Albert Fairclough

Albert Fairclough

Personal information
Full name	Albert Fairclough[1]
Date of birth	(1891-10-04)4 October 1891
Place of birth	St Helens, England
Date of death	5 November 1958(1958-11-05) (aged 67)[2]
Place of death	Stockport, England
Height	5 ft 7+1⁄2 in (1.71 m)[3]
Position	Centre forward
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1909–1910	Windle Villa
1910–1911	St Helens Town
1911–1912	St Helens Recreation
1912–1913	Eccles Borough
1913–1919	Manchester City	5	(1)
1920–1921	Southend United	24	(15)
1921–1924	Bristol City	91	(44)
1924–1927	Derby County	37	(26)
1927	Gillingham	11	(3)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Albert Fairclough (4 October 1891 – 5 November 1958), sometimes known as Fairy Fairclough, was an English professional footballer who played as a centre forward in the Football League for Bristol City, Derby County, Southend United, Gillingham and Manchester City.^[1]

Career

A centre forward, Fairclough began his career in non-league football, before he and his brother Peter transferred to First Division club Manchester City in March 1913.^[4] The First World War hampered Fairclough's career at Hyde Road, though he top-scored for the club's reserve team in the 1913–14, 1914–15 and 1919–20 seasons.^[2] He made just five first team appearances for City, scoring one goal.^[5] In May 1920, Fairclough dropped down to the Third Division to join Southend United and earned the distinction of scoring the club's first Football League goal.^[4][6] He subsequently played in all three divisions of the Football League and scored 88 goals in 163 league appearances for Southend United, Bristol City, Derby County and Gillingham,^[1] before retiring at the end of the 1926–27 season.^[4]

Personal life

Fairclough was the older brother of footballer Peter Fairclough.^[2] In October 1915, 14 months after the outbreak of the First World War, Fairclough enlisted in the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.^[7] He was later appointed a lance corporal and saw action on the Western Front, Salonika and Egypt.^[7]

Honours

Bristol City

• Football League Third Division South: 1922–23^[8][9]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National Cup		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Manchester City	1913–14[5]	First Division	2	1	0	0	2	1
	1914–15[5]		1	0	0	0	1	0
	1919–20[5]		2	0	0	0	2	0
	Total		5	1	0	0	5	1
Southend United	1920–21[10]	Third Division	24	15	2	0	26	15
Derby County	1924–25[11]	Second Division	32	22	0	0	32	22
	1925–26[11]		2	2	0	0	2	2
	1926–27[11]	First Division	3	2	0	0	3	2
	Total		37	26	0	0	37	26
Gillingham	1926–27[12]	Third Division South	11	3	—		11	3
Career total			77	45	2	0	79	45

References

1. Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 95. ISBN 978-1905891610.
2. Matthews, Tony (21 November 2013). Manchester City: Player by Player. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 9781445617374.
3. "The lure of promotion. Bristol City". Athletic News. Manchester. 13 August 1923. p. 6.
4. "Fairclough Albert Manchester City 1919". vintagefootballers.com. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
5. "Albert Fairclough - Manchester City Player Statistics - StatCity". www.statcity.co.uk. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
6. "History – Southend United". www.southendunited.co.uk. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
7. "Albert Fairclough | Service Record | Football and the First World War". Football and the First World War. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
8. Woods, David; Edwards, Leigh (1997). Bristol City Football Club: The First 100 Years. Redcliffe Press. ISBN 1-900178-26-5.
9. Woods, David (1994). The Bristol Babe: The First 100 Years of Bristol City F.C. Yore Publications. ISBN 1-874427-95-X.
10. "SUFCdb | Player Profile". www.sufcdb.co.uk. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
11. "Albert Fairclough". 11v11.com. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
12. "Gillingham FC Career Details – Albert Fairclough". Retrieved 6 December 2017.