He began his football career in the Cheshire County League, first with Altrincham and then with Hurst, for whom he scored both on his debut and on his last appearance, with a total of 11 goals from 22 games in all competitions.
[4] Riley returned to the Cheshire League with Ashton National before spending the 1930–31 season with Accrington Stanley of the Third Division North, where he was their joint leading scorer with 18 from 32 games.
[5] Together with Accrington teammate George Whyte,[6] Riley, described as "small and clever",[7] then joined Lincoln City where he played a key role in their 1931–32 Third Division North title.
[2][7] After the war he returned to the Lincoln area where he played for Ruston-Bucyrus' works team, Ruston Bucyrus.
[9] Riley also played cricket as a right-handed batsman for Lincolnshire in the 1949 Minor Counties Championship.