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Goalkeepers Index Page Last Updated
27 December 2022
 
 
 

Harold Gough

Sheffield United FC

1 appearance, 3 goals against

P 1 W 0 D 0 L 1 F 0: A 3
0% successful

1921

captain: none
minutes played:
90

Timeline

  Harold Gough
  Not Harry, not Harold C.  In fact, in a 1920 Autograph sheet of the FA Tour of South Africa, his signature is clearly legible, and reads as 'Harold Gough'.
Birth 21 December 1890 in Newbold, Chesterfield, Derbyshire [registered in Chesterfield, March 1891]. Birthdate confirmed by the 1939 register.
 

According to the 1891 census, the three month-old Harold was the youngest of eight children to Samuel and Sarah Ann. They live at 11 Wharf Lane in Newbold, Chesterfield. His father is a collier.

 

According to the 1901 census, Harold is still the youngest of the seven children remaining with their parents at 2 Driver's Houses in Chesterfield. His father, now a hewer.

 

According to the 1911 census, Harold, now a professional footballer, is boarding with the Sneath's at 24 Clive Place, Great Horton in Bradford.

Marriage to Annie Beckett [registered in Pontefract, June 1912]. Three children, Lena (b.1914), Freda (b.1920) and Peter (b.1927).
  According to the 1921 census, Harold, a professional footballer (for Sheffield United FC) is now married to Annie and they have two daughters, Lena and Freda, living at 57 Welbeck Street in Castleford.
"Mr. Arthur Robins, captain and team manager of the Castleford Town Football Club, has died at his home, the Railway Hotel, Castleford, after an illness lasting nearly three months." - Wednesday, 19 March 1924, The Yorkshire Evening Post
"Gough, the Sheffield United goalkeeper, has taken over the license of the Railway Hotel at Castleford. This will probably mean the end of his career with the Sheffield team."
- Saturday, 23 August 1924, The Derbyshire Times.
"It is understood that Harold Gough, the Sheffield United custodian, met the directors again yesterday, and that their differences have been adjusted. It is understood that Gough has undertaken to repay the sum of £84 summer wages which was claimed from him, and that the club have agreed to place Gough on the transfer list."
- Thursday, 11 September 1924, The Yorkshire Post.
"The breach between Sheffield United and Harold Gough has widened so considerably that I doubt if all the oil in the world would smoothen out the troubled waters. You will know that the United have cancelled Gough's agreement, asked for a return of £84 summer wages, and written to the F.A. asking them to debar Gough from taking part in football in the future, either as player or manager. And all because Gough has taken over a licensed house in Castleford.
"I know Gough rather well, and I have realised that he is a player who will always put club before self. He has done this often enough, and I cannot think that Gough took any unfair advantage last May when he accepted another year's engagement. In fact, I am assured that he did not know anything about a licensed house coming his way until the middle of July, and then he had to act quickly or not at all. When a man is past thirty his mind turns to other things besides football as a means of a livelihood. Gough merely put in a formal application for the position and then reported the matter to his directors.
"Why, then, have the United taken such drastic and - a good word this - revengeful steps? Why despoil a fine player and club servant of a fine reputation and take measures to hound him out of the game? Bolton Wanderers didn't hound Frank Roberts out of football. They simply placed him on the transfer list, and kept inviolate their club rule." -
Saturday, 13 September 1924, The Derby Daily Telegraph.
"The Sheffield United Football Club have taken the important step of placing before the Football Association and the Football League the whole matter between themselves and Harold Gough, their international goalkeeper. It is fairly generally known that the trouble between the Sheffield United club and the player arose over the fact that Gough took over the business of a licensed victualler. This action meant that the player had broken one of the clauses of his agreement, which stipulates that a player shall not live on premises or take part in a business which the club think unsuitable."
- The Nottingham Evening Post, Friday, 19 September 1924.
Was ever a more piquant situation created than that which has arisen through the acceptance by Harold Gough of a licensed house at Castleford? You know what has happened to the player. He has been told that he must repay wages paid him during the summer, and that he will not, if the Sheffield United club can help it, be allowed to take part in future football either as a manager or player. Now, 'tis whispered, Sheffield United mean to seek compensation from Gough for a breach of contract.
"As for this latest rumoured development, I can hardly believe that the United will carry the case to the Law Courts, for that is what it would mean. The F.A., and the League have never set clubs an example in this way. They are a law unto themselves, and never have recourse to the other and more costly law."
- Saturday, 11 October 1924, The Derby Daily Telegraph
"The Sheffield United Club complained that H. Gough had broken his agreement, thus placing the club in a very difficult position. The Council approved the determination of the agreement, and decided to cancel the registration of Gough as a professional, and to suspend him until January 1 next. The Chairman intimated that as this was the first case of the kind the punishment was lenient, but any similar future case would be more severely dealt with. Mr. Clegg did not adjudicate in this matter."
- Tuesday, 28 October 1924, The Yorkshire Post.
"The penalty which the F.A. has imposed upon Harold Gough, who is now a licensee in Castleford, is regarded with general satisfaction, because the general opinion seemed to be that the old Castleford Town goalkeeper would  get at least 12 months' suspension."
- Saturday, 8 November 1924, The Lancashire Daily Post
  According to the 1939 register, Harold, a general labourer at the sewage works, and Annie are still married, and are living at 31 Middle Oxford Street, Castleford, with their daughter, Lena.
Death 16 June 1970, aged 79 years 177 days [registered in Pontefract, June 1970]. He had a leg amputated in 1963.
death notes Date of death is taken from Footballdatabase.eu and WorldFootball.net.  Although the date falls directly into the correct quarter, the same website claims his name is Harold C. Gough. Caution is required.

