Albert Groves

Albert Groves (January 1886 – 1960) was a Welsh footballer and manager. A centre-half, he played for Aberdare Athletic, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Walsall, and Willenhall. He served Walsall as player-manager in the 1920–21 season.

For the English full back who played for Lincoln City, Sheffield United and Middlesbrough, see Albert Groves (footballer, born 1883). For the American architect, see Albert B. Groves.

Albert Groves
Personal information
Full name Albert Groves
Date of birth January 1886[1]
Place of birth Newport, Wales[1]
Date of death 1960 (aged 73–74)[1]
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)[1]
Position(s) Centre-half[1]
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1908–1909 Aberdare Athletic
1909–1920 Wolverhampton Wanderers 200 (18)
1920–1924 Walsall 79 (15)
Willenhall
Total 279 (33)
Teams managed
1920–1921 Walsall (player-manager)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

Born at Newport in January 1886, Groves began his career as a forward, playing for Aberdare Athletic.[2][3] He signed with Wolverhampton Wanderers in August 1909.[1] He made his Second Division debut at Molineux on the last day of the 1909–10 season, in a 3–2 win over Manchester City.[1] Wanderers went on to finish ninth in 1910–11 and fifth in 1911–12, before Groves scored 10 league goals to help the club to a tenth-place finish in 1912–13.[1] Over time, he was converted into a centre half and the club went on to finish ninth in 1913–14 and fourth in 1914–15,[2] before World War I temporarily put a halt to the Football League.[1] During the war he guested for Port Vale in October 1916, scoring three goals in 23 games before moving on to Bury and Sunbeam Motor Works (Coventry).[4] Groves also guested for Stoke in 1915–16.[5] After returning to "Wolves" after the war, he helped the club to a 19th-place finish in 1919–20.[1] He was then appointed player-manager at Birmingham League outfit Walsall, before he was replaced by Joe Burchell.[1] He remained on at Fellows Park as player-secretary, and scored eight goals in 36 games in 1921–22, as the club became founder members of the Third Division North.[1] He continued to turn out for the "Saddlers" in 1922–23 and 1923–24, racking up 79 League, 12 FA Cup and 33 other senior appearances, scoring 15 goals.[1] A serious knee injury led Groves to end his playing days at Willenhall and after retiring from football he ran the Hope and Anchor public house in Willenhall.[2][1]

Career statistics
Club Season League FA Cup Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1909–10[6] Second Division 100010
1910–11[6] Second Division 38030410
1911–12[6] Second Division 37041411
1912–13[6] Second Division 3710203910
1913–14[6] Second Division 31331344
1914–15[7] Second Division 31120331
1919–20[6] Second Division 25430294
Total 2001817221720
Walsall 1921–22[6] Third Division North 36861429
1922–23[6] Third Division North 15320173
1923–24[6] Third Division North 28420304
Total 79151018916
Career total 2793327330636

Honours

Aberdare Athletic

References
  1. "Profile". thewolvessite.co.uk. Archived from the original on 14 June 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
  2. "Walsall | Club | Past Managers | PAST MANAGERS". Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  3. "Groves Albert Image 1 Walsall 1922". Vintage Footballers. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
  4. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 121. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  5. Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
  6. Albert Groves at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  7. "Wolverhampton Wanderers Squad 1914/15". Football and the First World War. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
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