Musgrove Bob Image 1 Durham City 1922

Description

As a schoolboy, Silksworth, County Durham born right half Bob Musgrove captained England Schools against Wales in 1907 and began his football career with Silksworth Colliery from where he was signed by Second Division club Barnsley in August 1912, making his Football League debut against Blackpool in February 1913, one of a pair of appearances he made in his debut season. He made a further 10 appearances for The Tykes in 1914-15, scoring twice, but at the end of the season peacetime football was suspended due to the onset of the First World War, during which Musgrove served with The Northumberland Fusiliers.

After the War he joined North Eastern League club Durham City from where he signed for Leeds United in July 1920 ahead of Leeds’ first season as a League club. Musgrove played in Leeds’ inaugural League fixture, a Second Division match at Port Vale in August 1920 and missed only 6 matches during their debut campaign, but after scoring twice in 36 appearances for The Peacocks he returned to Durham City in June 1921, after they were elected into the Third Division (North), where he also played in their inaugural League fixture at Southport that August. As well as right half, Musgrove played in both full back positions, at left half and in every forward position other than outside right over their first three League seasons, scoring twice in 52 appearances for The Citizens before his retirement as a player, his last match coming in May 1924.

He also had a spell managing Durham City before his premature death in 1934 at the age of 41.