Player #390 for Aston Villa, Joseph Henry Hamilton Rutherford, known as Joe Rutherford, played as a goalkeeper for the club. Joe played for Villa between 1938-39 and 1951-52 making 156 appearances.

Joe was born in Fatfield, County Durham on 20 September 1914 and made his debut appearance for Villa on the 4 March 1939 aged 24.

Villa had signed Joe from Southport for a fee of £2,500 in February 1939.

Joe jsoon graced the first team with grand displays of the art of goalkeeping that he had begun to display at his formative club Southport where he became the outstanding goalkeeper in the Third Division.

Before joining Southport, Joe had turned out for Fatfield Juniors in 1929 and after a spell with Blyth Spartans on trial in 1931 he played for junior clubs Chester Moor Temperance in 1932, Ferryhill Athletic in 1933, Chester-le-Street in 1934 and Birtley Colliery in 1935 before joining Third Division (North) Southport in October 1936.

On signing for Villa he went straight into the first team.

Indeed, Joe would win his first team spurs just three days after signing and would be an ever present until the breakout of WW2 put a stop to League football. His debut however was something to behold, taking on neighbours Birmingham at Villa Park in place of Fred Biddlestone as Villa ran out 5-1 winners.

He had made 13 first team appearances by the time the outbreak of the Second World War forced the abandonment of the peacetime League programme in September 1939

Joe did not feature for Villa in war time football as his Army service saw him posted overseas. As a result for all his promise there were concerns about his ability to return to the side with the same level of ability, form and fitness.

However after finishing his service with the Army, Joe returned to Villa and after a spell regaining form and focus in the Central League side, he resumed where he had left off, cementing the number one position as his own.

Joe had returned to Villa Park for the 1945-46 regional league season and went on to miss only one game in Villa’s 1946-47 season of the league football proper.

Joe would however suffer a broken finger in the match with Wolves, on Boxing Day 1947, and when returning to fitness in April 1948 suffered the same injury in a friendly at Villa Park.

Despite those setbacks Joe continued to vie for the number one shirt and brought an unusual presence between the sticks as his relatively short stature, at 5ft 9in, meant his cat-like agility and ability to anticipate the actions of the opposing forwards were brought to the fore.

Indeed on his day there wasn’t a finer goalkeeper in the land than Joe Rutherford. An alert player with a grand smile and an urge for suddenly diving headlong into a mass of feet and emerging triumphant with the ball.

Joe continued to be Villa’s regular 1st choice keeper before making his last appearance against Manchester United on 13 October 1951, before retiring from football.

Over his 156 appearances for Villa, Joe conceded 223 goals at a rate of 1.43 goals per game.

Joe played under managers Jimmy Hogan, Alex Massie and George Martin.

Joe passed away in Sutton Coldfield on 27th December 1994 aged 80.
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