Turnbull Bobby Image 1 Bradford Park Avenue 1921

Description

South Bank, Middlesbrough born outside right Bobby Turnbull played local football for South Bank East End in 1914, but towards the conclusion of the First World War he joined First Division club Bradford Park Avenue in January 1918, making his Football League debut after peacetime football resumed at Bolton Wanderers in August 1919. Despite two successive relegations in 1921 and 1922, Turnbull was a regular member of their first eleven and scored 20 goals in 1922-23 including a hat-trick against Southport as Avenue were unlucky to miss out on promotion, finishing runners up in the Third Division (North), with Turnbull finishing as the club’s joint top League scorer with George McLean.

After six seasons with Park Avenue during which he scored 49 goals in 223 appearances, he joined First Division club Leeds United in July 1925 but in his second season Leeds were relegated, albeit they bounced straight back winning promotion in 1927-28 as Second Division runners up. He lost his place in 1931 after six seasons of regular football for Leeds and only played once more in 1931-32 before moving to non league Rhyl Athletic in 1932 having scored 46 goals in 215 matches for Leeds United, joining Smith’s Dock on Teesside in 1933 before his retirement from the game.

NB he transferred to Leeds United in 1925 but is clearly still wearing a Bradford shirt in the image.