Reid George Image 1 Walsall 1922

Description

Belfast born centre forward George Reid began his football career in Irish junior football playing for Glenbuck Swifts, Whitehouse, Brentwood and Linfield Swifts before joining Belfast Distillery. His promise was soon recognised and he was signed by Second Division Blackpool in July 1920, making his Football League debut against West Ham United that October, scoring the winner in a 1-0 win. Despite a further goal in a 2-0 win over Leicester City in December, he made only three appearances for The Seasiders, and joined Third Division (North) Walsall in May 1921.

He scored 24 goals for Walsall in his debut season at Hillary Street, including two hat-tricks in the last two games of the season, the first in a 3-3 away draw at Accrington Stanley, the second in a 6-1 win in the return match a week later, enough to confirm his position as the club’s leading goalscorer, a title he shared with Trddy Groves in 1922-23 with 13 goals in the campaign, scored from just 15 matches. In December 1922, after 37 goals in 55 appearances for Walsall, he joined First Division Cardiff City. He scored on his Bluebirds debut two days before Christmas, a 5-1 defeat at Manchester City, and on his home debut in a 3-0 win over West Bromwich Albion on Boxing Day, but despite a more than respectable goals per game ratio with four goals in 7 matches, he was unable to guarantee first-team football.

While with Cardiff he earned his only cap for Ireland, when he was part of an Irish forward line who wasted a number of good chances in a 1-0 defeat by Scotland at Windsor Park, Belfast in March 1923.

In December 1923 Reid moved to Second Division Fulham, but managed only 3 appearances for The Cottagers before joining Stockport County in June 1924. He scored 3 goals in 11 appearances for The Hatters, including a goal on his debut in a 2-0 win over Stoke, before moving to Rotherham County in January 1925, for whom he scored 4 goals in 12 appearances before the end of the season. He then joined Southern League Mid-Rhondda United in the 1925 close season, with whom he finished his senior career.