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28 February 2025
 
 

Dicky Bond

Preston North End FC, Bradford City FC

8 appearances, 2 goals

P 8 W 4 D 2 L 2 F 13: A 7
63% successful

1905-10

captain: none
minutes played:
720

Timeline

  Sergeant Richard Bond
Birth Friday, 14 December 1883 in Campbell Street, Preston, Lancashire
  registered in Preston January-March 1884
Baptism Sunday, 23 December 1883 at St. Mary's Church, Preston
 

According to the 1891 census, Richard is the second eldest of four children to James and Margaret Ellen (née Bolton), living at 6 Shuttle Street in Preston. His father is an engine tenter.

 

According to the 1901 census, now at 239 Ribbleton Lane in Preston, with four more younger siblings, James, John and Albert, and a two month-old Bertha. Richard, a packer at the cotton mill, is the eldest of the seven remaining children at the family home.  His father now a stationary engine driver.

Marriage to Emily Tomlinson, on Friday, 11 May 1906 at Preston Register Office, Lancashire.
  registered in Preston April-June 1906
Children Dicky and Emily Bond have two children together. Mabel (b.7 June 1911) and Richard (b.1 June 1920).
"THE WARNING BELL  ...Richard Bond, Preston North End's international, appeared as prosecutor at the Preston Police Court, to-day, when James Day (31), labourer, was charged with attempted till robbery. Bond, who is licensee of the Hearts of Oak Inn, whilst in the bar parlour on Saturday heard the ringing of the electric bell of the till drawer, and when he charged Day with attempting to steal a sovereign day replied, 'Give me a good thrashing and let me go to Blackpool.' The prisoner was remanded." - The Manchester Evening News, Tuesday, 20 May 1907.
 

According to the 1911 census, Richard is a professional footballer, and married to Emily. They have a boarder, another professional footballer, his brother, Anthony Bond. They live at 23 Newport Terrace in Bradford.
On being enlisted into the army (Bradford Battalion, West Yorkshire Reg.) on 22 April 1915, Richard had returned to Garstang, living at Church Inn. His trade stated as 'professional footballer'.

"FAMOUS FOOTBALLER  MISSING"
"Sergeant Richard Bond, the famous International outside right, is officially reported missing on July 27, after an engagement on that day."
- The Birmingham Daily Post, Wednesday, 9 August 1916.
"FAMOUS FOOTBALLER'S FATE ...News has reached Bradford that Sergeant Richard Bond, the English footballer, is a prisoner of war. Bond had been at the front several months with one of the Yorkshire 'Pals' battalions." - The Birmingham Daily Post, Friday, 11 August 1916.
"BOND CHEERFUL THOUGH A  PRISONER"
"Richard Bond, West Yorkshire Regiment, ex-Bradford City and Preston North End forward, has written a second letter home, in which he states that he is still at Wahn, though 30 other British soldiers have been sent to another part of Germany. Bond writes in cheerful vein, and mentions that they are better treated than the papers would lead people to expect, but the fare 'is not what you get at the Midland.'"
- The Lancashire Daily Post, Friday, 15 September 1916.
"FOODSTUFFS BADLY NEED ...Mr. Peter O'Rourke, manager of the Bradford City F.C., has received this morning a postcard from Dickie Bond, who is a prisoner of war in the hands of the Germans. Dickie, who writes in a fairly cheerful strain, mentions that he received on Dec. 20th a sum of money forwarded to him in November—several parcels sent to him have not yet reached him. But, adds Bond, 'money is not much good to me here; if you could arrange to send me foodstuffs I would be very thankful, also cigarettes each week.' Dickie went on to send kind regards to the 'boys,' who he hoped would spend a better Christmas than his seemed likely to be. He finishes up, 'Don't forget, Peter, the foodstuffs and cigarettes.—From your old pal, who is patiently waiting for the end of it. Bondie.' It may be mentioned that the City club have decided to send a weekly parcel to their old right-winger through the medium of the Prisoners of War Committee in London. Doubtless there will be plenty of Dickie's friends in Bradford who will be glad to assist in this way" - The Bradford Daily Telegraph, Wednesday, 17 January 1917.
 

On leaving the army, he was living at Hawthorne Cottage in Garstang, where he was still until at least the birth of Richard, born on 1 June 1920, according to 'notices' in the Lancashire Evening Post.
According to the 1921 census, Richard, still a professional footballer (for Bradford City FC), still married, and now with two children, Mabel and Richard. They live in a hotel, the Church Inn, in Bonds area of Garstang. The hotelkeeper are his in-laws.

  His father died in early 1939.
According to the 1939 register, Richard is a hotel waiter, living at 130 Queens Street in Preston, with the Hall's.
Death Monday night, 25 April 1955 at his home at 130 Queen Street, in Preston, Lancashire, of a heart-attack.
aged 71 years 132 days registered in Preston April-June 1955

