Category Archives: Player Database

Player Database

#3: Jack Forrest

Leave a comment

Born: 1878 in Lanarkshire, Scotland

Bradford City debut: 1 September 1903 v Grimsby Town

Appearances: 58
Goals: 24

Achievements: Top scorer in 1904-05 season (17 goals)

Profile

Scottish-born forward Jack Forrest was signed for Bradford City in the summer of 1903, following a spell at Stoke City which started with him scoring twice on his debut, but ended just a handful of appearances later after he became homesick.

Forrest had earlier impressed for Wishaw United and Motherwell north of the border, and was lured back to England by the City directors ahead of the club’s inaugural league campaign in 1903.

Forrest scored seven goals in 30 games in 1903-04, but would prove to be much more effective the following season. He ended 1904-05 as the club’s top scorer, scoring 17 times in 25 games: including four in a 9-0 FA Cup victory against Sunderland WE. However, that summer, he left City and returned to Scotland, signing for Hamilton Academical.

Player Database

#2: Thomas Farnall

Leave a comment

Born: 1876

Bradford City debut: 1 September 1903 v Grimsby Town

Appearances: 26
Goals: 2

Profile

Already possessing Football League experience with Small Heath, wing-half Thomas Farnall was a vital addition to Bradford City’s first-ever league squad of 1903-04.

Signed from Watford – he had also played for Bristol Rovers – Farnall made 26 appearances for the Paraders in total: all of them coming in the club’s first season. He left in 1905 to join Walsall, before later playing for Barrow and Gloucester City.

Player Database

#1: John Beckram

Image Leave a comment

Born: August 1881

Bradford City debut: 1 September 1903 v Grimsby Town

Appearances: 26
Goals: 8

Profile

John Beckram was born in Sunderland in 1881, and played for Sheffield United before becoming part of the first-ever side to play a competitive fixture for Bradford City.

Beckram has the distinction of owning Heritage Number #1, on account of being the first player listed in the team sheet against Grimsby Town in September 1903 alphabetically.

He was released by the club in the summer of 1905, after failing to make an appearance for City in the club’s second season of 1904-05.