Chesters Arthur Image 1 Manchester United 1929

Description

Salford, Lancashire born goalkeeper Arthur Chesters began his football career with Irlam o’ the Heights in the mid 1920’s and played for Welsh League club Bangor City in 1927 and Sedgley Park in 1928, from where he joined First Division club Manchester United in 1929, where he was understudy to Alf Steward, making his Football League debut against Newcastle United in December 1928. He made 9 appearances for The Red Devils over three years, signing for Third Division (South) club Exeter City in the summer of 1933, initially as understudy to Arthur Davies.

He had to wait for his debut which came at Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic in January 1934, he then held his place for the following 4 matches and subsequently totalled 9 league appearances for the season. Chesters won a more regular place in 1934-35 and was Exeter’s principal glovesman for three seasons, making 112 appearances for The Grecians.

He signed for Crystal Palace in the 1937 close season where he missed only 7 matches until peacetime football was abandoned immediately after the the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, by when he had played 92 matches for The Eagles. He played a few wartime guest games for Leicester City and in 1945-46  was he on the books at Rochdale, playing 6 cup ties in the 1945-46 FA Cup either side of new year before retiring from football.

NB in the photograph he appears with Manchester United team mates Charlie Moore, Billy Dale and Frank Mann.