Hall Fred Image 1 Blackburn Rovers 1937

Description

Chester-le-Street, County Durham born centre half Fred Hall began his football career with Ouston United from where he was signed by First Division club Blackburn Rovers in November 1935, making his Football League debut the following season after their relegation to the Second Division in a match at Leicester City in January 1937, one of a pair of appearances made that breakthrough season. He came into the side in November 1937 and was a regular during the second half of 1937-38, but only played 6 matches as Blackburn won the Second Division Championship in 1938-39, the final peacetime season before the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939 forced the abandonment of peacetime football, by when Hall had made 30 appearances for Blackburn Rovers.

On the resumption of peacetime League football, Hall signed for First Division club Sunderland in August 1946, being appointed club captain shortly after joining, and spent the next nine seasons at Roker Park, where he was an ever present in their 1951-52 campaign having helped them to third place in the League Championship in 1949-50. Described as “a grand positional player… his enthusiastic and clever play makes him a fine skipper and inspiration to his colleagues. Sturdily built and very strong in the tackle, he gives opposing centre forwards a lean time”, he scored once, in a 1-1 draw with Huddersfield Town at Roker Park on Christmas Day 1953, in 224 appearances for The Wearsiders, before joining Third Division (North) club Barrow in September 1955. He had a single season at Holker Street scoring once in 16 appearances, joining non league Ransome & Marles in 1956, his final club before his eventual retirement.