Price Haydn Image 1 Aberdare Athletic 1903

Description

Maerdy, Glamorgan born right half Haydn Price began his football career with Mardy Corinthians around the turn of the century, playing for Riverside in 1901 and Aberdare Athletic in 1902, where he had two seasons and played in the 1904 Welsh Cup Final against Druids, losing narrowly 3-2. before being signed by First Division club Aston Villa in July 1904, but Price rarely played for the reserves and never played for the first team. Nonetheless, he was selected for his first  cap for Wales while still playing for Villa’s third team, his international debut came in a 1-0 victory over Scotland at The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham on 4th March 1907, the first of 5 international caps he won through to 1909.

In April 1907 Price joined Second Division club Burton United, making his Football League debut, and only appearance for The Brewers, against West Bromwich Albion the same month, and after they lost their bid for re-election he remained with Burton United for a year after they were relegated to the Birmingham & District League, before joining fellow Birmingham & District League club Wrexham for the  1908-09 season, where he scored 4 goals in 17 matches for The Dragons. Whilst with Burton, he received his second Welsh cap, in a 1-0 defeat to Ireland at The Athletic Ground, Aberdare on 11th April 1908. Whilst with Wrexham, he picked up a further three Welsh caps, playing in all Wales’ matches in the 1909 British Home Championship.

In July 1909 Price returned to Football League action with Second Division club Leeds City but found it hard to force his way into the first team. After just 8 appearances, he left Elland Road at the end of the season to return to the Birmingham League with Shrewsbury Town. He moved on to Walsall in 1911, staying there for four years until he retired having become the club’s Secretary/Manager in July 1912. During the First World War, Price played for Tottenham Hotspur as a guest, making nine appearances, scoring three goals in their 1918-19 campaign.

In 1919, Price became Secretary-Manager of Mid Rhondda, who were based in Tonypandy. Whilst in his first spell as Mid Rhondda’s manager, Price helped rescue the career of Jimmy Seed which had stalled during the War; Seed went on to have a long career with Tottenham Hotspur and Sheffield Wednesday as well as making five appearances for England. Other players on Mid Rhondda’s books at this time were former England international, Joe Bache and future Wales international, Dai Collier. The club had a successful time in the seven months that Price was manager, winning both the Southern League Division Two and the Welsh League titles.

In July 1920, Price became manager at Grimsby Town; he succeeded H.N. Hickson but unlike his predecessor, he was given responsibility for signing new players and for team selection. He quickly returned to his former club, signing five players including Collier and Bache, as well as Jimmy Carmichael, Albert Irvine and Harry Moody. His spell as manager at Blundell Park was short-lived ending in acrimony in November 1920 when he resigned publicly in a letter to the Grimsby Evening Telegraph citing interference by the board in his team selections.

Price returned to Mid Rhondda in 1921 where he was hit by more controversy when the club failed to pay its players and other debts and was suspended by the Football Association of Wales and Price left professional football in 1922.