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Players Index Page Last Updated
23 April 2024
 
 

Fred Priest

Sheffield United FC

 1 appearance, 0 goals

P 1 W 1 D 0 L 0 F 2: A 0
100% successful
1900

captain: none
minutes played: 90

Timeline
  Alfred Ernest Priest
Birth Saturday, 24 July 1875 in South Bank, Middlesbrough, North Riding of Yorkshire
  registered in Guisborough July-September 1875
The registration district of Guisborough is correct. The parishes of Eston, Normanby and Ormesby (which all surround South Bank) were transferred to the Middlesbrough registration district in the following quarter.
 

According to the 1881 census, Alfred E. is the youngest of nine children to William and Mary Jane (née Hill). They (parents and seven children) live at 51 West Terrace in Normanby, and his father is a pig metal carrier in the local ironworks.
 

According to the 1891 census, fifteen year-old Alfred Ernest remains the youngest of four children living at home with their parents, he is a fitter on steam engines, his father is now a dock labourer. They live at 85 Nelson Street in South Bank.
Marriage to Ann Eliza Richards, on Monday, 26 February 1900 at St. Giles' Church, Matlock, Derbyshire
  registered in Bakewell January-March 1900
Children Fred and Ann Priest have nine children together. George William Ronald (b.3 March 1901), Alice May (b.30 March 1902), Florence (b.19 June 1904), Eric Ralph (b.14 March 1908), Olive Annie (b.24 April 1910), Frederick H. (b.31 December 1912), John Alfred (b.17 June 1916), Cissie (b.1918) and Ronald L. (b.1922).
 

According to the 1901 census, Alfred E. is a professional footballer living at 8 Guest Road in Ecclesall in Sheffield (which is also verified by the 1901 Kelly's Directory of Sheffield & Rotherham). He is married to Ann E., and they have a one month old son, George W.. His parents-in-law and brother-in-law also live with them.
(His eldest daughter, Alice, died in 1902, less than a month old. His father died 22 December 1905 in South Bank)
"ILLNESS OF ...Fred Priest, the Sheffield United forward, took a chill at Newcastle on Saturday, and is now lying ill in bed at his mother's house in Southbank, near Middlesbrough. Dr. John Steele stated this morning that Priest was not dangerously ill, but that with care he will quickly pull round." - Sheffield Daily Telegraph, Wednesday, 28 October 1908
 

According to the 1911 census, Alfred Ernest is a professional football club manager living at 4 Sandringham Road in West Hartlepool. He remains married to Ann, and have another four children, Ronald, Florence, Eric and Olive. His widowed mother-in-law live with them.
(His mother died 26 February 1914 in South Bank)
"LICENSE TRANSFERRED ...At the Hartlepool Police-court, to-day, the transfer of license of the Fleece Inn, 16, Hope-street, from Daniel Smith to Alfred E. Priest (late manager of Hartlepools United F.C.) was granted." - Northern Daily Mail, Monday, 13 May 1912
"DEATHS PRIEST.—On the 15th inst., at Market Hotel, Union-street, Hartlepool, Cissie, dearly-beloved daughter of Alfred Ernest and Ann Eliza Priest, aged 14 months.—Cortege to leave above address on Tuesday, at 1-45.—Deeply regretted." - Northern Daily Mail, Monday, 17 March 1919
 

According to the 1921 census, A.E. is a now a hotel manager, still married, and with two more sons, Frederick and Jacky. With his six children and one servant, they live at The Market Hotel in Lynn Street in Hartlepool.
Death Friday, 5 May 1922, at the Market Hotel, Union Street, West Hartlepool, County Durham, of cirrhosis of the liver,
aged 46 years 285 days registered in Hartlepool April-June 1922
despite his obituaries stating he died on the Saturday, his death certificate states he died on Friday, witnessed by his son, Ron

Obituary
"Death of Mr. A. E. Priest.
"The death has occurred at the Market Hotel, Hartlepool, after a very brief illness, of Mr. A.E. Priest, who was well known in athletic circles. As a youth Mr. Priest joined the Sheffield United Club, with which team he was associated when that club won the English Cup. He also gained international honours while with the Sheffield club. He was transferred to Middlesbrough at a fee of something like £1,000, and subsequently came to West Hartlepool in the capacity of player-manager. The late Mr. Priest had a genial personality, and was well liked in the Hartlepools. He leaves a widow and family, to whom the sympathies of many friends will be extended." - Northern Daily Mail, Saturday, 6 May 1922.
"DEATH OF FRED PRIEST—The Old Sheffield International
"The death occurred at Hartlepool on Saturday of Fred Priest, famous in his day as International footballer. Graduated from the South Bank nursery many years ago, he became prominent with Sheffield United when Ernest Needham and 'Cocky' Bennett were in their heyday. He gained international honours and also an England Cup medal. Aged 46, he latterly kept the Market Hotel, Hartlepool.
"The news of Fred Priest's death will be received with very sincere regret, wherever he was known, and particularly in Sheffield, where he became a great favourite through his charming personality and his prowess at Bramall Lane. Priest was honoured by selection as outside-left for England against Ireland in 1900, but his greatest distinctions were achieved with the United club. 'He was one of the finest club outside-lefts I ever knew,' said Ernest Needham, his captain." - Sheffield Daily Telegraph, Monday, 8 May 1922.
"OLD FOOTBALLER'S DEATH
"A former famous footballer passed away at Hartlepool on Saturday in the person of Mr. Fred Priest. Priest, who began his football career at South Bank (near Middlesbrough), was for ten years with Sheffield United, captaining that club for part of the time. In 1897-8, when Sheffield were League Champions, Priest had 27 goals to his credit. He took part in five English Cup finals, and was 'capped' against Ireland in 1900. After leaving Sheffield he was for a time assistant trainer with Middlesbrough, and later, on the formation of Hartlepools United in 1908, became player-manager for the new club. Priest was only forty-six years of age." - Leeds Mercury, Monday, 8 May 1922
"Funeral
Tuesday, 9 May 1922
New Cemetery, West Hartlepool
(now known as West View)
...at Hartlepool.
 "The funeral of the late Mr. Alfred Ernest Priest, whose death we recorded on Saturday afternoon, took place yesterday afternoon, in the New Cemetery, Hartlepool, Rev. Bertram-Jones officiating. The cortege was headed by members of the Order of Knights of the Golden Horn, and following them were a large number of mourners, including many footballers. Members of the Licensed Victuallers Association acted as under-bearers...The funeral arrangements were carried out by Mr. Herbert Orde." - Northern Daily Mail, Wednesday, 10 May 1922.
  Eliza Priest died in Hartlepool mid-1976, out living six of their children.
Source

