Wallbanks Fred Image 1 Nottingham Forest 1935

Description

Although born in Platt Bridge, Lancashire, left back Fred Wallbanks began his football career in north east junior leagues with Crook Town in 1926, Consett in 1927 and Annfield Plain in 1928, before he joined the books of Second Division Bury, spending 1929-30 at Gigg Lane without making a first team appearance. Released, he joined Third Division (North) Chesterfield, initially as a left winger, and scored both goals on his Football League debut in a 2-1 home win over Rotherham United in September 1930. However he scored only once more in five further appearances before the New Year for The Spireites, who went on to become divisional Champions.

In the summer of 1931 he dropped down into Midland League football with Scarborough before returning to Football League action in 1932 with Bradford City, where he was very much a fringe player during his two and a half seasons at Valley Parade, making 15 appearances for The Bantams. Late in 1934 he was signed by Second Division West Ham United, and he played once for The Hammers in an FA Cup 3rd round replay defeat at Stockport County in January 1935.

He then joined Nottingham Forest in the 1935 close season, where after a spell of six consecutive matches in the early autumn he was dropped, making only two further appearances for Forest that December. He again moved on, this time to Northampton Town in the 1936 close season, where he made only one senior appearance, in a Third Division Cup match at Torquay United in September 1936, before leaving the professional game in 1937.