Walter Garth Butler (7 February 1923 – 13 July 1995) was an English footballer. He was nicknamed "the assassin" for his habit of taking several different coloured pills before a match.

Garth Butler
Personal information
Full name Walter Garth Butler[1]
Date of birth (1923-02-07)7 February 1923[1]
Place of birth Birmingham, England[1]
Date of death 13 July 1995(1995-07-13) (aged 72)
Place of death Ilfracombe, England
Position(s) Full-back
Youth career
Derby County
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1946–1951 Port Vale 128 (0)
Total 128 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

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Butler joined Port Vale from Derby County in June 1946.[1] He played 12 Third Division South games in the 1946–47 season and featured in 39 league and one FA Cup game in the 1947–48 campaign.[1] He continued to be a key part of manager Gordon Hodgson's first-team plans. He played 34 games in the 1948–49 season and made 43 appearances in the 1949–50 campaign.[1] He featured just five times for the "Valiants" in the 1950–51 season. He was forced to retire from professional football in October 1951 after proving unable to recover from a knee injury.[1] He had played 134 league and cup games during his five years at The Old Recreation Ground / Vale Park.[1]

Career statistics

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Source:[2]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Port Vale 1946–47 Third Division South 12 0 0 0 12 0
1947–48 Third Division South 39 0 1 0 40 0
1948–49 Third Division South 33 0 1 0 34 0
1949–50 Third Division South 39 0 4 0 43 0
1950–51 Third Division South 5 0 0 0 5 0
1951–52 Third Division South 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 128 0 6 0 134 0

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 49. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  2. ^ Garth Butler at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)