Ted Holdcroft

Hugh Edward Holdcroft (c. 1882 – 4 February 1952) was an English footballer who played in the Football League for Burslem Port Vale and Stoke in the early 1900s.

Ted Holdcroft
Personal information
Full name Hugh Edward Holdcroft[1]
Date of birth c. 1882[1]
Place of birth Stoke-upon-Trent, England[1]
Date of death (1952-02-04)4 February 1952 (age 69-70)[1]
Place of death Norton le Moors, England[1]
Position(s) Centre half / Centre forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1901–1903 Burslem Port Vale 16 (1)
1903–1905 Stoke 43 (11)
Total 59 (12)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

Holdcroft joined Burslem Port Vale in October 1901.[1] His debut came at centre-half in a goalless draw with Preston North End at the Athletic Ground on 8 September 1902.[1] He scored his first goal in the Football League on 25 October, converting a penalty in a 3–3 draw with Burnley at Turf Moor.[1] He became a first team regular for the Second Division side from the next month until he suffered a toe injury in February 1903 and transferred to local rivals Stoke in March 1903.[1] At £500 this was a club record for Stoke.[2]

Holdcroft was converted into a centre forward at the Victoria Ground with mixed success.[3] He hit two goals in a 5–2 win over Liverpool on 17 October 1903, and opened the 1905–06 season with a goal in each of the first three First Division games, but other than these highlights he proved to be far from a natural goalscorer and in three seasons he scored 11 goals in 44 appearances.[3] After retiring due to an ankle injury and later suffering a serious illness that prevented him finding a job, Vale and Stoke held a benefit match on his behalf on 29 April 1907; the game finished 1–1.[4] This would prove to be Burslem Port Vale's final ever match, as the club were dissolved, only to re-emerge later in the year when Cobridge Church renamed themselves Port Vale F.C.

Career statistics

Source:[5]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Burslem Port Vale 1902–03 Second Division 16120181
Stoke[3] 1902–03 First Division 100010
1903–04 First Division 17300173
1904–05 First Division 14310153
1905–06 First Division 11500115
Total 4311104411
Career total 5912306212

References
  1. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 139. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  2. "Record recruits made huge impacts to justify their big-money moves". The Sentinel Green 'Un. 6 February 2016. p. 7.
  3. Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
  4. Kent, Jeff (November 1998). The Potteries Derbies. Witan Books. p. 76. ISBN 0-9529152-3-5.
  5. Ted Holdcroft at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
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