[3][4] A centre forward, Hargrave began his career with his local non-league club Atherstone Town, before transferring to First Division club Aston Villa in July 1901, for whom he failed to make a senior appearance.
[5] He top-scored for the club during the 1902–03 season and finished his three-year spell with 23 goals in 72 appearances.
[2][6] Hargrave departed Leeds City in 1908 for Birmingham & District League club Stoke and scored 11 goals in 15 matches for the "Potters" during the 1908–09 season.
[1] In December 1915, during the second year of the First World War, he enlisted as a private in the Royal Garrison Artillery in Atherstone.
[1] While holding the rank of gunner, Hargrave was killed at Passchendaele on 19 October 1917 and was buried in Steenkerke Belgian Military Cemetery.