Turner Bob Image 2 Everton 1910

Description

Leicester born outside left Bob “Leggy” Turner began his football career with Grasmere Swifts in 1901, and played for local Leicester teams St Andrew’s and St Mark’s in 1902 and 1903 respectively before joining Leicester Imperial  in 1904. From there he signed for Second Division Leicester Fosse, making his Football League debut against Barnsley in September 1906, although his appearances were fleeting until he broke into The Fossils’ team in March 1908, playing 14 matches on the run in and scoring twice in a late season 3-1 win over Burnley as Leicester achieved their first promotion to the top flight, securing runners up spot in the Second Division.

Turner was a regular during Leicester’s first top flight season, which ended in relegation, however he was sold to Everton in April 1909 after 8 goals in 59 appearances for his hometown club, scoring his only goal for The Toffees on his debut in a 5-0 win over rivals Liverpool at Goodison Park on 9th April as Everton finished runners up in the League Championship. Never a regular at Goodison Park during the following two seasons, he made a total of 34 appearances before a transfer to Preston North End in the 1911 close season, where he played 8 matches at either end of the season at Preston were relegated.

Turner joined North Eastern League club Darlington in the summer of 1912, spending two seasons at Feethams before joining Southern League Coventry City in 1914, scoring once in 14 appearances for Coventry in 1914-15 before peacetime football was suspended. After service in the Armed Forces during the First World War, Turner finished his career playing for North Eastern League Durham City, whom he joined after the War in 1919, but by the time they were elected to the Football League in 1921 he had retired.