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Players Index Page Last Updated
12 August 2025
 
 

George Holley

Sunderland AFC

 10 appearances, 8 goals

P 10 W 9 D 1 L 0 F 35: A 7
95% successful
1909-14

captain: none
minutes played: 900

Timeline
  George Holley
Birth Friday, 20 November 1885 in Dawdon, Seaham Harbour, County Durham
  registered in Easington January-March 1886
 

According to the 1891 census, George is the youngest of five children to cockney George Alexander and Scotswoman, Catherine (née Grainger). His father is a fireman at the bottle works. They live at 2 Fenwick Row, Dawdon in Seaham Harbour.
 

According to the 1901 census, George is the youngest of four children still living at home with their parents at 1 Stewart Street in Dawdon. George is a locomotive boilersmith, his father is a glass bottle finisher.
 

According to the 1911 census, George still lives at home with his parents and two of his older brothers, who are both widows. Along with a nephew and a servant, they all live at 2 Stewart Street in Dawdon. George is a boilersmith journeyman, his father is now a glass bottle maker.
Marriage to Ethel May Lightfoot, in spring 1911 in Easington
  registered in Easington April-June 1911
Children George and May Holley have five children together. George (b.1912), Tom (b.15 November 1913), Ronald (b.1916), Joyce Winifred (b.12 July 1918), Catherine (b.1921), and George S. (b.1926).
  His mother died in late-1918.
According to the 1921 census, George a football coach at Sunderland AFC, is now married to May, and with three children, Tom, Ronald and Joyce, they live at 10 Primrose Crescent in the Fulwell area of Sunderland.
His father died on 1 February 1930.
  According to the 1939 register, George, a retired footballer, and May are still married, and living at 447 Cannock Road in Wolverhampton.
Death Thursday, 27 August 1942 in New Cross Hospital, 376 Wolverhampton Road, Heath Town, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, living at 447 Cannock Road, Fallings Park. He had been ill for six years.
aged 56 years 280 days registered in Wolverhampton July-September 1942
Obituary
 
Funeral Tuesday, 1 September 1942.
Probate "HOLLEY George of 447 Cannock-road Fallings Park Wolverhampton died 27 August 1942 at 376 Wolverhampton-road Heath Town Wolverhampton Administration Birmingham 2 November to May Holley widow. Effects £936 5s." [2025 equivalent: £38,211].
  His wife, May, died mid-1973
Source

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

Playing Career

Club(s)		 Began his junior playing career with Seaham Young Villa FC, and afterwards for Seaham Athletic FC, of the Sunderland Juvenile League, and Seaham Villa FC. in the Old Boys' League, for two seasons, ultimately helping them get into the Wearside League. Played for Seaham White Star FC in the 1903-04 season. Joined Sunderland AFC in November 1904. He joined Brighton & Hove Albion FC on 13 August 1919. He retired in 1920.
League honours
280 appearances, 151 goals		 Sunderland AFC 1904-15 280 appearances, 151  goals
debut: 27 December 1904 The Wednesday FC 1 Sunderland AFC 1.
last: 6 April 1915 Sunderland AFC 0 Everton FC 3.
Club honours Football League Division One third place 1908-09 (30ᵃ 19ᵍ), 1910-11 (25ᵃ 14ᵍ), Champions 1912-13 (30ᵃ 12ᵍ);
FA Cup runners-up 1912-13 (9ᵃ 5ᵍ);
Individual honours Football League (five appearances);
Goalscoring records Football League Division One Top Goalscorer =1911-12 (25);
Distinctions Father of Tom Holley (Barnsley FC, 1932-36 & Leeds United AFC, 1936-48);
Height/Weight 5' 6", 10st. 0lbs [1904], 5' 9", 12st. 0lbs [1909].
Source

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

England Career
Player number One of three who became the 338th players (340) to appear for England.
Position(s) Inside/outside-left; Inside-left at club level
First match No. 100, 15 March 1909, England 2 Wales 0, a British Championship match at the City Ground, Pavilion Road, Nottingham, aged 23 years 115 days.
Last match No. 116, 5 April 1913, England 1 Scotland 0, a British Championship match at Stamford Bridge, Fulham Road, Fulham, London, aged 27 years 136 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1908-09, 1909-10, 1911-12, 1912-13;
Team honours British Championship winners 1908-09, 1910-11, 1912-13, shared 1911-12;
Individual honours England's Joint-Top Goalscorer (three 1912), FA Tour of South Africa 1910 (including the three tests);
Distinctions The tenth Durhamer to represent England
Died eleven days after George Hedley.

