Charles Edward Pickersgill is on the Merewether Advance Roll of Honor.
He was born on 12 May 1894 in Crewe, Cheshire and played for Crewe Alexandra before emigrating. His two brothers were also footballers, one of whom, John also served. He enlisted on 9 August 1915 and was wounded on 23 August 1916. While in England he married Ethel Dodd on 24 December 1918 in Grantham, Lincolnshire.
After returing to Australia in July 1919, he resumed his involvement with football, becoming a committee man for Newcastle City. The Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate reported on Friday 22 May 1953:
CHARLES PICKERSGILL, who died in Newcastle a week ago, was one of the ‘greats’ in Soccer’s palmy days. He was a wing half-back of sufficient ability to hold his place in any team. He played for Merewether and Hamilton, and was contemporary with, and equal to, such grand players as Peter Coppock, Freddie Alberts, Freddie Watson and Bill Lambert, to mention but a few of his day. Mr. Pickersgill, who for many years was caretaker at Tyrrell Hall, was known as the ‘penalty spot king.’ Old players cannot recall his missing a kick from the spot, and they say that no one, before or since, in Australian Soccer kicked a ball with such great power.