A versatile player, he started his professional career as a forward with Sheffield Wednesday where he won the FA Cup in 1907.
In 1907, he played in Wednesday's FA Cup winning side thanks to an injury to regular inside-left Harry Davis.
[4][5] Bradshaw moved to Northampton Town in the summer of 1910 for a fee of £250, having played 87 league games and scored 37 goals for Wednesday.
[9] By the time league football resumed in 1919 (and with Arsenal promoted to the First Division), Bradshaw had moved from inside-forward to full-back.
"Bradshaw [..] has made for himself the reputation of being the best full-back in England, which surprised his old Sheffield friends to put it mildly.