Cecil Blakemore

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Cecil Blakemore
Personal information
Full name Cecil Blakemore[1]
Date of birth (1897-12-08)8 December 1897
Place of birth Stourbridge, England
Date of death September 1963 (1963-10) (aged 65)[1]
Place of death Stourbridge, England
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[2]
Position(s) Inside forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1920– Heath Villa
Aston Villa
Stourbridge
Fairfield Villa
Redditch
1922–1927 Crystal Palace 133 (54)
1927–1929 Bristol City 42 (20)
1929–1931 Brentford 77 (28)
1931–1933 Norwich City 70 (29)
1933–1934 Swindon Town 26 (8)
Brierley Hill Alliance
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Cecil Blakemore (8 December 1897 – September 1963) sometimes known as Cyril Blakemore, was an English professional footballer who played as an inside forward in the Football League, most notably for Crystal Palace, Brentford and Norwich City.[3] He also played for Bristol City and Swindon Town.

Career[edit]

Early years[edit]

An inside forward, Blakemore began his career as an amateur in non-League football in his native West Midlands, playing for Heath Villa, Redditch, Stourbridge and Fairfield Villa.[4][5] He had a spell with First Division club Aston Villa during the 1921–22 season, but did not make a first team appearance.[4]

Crystal Palace[edit]

Blakemore got his second chance at League football when he signed for Second Division club Crystal Palace in December 1922.[6] He had a slow start to life at Selhurst Park, making just 24 appearances during the 1922–23 and 1923–24 seasons, though he managed five goals in his 12 appearances during 1923–24.[6] Blakemore broke into the team during the 1924–25 season, making 24 appearances and scoring 12 goals in a disastrous season which saw the Eagles relegated to the Third Division South.[6] He was a near ever-present for two seasons in the Third Division South, scoring 36 goals as Palace pushed for promotion back to the Second Division.[6] Blakemore departed Palace in May 1927,[7] having made 141 appearances and scored 56 goals during five years with the club.[6]

Bristol City[edit]

Blakemore moved back up to the Second Division to sign for Bristol City in May 1927.[7] He failed to hold down a regular place in the team, but still managed 20 goals in 42 appearances before departing Ashton Gate in May 1929.[7]

Brentford[edit]

Blakemore and Bristol City teammate Jackie Foster signed for Third Division South club Brentford on 2 May 1929.[3] He quickly established himself in the team, scoring 15 goals in 43 appearances during the 1929–30 season,[8] a campaign in which the Bees set a record of 21 home wins.[3] Blakemore made another 40 appearances the following year, scoring 13 goals,[8] before leaving Brentford in May 1931.[3] Blakemore scored 28 goals in 83 games during two seasons at Griffin Park.[3]

Norwich City[edit]

Blakemore moved to Third Division South club Norwich City in August 1931.[4] He made 70 appearances over the course of two seasons, as the Canaries pushed for promotion to the Second Division.[3]

Swindon Town[edit]

At age 35, Blakemore was brought in by manager Ted Vizard to replace Third Division South club Swindon Town's record goalscorer Harry Morris in June 1933.[4][5] He scored eight goals in 27 appearances before being released at the end of the 1933–34 season.[5]

Brierley Hill Alliance[edit]

Blakemore ended his career with a spell at Birmingham & District League club Brierley Hill Alliance.[5]

Career statistics[edit]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Brentford 1929–30[8] Third Division South 42 15 1 0 43 15
1930–31[8] 35 13 5 0 40 13
Total 77 28 6 0 83 28
Swindon Town 1933–34[5] Third Division South 26 8 1 0 27 8
Career Total 103 36 7 0 110 36

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 30. ISBN 978-1905891610.
  2. ^ "The lure of promotion. Crystal Palace". Athletic News. Manchester. 13 August 1923. p. 6.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Harefield: Yore Publications. p. 21. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  4. ^ a b c d "Blakemore Cecil Brentford 1931". Vintage Footballers. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Cecil Blakemore – Player Profile". Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Cecil Blakemore". Holmesdale Online. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  7. ^ a b c "Cecil Blakemore". Bristol City FC :: Citystats – Unofficial archive of results, players and managers. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  8. ^ a b c d White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. pp. 370–371. ISBN 0951526200.
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