Edward Threlfall was an English professional footballer. He spent eleven years at Blackpool in the early 1900s, making over three hundred Football League appearances for the club. He played as a defender.

Edward Threlfall
Personal information
Place of birth England
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Kirkham Town
1900–1911 Blackpool 320 (10)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career edit

Threlfall made his debut for Blackpool in the opening League game of the 1900–01 season, a goalless draw at New Brighton Tower. He went on to appear in 29 of their remaining 33 League games that season.[1] He also became possibly the first Blackpool player to be sent off in a League game. During the fixture against Burslem Port Vale on 15 December, Threlfall was given his marching orders for "rough play"[2] when "a regrettable incident occurred about three minutes off time".[2] Threlfall later complained that he had not been cautioned "before the referee took this extreme course".[2]

In 1901–02, Threlfall missed only two of Blackpool's 34 League games. He also scored his first goal for the club, in a 1–1 draw at home to Glossop North End on 1 February.[3]

He made 26 League appearances in 1902–03, including one game at right-back while Bob Birkett was unavailable. He scored two goals — the first in a 2–1 defeat at Woolwich Arsenal on 8 November; the second in a 2–0 victory over Manchester United at Bloomfield Road on 13 February.[4]

Threlfall chalked up thirty League appearances in 1903–04, scoring one goal — in a 2–1 victory at home to Gainsborough Trinity on 19 March.[5]

He scored the fifth goal of his career the following season, 1904–05, in a 6–0 home victory over Barnsley on 7 January, en route to making 32 League appearances. He also made his FA Cup debut for the club on 14 January, in a 2–1 defeat at Bristol City.[6]

Threlfall missed only one game of Blackpool's 1905–06 League campaign, scoring one goal in the process — in a 3–0 home win against Clapton Orient on 27 April, in the final League game of the season. He also scored once in the FA Cup to take Blackpool to a second first-round replay against Crystal Palace.[7]

In 1906–07, Threlfall made 36 League appearances. He also scored three goals, all at Bloomfield Road — in a 4–1 victory over Glossop North End on 20 October, in a 2–1 defeat to Nottingham Fores on 24 November, and in a 4–3 victory over Grimsby Town on 20 April, in the penultimate League game of the season.[8]

Starts for Threlfall were sporadic in 1907–08. He made twenty League appearances in total, but he sat out fifteen consecutive games between November and February. He scored one goal, in a 3–0 home win over Grimsby Town on 1 April.[9]

Threlfall made 28 League appearances in 1908–09. He scored one goal, in Blackpool's 2–0 FA Cup first-round victory over Hastings & St Leonards United on 16 January.[10]

In 1909–10, his tenth season with Blackpool, Threlfall made 31 League appearances.[11]

1910–11 proved to be Threlfall's final season with Blackpool. He made eighteen League appearances, the final one occurring on 25 February, in a 2–1 defeat at Clapton Orient.[12]

References edit

General
  • Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992. Breedon Books Sport. ISBN 1-873626-07-X.
  • Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888–1939. ISBN 1-899468-67-6.
Specific
  1. ^ Calley, p. 176
  2. ^ a b c Gillatt, Peter (30 November 2009). Blackpool FC on This Day: History, Facts and Figures from Every Day of the Year. Pitch Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-905411-50-4.
  3. ^ Calley, p. 178
  4. ^ Calley, p. 180
  5. ^ Calley, p. 182
  6. ^ Calley, p. 184
  7. ^ Calley, p. 186
  8. ^ Calley, p. 188
  9. ^ Calley, p. 190
  10. ^ Calley, p. 192
  11. ^ Calley, p. 194
  12. ^ Calley, p. 196