Gordon Reed

Gordon Isbister Reed (6 May 1913 – 1978) was an English footballer who played as a centre forward in the Football League for Bristol City, Newport County, Queens Park Rangers, Darlington and Gateshead. He was on the books of Huddersfield Town and Everton without appearing for the first-team of either, and also played non-league football for Medomsley Edge, Consett Technical Institute, Consett, Spen Black and White and Spennymoor United.[3] Reed retired from football in his mid-twenties to take up a musical career, initially as guitarist, singer and bandleader, and later in the music publishing industry.

For other people with similar names, see Gordon Reid (disambiguation).

Gordon Reed
Personal information
Full name Gordon Isbister Reed[1]
Date of birth (1913-05-06)6 May 1913[1]
Place of birth Spennymoor, England
Date of death 1978 (aged 64)
Place of death Wisbech, England
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[2]
Position(s) Centre forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Medomsley Edge
Consett Technical Institute
1929–1930 Consett
1930 Huddersfield Town 0 (0)
1930–1931 Spen Black and White
1931 Spennymoor United
1931–1932 Everton 0 (0)
1932–1934 Bristol City 12 (4)
1933–1934 Newport County 16 (11)
1934–1935 Queens Park Rangers 9 (4)
1935–1936 Darlington 18 (7)
1936–1937 Gateshead 23 (2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Life and career

Reed was born in Spennymoor, County Durham, in May 1913.[3] He played football for Medomsley Edge, Consett Technical Institute and Consett, from where he attracted the attention of Football League First Division club Huddersfield Town. He spent time on their books in 1930 before returning to County Durham, where he played as a centre forward and "prolific goal scorer" for Spen Black and White and moved on to Spennymoor United in May 1931.[4][5] He was watched more than once by Everton, who eventually authorised a director to watch him again on "Wed. next, with powers to sign him on up to a fee of £250."[6] On Wednesday next, 23 September 1931, he scored a hat-trick against Darlington's reserve team in the North-Eastern League. The transfer took place at a fee of £250, reported as a Spennymoor club record, Reed received a signing-on bonus of £5 and wages of £4 10s a week, and he went straight into Everton's reserve team for their next match.[7][2] He played and scored regularly for the reserves, with 18 goals from 16 games in the Central League,[8] but was given a free transfer at the end of the season.[9]

He moved on to Bristol City – a Second Division club, but one whose relegation was already confirmed – in time to make his Football League debut in the last home match of that season, against Manchester United on 28 April 1932.[10] He played only rarely for Bristol City's first team. In mid-November 1933, with the club thirteen matches into the season and still without a win,[11] Reed came into the side for the visit to Cardiff City in place of the captain, Ted Bowen, who was rested.[12] He scored twice, "proved an inspiring leader, and the whole team rose to the occasion in such brilliant style that the Ashton Gate men won in a common canter."[13] He kept his place as Bristol City won their next four matches and drew the fifth, but Bowen returned to the side thereafter.[14] Reed was unable to force himself back into the team ahead of either Bowen or Joe Riley, and he moved on to another Third Division South club, Newport County, in February 1934.[15] He scored eleven goals in what remained of the campaign,[3] and then signed for Queens Park Rangers, also of the Southern Section.[16] After four goals in the first five matches of the season, Reed lost his place through injury.[17] He came back in for four appearances without scoring in October and November, but those were his last for the club's first team.[16]

Reed returned to the north-east of England and signed for Darlington of the Third Division North. He was a regular at centre forward during the first half of the 1935–36 season,[18] but lost his place to John Logan, up till then a wing half, at the turn of the year.[19] Although the experiment failed, Reed appeared only infrequently thereafter, but his scoring rate improved – four goals from his last six appearances, as against three from his first twelve.[18] He was given a free transfer,[20] and moved on to another Northern Section club, Gateshead.[21]

While pursuing his football career in the winter, Reed spent his summers playing guitar and crooning at an increasingly professional level. In 1936 and 1937, he worked with Alan Green's Band,[21][22] and in March 1938 – after 23 League appearances for Gateshead that produced just two goals[3] – he decided to quit football and concentrate on a musical career. He signed what the Daily Mirror described as a long contract to front Oscar Rabin's Romany Band at the Hammersmith Palais.[23] By February 1940, he was leading his own band playing at the Ritz Hotel.[24] After the war, he worked in music publishing, for companies including Chappell, Boosey & Hawkes,[25] and Syd Dale's Amphonic.[26]

Reed died in early 1978 in the Wisbech area of Cambridgeshire at the age of 64. He was buried in Blackhill Cemetery, in Consett, County Durham.[1][27]

