Bert Burridge

Ben James Herbert "Bert" Burridge (11 March 1898 – 22 December 1977) was an English footballer who made 124 appearances in the Football League for Darlington, Sheffield Wednesday and Oldham Athletic in the 1920s and 1930s.[1] He played as a half-back – at wing half in the early part of his career, and at centre half later on – and could also play as a forward.

Bert Burridge
Personal information
Full name Ben James Herbert Burridge[1]
Date of birth (1898-03-11)11 March 1898[1]
Place of birth Beamish, County Durham, England
Date of death 22 December 1977(1977-12-22) (aged 79)[2]
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[3]
Position(s) Half-back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
– Oxhill Villa
– Houghton Rovers
– Annfield Plain
1921–1926 Darlington 92 (7)
1926–1930 Sheffield Wednesday 26 (0)
1930–1931 Oldham Athletic 6 (0)
1931–1933 Macclesfield 51 (1)
1933–1934 Hyde United
1934–1940 Hurst
– Ashton National
Teams managed
1935–193? Hurst
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Life and career

Burridge was born in Beamish, County Durham, in 1898.[1] He was playing for Houghton Rovers in the North Eastern League in April 1921,[4] but in November he signed for Third Division North club Darlington from Northern Alliance club Annfield Plain.[3] Despite interest from "clubs in higher spheres", he was reported as preferring to remain near home.[5] In the 1924–25 Football League season, Darlington were promoted to the Second Division as champions of the Northern Section. Burridge was not a regular member of the side, but his versatility – he could play across the half-back line or as a forward – meant he was able to establish himself as first reserve,[6] and the supporters included him among those to receive a presentation in appreciation of the team's success.[7]

Burridge became one of a number of new signings from the lower leagues made by Second Division champions Sheffield Wednesday ahead of their First Division campaign.[8] He played only rarely in his first season with Wednesday,[9] and although the £2,000 proceeds of his sale helped Darlington financially, his absence significantly weakened their team and they were relegated in 1926.[10] By November 1927, he was playing more regularly for the first team, and the Derby Daily Telegraph assessed his strengths as "resolute tackling and robust defensive work".[11] In 1928–29, Burridge appeared twice as Wednesday won the League championship[9] and made a greater contribution to their reserve team winning the Central League title.[12] In his last season with Wednesday, he again appeared twice as they retained their title,[9] and then joined Second Division Oldham Athletic for an undisclosed fee.[13]

A year later, he moved back into non-league football. By now playing at centre half, he captained Macclesfield to the 1931–32 Cheshire County League championship and appeared less frequently the following season as they retained the title.[14] After a season with Hyde United,[1] Burridge made his debut for Hurst in a Cheshire League match against former club Macclesfield. He remained with Hurst as a player into the war years, making more than 100 appearances in all competitions,[2] and was appointed player-manager in 1935[15] and acting secretary in 1937.[2]

Burridge died in 1977 at the age of 79.[2]

References
  1. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 44. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  2. "A/B". Ashton United (Hurst FC) Player Database. Archived from the original on 26 July 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  3. "Sporting items". Nottingham Evening Post. 28 November 1921. p. 2 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. "North Eastern League". Yorkshire Post. 18 April 1921. p. 4 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. "North and South. A recruiting ground". Derby Daily Telegraph. 28 January 1922. p. 4 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. "Locals in the fight for the English Cup". Evening Telegraph. Dundee. 8 January 1925. p. 11 – via British Newspaper Archive. Thus the usual League team is together, with Burridge and Scott. Burridge is the general utility man of the club, and can play either half-back or forward, while Scott has twice taken Brown's place at centre-forward in recent matches.
  7. "Football. Association. Darlington's elevation to the Second League". Yorkshire Post. 6 May 1925. p. 12 – via British Newspaper Archive. At a meeting of supporters of the Darlington Football Club last night, it was decided to organise a fund for the purpose of making a presentation to the players in appreciation of their achievement in gaining for the club promotion to the Second Division. The whole of the regular players of the first team will be included, together with Burridge for his services as reserve, and Mr. J. English, the trainer, and "Shy" Birch.
  8. 'An Outside Right' (21 August 1926). "Close season chatter. Prospects of the First Division clubs". Derby Daily Telegraph. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. Jackson, Stuart. "H Burridge". The Sheffield Wednesday Archive. Adrian Bullock. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  10. "Promotion points. Half back weakness". Derby Daily Telegraph. 18 September 1926. p. 4 – via British Newspaper Archive. Darlington's trouble this season is their weakness at half back, for they have found that they cannot sell their best player and then maintain the strength. The Quakers received something like £2,000 for Herbert Burridge when he went to the Wednesday, but he, too, has added an ironic touch to the whole position by failing to do well in the First Division. Manager Jack English is now searching for wing halves.
  11. "Saturday's visitors. Character studies of the Wednesday players". Derby Daily Telegraph. 25 November 1927. p. 7 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. "Untitled". Hull Daily Mail. 3 May 1929. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. "Players transferred". Manchester Guardian. 9 June 1930. p. 14.
  14. "Player profiles: B". Macclesfield Town Football Club Archives. Macclesfield Town F.C. and Geoffrey Knights. Archived from the original on 27 April 2016. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  15. 'Argus' (20 June 1935). "Under the searchlight. Herbert Burridge". Sunderland Echo & Shipping Gazette. p. 11 – via British Newspaper Archive.
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