King Edwin “Teddy” Image 3 Leicester City 1921

Description

Leicester born wing half Edwin “Teddy” King began his football career with Aylestone Swifts in 1902 and played for St Andrew’s of Leicester in 1903 joined Leicester Imperial in 1905, from where he signed for his hometown professional club, then in the Second Division and still known as Leicester Fosse in 1906, making his Football League debut at West Bromwich Albion in April 1907.

Initially his opportunities were limited and he didn’t play again for the first eleven until October 1908, playing 4 times that season in the First Division as Leicester were relegated, the only matches he played outside the Second Division in his fifteen season career with The Fossils. By 1910 however, he had established himself as a first team regular and played most of their remaining matches until peacetime football was suspended due to the onset of the First World War, during which he scored 24 goals in 121 wartime matches, appearing regularly for them throughout the War.

A one club man, he played both sides of the War for Leicester, which was re-named Leicester City in 1920, scoring 26 goals in 236 appearances. He played his last match in February 1922 aged 37 but he was clearly a talented all round sportsman. He also played first class cricket for Leicestershire in two matches in the 1925 season, playing as a wicket-keeper. While only scoring 33 runs at first class level, he scored 31 not out in one innings, and took 5 catches, making one stumping during those games.