...

games. Copeland played an overall 20 games as Newcastles number 7, replaced the next season by Jackie Milburn. Signed by

Fred Westgarth Fred Westgarth (July 1887 in South Shields, England – 4 February 1957) was an English footballer though he is more renowned for his role as a manager. Career Westgarth was a successful football coach after a playing career achieved little of ...

again for

Hartlepool United F.C. Hartlepool United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Hartlepool, County Durham, England. The team competes in League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system. They were founded in 1908 as Har ...

on a free transfer in 1944-45 for a second spell with the club, he played a total of 16 games scoring 3 goals. Two were scored in consecutive weeks, in wins versus York City F.C. and Darlington F.C. at Victoria Park, the latter away to Leeds United F.C. on 18 November. Ted played in Hartlepools first post-war time game on 31 August 1946, they wore the Blue and White striped shirts and black shorts. Going on to draw with Barrow 1-1. Copeland stayed on another two seasons for Pools until the 1947–1948 season appearing in a total of 81 games overall for Hartlepools scoring on 17 occasions, before moving to

. He was Hartlepools 7th highest war-time appearance maker and 10th highest goalscorer during these years. Copelands photograph and pay packet are available to see in Newcastle United F.C.'s Milburn Entrance on a Stadium Tour at

St. James' Park St James' Park is a football stadium in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is the home of Premier League club Newcastle United F.C. With a seating capacity of 52,305 seats, it is the eighth largest football stadium in England. St James' Park ...

Personal life

Copeland worked at Easington Colliery Pit as an Electrician. Edward Copelands' son,

Ted Copeland Ted Copeland is an English former football coach. He managed the England women's side between 1993 and 1998, leading them to a quarter-final appearance in the 1995 World Cup. Copeland spent 12 years working as a lecturer in physical education a ...

went on to manage the England women's national football team.

Honours

Clubs

;Blackhall Colliery Welfare * Wearside Football League Winner (1): 1938–39 Wearside Football League ; Spennymoor Town F.C. * 1948-49 Northern Football League Winner (1) 1948–49 Northern Football League

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Copeland, Ted 1921 births 2001 deaths Footballers from County Durham English men's footballers Newcastle United F.C. players Hartlepool United F.C. players Spennymoor United A.F.C. players English Football League players Blackhall Colliery Welfare F.C. players Men's association football wingers