Walmsley Albert Image 1 Stockport County 1921

Description

Blackburn, Lancashire born right half Albert Walmsley started his football career as a youth, when he assisted Blackburn St Peter’s in 1902 and a year later played for Lancashire Combination side Darwen before joining Football League First Division club Blackburn Rovers in 1907. He made his Football League debut for Rovers at Newcastle United that October and soon became a regular member of the Rovers first eleven. He went on to make 301 appearances in a 13-year spell with the Ewood Park side, playing 37 matches as they won the League Championship in 1911-12 and the same number as they repeated the triumph in 1913-14. He was twice a losing FA Cup semi finalist with Rovers, losing to eventual winners Bradford City in 1911 and to West Bromwich Albion a year later, but his career was then interrupted as the onset of the First World War forced the suspension of peaccetime football in May 1915.

During the War Walmsley served in the Armed Forces and also played 21 matches as a wartime guest with Burnley, scoring once in their 1915-16 wartime league campaign. On the resumption of peacetime football he returned to Blackburn Rovers making a further 21 appearances during 1919-20. However Walmsley transferred to Second Division Stockport County at the start of the 1920-21 season and spent three years at the club, and although they were relegated in his first season at Edgeley Park he won the Third Division (North) Championship with them at the first time of asking as they were promoted in 1921-22, before his retirement in 1923 having scored 3 goals in 82 appearances for The Hatters.

He was the nine years older brother of former (post First World War) Blackburn Rovers player Richard Walmsley and they played together several times in the first season after the War.