Hartley Frank Image 1 Corinthians 1927

Description

Shipton-under-Wychwood, Oxfordshire born inside left Frank Hartley served during the First World War in The Queens Own Oxfordshire Hussars and saw action at Ypres. Hartley was an amateur footballer who began his football career at Oxford City and played for them from at least 1921 until at least 1928 and represented Oxfordshire FA in 1921. While at Oxford City he played in all three matches against French opponents as Oxford City won Le Tournoi de Pâques du Stade Français in March 1921 as they beat Cercle Athletique de Paris 5-0 in the Final.

He joined First Division club Tottenham Hotspur as an amateur in November 1922, making his Football League debut at Birmingham in April 1923, his only appearance during his first spell with Spurs. During his first spell at White Hart Lane he won his first cap for England Amateurs, scoring a hat-trick in a 4-0 win over Ireland at Deepdale, Preston in November 1922. He also scored in his next match, a 4-4 draw with Wales at Ayresome Park, Middlesbrough in January 1923 and scored in total 9 goals in his 7 England Amateurs caps, his last match being against Wales at The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham in March 1926.

Hartley made one full international appearance for England in a friendly against France on 10th May 1923. In addition he was a non playing reserve in four further England squads between March 1923 and October 1924. He also played for The Amateurs in their 3-1 FA Charity Shield defeat to The Professionals at Highbury in October 1924.

After Tottenham, Hartley subsequently played for amateur club The Corinthians from March 1923 but he returned to Spurs in February 1928, turning professional with them, becoming the first Corinthian to turn professional, having scored 59 goals in 87 appearances for them. He played two more top flight matches in March 1928 as Tottenham headed towards relegation, and scored his only goal for Spurs in a 3-2 home win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in a spell of 3 matches that September. He made one further appearance for Spurs in a match with Bradford Park Avenue in late December 1929, his 7th appearance for the club, and remained on their books until April 1931.

An excellent sportsman, he also represented Oxfordshire at cricket and was part of their 1929 team that won The Minor Counties Championship. He also played hockey for the county and was an England trialist. His elder brother Ernest was an England hockey international.

NB in the photograph Hartley is shown before The Corinthians’ FA Cup third round tie at Fellows Park, Walsall, on 8th January 1927. Corinthians won the tie 4-0.