Howard Milton Girling (24 May 1922 – 7 January 1992) was an English professional footballer who played as an outside forward in the Football League for Brentford, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic.

Dickie Girling
Personal information
Full name Howard Milton Girling[1]
Date of birth (1922-05-24)24 May 1922
Place of birth Birmingham, England
Date of death 7 January 1992(1992-01-07) (aged 69)[1]
Place of death Camden Town, England
Position(s) Outside forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1943–1947 Crystal Palace 26 (6)
1947–1951 Brentford 86 (9)
1951 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 4 (0)
1951–1958 Hastings United
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

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Crystal Palace

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An outside forward, Girling signed for Crystal Palace in 1942,[2] during the Second World War. After hostilities ceased in 1945, he made 27 appearances and scored six goals for the Third Division South club before departing in February 1947.[1][2]

Brentford

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Girling moved up the pyramid to rejoin First Division strugglers Brentford in February 1947, for whom he had previously guested during the Second World War.[3] He made 15 appearances in what remained of the 1946–47 season and was unable to help the club from relegation to the Second Division.[4] He established himself in the team in the 1947–48 season, making 35 appearances.[4] His appearance-count reduced over the next two seasons, so much so that he spent 1950–51 in the reserves, before leaving Griffin Park at the end of that season.[3] Girling made 90 appearances and scored 10 goals in four years with Brentford.[3]

Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic

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In July 1951, Girling dropped down to the Third Division South to join Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic for a short spell.[1]

Hastings United

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Girling dropped into non-League football and ended his career with Southern League club Hastings United.[3] A highlight of his time with the Us were two runs to the third round proper of the FA Cup.[3]

Career statistics

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Southport 1945–46[5] 1[a] 0 1 0
Crystal Palace 1946–47[2] Third Division South 26 6 1 0 27 6
Brentford 1946–47[4] First Division 15 1 15 1
1947–48[4] Second Division 33 5 2 1 35 6
1948–49[4] 24 2 2 0 26 2
1949–50[4] 14 1 0 0 14 1
Total 86 9 4 1 90 10
Career total 112 15 5 2 1 0 118 17
  1. ^ Appearance in Lancashire Senior Cup

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Dickie Girling". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  2. ^ a b c Purkiss, Mike; Sands, Nigel. Crystal Palace: A Complete Record 1905–1989. The Breedon Books Publishing Company. p. 326. ISBN 0907969542.
  3. ^ a b c d e Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Harefield: Yore Publications. p. 136. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  4. ^ a b c d e f White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. pp. 379–380. ISBN 0951526200.
  5. ^ "Player Details". SFC FPA. Retrieved 25 September 2022.