Albert Groves (footballer, born 1886)

For the English full back who played for Lincoln City, Sheffield United and Middlesbrough, see Albert Groves (footballer, born 1883).

Albert Groves (January 1886 – 1960) was a Welsh footballer and manager. A centre-half, he played for Aberdare Athletic, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Walsall, and Willenhall. He served Walsall as player-manager in the 1920–21 season.

Albert Groves

Personal information
Full name	Albert Groves
Date of birth	January 1886^[1]
Place of birth	Newport, Wales^[1]
Date of death	1960 (aged 73–74)^[1]
Height	5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)^[1]
Position(s)	Centre-half^[1]
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1908–1909	Aberdare Athletic
1909–1920	Wolverhampton Wanderers	200	(18)
1920–1924	Walsall	79	(15)
	Willenhall
Total		279	(33)
Managerial career
1920–1921	Walsall (player-manager)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Born at Newport in January 1886, Groves began his career as a forward, playing for Aberdare Athletic.^[2][3] He signed with Wolverhampton Wanderers in August 1909.^[1] He made his Second Division debut at Molineux on the last day of the 1909–10 season, in a 3–2 win over Manchester City.^[1] Wanderers went on to finish ninth in 1910–11 and fifth in 1911–12, before Groves scored 10 league goals to help the club to a tenth-place finish in 1912–13.^[1] Over time, he was converted into a centre half and the club went on to finish ninth in 1913–14 and fourth in 1914–15,^[2] before World War I temporarily put a halt to the Football League.^[1] During the war he guested for Port Vale in October 1916, scoring three goals in 23 games before moving on to Bury and Sunbeam Motor Works (Coventry).^[4] Groves also guested for Stoke in 1915–16.^[5] After returning to "Wolves" after the war, he helped the club to a 19th-place finish in 1919–20.^[1] He was then appointed player-manager at Birmingham League club Walsall, before he was replaced by Joe Burchell.^[1] He remained on at Fellows Park as player-secretary, and scored eight goals in 36 games in 1921–22, as the club became founder members of the Third Division North.^[1] He continued to turn out for the "Saddlers" in 1922–23 and 1923–24, racking up 79 League, 12 FA Cup and 33 other senior appearances, scoring 15 goals.^[1] A serious knee injury led Groves to end his playing days at Willenhall and after retiring from football he ran the Hope and Anchor public house in Willenhall.^[2][1]

Career statistics

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Wolverhampton Wanderers	1909–10^[6]	Second Division	1	0	0	0	1	0
	1910–11^[6]	Second Division	38	0	3	0	41	0
	1911–12^[6]	Second Division	37	0	4	1	41	1
	1912–13^[6]	Second Division	37	10	2	0	39	10
	1913–14^[6]	Second Division	31	3	3	1	34	4
	1914–15^[7]	Second Division	31	1	2	0	33	1
	1919–20^[6]	Second Division	25	4	3	0	29	4
	Total		200	18	17	2	217	20
Walsall	1921–22^[6]	Third Division North	36	8	6	1	42	9
	1922–23^[6]	Third Division North	15	3	2	0	17	3
	1923–24^[6]	Third Division North	28	4	2	0	30	4
	Total		79	15	10	1	89	16
Career total			279	33	27	3	306	36

Honours

Aberdare Athletic

• Welsh Football League: 1908–09^[3]

References

1. . thewolvessite.co.uk. Archived from the original on 14 June 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
2. "Walsall | Club | Past Managers | PAST MANAGERS". Retrieved 17 March 2019.
3. "Groves Albert Image 1 Walsall 1922". Vintage Footballers. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
4. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 121. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
5. Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
6. Albert Groves at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
7. "Wolverhampton Wanderers Squad 1914/15". Football and the First World War. Retrieved 17 March 2019.