References
  1. Reed's death was registered in the first quarter of 1978 in the Wisbech registration district of Cambridgeshire. "Index entry". FreeBMD. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  2. "T.F.'s. Sports Notes. "Moors'" centre for Everton". Northern Daily Mail. West Hartlepool. 24 September 1931. p. 7.
  3. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 217. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  4. "Player search: Reed, GI (Gordon)". English National Football Archive. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  5. Argus (13 May 1931). "'Argus' reviews the sports news". Sunderland Daily Echo. p. 11. Spennymoor have undoubtedly made a capture, as Reed has been sought by many clubs since he returned to North-West Durham from Huddersfield Town in the early part of last season.
  6. "Meeting of Directors held at Exchange Hotel Liverpool on Monday 21st Sept. 1931". Minute Book No. 16. Everton Football Club. 1931–1933. p. 50.
  7. "Meeting of Directors held at Exchange Hotel Liverpool on Wednesday 30th Sept 1931". Minute Book No. 16. The Everton Football Club Co. Ltd. 1931–1933. pp. 52–53.
  8. "Bristol City sign new centre-forward". Western Daily Press. Bristol. 28 April 1932. p. 4.
  9. "Meeting of Directors held at Exchange Hotel, L'pool on Tuesday, Apl. 12th, 1932". Minute Book No. 16. The Everton Football Club Co. Ltd. 1931–1933. p. 146.
  10. "City retaining only 11 players. New centre in side to meet Manchester U.". Western Daily Press. Bristol. 29 April 1932. p. 4.
  11. "Bristol City football club match record: 1934". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  12. "City captain being rested". Western Daily Press. Bristol. 10 November 1933. p. 3.
  13. "Bristol City stagger football world". Western Daily Press. Bristol. 13 November 1933. p. 4.
  14. "Bristol City make important forward change". Western Daily Press. Bristol. 22 December 1933. p. 2. Having won five of their last six games (including two cup-ties), and drawn the other, Bristol City are hoping to continue the good work and materially improve their position in the Third Division (Southern Section) table during the Christmas holidays. ... Much depends on the City forwards, whose weak shooting frequently mars good approach work. ... A change has been made in the City team for the first time in several weeks, Bowen returning to centre-forward in place of Reed.
  15. "Riley retained at centre-forward". Western Daily Press. Bristol. 2 February 1934. p. 3.
    "Bristol City forward transferred". Western Daily Press. Bristol. 12 February 1934. p. 4.
  16. Westerberg, Kenneth. "1934/35" (XLS). QPRnet.com. Ron Norris. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  17. Carter-Hall, J. (14 September 1934). "Firework day in Division II". Daily Mirror. London. p. 26. Queen's Park Rangers, who entertain the successful Brighton side, are in the wars through injuries, and both the attack and defence have had to be altered. Russell comes in for Ashman at left back, March for Parmer at right half, Abel for Reed at centre forward, ...
  18. Tweddle, Frank (2000). The Definitive Darlington F.C. Nottingham: SoccerData. pp. 37, 107. ISBN 978-1-899468-15-7.
  19. "Darlington surprise". Northern Daily Mail. West Hartlepool. 31 December 1935. p. 7.
  20. "Feethams list. Darlington retain twelve players". Northern Daily Mail. West Hartlepool. 2 May 1936. p. 7.
  21. "North-east signings". Northern Daily Mail. West Hartlepool. 26 August 1936. p. 7. travelled from Hastings where he has been with a concert party
  22. "Footballer crooner". Hastings & St Leonards Observer. 16 May 1936. p. 9. Gordon Reed, centre-forward for Darlington Football Club, whose summer occupation is crooning and playing the guitar for Alan Green's Band, is opening at Hastings Pier on May 27th.
    "Dance Band Diaries from the Melody Maker Volume 8". National Jazz Archive. June 1937. p. 9. Retrieved 15 November 2020. Gordon Reed, centre forward with Gateshead F.C., in the Third Division, joins Alan Green's Band as guitarist-vocalist.
  23. "Transferred – to the Band!". Daily Mirror. London. 3 March 1938. p. 30.
    "Dance Band Diaries from the Melody Maker Volume 9". National Jazz Archive. March 1938. p. 4. Retrieved 30 January 2019. Queens Park Rangers centre-forward Gordon Reed quits soccer and is presented as a singing-bandleader at the Hammersmith Palais by Oscar Rabin.
  24. "Dance Band Diaries from the Melody Maker Volume 11". National Jazz Archive. February 1940. p. 3. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  25. "Chit chat". The Stage. London. 4 February 1965. p. 10. Gordon Reed has joined the staff of Boosey and Hawkes Music Publishers Limited, where he will be responsible for exploiting light music. When he left school, Mr Reed became a professional footballer and played for Everton and Bristol City. He then played the guitar in Oscar Rabin's band at the Hammersmith Palais. After the war, he entered the music publishing business and worked for Chappells, Weinberger and Mills.
  26. Lomax, Oliver (2005). "Once more from the top" (PDF). Vinyl Vulture. Retrieved 30 January 2019 – via dickwalter.co.uk.
  27. Reed was buried at Blackhill Cemetery on 9 March 1978; the burial record gives his age as 64. National Burial Index for England & Wales Transcription. Gordon Isbister Reed. Place: Consett. Church: Blackhill Cemetery.
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