Best Bobby Image 1 Sunderland 1913

Description

Mickley, Northumberland born outside right Bobby Best began his football career with Mickley Colliery Welfare before joining First Division club Sunderland in August 1911, making his Football League debut at Aston Villa in October 1911, playing 10 matches in his debut season, however he only added 3 appearances in 1912-13 as Sunderland won the League Championship. He broke into the Sunderland first team in September 1913 and scored a hat-trick in a 5-1 win at Everton that November, scoring 11 goals in Sunderland’s unsuccessful League title defence before returning to the fringes in the last season before the onset of the First World War forced the suspension of peacetime football in May 1915.

During the War, Bell served in the Armed Forces and with the conflict resolved he returned to Roker Park in 1919, featuring in Sunderland’s first three post war seasons before joining Wolverhampton Wanderers in September 1922 after 25 goals in 97 appearances for The Wearsiders. His single season at Molineux ended in relegation, Best making 23 appearances with Wolves. He returned to the north east and joined Durham City in August 1923, scoring twice in 36 appearances before joining Hartlepools United in June 1924, where he spent three seasons, scoring 9 goals in 76 appearances, having a loan spell with non league Bedlington United in 1926 before joining Robert Thompson’s in 1927, and finishing his career with West Stanley, joining them in 1928.