He was also a talented footballer, and turned down an offer to trial with Wolverhampton Wanderers shortly before joining Huddersfield.
[citation needed] Bawden spent his entire professional career with Huddersfield, appearing 243 times for the club between 1943 and 1952.
[4] Jeff Bawden played at centre and scored a conversion in Cumberland's 5-4 victory over Australia in the 1948–49 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France match at the Recreation Ground, Whitehaven on Wednesday 13 October 1948, in front of a crowd of 8,818.
[5] Bawden played at centre, and scored three conversions in Huddersfield's 4-11 defeat by Bradford Northern in the 1949–50 Yorkshire Cup Final during the 1949–50 season at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 29 October 1949.
After retiring from playing, he returned to his hometown, and held various non-playing roles at Whitehaven, including a spell as head coach.