Depear: Ernest Roland (Roly)

1948-1949 (Player Details)

Centre Half

Born: Spalding: 10-12-1923

Debut v Leicester City (h): 18-12-1948

6’3” 14st (1950)

Depear, a tall and strongly built defender, who served as a Royal Marine Commando in World War Two, started with his local team, Spalding Athletic. He joined neighbouring Boston United. He had been offered a house and £7 a week by Hull City, but he turned them down as he did not want to leave his job with Spalding UDC. He was Major Buckley’s first signing when he joined Leeds from Boston United in May 1948. Leeds paid Boston £500. There was also an agreement to pay a further £300, if he made ten or more appearances. In addition, they agreed to play Boston United in the Mather Cup, a Linconshire Charity competition. He only made five appearances, so Leeds did not have to find the extra money. In fact it turned out quite lucrative for Leeds as he joined Newport County in June 1949, in the deal that brought Harold Williams to Leeds. Depear was valued at £8,000 and Williams £12,000 and Leeds paid Newport the £4,000 difference. He stayed with Newport for a year, making sixteen appearances, before departing for Shrewsbury Town in July 1950. There he played in their first ever Football League game, a 0-0 draw at Scunthorpe United on 19th August 1950, after both clubs had been elected to the Third Division North on the expansion of the Football League from eighty-eight to ninety-two clubs. He was made captain of the Shrews and played for them seventy-four times, scoring five times in League games, before joining Bangor City in July 1952. He was a no nonsense centre half with a career in professional football and brought a firm sense of organisation to City in those early Cheshire League days. City had to apply for re-election to the Cheshire League at the end of the 1956-57 season and his contract was not renewed. He then returned to Spalding playing for Quadring in the local League. He died in Boston Lincolnshire in January 2001.