Ramsden: Bernard (Barney)

WW2 Guest: 1941-1942 (Leeds United War-time Guest Player Details)

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Born: Sheffield: 08-11-1917

Debut: v Blackburn Rovers (h): 28-02-1942

5'9 1/2" 11st 1 1/2lb (1946)

Ramsden started with Hampton Sports and Sheffield Victoria before he signed for First Division Liverpool in January 1935. His Liverpool career lasted over a decade but much was lost to the Second World. He was a Left Back who made his debut for the club as a nineteen year old in a 1-6 defeat at Chelsea on 28th August 1937, the opening day of the 1937-38 season. He made fourteen First Division appearances during his debut season and also played at Left Half in the 1-0 Fourth Round FA Cup replay victory at Anfield over Sheffield United on 26th January 1938. He was only selected for ten League matches the following year but by the time the 1939-40 season opened he had become Liverpool's first-choice Left Back. Unfortunately, that season was suspended after only three games due to the outbreak of war. By then he had played twenty-seven League games and four F.A. Cup ties. During the War Years he played thirty-five games for Liverpool and guested with Brighton and Hove Albion, Leeds United and York City. He was at Leeds in the 1941-42 Football League Northern Section (Second Championship) and made his debut at Right Back in a 0-1 defeat by Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on 21st February 1942. He missed the reverse fixture the following week but as at Left Back as United romped to a 6-1 home win over Doncaster Rovers the following week. He then played three more consecutive games, the first a Right Back in a 2-3 defeat at Oakwell against Barnsley, and at Left Back in a 0-1 defeat at Doncaster Rovers and a 1-2 defeat by Sheffield Wednesday at Elland Road. He missed the away fixture with Halifax Town at The Shay, but concluded his period at Leeds with three consecutive games, at Left Back in a 3-1 win over Halifax Town at Elland Road, at Outside Right in a 1-5 beating at Leeds Road by Huddersfield Town and at Left Back in a 3-2 win over Middlesbrough at Ayresome Park to complete his eight games with United. His War-time games with Liverpool were fourteen in 1939-40, one in 1940-41, two in 1941-42 and eighteen in 1945-46. He played three games for Brighton and Hove Albion in 1940-41 and scored his only goal in five appearances in the 1941-42 season and there was just one appearance with York City in the 1941-42 season. Ramsden was twenty-seven when the war ended and was still considered as the club's No. 3 in August 1946. However, he lost his place after making eighteen consecutive appearances from the start of the season, which was enough to qualify for a First Division Championship medal even though he was rarely called on during the second half of the season. He played his final game for Liverpool at Left Back on Xmas Day 1947 in a 1-3 defeat by Arsenal at Anfield. He played sixty League games and six F.A. Cup games for Liverpool. Ray Lambert took over his position in Liverpool's defence and he moved on to First Division Sunderland on 15th March 1948, for a fee of £10,000, where he made twelve League and one F.A. Cup appearances before moving to their North-East neighbours Third Division North Hartlepools United in January 1950 and it was there that he finished his Football League career with thirteen League appearances. He made his debut for the Monkey-hangers at Right Back on 21st January 1950 in a 1-0 home win over Southport and played his final game at Right Back in a 1-2 home defeat by Rotherham United on 15th April 1950. His wife was from the United States of America and on leaving Hartlepools, he later played in the United States, where he settled permanently, becoming a representative for a firm of ship's chandlers in San Pedro, after retiring from football. He died in 1976 in California.