Harry Bradshaw
Encyclopedia
Henry "Harry" Bradshaw (1853 – 28 September 1924) was an English
football manager.
Although he was never a professional footballer himself, Bradshaw was appointed secretary of Burnley
in 1891, and became chairman two years later. In 1896, he became first team manager, and although the team was relegated from the First Division
in his first season after finishing bottom and losing test matches (playoff
s), they were promoted straight back up again the following season. Back in the top flight, Burnley finished third in 1898-99
, the best position in the club's history.
In the summer of 1899, Bradshaw moved south to Second Division
Woolwich Arsenal
, and achieved promotion with them as well. He signed several influential players including Archie Cross
, Percy Sands
, Jimmy Jackson
and Jimmy Ashcroft
for Arsenal, and brought in a Scottish style of play with short passing and fluid movement into position. After several seasons of near-misses, Arsenal finished second in 1903-04
and won promotion to the First Division, for the first time in the club's history. Eighteen of the twenty Arsenal players in the squad had been Bradshaw's signings.
However, he never oversaw Arsenal at the top, as he joined Southern League
side Fulham
in the summer of 1904, becoming the club's first professional manager. At Fulham, he won the Southern League title twice in succession, and won election to the Second Division at the end of 1906-07
. In their first season at the top, Fulham finished fourth and reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup
; however, they could not maintain their ascendance and only finished tenth the next season. Bradshaw continued to manage Fulham until his contract expired in 1909.
Bradshaw declined to continue as Fulham manager and instead went on to become secretary of the Southern League, a post he held until his retirement in 1921. He died in 1924. His sons, Joe Bradshaw
and William Bradshaw
, played for Arsenal and Fulham under him, and Joe went on to follow in his father's footsteps and was manager of Fulham between 1926 and 1929.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
football manager.
Although he was never a professional footballer himself, Bradshaw was appointed secretary of Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
in 1891, and became chairman two years later. In 1896, he became first team manager, and although the team was relegated from the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
in his first season after finishing bottom and losing test matches (playoff
Playoff
The playoffs, postseason, or finals of a sports league are a game or series of games played after the regular season by the top competitors, usually but not always with a single-elimination system, to determine the league champion or a similar accolade.In the U.S...
s), they were promoted straight back up again the following season. Back in the top flight, Burnley finished third in 1898-99
1898-99 in English football
The 1898–99 season was the 28th season of competitive football in England.-Events:This was the first season in which automatic promotion/relegation was introduced between the First and Second divisions. Both Divisions were expanded to 18 teams....
, the best position in the club's history.
In the summer of 1899, Bradshaw moved south to Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
Woolwich Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, and achieved promotion with them as well. He signed several influential players including Archie Cross
Archie Cross
Arthur George "Archie" Cross was an English footballer.Cross was born in Dartford, Kent and started his career at Dartford FC, before joining nearby Woolwich Arsenal in April 1900. A right back, he was initially the understudy to Duncan McNichol, but made his debut in a 1-1 draw with Blackpool on...
, Percy Sands
Percy Sands
Percy Robert Sands was an English footballer, who spent seventeen years playing for Arsenal, making him one of the club's most enduring servants....
, Jimmy Jackson
Jimmy Jackson (footballer)
James "Jimmy" Jackson was a Scottish-Australian football player.Jackson was born in Cambuslang, Lanarkshire, Scotland, but his family emigrated to Australia when he was two. The young Jackson grew up in Australia and played football as a youth, before returning to Scotland in 1893...
and Jimmy Ashcroft
Jimmy Ashcroft
James "Jimmy" Ashcroft was an English football goalkeeper.Born in Liverpool, Ashcroft began his career with several local sides, briefly signing as an amateur with Everton, before moving south and joining Southern League side Gravesend United in 1899...
for Arsenal, and brought in a Scottish style of play with short passing and fluid movement into position. After several seasons of near-misses, Arsenal finished second in 1903-04
1903-04 in English football
The 1903–04 season was the 33rd season of competitive football in England.-Events:For the first time ever, a London team, Woolwich Arsenal, is promoted to the First Division and makes the League's reach nationwide...
and won promotion to the First Division, for the first time in the club's history. Eighteen of the twenty Arsenal players in the squad had been Bradshaw's signings.
However, he never oversaw Arsenal at the top, as he joined Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
side Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
in the summer of 1904, becoming the club's first professional manager. At Fulham, he won the Southern League title twice in succession, and won election to the Second Division at the end of 1906-07
1906-07 in English football
The 1906–07 season was the 36th season of competitive football in England.-Honours:-First Division:-Second Division:P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = PointsReferences...
. In their first season at the top, Fulham finished fourth and reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
; however, they could not maintain their ascendance and only finished tenth the next season. Bradshaw continued to manage Fulham until his contract expired in 1909.
Bradshaw declined to continue as Fulham manager and instead went on to become secretary of the Southern League, a post he held until his retirement in 1921. He died in 1924. His sons, Joe Bradshaw
Joe Bradshaw (footballer)
Joe Bradshaw was an English football player and manager.As a player he started out at Woolwich Polytechnic before turning professional at Woolwich Arsenal, where his father, Harry Bradshaw, was manager; however he never made a first-team appearance...
and William Bradshaw
William Bradshaw (footballer)
William Bradshaw was an English professional footballer who played as an outside right for various clubs in the 1900s.-Football career:...
, played for Arsenal and Fulham under him, and Joe went on to follow in his father's footsteps and was manager of Fulham between 1926 and 1929.