Powell Bert Image 5 Clapton Orient Trainer 1927

Description

Colwick, Nottinghamshire born inside forward Herbert “Bert” Powell began his football career at Treharris in 1902 and spent 1903-04 on the books at Nottingham Forest without making a first team appearance. He joined Gresley Rovers in 1904, Grantham Avenue in 1905 and Sutton Town in 1906 before signing for Second Division Chesterfield Town in the 1906 close season, for whom he made his Football League debut at Hull City the same September. Having scored once in 6 appearances for The Spireites he was signed by Barnsley in February 1907 and made his first two appearances in their FA Cup run, scoring the winner on his Barnsley debut to knock out First Division Bury on 23rd February before a 2-1 defeat at home to First Division Woolwich Arsenal on 9th March. He made a further 5 League appearances for The Tykes, scoring twice, before joining North Eastern League Carlisle United in the summer of 1907.

A move to Southern League New Brompton (now Gillingham) followed in 1908, where he stayed a single season before a transfer to fellow Southern League club Coventry City where he scored 13 goals in 27 appearances before being signed by Second Division Birmingham in 1910. He scored on his League debut in a 2-1 win over Leeds City in February 1911 but it was his only goal in 5 first team outings and he joined Rotherham Town later in 1911, staying 2 seasons in South Yorkshire before joining Southern League Portsmouth in 1913. He scored 9 goals in 17 appearances for Pompey during 1913-14 before moving along the south coast to join Boscombe (now AFC Bournemouth) in 1914 before the onset of the First World War interrupted his career, during which he represented Brentford as a wartime guest during 1915-16.

After the First World War, already into his mid 30’s, he joined non league Worksop Town in 1919, moving to Grantham in 1922, before playing for Retford Town in 1923 and returning to Sutton Town in 1924, where he finished his career. He later became trainer of Clapton Orient in the mid-late 1920’s.