Hawley Fred Image 1 Swindon Town 1921

Description

Darlington, County Durham born centre half Fred Hawley began his football career with Derby Midland in 1909 and played for Shelton United in 1910 and Leys Recreation in 1911 before moving to Ripley Town in 1912. He signed for First Division Sheffield United in January 1913, making his Football League debut against Derby County in March. He only played 3 times towards the end of that season but became a regular in the final two seasons before the suspension of football due to the onset of the First World War, during which made guest appearances for Derby County, Notts County, Birmingham and Nottingham Forest, however he didn’t play in The Blades’ 1915 FA Cup triumph over Chelsea in the “Khaki Cup Final”.

After the War he initially joined Second Division Coventry City in May 1919 but after only 14 games for them during the first half of the 1919-20 season Birmingham signed him in January 1920. The move to St Andrews didn’t work out, he played only 3 times and joined new Third Division (South) club Swindon Town in May 1920, playing in their inaugural League fixture, a 9-1 thumping of Luton Town. In three seasons he scored 4 goals in 96 appearances for Swindon, before moving to Bristol City in March 1923

He helped them to win the Third Division (South Championship at the end of the season, playing a further two seasons for The Robins for whom he  scored once in 81 games before joining Brighton & Hove Albion in June 1925. He only stayed a single season on the South Coast, scoring 4 goals in 39 appearances, before moving to London to join Queen’s Park Rangers in May 1926. His final two seasons of League football saw him score once in 29 games before he joined non league Loughborough Corinthians late in 1927, his final club before his retirement.