Reg Freeman

Reg Freeman was an English football player and manager.

Reg Freeman
Personal information
Place of birth Birkenhead, Cheshire, England[1][2]
Date of death 4 August 1955[2]
Teams managed
Years Team
1934–1952 Rotherham United
1952–1955 Sheffield United

Career

Player

Freeman played 104 times for Oldham Athletic, making his debut in January 1921 against Bolton Wanderers.[3] Freeman joined Middlesbrough from the Latics in May 1923 for £3,600.[1] Whilst playing left-back for Middlesbrough, the team won the Second Division title in 1927–28 in impressive fashion scoring 122 goals in 42 league games.[1] He made 29 league appearances that season.[1] While Middlesbrough were relegated the next season (Freeman was mostly injured that season), he would win another Second Division title in 1928–29 with the club.[3] In total Freeman spent seven seasons playing at Ayresome Park before leaving for Rotherham United for only £150 in 1930, where he became player-manager in 1934.[1] He played war-time football for Liverpool as well.[3]

Manager

Freeman was manager for Rotherham United from 1934 to 1952. Rotherham finished as runners-up three time in succession between 1947 and 1949 and then were champions of the Third Division North in 1950–51. He was appointed as manager of Sheffield United for the 1952–53 season, and immediately led the club to the Second Division title.[4] United narrowly avoid relegation in 1953–54, finishing 20th in the First Division.[4] Other season highlights include the debut of goalkeeper Alan Hodgkinson, plus the first floodlit game at Bramall Lane since the 19th century.[4] Two big defeats early in the 1954–55 season caused concern, but United completed the league double over Steel City derby rivals Wednesday on their way to a 13th-place finish.[4] However Freeman was taken ill and died before the start of the 1955–56 season.[4]

Honours

Player

Middlesbrough

Manager

Rotherham United

Sheffield United

References
  1. "Reg Freeman 1926-27 golden Boro medal up for auction". Gazette Live. 24 October 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
  2. "Reg Freeman 1927 Boro medal sells for £1,200 at auction". Gazette Live. 8 November 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
  3. "Freeman Reg Image 2 Middlesbrough 1926". Vintage Footballers. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
  4. "A year by year history". Sheffield United F.C. Archived from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2012.


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