Michael Joseph Cullerton is a former Scottishfootballer. He is noted for his two spells with Port Vale, as well as for being Stafford Rangers' star forward as they were one of the elite non-league clubs in the 1970s. He later worked behind the scenes at Port Vale and Stoke City, and commentated for BBC Radio Stoke.
Playing style
Cullerton was a goalscorer with excellent finishing skills, able to curve the ball past goalkeepers with ease. He was notorious for refusing to help out in defence though, and gave very little effort in training, which led to him being criticized for being 'idle'. He was also an extremely reliable penalty taker.
Playing career
Cullerton played for Scotland under-16s, where he impressed Jock Stein, and won a trial at Chelsea. However, he joined Port Vale in October 1965, with the promise of first team football. He made his debut on 12 January 1966, playing in a front-line of five teenagers. By November 1966 he had become a regular in the first team and was the 1966–67 season as the club's top scorer with 12 goals. On 22 August 1967, he scored a hat-trick in a 3–0 win over Chester in the League Cup, only to hand in a transfer request to manager Stanley Matthews the following month. He remained at the club however, and scored another hat-trick in a 4–2 win over Swansea Town on 20 April 1968. Of an outspoken nature, he lost his first team place after vocally criticizing manager Gordon Lee in the dressing room. He was loaned out to Chester in March 1969, moving there for free in May of that year. He signed with Brian Clough's Derby County, though never made an appearance for the club despite hitting more than eighty goals for the reserve team. He went into the non-leagues with Eastwood and Stafford Rangers. With Rangers he lifted the FA Trophy in 1972, after he scored one of the goals in a 3–0 win over Barnet at Wembley Stadium. He returned to Vale Park for a £5,000 fee in June 1975, having impressed manager Roy Sproson with his tally of 40 goals for Rangers in the 1974–75 campaign. The money went towards a new toilet block at Marston Road. He marked the home debut of his second spell by scoring a hat-trick past Hereford United in the League Cup. With 21 goals he became the club's top scorer of the 1975–76 season, but severed a cartilagein September 1976, an injury which put him out of action for five months. He was given a free transfer to Northwich Victoria in May 1978 and later re-signed with Stafford Rangers. He again helped Rangers to FA Trophy success in 1979, when Stafford beat Kettering Town 2–0. He also helped the club to the Northern Premier League title, the Bob Lord Trophy, and numerous lengthy FA Cup runs.
Post retirement
After working as the commercial manager for Vale between 1982 and 1985, he took up the same post at Stoke City and then Stafford Rangers. He later worked as a commentator for BBC Radio Stoke.
Personal life
He has two children: Jamie, a former captain of Leek Cricket Club and vice chairman/assistant manager of Leek CSOB; and Anna, a teacher.
