Alf Edge

Alf Edge
Personal information
Full name Alfred Edge[1]
Date of birth 5 November 1864[2][3]
Place of birth Stone, Staffordshire, England[2][3]
Date of death 11 April 1941(1941-04-11) (aged 76)[1]
Position(s) Inside forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1884 Goldenhill Wanderers
1885–1891 Stoke 52 (16)
1891–1892 Newton Heath 19 (7)
1892 Nottingham Jardines Athletic
1892–1893 Stoke 1 (1)
1893–1894 Northwich Victoria 3 (0)
1894 Ardwick 1 (0)
1894 Macclesfield 4 (2)
Total 80 (26)
International career
1891[4] Football Alliance XI 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Alfred Edge (5 November 1864 – 11 April 1941) was an English footballer. His regular position was as a forward. He played for Stoke, Newton Heath, Northwich Victoria and Ardwick[1]

Career

Edge was born in Stone, Staffordshire, and played for a Staffordshire side Goldenhill Wanderers before joining Stoke in 1885.[1] He became a useful forward for Stoke and scored five goals in a 10–1 win over Caernarfon Wanderers in the FA Cup during the 1886–87 season.[1] He was a member of the Stoke squad in their first two seasons in the Football League. He made his League debut on 8 September 1888, as a forward for Stoke in a 2–0 defeat by West Bromwich Albion at the Victoria Ground. His debut League goal was scored on 1 December 1888 in a 2–1 victory against Blackburn Rovers. In 1889–90 he played 19 of the 22 League matches played by Stoke scoring three goals.[2] Like the rest of the team Edge struggled in the first two seasons, Stoke failed to gain re-election and joined the Football Alliance. Stoke were much more successful as they finished as champions of the Alliance with Edge scoring 12 goals.[1]

Stoke re-gained their place in the Football League but Edge stayed in the Alliance signing for Manchester based Newton Heath.[1] Whilst at Newton Heath he was suspended by the FA for also playing for Nottingham Jardines Athletic. His ban was lifted after an investigation and he re-joined Stoke in 1892. He played one match for Stoke which came in a 7–1 victory against his old club Newton Heath.[1] He later went on to play for Northwich Victoria, Ardwick and finished his football career with Macclesfield.[1]

Style of play

In one source described as an exceptionally fine footballer; a versatile forward with loads of skill quick over short distances and who never gave up the ghost.[5]

Career statistics

Source:[2]

Club Season League FA Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Stoke 1885–86 — — 2 0 2 0
1886–87 — — 2 6 2 6
1887–88 — — 4 2 4 2
1888–89 Football League 19 3 1 0 20 3
1889–90 Football League 11 1 4 3 15 4
1890–91 Football Alliance 22 12 3 0 25 12
Total 52 16 16 11 68 27
Newton Heath 1891–92 Football Alliance 19 7 3 3 22 10
Stoke[1] 1892–93 First Division 1 1 0 0 1 1
Northwich Victoria 1893–94[2] Second Division 3 0 0 0 3 0
Ardwick 1893–94[2] Second Division 1 0 0 0 1 0
Macclesfield 1893–94[6] The Combination 4 2 0 0 4 2
Career Total 80 26 19 14 99 40

Honours

Stoke

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Alf Edge at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  3. ^ a b "FreeBMD". Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  4. ^ Football Alliance v Football League, 20 April 1891, 11v11.com
  5. ^ Matthews, Tony (2005). The Who's Who of Stoke City. Breedon Books. p. 72. ISBN 1-85983-473-6.
  6. ^ "Player Profiles". Silkmen Archives. Archived from the original on 15 November 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2018.