Hedley Foster Image 1 Tottenham Hotspur 1935

Description

Monkseaton, County Durham born left winger Foster Hedley began his football career with St Andrew’s of Newcastle in 1925 and played for Corinthians of Newcastle in 1926 and Jarrow in 1927, signing for Second Division Hull City in May 1928, for whom he made his Football League debut against Reading that October. A diminutive figure, after only two first team appearances for The Tigers he joined Nelson in June 1929 and his 5 goals in 27 appearances was sufficient for First Division Manchester City to sign him in March 1930. He scored on his City debut at the end of the month in a win over Sheffield United, and also in a home defeat to Birmingham two weeks later, but he spent 1930-31 in the reserves and these were his only first team outings before he joined new League entrant Chester in July 1931.

He scored in Chester’s inaugural League fixture, a 4-0 win over Wigan Borough, and had the best spell of his career at Sealand Road, scoring 13 goals in their inaugural campaign as they finished in third place in the Third Division (North), and missing only a single game in 1932-33 as Chester finished 4th in the League. His 22 goals included 4 goals in a 5-0 FA Cup thrashing of Second Division Fulham in January 1933, followed by a hat-trick the next week in a 4-2 win over Accrington Stanley, and left him as Chester’s second leading goalscorer for the season behind Joe Mantle. His form brought him to the attention of First Division Tottenham Hotspur, who signed him in November 1933 after 38 goals in 96 appearances for The Seals.

He scored once in 5 appearances for Spurs, but he was a fringe player at White Hart Lane, and joined Millwall in June 1937, where he was again mainly a reserve, scoring 4 goals in 7 League appearances as Millwall won the Third Division (South) Championship in 1937-38. He finally joined Swindon Town in May 1939 after 6 goals in 13 appearances for The Lions, but having played 4 times for Swindon his career was finished by the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, although he continued to be registered with Swindon Town until 1946.

NB in the photograph Hedley (centre) watches as Willie Hall (left) shakes Wally Alsford’s hand.