Harold Fleming (footballer)

Harold Fleming
Personal information
Full name Harold John Fleming
Date of birth 30 April 1887
Place of birth Downton, Wiltshire, England
Date of death 23 August 1955(1955-08-23) (aged 68)
Position(s) Inside forward
Youth career
St. Marks
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1907–1924 Swindon Town 293 (183)
International career
1909–1914 England 11 (9)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Harold John Fleming (30 April 1887 – 23 August 1955) was an English footballer who played as an inside forward for Swindon Town and the England national team. He is the only Swindon Town player to have featured for England.

Club career

Fleming began his career at St. Marks before being invited for a trial at Swindon Town by manager Sam Allen.[1] He joined the club in 1907.[2] Fleming scored a brace in a 4–0 win over Salisbury and was swiftly signed on a full-time basis.[1]

Fleming became a Swindon Town legend scoring 203 times in 332 games in 17 years at the club.[2] If not for World War I his career may have been more successful. He worked as a physical education instructor during the conflict.[2]

During his career, Fleming had a style of football boot named after him.[citation needed]

International career

Fleming remains the only Swindon player to have represented England at senior level while playing for the club[3] - gaining 11 caps between 1909 and 1914.

Legacy

Swindon Heritage Blue Plaque on the house lived in by Harold Fleming in Durham Street, Swindon.

Fleming Way in Swindon, close to the County Ground, is named after him and a statue of him stands inside the foyer of Swindon Town at the County Ground. In 2019 Swindon Heritage unveiled a blue plaque to Fleming on his former home in Durham Street.[4]

Around 2009 video footage of Fleming's playing was discovered.[2]

Family

Harold Fleming was the son of Fredrick Henry Fleming (born 19 May 1850), and had one brother (Fredrick Edwin) and two sisters (Ella and Edith). All four went on to have children, including a daughter (Meriel) for Harold.[citation needed]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[1]
Club Season League FA Cup League cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Swindon Town 1907–08 28 17 4 0 0 0 32 17
1908–09 34 29 1 0 0 0 35 29
1909–10 33 19 5 5 3 1 41 25
1910–11 30 19 4 2 2 0 36 21
1911–12 20 16 6 5 1 0 27 21
1912–13 12 9 2 1 0 0 14 10
1913–14 24 18 1 1 0 0 25 19
1914–15 23 12 2 0 0 0 25 12
1919–20 20 10 2 0 0 0 22 10
1920–21 26 16 1 1 0 0 27 17
1921–22 24 11 2 2 0 0 26 13
1922–23 14 4 1 0 0 0 15 4
1923–24 5 3 5 2 0 0 10 5
Career total 293 183 36 19 6 1 335 203

International

Scores and results list England's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Fleming goal.
List of international goals scored by Harold Fleming[5]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 29 May 1909 Millenáris Sporttelep, Budapest, Hungary Hungary 3–0 4–2 Friendly
2 31 May 1909 Millenáris Sporttelep, Budapest, Hungary Scotland 1–0 8–2 Friendly
3 5–0
4 12 February 1910 Solitude, Belfast, Ireland Ireland 1–1 1–1 Friendly
5 10 February 1912 Dalymount Park, Dublin, Ireland Ireland 1–0 6–1 Friendly
6 3–1
7 5–1
8 17 March 1913 Ashton Gate, Bristol, England Wales 1–1 4–3 Friendly
9 4 April 1914 Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland Scotland 1–1 1–3 Friendly

References

  1. ^ a b c "Harold Fleming - Player Profile". Swindon Town F.C. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d "Lost Harold Fleming footage found". BBC. 28 January 2009. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  3. ^ Leighton, Barry (1 July 2014). "Swindon's 160 greatest headline makers...part 4". Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  4. ^ "Harold Fleming". SWINDON HERITAGE BLUE PLAQUES. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  5. ^ Harold Fleming at National-Football-Teams.com