[theo_luddite]

Well done indeed Snoots, you've earned the day off tomorrow.

[Lord Snooty]

Thanks for doing this daily read over 2022 Snoots.

I've learnt so much about the history of Huddersfield Town I feel I'd be OK now on Mastermind. 

Seriously, well done and what are you going to do with yourself now each day to fill your time?

It was nice that the lads finished 2022 with a win the other night against Rotherham (in honour of your dedication  ) ..........................lets hope they are to their beds early tonight to be ready for Luton tomorrow.

Thanks once again, all the best both to you and the Terriers in 2023 

I could set a few Mastermind style questions up. It does my head in watching that programme, the length of each question taking about 30 seconds to read out and the contestant has to wait until it's all been read before he or she can answer, even though he or she knew the answer straight away.

[Lord Snooty]

October 28:

Starting today with an obituary, for on this date in 1940, Fred Walker, the first ever manager of Huddersfield Town died in Leeds, aged 62.

He was born in 1878 and so would've been 30 years old when he took to the field as player/manager of our first ever match, in the North-Eastern League, away at South Shields Adelaide. He was from up in that neck of the woods having been born in Longbenton and starting his playing days with Hebburn Argyle as an amateur, combining this with his day job as a brass founder.

After a couple of seasons there, he went over to the west coast and played a couple of seasons, as captain, with Barrow. But then he was signed by Leeds City in 1905 and a had a chance to play in the Football League with the newly elected Peacocks.

He had three seasons down Bellend Road, playing at centre half mainly, but all along the back line at times when needed for cover. Sadly, he missed most of the 07/08 season with a bad illness and was allowed to leave at the end of the season.

Luckily for him, it was to join what would become the greatest football club in the world. But obviously nobody knew that then and so when the board of directors of the newly formed Huddersfield Town appointed him as manager/secretary, he was unsure how things would progress.

They progressed alright actually. He played in that first ever game, playing 21 times in that first season. He only played twice in the Midland League season before hanging up his boots and concentrating on managing the club and on getting the team elected into the Football League.

He did play in a couple of the FA Cup games and scored his only goal for the club in a 7-0 win against Rothwell White Rose at Leeds Road. In the next round of the Cup, Fred got his career ending injury against the rough house tactics of South Kirkby Colliery. He was deliberately kneed in the head and was carried off unconcsious and spending a week in hospital. The internal injuries meant that he was to pack in on medical advice. More on this infamous match next month.

Town did get elected into the FL at the end of the 09/10 season and Fred wasn't offered the job. Instead he stayed on as assistant to the new manager, Dick Pudan, but left in November 1910. And we know nothing else about him apart from the fact that he died thirty years later on this date in 1940. Did he go back to the brass foundry? Who knows?

Well we have some answers in today's programme. Lee Morris and his pals at the HTFC Heritage Project have been doing some research.....

He went to Germany in 1911 and had a couple of years managing FC Nurnberg. He then returned to England and became a pub landlord at the Wheatsheaf in Bradford, the Fountain in Morley (a pub I often frequented in my drinking days) and the Black Bull in Berry Brow.

After leaving the Bull in 1925, he went to be a hotel manager in Leeds.

So that fills in the missing years between leaving Leeds Road and his death in 1940. The guys at the Project though, have also found where he's buried.

He's in a common grave in Harehills Cemetery, alongside several others, with no headstone. They have been and located the grave, laid some flowers and a Town pennant and are now looking into options for marking the grave permanently.

Good work, guys.