| Cliff Thorley (born 1916) | |
| Fullname: | Ernest Thorley |
| Position: | Forward |
| Birth Date: | 17 January 1916[1] [2] |
| Birth Place: | Wath, England |
| Death Date: | 2006 |
| Death Place: | Bradford, West Yorkshire, England |
| Years1: | 1932 |
| Clubs1: | Frickley Colliery |
| Years2: | 1932–1934 |
| Caps2: | 1 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 1934–1936 |
| Caps3: | 36 |
| Goals3: | 5 |
| Years4: | 1936–1937 |
| Years5: | 1937–1938 |
| Caps5: | 37 |
| Goals5: | 13 |
| Years6: | 1938–1939 |
| Caps6: | 15 |
| Goals6: | 3 |
Ernest 'Cliff' Thorley (17 January 1916 – 2006) was an English professional footballer who played as a forward and winger. He most notably played in the Football League for Sunderland,[3] Hull City[4] and Bristol City.[5]
Thorley was born in Wath, and began his football career with Frickley Colliery, before turning professional with Sunderland at age 17.[6]
Whilst playing for Frickley he captained Yorkshire and represented his county on multiple occasions.[7] One year later he joined Hull City, and then played for Kidderminster Harriers in the Birmingham league before joining Cheltenham Town.
Thorley was a very popular player in Cheltenham. He played in 37 of 38 League and Cup matches—missing only one because of a severe cold—and scoring 13 times. Wrote the Gloucestershire Echo, "One of the fastest wingers ever to assist Cheltenham Town, Thorley is the possessor of a devastating shot which, with his remarkable speed, has caused defences many anxious times." Thorley, then 22, was transferred to Bristol City in 1938.[8]
In 1939, he made a shock decision to retire from professional football at a young age to become a policeman in Huddersfield.[7] In 1942, he played in the Inter-Allied Services Cup, a wartime football competition involving British serviceman, police and firefighters. Other members of the police squad were Jack Nicholas, Bob Brocklebank, and Tom Smith.[9]