Harry Bedford

Football player infobox
playername = Harry Bedford


fullname = Henry Bedford
dateofbirth = birth date|1899|10|15|df=y
cityofbirth = Grassmoor
countryofbirth = England
dateofdeath = death date and age|1976|6|24|1899|10|15|df=y
cityofdeath = Derby
countryofdeath = England
height =
position = Forward
youthyears = -1919
youthclubs = Grassmoor Ivanhoe
years = 1919–1921
1921–1925
1925–1930
1930–1932
1932
1932–1933
1933–1934
clubs = Nottingham Forest
Blackpool
Derby County
Newcastle United
Sunderland
Bradford Park Avenue
Chesterfield
Career
caps(goals) = 018 00(8)
169 (112)
203 (160)
030 0(17)
007 00(2)
033 0(15)
025 0(12)
485 (326)
nationalyears = 1923-1924
nationalteam = England
nationalcaps(goals) = 0020(1)
manageryears =
managerclubs = Heanor Town: "For the New Zealand politician see Harry Bedford (politician)" Henry "Harry" Bedford (15 October 1899 – 24 June 1976) was an English professional football player. He scored 326 league goals in 485 games.

Club career

Bedford, a striker, began his career at Nottingham Forest in 1919, and it was after his performance against Blackpool at the City Ground, that the promotion-seeking Seasiders, under the guidance of new manager Bill Norman, signed him in March 1921 for a fee of £900.cite book
last = Singleton
first = Steve
title = Legends: The great players of Blackpool FC
publisher = Blackpool Gazette and at heart publications
year =2007
location =
pages =9
isbn =978-1-84547-182-8 ] He made his debut for the club 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.

Bedford scored seven goals in his first ten league games for Blackpool. In 1921-22 he scored 11 goals in 32 games, and the following season, 1922-23, he played in all 42 league games and scored 32 goals and was the country's leading goalscorer. In 1923-24 he was again the country's top scorer with 34 goals,cite web
title = Blackpool Legends
publisher = Blackpool F.C.
date = 2007-08-02
url = http://www.blackpoolfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/SeasideLegends/0,,10432~140692,00.html
accessdate = 2008-01-04 ] 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. He scored six goals in seven games at the start of the 1925-26 season, but was transferred to Derby County on 24 September, 1925, for a fee of £3,500. He scored 142 goals in 203 league games for Derby.

In December 1930 he was transferred to Newcastle United, playing 30 league games and scoring 17 goals up to January 1932, when he moved to Sunderland, a move which only lasted for a short time. On 12 May, 1932, he moved to Bradford Park Avenue where he scored 15 goals in the 1932-33 season. And in June 1933 he joined Chesterfield, where he scored 12 goals in the 1933-34 season. However, he then refused new contract terms with Chesterfield and the club released him. In August 1934 he joined non-league club Heanor Town, where he ended his playing career.

International career

Bedford was capped twice for England. He made his debut against Sweden on 21 May, 1923 in a match which England won 4-2. His only other England cap came against Ireland on 22 October, 1924, scoring England's second goal in a 3-1 victory.

Managerial career

In the late 1930s Bedford joined Newcastle United's coaching staff, before joining Derby County where he became the club's masseur in 1938. After World War II he became manager of Heanor Town, a position he held until he resigned in 1955. He died in Derby on 24 June 1976.

References

Further reading

* Calley, Roy (1992-10-20). "Blackpool: A Complete Record, 1887-1992", Breedon Books Publishing Co Ltd, ISBN 978-1873626078

External links

* [http://www.blackpoolfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/SeasideLegendsDetail/0,,10432~73975,00.html Profile on Bedford at Blackpool F.C.'s official website]
* [http://www.thefa.com/England/SeniorTeam/Archive/?pf=p&i=582&
]
* [http://www.englandfc.com/Profiles/php/PlayerProfileByName.php?id=98 Profile at EnglandFC.com]
* [http://www.blackpoolfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/SeasideLegends/0,,10432~140692,00.html Pool Legends - Blackpool F.C.'s official website]