On This Day (8th April 1942): Cec Irwin, SAFC’s Youngest Defender & Wing-Back Pioneer
He was a Sunderland supporter as a lad, from the Northumberland heartlands of Ellington. Our youngest ever debutant defender and arguably our first wing-back. ‘Cec’ Irwin was born on this day.
Sunderland Associated Football Club - Sunderland player Cecil Irwin. 9th July 1968. (Photo by ncjMedia Ltd/NCJ Archive/Mirrorpix via Getty Images) | Mirrorpix via Getty Images Cecil Irwin was a schoolboy prodigy, first playing representative football with East Northumberland Under – 11s Schools.
He trod a familiar path for lads that had any football talent in that part of the region, representing ‘East North’ upon attending senior school. Approaching the end of his school days, he was on the radar of a number of professional clubs and went for a month’s trial at Burnley. Alan Brown (the future Sunderland manager) had set up a second – to – none scouting system at Burnley with the assistance of the legendary Charlie Ferguson.
Burnley were to benefit from many fine players from the North East and it looked like Cecil Irwin was headed that way too. However in 1957 Alan Brown was offered and accepted the Sunderland job in the wake of the Bank of England/Mr Smith scandal. One of Brown’s first decisions was to bring Charlie Ferguson with him to Roker Park and set about building a scouting network every bit as good as the one at Turf Moor.
In 1958 Cecil Irwin signed amateur forms with Sunderland. In April 1959 he signed professional forms, but not before he had made his debut at right-back on 20 September 1958 against Ipswich at Roker Park in front of almost 27,000 fans. An injury to long-standing cultured full-back Jack Hedley afforded him his opportunity and Cec’ as he was affectionately known played well in the two goals to nil defeat.
Continue to the original source for the full article.