Purdy Albert Image 1 Charlton Athletic 1922

Description

Edmonton, Middlesex born right or centre half Albert Purdy served as a private in The First Surrey Rifles during the First World War and saw action at High Wood on the Somme, but after the War he spent his early career on the books at Tottenham Hotspur immediately after the First World War without making the first team at White Hart Lane, moving to join Charlton Athletic in 1921 during Charlton’s first season in the Football League. He made his Football League debut at Queen’s Park Rangers on Christmas Eve the same year, and soon established himself as a first team regular, making 110 appearances for The Addicks during his four seasons at the club.

In the 1925 close season he joined Southend United but only enjoyed regular first team football with them during 1926-27, when he played 31 times and scored his only career goal in an FA Cup Second Round defeat at Reading in December 1926. He made 46 appearances for The Shrimpers before joining Brentford in 1928, but played for their first team on only one occasion, at Bristol Rovers that October in a 2-0 defeat, before joining Kent League club Dartford in 1929, his final club before his eventual retirement.

He later became the head groundsman at Fulham and lived in the famous Craven Cottage.

NB in the photograph he runs out between team mates Sid Castle and Steve Smith.