Chick Reed Explained

Chick Reed
Fullname:Charles William Reed
Birth Date:21 March 1912
Birth Place:Holbeach, England
Death Place:Spalding, England
Height:[1]
Position:Forward / Left half
Youthyears1:
Years1:
Clubs1:Little London Vics
Years2:
Clubs2:Spalding Institute
Years3:
Years4:1930–1932
Caps4:2
Goals4:1
Years5:1932–1935
Caps5:55
Goals5:24
Years6:1935–1936
Clubs6:Southport
Caps6:35
Goals6:9
Years7:1936–1937
Caps7:37
Goals7:10
Years8:1937
Years9:1937–1938
Caps9:22
Goals9:9
Years10:1938–1939
Caps10:36
Goals10:2
Years11:
Clubs11:Pinchbeck
Years12:
Clubs12:Crowland

Charles William Reed (21 March 1912 – 28 July 1964), known as Chick[2] or Charlie Reed, was an English professional footballer who scored 55 goals from 187 appearances in the Football League playing as a forward or left half for Sheffield United, Lincoln City, Southport, Chesterfield, Mansfield Town and Notts County.[3]

Football career

Reed was born in Holbeach, Lincolnshire, and played local football in the Lincolnshire area before a successful trial led to his signing for Sheffield United. He made his debut in the 1931–32 season, and scored his first goal on 19 September 1931 as Sheffield United beat Birmingham 3–1 in the Football League First Division.[1] [3] [4]

After two seasons with Sheffield United,[1] during which he played only twice in the League,[3] Reed moved to Lincoln City, newly promoted to the Second Division. He played in only a third of Lincoln's games in his first season, and around a half in the next, nevertheless finishing as the club's leading scorer for 1933–34, though with only seven goals as the club were relegated to the Third Division North. Reed appeared regularly in 1934–35, and scored 17 goals from only 25 games – only one goal behind Johnny Campbell's tally of 18, which had come from a full season's worth of matches – before leaving the club to join Third Division rivals Southport in February 1935.[2]

A highlight of the year Reed spent at Southport came against Hartlepools United in April 1935 when, after "picking up the ball in his own half, he ran 70 yards and shrugged off four challenges before smacking it into the net to score a memorable goal".[1] [5]

Reed joined Chesterfield for a fee of £800, scored on debut in a 3–1 defeat of Tranmere Rovers, and helped the club to the championship of the Third Division North and consequent promotion.[6] He played regularly in the Second Division until January 1937, when he played his last game for the club, the third-round FA Cup defeat to Arsenal, and returned to non-League football with Spalding United.[7]

He spent the 1937–38 season with Mansfield Town and the next season with Notts County before dropping back into Lincolnshire local football with Pinchbeck and then with Crowland.[3]

Reed died at his home in Spalding, Lincolnshire, in 1964 at the age of 52.[1]

Notes and References

  1. News: Footballer to walk in great grandad's boots . Peterborough Telegraph . 8 August 2008 . 15 April 2010.
  2. Web site: Chick Reed . https://archive.today/20130201043323/http://www.redimps.com/archive3/index.mv?cat=players&drop=playerdetsdrop&play=reed01 . dead . 1 February 2013 . The Lincoln City FC Archive . Lincoln City F.C . 15 April 2010 . Access individual season statistics via Season Stats dropdown menu.
  3. Book: Joyce, Michael . Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939 . SoccerData (Tony Brown) . Nottingham . 2004 . 217 . 978-1-899468-67-6.
  4. News: Results And Tables . The Times . 21 September 1931 . 6.
  5. Web site: Football League Player List . Southport FC Stats . Rob Urwin . 15 April 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140626070716/http://southportfcstats.co.uk/FOOTBALL%20LEAGUE%20PLAYER%20LIST.pdf . 26 June 2014 .
  6. Web site: Chesterfield FC, 1935–6 . Excel spreadsheet . Stuart . Basson . Chesterfield F.C . 15 April 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120820060939/http://www.chesterfield-fc.co.uk/staticFiles/41/31/0%2C%2C10435~143681%2C00.xls . 20 August 2012 .
  7. Web site: Chesterfield FC, 1936–7 . Excel spreadsheet . Stuart . Basson . Chesterfield F.C . 15 April 2010.