Flood Charles Image 5 Bolton Wanderers 1922

Description

Newport, Isle of Wight born inside left Charlie Flood joined up at the outbreak of the First World War and he spent over five years with the Royal Garrison Artillery as a bombardier, first playing football in the Army. After serving overseas he was posted to the Citadel in Plymouth and played as a guest for Southern League Plymouth Argyle with the consent of officers in a friendly match in 1918-19, signing for the club on a more formal basis (as an amateur) in December 1919, making his debut the same month at Southampton. He had been a prolific goalscorer for the Royal Garrison Artillery, at one stage scoring an incredible 30 goals across just seven games, including six, five, four and three-goal hauls in individual matches. He scored 3 times in 5 appearances for the Argyle first eleven through to March 1920.

He requested his release from the Army in July 1920 and the following month moved on to Hull City. His Army discharge papers stated that he was “One of the best types of Soldier. Smart, honest, sober, reliable. A willing and efficient worker. He is a particularly good sportsman and should readily find a place and prove himself valuable in any high class football or cricket team.”

Flood scored on his Football League debut in a 2-0 win over Bristol City at Anlaby Road in September 1920 and scored 25 goals in 56 games for The Tigers over the following two years, being Hull’s top scorer in 1921-22 with 17 goals before joining First Division Bolton Wanderers in May 1922. He stayed there for just a few months, netting twice in eight appearances, before signing for Nottingham Forest in February 1923. He spent three years at the City Ground, finding the net 21 times in exactly 100 games.

He then spent the first six months of the 1926-27 season with York City, and was their leading goalscorer, scoring 19 times in their Midland League campaign, before returning to The Football League, ending his career with a spell at Swindon Town from February 1927 where he scored 3 goals in 8 appearances through to September of that year, before his retirement from the professional game.

He was also a noted cricketer, he was on the books at Nottinghamshire and he played for Devon.