Signing Info:
Transferred from: Berry's Association FC, 21/04/1899, £
Previous Clubs:
Berry's Association FC
Debut:
16/12/1899 v Middlesbrough (Bank Street) 2-1 (League Division Two)
Farewell:
Released from club due to to injury 1902
Passed Away:
22/10/1967
Biography
An inside-forward possessing a cracking shot, Joe Heathcote played for Rossall Place Old Boys in his youth years. Later he starred for Berry's Association, and that earned him a move to Newton Heath on April 21st, 1899. In the following three campaigns, he was a mainstay of the reserve team where he scored frequently, the highlight being a hat-trick against Bury Reserves in November 1900.
Joe's initial appearance for Heath's first team came in a victory over Bolton in the Lancashire Senior Cup on December 9th, 1899. A week later, he made his full Football League debut versus Middlesbrough. But Heathcote's first-team involvement was generally limited. He played four matches in February 1901 and three more in the festive period of the 1901-02 season.
Unfortunately, on New Year's Day 1902, in a tussle with a Preston opponent, Joe broke his leg badly and had to be rushed off to the Manchester Royal Infirmary. Joe being such a popular player within the club, a collection was promptly started after the game, raising a decent sum of money for the stricken striker.
Still, this injury ended his Heathen career as he was not signed up by the reformed Manchester United.
Heathcote attempted to make a comeback in the game in February 1904, playing in a friendly for Lancashire Combination side Darwen against Stockport County. Alas, he did not impress enough to merit a contract and he permanently drifted away from the game. No picture available. Biography kindly provided by Charbel Boujaoude.
