Bert Menlove
English footballer (1892–1970)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bertie Menlove (8 December 1892 – 3 July 1970)[1] was an English footballer who played as a forward in the Football League for Crystal Palace and Sheffield United.[2]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Bertie Menlove | ||
| Date of birth | 8 December 1892 | ||
| Place of birth | St Albans, England | ||
| Date of death | 3 July 1970 (aged 77) | ||
| Place of death | Bridge, Kent, England | ||
| Position | Centre forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| ?–1919 | Barnet & Alston | ||
| 1920 | Aston Villa | 0 | (0) |
| 1920–1922 | Crystal Palace | 65 | (18) |
| 1922–1926 | Sheffield United | 74 | (41) |
| 1926–1928 | Boston Town | ||
| 1928 | Aldershot Town | ||
| 1928–1929 | Worksop Town | ||
| 1929 | Bangor Athletic | ||
| 1929–1930 | Clapton Orient | ||
| 1930 | Coleraine | ||
| 1931–1934 | Ashford Town | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| 1932–1934 | Ashford Town (player-manager) | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Born in St Albans, Menlove transferred in 1920 from Barnet & Alston to Aston Villa.[3] He didn't make any league appearances for Villa and moved on to Crystal Palace,[4] then of the Southern League. He scored his only hat–trick for Palace in a Southern League march versus Gillingham in March 1920.[5] The following season Palace joined the newly constituted Third Division and with Menlove scoring five goals[6] that season they topped the league and secured promotion to the Second division. Notable that season was an FA Cup win over then First Division Manchester City,[7] a game in which Menlove scored. The following season Palace achieved a 6-0 FA cup win at first division Everton[8] (this remains Everton's largest home cup defeat) with Menlove netting a couple. His tally of seven goals in the 1921–22 season[9] for now second division Palace encouraged First Division Sheffield United to sign him in the spring of 1922.[10]
During his spell (1922–1926) at Sheffield United in 81 appearances Menlove scored 43 goals[11] (41 in the league) including two hat–tricks: against Tottenham in March 1924 and Birmingham in October 1925.[12] Despite his goal scoring record Menlove did not play in Sheffield United's 1925 FA Cup Final winning team.
After leaving Sheffield United in 1926 Menlove joined Midland League Boston Town[13] for a two season stay.[14] In his first season there Boston Town were league runners-up.
Over the next few seasons he signed for a succession of clubs: at the start of the 1928-1929 season he joined Southern League Eastern Division Aldershot Town;[15] by December 1928 he had moved to Midland League Worksop Town;[16] a few weeks later, in early 1929, Menlove was at Bangor[17] in North Wales with Bangor Athletic[18] playing in the Wales National League (North). Menlove married whilst in the city;[19] for the 1929–1930 season Menlove returned to London and signed-on with Football League Division 3 South Clapton Orient[20] but featured mostly in their Southern League based reserve side; in December 1930 he crossed the Irish Sea to play with Irish League Coleraine[21]
Then there came a period of stability for three seasons playing with Kent League Ashford Town from 1931 to 1932[22] to 1933–1934.[23] In that first season the club were league runners-up and they scored an Ashford Town season record 115 league goals. He was appointed as Ashford's player-manager in April 1932[24]
Menlove died in July 1970.[1]