Harry Bedford (footballer)

Henry Bedford (15 October 1899 – 24 June 1976) was an English professional footballer who played as a forward. He scored 308 league goals in 488 league appearances.

Harry Bedford
Personal information
Full name Henry Bedford
Date of birth (1899-10-15)15 October 1899
Place of birth Calow, England
Date of death 24 June 1976(1976-06-24) (aged 76)
Place of death Derby, England
Height 5 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1.74 m)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
0000–1919 Grassmoor Ivanhoe
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1919–1921 Nottingham Forest 18 (8)
1921–1925 Blackpool 172 (112)
1925–1930 Derby County 203 (142)
1930–1932 Newcastle United 30 (17)
1932 Sunderland 7 (2)
1932–1933 Bradford Park Avenue 33 (15)
1933–1934 Chesterfield 25 (12)
Total 488 (308)
International career
1923–1924 England 2 (1)
Managerial career
Heanor Town
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Harry Bedford began his playing career playing with hometown club Bonds Main FC and then joined his older brother Walter, at Grassmoor Ivanhoe FC in the Chesterfield League. It was here both brothers were invited for trials with Nottingham Forest FC in 1916. During the war years Harry made two appearances for Forest and also played in a match for Huddersfield Town. Second division Forest signed Harry as a professional after the war in August 1919. He made 5 appearances and scored 3 goals in his first season and after scoring 5 in 13 matches of the 1920–21 season, he left for Blackpool on 8 March 1921, for a fee of £1,200.[2]

He made his debut for the Tangerines in a 1–0 league defeat at South Shields on 12 March 1921 and scored his first goal for the club in the return match at Bloomfield Road seven days later. In 1921–22, his first full season, he managed 11 goals and scored in their one FA Cup match. The following two years saw him finish the season as not only Blackpool's top scorer but also the football leagues. In the 1922–23 season he played in all 42 league games and scored 32 goals, then one better in 1923–24, the country's top scorer with 33 goals,[3][4] a feat which only Jimmy Hampson equalled. In 1924–25, Bedford's goals helped Blackpool reach the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time and he scored 24 goals in 40 league games.[4] Bedford started the 1925–26 season scoring 6 goals in 7 matches, before he was transferred to Derby County for £3,900 on 25 September 1925. Title chasing Derby required a centre forward after Stan Fazackerley was abruptly forced to retire through injury. Bedford had scored 112 goals in 172 league games and scored 6 goals in 11 FA Cup appearances.[5]

His Rams debut was at the City Ground helping his new side beat his old side 2–1. His home debut came against Swansea, scoring a hat-trick in a 5–0 victory. He hit two more hat-tricks against Stoke City and Sheffield Wednesday as he finished top scorer with 27 goals for the Rams, who won promotion finishing as runners up to Sheffield Wednesday.[6] His form continued in the first division, ending the next four seasons as the club's top scorer. He made 203 league appearances and scored 142 goals and in his 15 FA Cup matches he scored 10 goals.[5]

In December 1930, with the prolific Jack Bowers the preferred centre forward, he was transferred to Newcastle United, the 31-year-old costing £4,000 to replace the outgoing Hughie Gallacher on Tyneside. In February he scored for the Magpies in their 5–1 win at the Baseball Ground. He ended the season with 12 goals in 23 league games. He had scored 5 goals in 7 matches the next season before leaving for rivals Sunderland in January 1932, making 7 appearances, scoring twice. He was back in the second division for the start of the 1932–33 season, after signing for Bradford Park Avenue where he scored 15 goals in 33 matches. The following season he was playing in the Third Division North, with Chesterfield.[2] He then became player-manager of non-League Heanor Town.[5]

He died in Derby on 24 June 1976.

International career

Bedford was capped twice for England. He made his debut in a friendly match against Sweden on 21 May 1923, included in England's end of season tour of Scandinavia. England won 4–2. His only other England cap came in a British Home Championship match against Ireland on 22 October 1924, at Goodison Park, Liverpool. He scored England's second goal in a 3–1 victory.[4]

Managerial career

In October 1937 he joined the backroom staff at Newcastle United as a masseur and later took the same position at Derby County. He moved into management in 1954 with Belper Town before making a return to Heanor Town, a position he held until he resigned in 1955.[4][5]

Blackpool F.C. Hall of Fame

Bedford was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Bloomfield Road, when it was officially opened by former Blackpool player Jimmy Armfield in April 2006.[3] Organised by the Blackpool Supporters Association, Blackpool fans around the world voted on their all-time heroes. Five players from each decade are inducted; Bedford is in the pre-1950s.[7]

Career statistics

Club statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[8]
Club Season Division League FA Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Nottingham Forest 1919–20 Second Division 53000053
1920–21 1352100156
Total 1882100209
Blackpool 1920–21 Second Division 1160000116
1921–22 321111003312
1922–23 423210004332
1923–24 403321004234
1924–25 402474004628
1925–26 76000076
Total 17211211600183118
Derby County 1925–26 Second Division 312741003528
1926–27 First Division 332224003526
1927–28 382731004128
1928–29 412733004430
1929–30 423031004531
1930–31 1890000189
Total 203142151000218152
Newcastle United 1930–31 First Division 231221002513
1931–32 75000075
Total 301721003218
Sunderland 1931–32 First Division 72000072
Bradford Park Avenue 1932–33 Second Division 331500003315
Chesterfield 1933–34 Third Division North 2512001[lower-alpha 1]02612
Career total 488308301810519326
  1. Appearance in the Football League Third Division North Cup

International statistics
Appearances and goals by national team and year[9]
National teamYearAppsGoals
England 192310
192411
Total21

International goals
Scores and results list England's goal tally first. Score after each Bedford goal is shown in bold with asterisk.[10]
List of international goals scored by Harry Bedford
No.DateVenueOpponentCapMinuteScoreResultCompetition
122 October 1924Goodison Park, Liverpool, England Ireland260'2*–13–11924–25 British Home Championship

References
  1. "The lure of promotion. Blackpool". Athletic News. Manchester. 13 August 1923. p. 6.
  2. "England Players – Harry Bedford". englandfootballonline.com. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  3. Singleton, Steve, ed. (2007). Legends: The great players of Blackpool FC. p. 9. ISBN 978-1-84547-182-8. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. "Blackpool Legends". Blackpool F.C. 2 August 2007. Archived from the original on 1 February 2008. Retrieved 4 January 2008.
  5. "Harry Bedford". Spartacus Educational. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  6. "1925–26 Season Final Football Tables". englishfootballleaguetables.co.uk. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  7. "The Hall of Fame – pre 1950s". Blackpool Supporters Association. Archived from the original on 12 June 2010. Retrieved 29 November 2009.
  8. Harry Bedford at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  9. "Bedford, Harry". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  10. "Player Info: Harry Bedford". England Stats. Retrieved 25 January 2021.

Further reading
  • Calley, Roy (20 October 1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992. Breedon Books Publishing Co Ltd. ISBN 1-873626-07-X.
  • Singleton, Steve, ed. (2007). Legends: The great players of Blackpool FC. ISBN 978-1-84547-182-8. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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