Beyond England
Once worked as a plater at Messrs. Dickinson's Engine Works in Sunderland. Holley became a very experienced coach/trainer, took up training of players after he hung up his boots. He was appointed trainer to the Sunderland AFC players on 8 January 1921. Wolverhampton Wanderers FC from 21 July 1922 and Barnsley FC from August 1932 until July 1936. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.134/5.


The Numbers
parties Apps comp. apps minutes goals ave.min comp. goals captain
14 10 7 900 8 113 min 4 none
The minutes here given can only ever be a guideline and cannot therefore be accurate, only an approximation.

George Holley - Match Record - All Matches
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Home 3 3 0 0 5 0 +5 0 3 1.667 0.00 100.0 +3
Away 7 6 1 0 30 7 +23 0 2 4.286 1.00 92.9 +6
All 10 9 1 0 35 7 +29 0 5 3.50 0.70 95.0 +9

George Holley - Match Record - By Type of Match
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
British Championship 7 6 1 0 15 2 +13 0 5 2.143 0.286 92.9 +6
Friendly 3 3 0 0 20 5 +15 0 0 6.667 1.667 100.0 +3

George Holley - Match Record - Tournament Matches
British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1908-09 2 2 0 0 4 0 +4 0 2 2.00 0.00 100.0 +2
BC 1909-10 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 0 1 1.00 0.00 100.0 +1
BC 1911-12 3 2 1 0 9 2 +7 0 1 3.00 0.667 83.3 +2
BC 1912-13 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 0 1 1.00 0.00 100.0 +1
BC All 7 6 1 0 15 2 +13 0 5 2.143 0.286 92.9 +6
All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 7 6 1 0 15 2 +13 0 5 2.143 0.286 92.9 +6
All 7 6 1 0 15 2 +13 0 5 2.143 0.286 92.9 +6

George Holley - Match History
 Club: Sunderland A.F.C. - 10 full appearances

F.A. International Select Committee - 10 full capsx

Age 23
1 100 15 March 1909 - England 2 Wales 0, City Ground, Nottingham BC HW   15 il
2 101 3 April 1909 - England 2 Scotland 0, Sports Arena, Crystal Palace HW   il
3 102 29 May 1909 - Hungary 2 England 4, Millenáris Sportpálya, Buda-Pesth tour AW   il
4 103 31 May 1909 - Hungary 2 England 8, Millenáris Sportpálya, Buda-Pesth AW   il
5 104 1 June 1909 - Austria 1 England 8, Hohe Warte Stadion, Wien AW   il
Age 24
6 106 14 March 1910 - Wales 0 England 1, Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff BC AW il
FA Tour of South Africa 29 June 1910 - South Africa 0 England 3, Durban, Natal Province tour AW il
23 July 1910 - South Africa 2 England 6, Wanderers Ground, Johannesburg AW   65 il
30 July 1910 - South Africa 3 England 6, Cape Town, Cape Province AW  
20, 82		 il
Age 25
- 109 13 March 1911 - England 3 Wales 0, The Den, New Cross BC HW reserve
- 110 1 April 1911 - England 1 Scotland 1, Goodison Park, Liverpool HD reserve
Age 26
7 111 10 February 1912 - Ireland 1 England 6, Dalymount Park, Dublin BC AW   70 il
8 112 11 March 1912 - Wales 0 England 2, The Racecourse, Wrexham AW   2 il
9 113 23 March 1912 - Scotland 1 England 1, Hampden Park, Glasgow AD   13 il
Age 27
- 115 17 March 1913 - England 4 Wales 3, Ashton Gate. Bedminster BC HW withdrew
10 116 5 April 1913 England 1 Scotland 0, Stamford Bridge, Fulham HW   il
Age 28
- 117 14 February 1914 - England 0 Ireland 3, Ayresome Park, Middlesbrough BC HL reserve