Arthur Leonard

Arthur Leonard
Personal information
Full name Arthur Leonard Bamford[1]
Date of birth 1879[1]
Place of birth Leicester, England[1]
Date of death 1950 (aged 70–71)[1]
Position(s) Inside forward
Youth career
1896 17th Leicestershire Regiment
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1897–1898 Leicester Fosse 0 (0)
1898 Rushden Town
1899 Sheppey United
1900 Glentoran
1901–1904 Small Heath 68 (25)
1904 Stoke 14 (3)
1904 St Bernard's
1905 Reading
1906–1907 Clapton Orient 37 (7)
1907–1908 Plymouth Argyle 36 (10)
1908 Reading
Total 155 (45)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Arthur Leonard Bamford (1879 – 1950), known as Arthur Leonard, was an English footballer who played in the Football League for Small Heath and Stoke.[2]

Career

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Leonard, then known by his original surname of Bamford, signed for Leicester Fosse in 1895, but walked out on them. After playing for Rushden Town and Sheppey United, Small Heath spotted Leonard playing for Glentoran and signed him on the spot for a fee of £120. However, representatives of Leicester recognised him as their absent player, and when questioned as to the facts, he disappeared again. Persuaded to return to Birmingham, he admitted to being Bamford, and the matter was settled by Small Heath paying Leicester a further £20 to complete the transfer. In 1902–03 he was the club's top scorer with 16 goals.[3]

Leonard then joined Stoke in January 1904 and played 14 matches in two seasons scoring three goals.[2] After a short spell in Scotland with St Bernard's he moved to the Southern League with Clapton Orient, Plymouth Argyle before ending his career with Reading.[2]

Career statistics

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Source:[1]

Club Season League FA Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Leicester Fosse 1897–98 Second Division 0 0 0 0 0 0
Small Heath 1901–02 First Division 20 6 0 0 20 6
1902–03 Second Division 32 16 1 0 33 16
1903–04 First Division 16 3 2 1 18 4
Total 68 25 3 1 71 26
Stoke[2] 1903–04 First Division 10 3 0 0 10 3
1904–05 First Division 4 0 0 0 4 0
Total 14 3 0 0 14 3
Clapton Orient 1906–07 Second Division 37 7 2 0 39 7
Plymouth Argyle 1907–08[4] Southern League 36 10 2 1 38 11
Career total 155 45 7 2 162 47

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Arthur Leonard at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  2. ^ a b c d Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
  3. ^ Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. pp. 228–29. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
  4. ^ "ARTHUR LEONARD". GOS. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
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