Frank Bradshaw

Frank Bradshaw (31 May 1884 – mid-1962)[1] was an English professional footballer and football club manager. A versatile player, he started his professional career as a forward with Sheffield Wednesday where he won the FA Cup in 1907. He later starred for Everton and Arsenal, moving to the full back position the later years of his career. He played once for the England national team and also represented the Southern League and the Football League, the latter on four occasions.

This article is about the English footballer. For the American curler, see Franklin Bradshaw (curler).

Frank Bradshaw
Personal information
Full name Frank Bradshaw
Date of birth (1884-05-31)31 May 1884
Place of birth Sheffield, England
Date of death 1962 (aged 77–78)
Height 5 ft 9+1⁄2 in (1.77 m)[1]
Position(s) Forward, right back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1904–1910 Sheffield Wednesday 87 (37)
1910–1911 Northampton Town
1911–1914 Everton 66 (19)
1914–1923 Arsenal 132 (14)
Total 285 (70)
International career
1908 England 1 (3)
Managerial career
1923–1924 Aberdare Athletic
Taunton Town
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Early life

Frank Bradshaw was born on 31 May 1884 in Sheffield, Yorkshire.[2]

Playing career

An intelligent inside-left, Bradshaw played for Oxford Street Sunday School and Sheffield Schools before joining Sheffield Wednesday as an amateur in 1904, turning professional the same year. In 1907, he played in Wednesday's FA Cup winning side thanks to an injury to regular inside-left Harry Davis. In June 1908 he played his only game for England, scoring a hat-trick as England beat Austria 11–1 in Vienna.[3] Although he was once again selected to play Ireland the following February, he was forced to withdraw from the England squad due to injury, and was never selected again. He thus became the fifth and last (to date) player to score three goals on his solitary England appearance.[4][5]

Bradshaw moved to Northampton Town in the summer of 1910 for a fee of £250, having played 87 league games and scored 37 goals for Wednesday. In November 1911 he returned to the Football League with Everton, where he scored 19 goals in 66 league games. In 1914 he moved to Arsenal,[6][7] making his Arsenal debut in a Second Division match against Glossop North End on 1 September 1914, though after a season World War I intervened. Bradshaw continued to play for Arsenal,[8] starring in over 125 unofficial wartime matches.

In December 1918, he was reported as one of around 60 well-known players and trainers who participated in the creation of a new Professional Football Players' and Trainer's Union.[9]

By the time league football resumed in 1919 (and with Arsenal promoted to the First Division), Bradshaw had moved from inside-forward to full-back. He was a regular for Arsenal over the next four seasons, before retiring in May 1923. In addition to his wartime appearances, he played 142 league and cup games for Arsenal, scoring 14 goals.[10]

A versatile player, he started his career as a forward before moving to the defender position later in his career, where he excelled.[11][8][12] He was described in the Daily Herald as follows:

"He was a forward who compelled the admiration of all who saw him. He became a half-back and caused much controversy as to whether he was not even better there than in the attack. Most of you must remember how, after that, he was a brilliant back for the Arsenal."[13]

In the Sheffield Star Green 'Un in 1917, he was mentioned as the best full-back in England.

"Bradshaw [..] has made for himself the reputation of being the best full-back in England, which surprised his old Sheffield friends to put it mildly. Many good critics, however, have declared that he resembles Crompton at his best."[14]

Managerial career

The same month he retired from playing, Bradshaw took over as manager of Aberdare Athletic.[15] He left the club in April 1924 after guiding them to mid-table safety in the Third Division South.

He was later the manager of Taunton Town.[16]

Career statistics

Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[2]
Club Season League FA Cup Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Sheffield Wednesday 1905–06 First Division 120012
1906–07 First Division 13240172
1907–08 First Division 3012103112
1908–09 First Division 3118323420
1909–10 First Division 12300123
Total 8737829539
Everton 1911–12 First Division 21840258
1912–13 First Division 3410313711
1913–14 First Division 11111122
Total 6619827421
Arsenal 1914–15 Second Division 2910203110
1919–20 First Division 33220352
1920–21 First Division 21000210
1921–22 First Division 32260386
1922–23 First Division 17000170
Total 1321410014214
Career total 2857026431174

International
Appearances and goals by national team and year[17]
National teamYearAppsGoals
England 190813
Total13
England score listed first, score column indicates score after each Bradshaw goal[17]
List of international goals scored by Frank Bradshaw
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition Ref.
18 June 1908Hohe Warte Stadium, Vienna, Austria1 Austria4–011–1Friendly[18]
28–0
311–1

Honours

Sheffield Wednesday

References
  1. "England players: Frank Bradshaw". England Football Online. Archived from the original on 18 April 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  2. "Player Details: Frank Bradshaw". English National Football Archive. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  3. "Frank Bradshaw". Arsenal.com. Arsenal F.C. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  4. The other four are Albert Allen, John Yates, Walter Gilliat and John Veitch.
  5. Graham Betts (2006). England: Player by player. Green Umbrella Publishing. p. 44. ISBN 1-905009-63-1.
  6. "Frank Bradshaw for Woolwich". The Daily Mail. 29 May 1914. p. 2. Retrieved 27 April 2022 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  7. "Bradshaw with the Boys". Star Green 'Un. 12 September 1914. p. 2. Retrieved 28 April 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required)
  8. "A leader in Advice and Example". Liverpool Echo. 28 March 1917. p. 3. Retrieved 27 April 2022 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  9. "New players' union". Derby Daily Telegraph. 16 December 1918. p. 2. Retrieved 27 April 2022 – via Newspapers.com. There were about 60 well-known players and club trainers present, including Frank Bradshaw [...] open access
  10. "Frank Bradshaw". 11v11. Association of Football Statisticians. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  11. Robert Turnbull (20 January 1923). "Versatility in football". Derby Daily Telegraph. p. 4. Retrieved 27 April 2022 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  12. "John Bull's footbalers. No. 2 - Frank Bradshaw (Arsenal)". John Bull. 30 September 1922. p. 19. Retrieved 28 April 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required)
  13. "Soccer gossip". The Courier. 29 October 1930. p. 10. Retrieved 28 April 2022 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  14. "Frank Bradshaw (Arsenal)". Sheffield Star Green 'Un. 19 May 1917. p. 3. Retrieved 28 April 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required)
  15. "Mr. Frank Bradshaw as new manager". Western Mail. 7 May 1923. p. 4. Retrieved 27 April 2022 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  16. Douglas Lamming (1990). An English football internationalists' who's who : 1872-1988. Hutton Press. p. 43. ISBN 0907033938.
  17. "Frank Bradshaw". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  18. "Austria vs. England". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  19. Kember, Paul (2021). The 150 Years Who's Who of English Footballers 1871–2021. Kember Publications. p. 98. ISBN 978-1-910216-34-7.
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