Hulme was born in Leek, Staffordshire,[1] and began his career in junior football in the local area, playing as an inside forward.

He signed for Lincoln City in June 1897,[3] and made his first-team debut on 4 September, the opening day of the 1897–98 Football League season, in the Second Division match away at Newton Heath.

[3] Hulme and a Lincoln teammate, goalkeeper William Wilkinson, were two of numerous new signings for Gravesend United for the 1898–99 Southern League season.

In 1904–05, he played more frequently for the reserves than for the first team,[3] though he did replace the injured centre-half Micky Good for the high-profile FA Cup tie against his former club Bristol Rovers.

[12] He was appointed captain,[3] and contributed to their reaching the last 32 of the 1905–06 FA Cup, in which they lost to Football League First Division club Middlesbrough only after two replays; according to the Daily Mirror's match report, Hulme played splendidly.