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

Playing Career

Club(s)		 Started his career with the newly formed South Bank FC in Middlesbrough as a junior in 1885. It was Sheffield United FC that signed Priest in 1896, allegedly whilst sat in a bath in Newcastle, after South Bank had played there. Priest returned to his native Teesside when South Bank FC re-signed him in December 1905. Middlesbrough FC signed him in October 1906 as a player, as well as an assistant trainer. Two years later, in the summer of 1908, he crossed the River Tees to join the newly formed Hartlepools United FC as their player-manager, he retired from playing in December 1908 after four North-Eastern League appearances.

League honours
 222 appearances, 72 goals		 Sheffield United FC 1896-1905 209 appearances, 72 goals
debut: 5 September 1896 Sheffield United FC 1 Burnley FC 0.
Middlesbrough FC 1906-08 thirteen appearances
debut: 8 September 1906 Woolwich Arsenal 2 Middlesbrough FC 0.
last: 23 February 1907 Newcastle United FC 4 Middlesbrough FC 0.
Club honours Football League runners-up 1896-97 (28ᵃ 12ᵍ), 1899-1900 (28ᵃ 7ᵍ), Champions 1897-98 (28ᵃ 4ᵍ);
FA Cup winners 1898-99 (9ᵃ 4ᵍ), 1901-02 (9ᵃ 4ᵍ), runners-up 1900-01 (7ᵃ 7ᵍ);
Individual honours None
Distinctions None
"BENEFIT MATCH ...It will be interesting news to many admirers of the late Fred Priest to know that directors of Hartlepools United have undertaken to arrange a benefit match for the widow and family of the international footballer. Mr. R. Nicholson, the secretary of United, has been in communication with the directors of Sheffield United on the subject, and a letter has been received in which a promise is made to send a team." - Hartlepool Daily Mail, Friday, 8 September 1922
"14 September 1922...
"BENEFIT MATCH ...HARTLEPOOLS U. 0. SHEFFIELD UN. 2.
"The visit of Sheffield United to West Hartlepool, yesterday, to play Hartlepools United in a benefit match for the widow and children of the late Fred Priest attracted only 2,000 spectators, the receipts being £66, but this sum will be increased by the proceeds from the sale of tickets" - Sheffield Daily Independant, Thursday, 12 October 1922
Height/Weight 5' 8", 12st. 4lbs [1899], 12st. 12lbs [1901].

Source

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

Management Career
Club(s): Became player-manager of Hartlepools United FC on 5 July 1908, shortly after the club was formed. He held the managerial position solely from April 1909 until the end of his contract in April 1912. Priest managed 145 matches, of which 68 were wins, 37 draws and forty losses, 311 goals scored and 179 goals conceded.
Club honours: Durham Senior Cup winners 1908-09, 1909-10, runners-up 1910-11; North-Eastern League runners-up 1909-10;

England Career
Player number One of five who became 247th players (251) to appear for England.
Position(s) Outside-left
Only match No. 68, 17 March 1900, Ireland 0 England 2, a British Championship match at Lansdowne Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin, aged 24 years 236 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1899-1900;
Team honours None
Individual honours None
Distinctions Priest had a Welsh mother, so Fred could have played for Wales.
The one hundredth England player to die. Died seventeen days after Cunliffe Gosling.

Beyond England
Following his retirement from the game, Priest became a licensee, initially of the Fleece Inn, latterly of the Market Hotel, now in the Lynn Street area of Hartlepool, where he remained right up until his death. (left and right, then and in 2013. In 2023, the building was demolished). - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.200.


The Numbers
parties Appearances comp. apps minutes captain
1 1 1 90 0 none
The minutes here given can only ever be a guideline and cannot therefore be accurate, only an approximation.
P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
1 1 0 0 2 0 +2 0 1 2 0 100 +1
His only match was played in the British Championship competition and at an away venue

Tournament Record

British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1899-1900 1 1 0 0 2 0 +2 0 1 2.00 0.00 100.0 +1
BC All 1 1 0 0 2 0 +2 0 1 2.00 0.00 100.0 +1

All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1 1 0 0 2 0 +2 0 1 2.00 0.00 100.0 +1
1 1 0 0 2 0 +2 0 1 2 0 100 +1

Match History

 Club: Sheffield United F.C. - one full appearance (90 min) F.A. International Select Committee - one full appearance (90 min)x

apps match match details comp res. rundown pos

Age 24
1 68 17 March 1900 - Ireland 0 England 2
Lansdowne Road, Dublin		 BC AW   ol
 

one of five who became the 247th player (251) to appear for England
one of two who became the eighth Sheffield United player to represent England

     

 
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