Farrow George Image 1 Blackpool 1936

Description

Whitburn, County Durham born wing half George Farrow joined junior local club Whitburn in 1930 and started his professional career with Stockport County, whom he joined in October 1930 and for whom he made his Football League debut against Carlisle United on Christmas Day that year. But after only 6 appearances he was signed by First Division Wolverhampton Wanderers in January 1932 and played 12 games for them before the end of the 1932-33 season. However in July 1933 he returned to the Third Division with Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic, where his 3 seasons saw a steady improvement in their fortunes, and after 14 goals in 121 appearances for Bournemouth Farrow moved north to Blackpool in June 1936 for a ₤1,250 fee.

He made his debut for the Seasiders in September of that year, in a home win over West Ham United. He went on to make a further 32 league appearances in the 1936-37 campaign, scoring five goals. Initially an inside-left, he soon moved to wing-half, where his tackling was of more use. At the end of the season, Blackpool won promotion to Division One for only the second time in their existence as Second Division runners up. A nine-game win streak between 21 November and 1 January assisted the achievement.

In 1937-38, Farrow made thirty league appearances and scored another five goals, and the following season appeared in all but four of the club’s League games. His only goal of the season was a penalty, Blackpool’s second goal in a 2-1 victory at Sunderland on 17 September.

In the years before, during and after World War Two, Blackpool were one of the most powerful teams in England, and the trio of George Farrow, Eric Hayward and Harry Johnston became legendary. Farrow’s main assets were accurate long-range passes, strong tackling, and a fierce strike of the ball. He was also one of the earliest exponents of the long throw-in.

Wartime football intervened between August 1939 and May 1945, and when League football resumed in 1945-46, Farrow continued where he had left off, making 28 league appearances and scoring six goals.

Farrow missed the first eleven games of the 1946-47 campaign, but he went on to appear in 28 of the remaining 31. His one-goal came in his first appearance of the season, a 3–1 victory over Manchester United at Bloomfield Road on 19 October. However 1947-48 proved to be Farrow’s final season at Bloomfield Road. He made 16 League appearances, scoring three goals, before being transferred to Sheffield United on New Year’s Day 1948 after 15 goals in 157 appearances. He missed out on Blackpool’s FA Cup run, which saw them reach that year’s Final, only to lose out to Manchester United at Wembley. However he only played once for Sheffield United, on January 17th in a 4-0 home win over Grimsby Town, and then joined non league Bacup Borough later in 1948 before finishing his career with Whitburn St. Mary’s in 1949 and Whitburn in 1950.

NB in the photograph he is standing with Blackpool team mate Willie Cook.