Ernie Curtis
Ernest Robert Curtis (10 June 1907 – November 1992) was a Welsh professional footballer who played as an outside forward. Born in Cardiff, he joined hometown side Cardiff City in 1925, initially as an amateur before turning professional a year later. He made his senior debut in 1926 and helped the side win both the FA Cup and Welsh Cup in his first season. In the club's 1927 FA Cup victory, he became the youngest player to appear in a final in the competition's history as Cardiff defeated Arsenal, remaining the only team from outside England to win the trophy.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ernest Robert Curtis | ||
| Date of birth | 10 June 1907 | ||
| Place of birth | Cardiff, Wales | ||
| Date of death | November 1992 (aged 85) | ||
| Place of death | Cardiff, Wales | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Outside left | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Cardiff Corinthians | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1925–1928 | Cardiff City | 46 | (8) |
| 1928–1933 | Birmingham | 165 | (44) |
| 1933–1935 | Cardiff City | 16 | (6) |
| 1935–1937 | Coventry City | 21 | (2) |
| 1937–1938 | Hartlepools United | 16 | (1) |
| Total | 264 | (61) | |
| International career | |||
| 1927–1933 | Wales | 3 | (3) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Curtis was sold to Birmingham in 1928 where he went on to make more than 160 appearances in all competitions during a five-year spell. He reached a second FA Cup final in 1931 but was on the losing side. He returned to Cardiff in 1933 but became involved in a wage dispute with the club and never featured for the side again. Eventually Coventry City secured his release in 1935 and he helped the side win promotion to the Second Division the following year. He finished his career with Hartlepools United where he spent one year before retiring. During his career he made over 250 appearances in the Football League and won 3 caps for the Wales national side.
During World War II, Curtis served in the 77th Division of the 2nd Welsh Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, but was captured in Java in 1941. He spent the rest of the war in a prisoner-of-war camp. He later worked as a trainer for Cardiff before becoming a publican.