As a young man, Shields was a miner, but played football for his local junior club Newbiggin Athletic in the Wansbeck League.

[3] Shields did not make a senior appearance for Newcastle United and in May 1914, Second Division club Huddersfield Town paid a £100 fee for his signature.

[3] In December 1920, Shields was transferred to Third Division club Exeter City in a part-exchange deal for £2,000, plus William Wright.

[1] In August 1921, he was transferred to Third Division South club Brentford and made 9 appearances during the 1921–22 season, scoring one goal.

[3] On 30 June 1940, 9 months after the outbreak of World War II, he attested in the Australian Army in Paddington and gave a false birth date of 11 September 1900,[8][9] which produced an age just shy of the limit of 40.