He made over 220 Football League appearances in the years before and after the First World War.

He was skilled as a marksman and won many medals and silver spoons at shooting range competitions.

He also played football and was taken on by Crewe Alexandra in the Birmingham & District League.

After the First World War, during which he served in the Royal Engineers and was wounded in France, being awarded the Croix de Guerre for an attack on a machine gun post.

He was ever present (42 appearances) at right half in both the 1919–20 and 1920–21 seasons in the Central League as the "Railwaymen" finished 3rd and then runners up before Crewe Alexandra returned to the Football League being elected to the newly formed Third Division North in 1921–22.