Chick Farr

Thomas Francis “Chick” Farr (19 February 1914 – 15 June 1980) was a professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Blackburn Athletic and Bradford Park Avenue.

Early life

Tommy "Chick" Farr was born at 81 Cochrane Street, Bathgate, West Lothian on 19 February 1914. He came from a footballing family. His father Bobby Farr was a half-back in the days when Senior football held sway in the county. His younger brother Jimmy Farr was a referee and trainer in the Bathgate area. Farr had large hands and was born with syndacyly (webbed fingers), physical attributes that may have assisted him in stopping the ball. Leaving school he worked as a miner, as did the rest of his family, at the nearby colliery at Whitburn.

Early career

Chick was playing with Juvenile club Bathgate Auld Toon Thistle when Junior club Blackburn Athletic signed him on 24 August 1933. Athletic were a West Lothian club playing in the Midlothian Junior League (the forerunner to today's East Region Junior League). That season they won the League, becoming the first West Lothian club to do so, playing in front of four figure crowds at Murrayfield Park, as well as the Marshall Cup and sharing the Rosebery Charity Cup. Chick was instrumental in the teams success and it wasn't long before a long list of suitors were tempting him south. Early the following season Chick played his last game against Wallyford Bluebell in the Scottish Junior Cup on 22 August 1934 before signing for Bradford Park Avenue. Shortly afterwards 20 year old centre half William Marshall also moved to Park Avenue from Blackburn Athletic but didn't make quite the same impact.

Chick settled in the city and married a local girl, Mabel Wilson, at Bradford Register Office on 23 November 1935. That same afternoon, he played in a local derby match against Bradford City (1-1).

Professional career

Farr was Bradford Park Avenue’s goalkeeper from 1934-1950. He made almost 300 Football League appearances and played in many wartime matches as well. More than once a dive at the forward’s feet left him unconscious and resulted in him being carried off on a stretcher. No other goalkeeper equalled his 17 year’s first-team service for the club.

Bradford Park Avenue

Farr joined the Club as a professional player on the 29 September 1934. He made the following appearances for the team:

1934-5 (29) 1935-6 (19) 1936-7 (30) 1937-8 (42) 1938-9 (42) 1946-7 (36) 1947-8 (28) 1948-9 (42) 1949-50 (26)

The Football League was suspended after the game on 2 September 1939 when war was declared. Although football, like most sport, came to a temporary halt, it was not long before regional football leagues and cups were organised. Teams were able to field ‘guest’ players who might have been stationed locally. Although this allowed football to keep going, the rules about ‘guests’ etc. were often abused. Bradford Park Avenue played in the League North and Farr made the following appearances:

1939-49 (8) 1940-1 (28) 1941-2 (36) 1942-3 (35) 1943-4 (38) 1944-5 (37) 1945-6 (42)

Between 1940 and 1946 Chick seldom missed a match. He played in all the first 36 post-war League fixtures.

On 14 May 1947, Farr broke his right forearm in a home game against Manchester City, thereby breaking a run of 135 consecutive Second Division appearances as Bradford’s goalkeeper, the sequence having started on 20 February 1937. He returned from injury on 20 September 1948 in time for a home win against Sheffield Wednesday (2-0).

He took part in the club’s FA Cup exploits in the 1940s, including the 1-0 victory against First Division champions-elect Arsenal in 1948, the 8-2 triumph against Manchester City at Maine Road in 1946 and the 2-0 win at Newcastle in 1949. He played his last game for the club on the 31 July 1950. After which he worked as an assistant trainer from the 1 August 1950 until 6 June 1953. He undertook training as a masseur and became a member of the European Federation of Trainers of Athletes.

Later years

After retiring from professional football, Farr became a chauffeur for Sir James Hill & Co, in Bradford. In the 1960s he joined Harrogate Railway Athletic as their coach. He remained involved with the club until ill-health prevented him from doing so. He spoke with a broad Scottish accent. He was a lifelong teetotaller but a heavy smoker, which in later life caused him the chest problems that lead to his death. Chick died in St Luke’s Hospital Bradford on 15 June 1980, aged 66.

References

1. All About Avenue, Malcolm Hartley & Tim Clapham (2004) Tony Brown Soccer Data Publication, Nottingham
2. Why Today’s Footballers are Faceless, Michael Parkinson, c1967, Sunday Times
3. Football Daft, Michael Parkinson, (1968) Stanley Paul & Co Ltd, London.

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Name	Farr, Chick
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Date of birth	19 February 1914
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Date of death	15 June 1980
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