Hanlin Pat Image 2 Bristol City 1906

Description

West Calder, Lothian born left half Pat Hanlin began his football career with Burnbank Athletic before joining Everton in 1904, spending 1904-05 at Goodison Park without making their first eleven. He joined Harry Thickett’s Second Division Bristol City in July 1905, making his Football League debut at Bradford City at the end of September, during the record run of 14 successive League wins by Bristol City which ended with them winning the Second Division Championship at the end of the season, Hanlin having made 14 appearances at wing back replacing Peter Chambers in their line-up.

The next season in the First Division Hanlin contributed his only 3 career goals from 36 appearances as the regular left half missing only two League games in 1906-07 as City finished as First Division runners up, the club’s highest ever League position. Hanlin made a further 34 appearances in 1907-08 as the regular left half as The Robins finished mid table. Arthur Spear, Reuben Marr and Pat Hanlin shared the wing half duties in the next two seasons both spent in the First Division.

In 1908-09, Hanlin made 22 appearances mainly at left half and played in none of the nine FA Cup ties before the FA Cup Final but he was selected at right half in the 1909 FA Cup Final, City losing 1-0 to Manchester United at The Crystal Palace, the only FA Cup Final appearance to date by Bristol City. He made 24 appearances at wing half in 1909-10 and was the regular left half with 32 appearances, missing only six matches, in 1910-11 the season when Bristol City were relegated back to the Second Division before leaving City in the summer of 1911, when he retired from professional football having scored 3 goals in 169 appearances.