George Holdcroft

George Henry Holdcroft (23 January 1909 – 17 April 1983), also known as Harry Holdcroft,[2] was an England international football goalkeeper.

George Holdcroft
Personal information
Full name George Henry Holdcroft[1]
Date of birth (1909-01-23)23 January 1909[2]
Place of birth Norton le Moors, England[1]
Date of death 17 April 1983(1983-04-17) (aged 74)[1]
Place of death Penwortham, England
Height 5 ft 11+1⁄2 in (1.82 m)[2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
Biddulph
Norton Druids
Whitfield Colliery
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1926–1928 Port Vale 10 (0)
1928–1931 Darlington 83 (0)
1931–1932 Everton 0 (0)
1932–1939 Preston North End 263 (0)
Total 356 (0)
International career
1936 England 2 (0)
1936 The Football League XI 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He played for Port Vale, Darlington, Everton, Accrington Stanley, Barnsley, Burnley, Bury, Oldham Athletic, Manchester United, Southport, Leyland Motors, Morecambe and Chorley. However it was for his seven years at Preston North End, from 1932 to 1939, that he became well known. He helped the club to win promotion out of the Second Division in 1933–34, and kept goal as Preston lifted the FA Cup in 1938. He also represented England twice in 1936.

Early and personal life

George Henry Holdcroft was born on 23 January 1909 in Norton le Moors, near Leek, Staffordshire.[2] His parents were John Jabez and Annie, a coal mine loader and grocer respectively.[2] He qualified as a heavy worker inspector of motor vehicle component parts.[2] He married Phyllis Jack in 1933.[2]

Club career

Holdcroft played for local clubs, Biddulph, Norton Druids and Whitfield Colliery before joining Port Vale as an amateur in August 1926, signing professional forms the following month.[1] He only played ten Second Division games for the Vale, six in 1926–27 and four in 1927–28, before being handed a free transfer to Third Division North club Darlington in May 1928.[1] He was the firm first choice for the club and played more than 83 games in his three years at Feethams. The club struggled at the foot of the table in 1928–29, before finishing third in 1929–30 and 11th in 1930–31.

In 1931, he was signed by Everton of the First Division. The "Toffees" won the league title in 1931–32, however Holdcroft failed to get into the first team at Goodison Park and moved to Preston North End of the Second Division. He went on to play in 172 consecutive league and FA Cup matches for the "Lambs". A ninth-place finish in 1932–33 was followed by promotion in 1933–34. Top-flight football at Deepdale continued right up until the outbreak of World War II, as Preston finished 11th in 1934–35, 7th in 1935–36, 14th in 1936–37, third in 1937–38 and ninth in 1938–39. Holdcroft also played in the 1938 FA Cup final victory over Huddersfield Town at Wembley, keeping a clean sheet over 120 minutes in a 1–0 win.

During the war he guested for Accrington Stanley, Barnsley, Burnley, Bury, Oldham Athletic, Manchester United and Southport, and also played for non-League clubs Leyland Motors, Morecambe and Chorley.[1]

International career

Holdcroft was selected to play for England against Wales on 17 October 1936.[3] The following month he won a second international cap against Ireland.[3]

Career statistics

Source:[4][5]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Port Vale 1926–27 Second Division 60000060
1927–28 Second Division 40000040
Total 1000000100
Darlington 1928–29 Third Division North 2000000200
1929–30 Third Division North 2501000260
1930–31 Third Division North 3801000390
Total 8302000850
Everton 1931–32 First Division 00000000
Preston North End 1932–33 Second Division 2301000240
1933–34 Second Division 4204000460
1934–35 First Division 4206000480
1935–36 First Division 4203000450
1936–37 First Division 3502000370
1937–38 First Division 3706000430
1938–39 First Division 4204010470
1939–40 00003030
Total 2630260402930
Barnsley 1945–46 00600060
Career total 3560340403940

Honours

Preston North End

References
  1. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 138. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  2. "England players: Harry Holdcroft". englandfootballonline. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  3. "England Player Profile". englandfc.com. Archived from the original on 2 December 2008. Retrieved 1 June 2009.
  4. George Holdcroft at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  5. George Holdcroft at Soccerbase
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