[4] While at Blackpool, Hoad became the club's first international player when he won three caps for the England amateur national football team against Wales and Belgium.
[5] Hoad moved to Football League First Division side Manchester City in May 1911 and went on to make a total of 68 first-team appearances for the club.
Hoad scored his first goal for Nelson in the 4–0 win against Durham City on 10 February 1923, and was a key member of the team that won the Third Division North championship in 1922–23.
Said to have "very smart" footwork and described as "one of the fastest wingers in the Third Division", Hoad remained at Seedhill until the end of the 1926–27 season, making a total of 157 first-team appearances and scoring 13 goals for the club.
While playing as an amateur for Blackpool and Manchester City, he trained as a lawyer but did not pursue a career in law, instead progressing to professional football.