Shanks: Robert (Bob)

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

Centre Half

Born: Sunniside, Newcastle-upon-Tyne: 14-12-1911

Debut: v Middlesbrough (a): 15-11-1941

5'11 1/2" 12st 6lb (1939)

Shanks joined First Division Leeds United in 1934 but never played a senior game for them. He joined Third Division South Swindon Town in May 1935 and made his debut on 28th December 1935 at Right Back in a 1-1 home draw with Newport County. He stayed for two seasons before leaving for Third Division South Crystal Palace on 15th May 1937 and scored once in twenty-five League appearances. He stayed with Crystal Palace until the start of World War Two and had made eighteen League appearances mostly at Centre Half, by the end of the 1938-39 season. He had also established himself as the Palace first choice centre-half and had played in all three games of the 1939-40 season, which was aborted by the Football League at the start of the war. During the War he played once for Palace in the 1939-40 War-time League and also guested with Barnsley, Gateshead, Hartlepools United and Leeds United. He played one game each for Hartlepools United, in 1939-40, Gateshead, in 1942-43 and Barnsley in 1945-46. With Leeds he was with them for six consecutive games at Centre Half in the the 1941-42 Football League Northern Section (First Championship), making his debut on 15th November 1941 in a 2-1 win over Middlesbrough at Ayresome Park. He followed that by playing and scoring from the spot in a 2-4 away loss to Newcastle United and a 5-2 home win in the reverse fixture, then a 4-2 home win over Bradford City followed by a 0-5 loss in the reverse fixture at Valley Parade and then his final game at Leeds Road against Huddersfield Town when Leeds went down 2-4. During the War-years he also played for Non-League Spennymoor United. After the War he left Crystal Palace and rejoined Swindon Town in October 1946 and played one League game on 22nd February 1947 at Right Half in a 3-0 defeat at Bristol Rovers before leaving them in 1947 and he then played in Non-League football. Firstly with Western League Chippenham Town, then Southern League side Gloucester City, where he was made captain and played thirty-eight times in the 1947-48 season. Next he went to newly-elected Southern League side, Tonbridge, and then moved to Ilfracombe Town, who elected to the Third Division of the Western League in 1949-50 before retiring. He died in December 1989 in Swindon.