Randle Arthur Image 2 West Bromwich Albion 1905

Description

West Bromwich born right half Arthur Randle began his football career with Lyng Rovers in 1898 and played for Oldbury Town in 1899 and Darlaston in 1900 before joining West Bromwich Albion, making his Football League debut at Newton Heath (now Manchester United) in October 1901, his only appearance during Albion’s 1901-02 Second Division Championship winning season. He was largely a reserve until the 1904 New Year period, when he broke into the first team although he couldn’t help save The Baggies from relegation by the end of the season.

He then played for Albion for four more seasons in the Second Division, missing only 2 matches in 1905-06 and he was an ever present in 1906-07. That season he played as Albion made it to the 1907 FA Cup semi final where they lost 2-1 to Everton at Burnden Park, Bolton, although he subsequently lost his place over the summer of 1907 and only played 3 more times in 1907-08.

After 2 goals in 143 appearances for West Bromwich, he joined First Division club Leicester Fosse in the summer of 1908, suffering relegation with them in his first season at Filbert Street. He continued to play for them in the Second Division for a further four seasons, his last appearance of 133 for The Fossils, for whom he scored twice, came in January 1913 before his playing retirement.

NB although published in 1910 by when Randle was playing for Leicester Fosse, it clearly is the same image used as his 1905 photograph.