Profile

Edgar Chadwick spent the autumn of his career at Liverpool, after a sensational career across Stanley Park with Everton from 1888-1899.

He signed for the Blues before the inaugural Football League season of 1888-89, playing 300 games and scoring 110 goals, the highlight winning the league championship in 1891. The 5 ft 6 in (167 cm) left-winger Chadwick was called "King of the dribblers and master of the ball" as Victor Hall recalls in the Liverpool Echo in the 1920s: "To see Edgar Chadwick in play was to realise for the first time what the art of "dribbling" really meant. As a player he never appeared to be speedy, he had not the build or the symmetry of wind and limb that indicates pace. Coming of Lancashire stock, he had rather the loose awkward build that even when stripped for play is so deceptive in other fields of athletics. In manner Edgar was shy and diffident. He had that modest, unassuming manner both on and off the field of play, that one finds so frequently in really great players."

Chadwick joined Burnley at 30 years of age, but despite being the top-scorer of the team with 10 goals he couldn‘t prevent their relegation to 2nd Division. He joined Southampton where he was victorious in the Southern League before he reached the FA Cup final the following season where The Saints lost 1-2 in a replay vs. Sheffield United. After 52 league games and 18 goals for the Saints, Liverpool wanted his services and £35 had to be paid to Burnley that still held his Football League registration.

Chadwick moved to Liverpool where he played in the club's forward-line for two seasons between the championship wins in 1901 and 1906. He missed only five of the 34 First Division matches in the 1902-03 season and scored seven times, including two in the 9-2 demolition of Grimsby Town at Anfield on 6th December 1902. He added a further 14 matches to his total the following season (1903-04) but failed to add to his total of goals. Chadwick's teammates undoubtedly learnt a whole lot from playing with him as "he had a kindly disposition to new players and especially to young ones coming along (Victor Hall)."

A pioneer in Englishmen coaching abroad he became a respected coach in Holland and was appointed coach of the Dutch national team in 1908, a post he held until November 1913, guiding the team to bronze medals in the 1908 and 1912 Olympics. He returned to Blackburn to work as a baker and made one final appearance as wartime guest for Blackburn Rovers vs. Manchester United on 11th November 1916 at the age of 47!

Other Clubs:
Little Dots FC, Blackburn Olympic, Blackburn Rovers (all three amateur), Everton, Burnley, Southampton (amateur), Blackpool, Glossop, Darwen (amateur), Blackburn Rovers (wartime guest)