Fanny Walden

Frederick Ingram Walden (1 March 1888 – 3 May 1949) was an English professional footballer who played outside right for Northampton Town, Tottenham Hotspur and at international level for England during the 1910s and 1920s. He also played cricket for Northamptonshire and was an English cricket umpire.

Fanny Walden
Personal information
Full name Frederick Ingram Walden[1]
Date of birth 1 March 1888
Place of birth Wellingborough, England[1]
Date of death 3 May 1949(1949-05-03) (aged 61)[1]
Place of death Northampton, England[1]
Height 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m)[2]
Position(s) Outside right
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1905–1906 White Cross
1906–1907 All Saints
1907–1908 Rodwell
1908–1909 Wellingborough
1909–1913 Northampton Town 108 (26)
1913–1924 Tottenham Hotspur 214 (21)
1926–1927 Northampton Town 20 (1)
Total 342 (48)
International career
1914–1922 England 2 (0)
Football League XI 1
Southern League XI 3
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Football career

Walden was born in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire and after playing football for various clubs in his home town, he started his professional career in 1909 at Northampton Town, then playing in the Southern League.[3][4]

On 13 April 1913, he was transferred to Tottenham Hotspur for a fee of £1,700. Being only 5 ft 2 in tall he was often described as a 'diminutive winger' and known for his 'darting jinking runs down the right flank'.[5] His small stature also accounted for his nickname 'Fanny' which was in common use during his time to describe those of 'dainty physique'.[6]

He continued to play for Tottenham after the enforced break caused by the First World War, during which he served in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Air Force.[7] He made his most important contribution for Spurs in the team which won the Second Division title in 1920 but the following year unfortunately missed the 1921 FA Cup Final due to injury. He went on to play in over 300 games for Spurs including 214 league games (scoring 21 goals) and 22 FA Cup matches (3 goals) before leaving the club in July 1924.[8] He returned to Northampton Town to finish his career in the 1926–27 season.[3]

Walden won his first of two England Caps on 4 April 1914 against Scotland.[1] The second, on 13 March 1922, was against Wales.[1] Unsurprisingly, he holds the record for being the smallest ever footballer to represent England at national level.[9]

Cricket career

Walden played first-class cricket at county level for Northamptonshire between 1910 and 1929. A right-handed batsman, he scored over 7538 runs, and as a slow right-hand bowler he took 119 wickets in 258 matches.

After retiring from playing he became an umpire, standing in 212 first-class matches between 1930 and 1939, and in 11 Test matches from 1934 (England v Australia at Old Trafford) until 1939 (England vs West Indies at Lord's).[10] He stood with Frank Chester at The Oval in 1938 during England's record Ashes victory of an innings and 579 runs.

Walden's car was once stolen at Cardiff Arms Park by a ground employee and Glamorgan cricketer Wilf Jones in order to take it for a joyride.[1]

Walden died in Northampton on 3 May 1949, aged 61.[1]

Career statistics

International
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
England 191410
192210
Total20

Honours

Tottenham Hotspur

References
  1. "England Players – Fanny Walden". www.englandfootballonline.com. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  2. The Vagrant (21 August 1922). "Few big transfers in the First Division of the Football League. Tottenham Hotspur". Athletic News. Manchester. p. 5.
  3. "Walden Frederick "Fanny" Image 12 Tottenham Hotspur 1921". Vintage Footballers. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  4. Grande, Frank (1991). Northampton Town F.C.: The Official Centenary History. Yore Publications. p. 156. ISBN 978-1874427674.
  5. "Fanny Walden on THFC site".
  6. Partridge, Eric (1937). "Fanny Walden in A Covey of Partridge: An Anthology by Eric Partridge". ISBN 9780836953510.
  7. "Frederick Ingram Walden | Service Record". Football and the First World War. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  8. "Fanny Walden". 11v11.com. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  9. "Fanny Walden English Football site". Archived from the original on 29 October 2006.
  10. "Fanny Walden in Cricketarchive".
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