Source

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

Playing Career

Club(s) Gough (left) spent his junior career with Spital Olympic FC and Castleford Town FC. Joined Bradford FC in March 1910, made three Midland League appearances, before returning to Castleford in August 1911. Sheffield United FC spent £30 on him in 31 April 1913. Joined the Navy in 1917 and guested for Hearts of Midlothian FC during the war. Gough was suspended by his club and Football Association (both headed by Charlie Clegg) in May 1924 for six months for breaking club rules. He was placed on the transfer list with an almost three thousand pounds asking fee, he would never play for United again, he had made 242 league appearances. The FA cancelled his professional registration and he was allowed to return to Castleford Town FC of the Midland League again in January 1925 until the end of the season and was rumoured to be joining Newcastle United FC in July 1925. The United Directors reduced their asking price for Gough in November 1925, with The Arsenal FC showing an interest. Then while Gough was playing at Harrogate FC of Yorkshire League, Oldham Athletic FC paid United £750 on 26 January 1927 for the goalkeeper, they also had to compensate Harrogate. He made four league appearances before being sold to Bolton Wanderers FC on 30 November 1927 as cover for Dick Pym, who had broken his arm, Gough made just four league appearances, before joining Torquay United FC on 13 June 1928, he retired through injury, playing his last match against Fulham on 29 March 1930, where he tore a knee ligament, after 56 league appearances.
From the 1931-31
, he was on the referee's list for the West Riding Football Association.
Club honours FA Cup winner 1914-15
Individual honours None
Distinctions None
Height/Weight 5' 10", 11st. 12lbs [1910]. 5' 10", 12st. 0lbs [1915]. 5' 10", 12st. 6lbs [1921].
5' 11", 11st. 0lbs
[1928].

Source

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

England Career

Player number One of five who became the 409th players (409) to appear for England. 42nd goalkeeper to appear.
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Only match No. 125, 9 April 1921, Scotland 3 England 0, a British Championship match at Hampden Park, Mount Florida, Glasgow, aged 30 years 109 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1920-21;
Team honours None
Individual honours FA XI tour of South Africa (1920)
Distinctions The 500th England player to die

Beyond England

In the summer of 1924, Gough decided to take steps to set himself up in his retirement by buying the Railway Hotel in Castleford. As licensed premises this was anathema to the tee total Charles Clegg who ordered him to get rid of the property. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.109/110.

The Railway Hotel today is now known as the Charlotte Hotel (left) on Station Road in Castleford.

 

Harry Gough - Career Statistics
Squads Apps Comp
Apps
Mins. GA GA Av.
min
Comp GA Clean
Sheets
Cln
Sht Av
Capt. Disc.
1 1 1 90 3 30 min 3 0 0% none none
minutes are an approximation, due to the fact that many matches rarely stick to exactly ninety minutes long, allowing time for injuries and errors.

 

Harry Gough - Match Record - All Matches
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Away - British Championship 1 0 0 1 0 3 -3 1 0 0.00 3.00 0.0 -1
All 1 0 0 1 0 3 -3 1 0 0.00 3.00 0.0 -1

 

Harry Gough - Match Record - Tournament Matches
British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1920-21 1 0 0 1 0 3 -3 1 0 0.00 3.00 0.0 -1
BC All 1 0 0 1 0 3 -3 1 0 0.00 3.00 0.0 -1
All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1 0 0 1 0 3 -3 1 0 0.00 3.00 0.0 -1
All 1 0 0 1 0 3 -3 1 0 0.00 3.00 0.0 -1

 

Harry Gough - Match History
 Club: Sheffield United F.C. - 1 full cap

F.A. International Select Committee - 1 full capx

Age 30
1 125 9 April 1921 - Scotland 3 England 0, Hampden Park, Glasgow BC AL Start gk

Notes

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CG