George Handley (footballer, born 1912)

George H. Handley (5 July 1912 – 9 July 1943) was an English professional footballer who played as an inside forward in the Football League for Crystal Palace.[1]

George Handley
Personal information
Full name George H. Handley[1]
Date of birth (1912-07-05)5 July 1912[1]
Place of birth Wednesbury, England[1]
Date of death 9 July 1943(1943-07-09) (aged 31)[2]
Place of death Sicily, Fascist Italy
Height 5 ft 8 in (173 cm)[3]
Position(s) Inside forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1931–1932 Hednesford Town 1 (0)
1933–1934 West Bromwich Albion 0 (0)
1934–1935 Crystal Palace 5 (0)
1935 Brierley Hill Alliance
1936–1939 Darlaston
National team
1933–1934 English Amateurs 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Football career

Handley, born in Wednesbury on 5 July 1912, began his football career in September 1931 with Hednesford Town.[1][3] He soon came to the attention of West Bromwich Albion, for which he signed in June 1932.[3] Despite playing many matches in the reserves and being capped at the amateur level for England, Handley never appeared for the first team at West Brom.[3][4] Transferred to Crystal Palace in 1934, he played 5 matches in the Football League Third Division South before being signed by Brierley Hill Alliance the next season.[3] Handley's next and final club was Darlaston, where he played until the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939.[3]

Personal life

Handley was married.[2] He served as a lance corporal in the 2nd (Airborne) Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment during the Second World War and was killed during the invasion of Sicily on 9 July 1943.[2][4] Handley's body was never recovered, and he is commemorated on the Cassino Memorial.[2]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season Division League Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Crystal Palace 1934–35 Third Division South[1] 5 0 0 0 5 0
Career total 5 0 0 0 5 0

References

  1. George Handley at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  2. "Casualty Details: George Handley". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  3. "No 52 George H. Handley" (PDF). Hednesford Town. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  4. Smith, Scott (9 July 2013). "70 years on and still remembering". Hednesford Town. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
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