Obituary

"Dickie Bond, 1911 idol of 'City,' dies.
"'DICKIE' BOND, probably the most spectacular and glamorous footballer ever known in Bradford Association Football history, died at his home at 130, Queen Street, Preston, last night. He had been in failing health for some time, and his death, it is understood, followed a heart attack. 'Dickie,' aged 71, become the subject of such hero-worship during his 13 years with Bradford City, from May, 1909, to May, 1922, that his fame has never been matched by any other player in West Riding. He was the darling and idol of the Valley Parade crowds when the club was at the zenith of its powers—in the days when Bradford City won the F.A. Cup in 1911. It was said of 'Dickie' Bond.—'the firebrand outside-right with the face of a cherub'—that he could do more to disturb the peace and harmony of a football match than a gang of Suffragettes—and the militant women agitating for the vote were then very busy. He had 'personality'—with a kick!
"Preston North End allowed him to go to Valley Parade for a nominal fee in 1909, under the impression that he was a permanent 'crock'—in the next season he played for England in all three internationals! 'Dickie' remained with Bradford City until the end of season 1921-22. During the 1914-18 war he joined Bradford Pals, and it said that he was shaving in a trench when the Germans took him prisoner in 1916. He was 'capped' eight times in international championship matches. Only a week ago he returned from Preston to spend a holiday with his friend, Mr. Harold Cliffe, of Brighouse, who has followed the fortunes of Bradford City since the club's formation in 1903. Both 'Dickie' and Mr. Cliffe were noted fanciers of Collie dogs."
- The Yorkshire Observer, Tuesday, 26 April 1955
Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] &

Playing Career


Club(s)
Played Army football (Artillery) before signing with Preston North End FC in August 1902. Bond joined Bradford City FC on 15 May 1909 for £950. Following the clubs relegation, he joined Blackburn Rovers FC in May 1922 for a £450 transfer fee, and then Lancaster Town FC signed him in August 1923 until his retirement a year later. Although he did play for Garstang FC in 1926-27.

League honours
473 appearances, 96 goals
Preston North End FC 1902-09 148 appearances, 34 goals
debut (division two): 20 December 1902 Preston North End FC 6 Stockport County FC 1.
Bradford City FC 1909-22 301 appearances, sixty goals
debut: 1 September 1909 Manchester United FC 1 Bradford City FC 0.
Blackburn Rovers FC 1922-23 24 appearances, two goals
debut: 26 August 1922 Aston Villa FC 2 Blackburn Rovers FC 0.
last: 22 January 1923 Blackburn Rovers 1 Stoke FC 5.
Club honours Football League Division Two winners 1903-04 (12ᵃ 1ᵍ); Division One runners-up 1905-06 (33ᵃ 17ᵍ);
FA Cup winners 1910-11 (3ᵃ 2ᵍ) did not play in Final
Individual honours Football League (one appearance)
Distinctions Brother of William (Preston North End FC)
Height/Weight 5' 6½", 10st. 7lbs [1906], 5' 4½", 10st. 3lbs [1915].

Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990].

England Career

Player number One of six who became the 302nd player (306) to appear for England.
Bond was the fiftieth Lancastrian-born player to represent England.
Position(s) Outside-right
First match No. 83, 25 February 1905, England 1 Ireland 1, a British Championship match at  Ayresome Park, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, aged 21 years 73 days.
Last match No. 107, 2 April 1910, Scotland 2 England 0, a British Championship match at Hampden Park, Mount Florida, Glasgow, aged 26 years 109 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1904-05, 1905-06, 1909-10;
Team honours British Championship winners 1904-05, shared 1905-06;
Individual honours England's Joint-Top Goalscorer (two 1906),
His club, Bradford City FC, nominated Bond to join the FA tour of South Africa in 1920.
Distinctions Died a day after Irvine Thornley and 24 days after Alf Baker.

Beyond England

Rejoined the army for the Great war, Machine Gun section of the Bradford Batallion (West Yorks. Reg) finishing up as a Prisoner of War on 27 July 1916, interned in Netherlands 13 June 1918. In later life, he ran a fish & chip shop in Garstang. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.38.

 

Dicky Bond - The Numbers/font>
parties Apps comp. apps minutes goals ave.min comp. goals captain Disc.
8 8 8 720 2 360 min 2 none none
The minutes here given can only ever be a guideline and cannot therefore be accurate, only an approximation.

 

Dicky Bond - Match Record - All Matches
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Home 2 1 1 0 4 2 +2 0 0 2.00 1.00 75.0 +1
Away 6 3 1 2 9 5 +4 1 3 1.50 0.833 58.3 +1
All - British Championship 8 4 2 2 13 7 +6 1 3 1.625 0.875 62.5 +2

 

Dicky Bond - Match Record - Tournament Matches
British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1904-05 2 1 1 0 4 2 +2 0 0 2.00 1.00 75.0 +1
BC 1905-06 3 2 0 1 7 2 +5 0 2 2.333 0.667 66.7 +1
BC 1909-10 3 1 1 1 2 3 -1 1 1 0.667 1.00 50.0 =0
BC All 8 4 2 2 13 7 +6 1 3 1.625 0.875 62.5 +2
All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 8 4 2 2 13 7 +6 1 3 1.625 0.875 62.5 +2
All 8 4 2 2 13 7 +6 1 3 1.625 0.875 62.5 +2

 

Dicky Bond - Match History
 Club: Preston North End F.C. - 5 full appearances

F.A. International Select Committee - 8 full capsx

Age 21
1 83 25 February 1905 - England 1 Ireland 1, Ayresome Park, Middlesbrough BC HD Start or
2 84 27 March 1905 - England 3 Wales 1, Anfield Road, Liverpool HW Start or
Age 22
3 86 17 February 1906 - Ireland 0 England 5, Solitude Ground, Belfast BC AW Start 26, 89 or
4 87 19 March 1906 - Wales 0 England 1, Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff AW Start or
5 88 7 April 1906 - Scotland 2 England 1, Hampden Park, Glasgow AL Start or
 Club: Bradford City F.C. - 3 full appearances   
Age 26
6 105 12 February 1910 - Ireland 1 England 1, Solitude Ground, Belfast BC AD Start or
7 106 14 March 1910 - Wales 0 England 1, Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff AW Start or
8 107 2 April 1910 - Scotland 2 England 0, Hampden Park, Glasgow AL Start or

Notes

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CG