Ardron Wally Image 1 Nottingham Forest 1949

Description

Swinton, Yorkshire born centre forward Wally Ardron began his football career with Denaby United and joined Third Division (North) club Rotherham United on trial in December 1938, making his Football League debut, and only appearance prior to the Second World War, at Wrexham in January 1939. He returned to Denaby United before the outbreak of the War in September 1939, and formally joined Rotherham United in July 1941, during the War.

Ardron played in Rotherham’s 1945-46 FA Cup campaign, scoring 3 goals in their 8 ties before their elimination by Barnsley, and proceeded to light the blue touch paper when peacetime League football resumed in August 1946. He scored 4 goals in a 5-1 win over Crewe Alexandra in October 1946 and scored hat-tricks against Chester, Lincoln City and Oldham Athletic as he recorded 40 goals in just 42 matches in The Millers’ campaign, which saw Rotherham fall just short of promotion, finishing runners up in the Third Division (North). The goals mixed with heartbreak continued in the following two seasons, as Ardron scored 30 League goals both seasons, with 4 goals against Carlisle United in September 1947 and a treble against Oldham Athletic the same month, and 4 goals at Hartlepools United in September 1948 with hat-tricks against Crewe Alexandra and Carisle United, however Rotherham finished as the League’s runners up both seasons.

Inevitably such a goalscoring record attracted other clubs and Ardron signed for Nottingham Forest in July 1949 after 105 goals in 136 appearances for Rotherham United. Ardron scored on his League debut for Nottingham Forest in the 2-2 draw at Brighton & Hove Albion on 20th August 1949 and with a penalty on his home debut against Bristol City four days later, scoring 25 goals in his debut season for Forest, and his 36 goals in 1950-51 fired Forest to the Third Division (South) Championship, with hat-tricks against Aldershot, and home and away against Gillingham.

A fine 29 goal season in 1951-52 saw Forest finish fourth in the Second Division but already in his mid 30’s the goals began to slow. 1952-53 saw 20 more including a hat-trick at Birmingham City in November 1952 and 4 goals against Hull City on Boxing Day, but from then his appearances became sporadic and he retired in the summer of 1955 having scored 124 goals in 191 appearances, remarkably only one of those goals coming in the FA Cup.

He holds the Nottingham Forest club record for scoring most League goals in one season with his 36 goals in 1950-51 and is their third highest goal scorer in all competitions.