Harry Baldwin (footballer)

Harry Baldwin (17 July 1920 – 28 October 2010) was an English professional footballer who made more than 200 Football League appearances playing as a goalkeeper for West Bromwich Albion, Brighton & Hove Albion and Walsall.[3]

Harry Baldwin
Personal information
Date of birth (1920-07-17)17 July 1920[1]
Place of birth Birmingham, England
Date of death 28 October 2010(2010-10-28) (aged 90)[2]
Place of death Northampton,[2] England
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
19??–1936 Sutton Coldfield Town
1936–1939 West Bromwich Albion 5 (0)
1939–1952 Brighton & Hove Albion 164 (0)
1952–1953 Kettering Town
1953–1955 Walsall 37 (0)
1955–1956 Wellington Town
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Life and career

Baldwin was born in Saltley, Birmingham.[3] He joined West Bromwich Albion from Sutton Town as a 15-year-old amateur in 1936,[4] and made his first-team debut at 17 in 1938 in a 4–3 win in the First Division against local rivals Birmingham. He kept his place for the remaining four matches of the season, but was unable to help West Brom retain their top-flight status. He turned professional, but broke his collarbone, never regained his place, and was released at the end of the season. He moved on to Brighton & Hove Albion, but played just one league match before competitive football was abandoned for the duration of the Second World War.[1]

He served in the Royal Navy during the war but was medically discharged. After recovering, he made guest appearances in the wartime competitions for clubs including Nottingham Forest and Northampton Town,[5] and then returned to Brighton & Hove Albion. For the next seven seasons, Baldwin shared the goalkeeper position with Jack Ball, and took his appearance total to 183 in first-team competitions. Despite his lack of height – he stood 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) – he was particularly adept at saving penalties: in the 1947–48 season he saved seven penalties out of nine faced, including five in succession.[1][6]

Baldwin moved on in 1952 to an engineering job in Northampton, continuing his football career with Kettering Town of the Southern League,[6] but returned to the Football League in 1953 with Walsall. After 18 months and 37 appearances, he moved to Wellington Town where injury ended his career. He returned to engineering, and ran machine-tool companies in the Midlands.[5][7]

Baldwin died in Northampton in 2010 at the age of 90.[6]

References
  1. Carder, Tim; Harris, Roger (1997). Albion A–Z: A Who's Who of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. Hove: Goldstone Books. p. 20. ISBN 978-0-9521337-1-1.
  2. "Harry Baldwin". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  3. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 15. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  4. "History: Between the wars". Sutton Coldfield Town F.C. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  5. "Penalty expert who rode his good luck". The Argus. Brighton. 8 April 2001. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  6. Nicoli, Luke (1 November 2010). "Harry Baldwin 1920–2010". Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. Archived from the original on 4 November 2010.
  7. Edwards, Leigh. "Ultimate Saddlers A–Z 1". Walsall F.C. Archived from the original on 5 February 2011.
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