Joe Bambrick

Joseph Gardiner Absolom Bambrick (3 November 1905 – 13 October 1983) was a Northern Irish footballer who played for Chelsea, Walsall, Glentoran and Linfield.[1]

Joe Bambrick
Blue plaque noting Bambrick's home in Roden Street, Belfast
Personal information
Full name Joseph Gardiner Absolom Bambrick
Date of birth (1905-11-03)3 November 1905
Place of birth Belfast, Ireland
Date of death 13 October 1983(1983-10-13) (aged 77)
Place of death Belfast, Northern Ireland
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Centre forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1926–1927 Glentoran 22 (28)
1927–1935 Linfield 183 (286)
1935–1938 Chelsea 59 (34)
1938–1939 Walsall 35 (15)
Total 299 (364)
National team
1928–1938 Ireland (IFA) 11 (12)
1927–1932 Irish League XI 12 (9)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

A former gas worker of medium build, he was a prolific goalscorer in the Irish League and the Football League, adept at getting into good scoring positions and athletic enough to make the final touch count. "Head, heel or toe, slip it to Joe" became a famous catch-phrase when referring to him. His scoring of six goals for Ireland v Wales at Celtic Park on 1 February 1930 in a 7–0 win, still remains the record score for a British Isles player in an international fixture.[2]

Club career

Irish League

Bambrick began his professional career with Glentoran, spending a season there before moving to Belfast rivals Linfield. His scoring record with Linfield was phenomenal: he scored a total of 286 league goals in just 183 games, 50 of these coming in the 1930–31 season, which was the highest in the world that year and a then record in British football (Fred Roberts of Glentoran scored 55 the following season).[3] In total that season he managed 96 goals in all competitions, and his overall goal tally for Linfield was 509 goals managed in just 8 years, finishing as Irish League top scorer on four occasions.[4]

Chelsea

On 24 December 1935 Bambrick signed for English side Chelsea for a fee of £3,000, making his debut the following day (Christmas Day) against Aston Villa. He then scored his first goal the day after (Boxing Day) also against Aston Villa at Villa Park. Bambrick scored Chelsea's goal in their highest-attended competitive match at their ground Stamford Bridge. A crowd of 82,905 watched the 1–1 draw with local rivals Arsenal on 12 October 1935.[5] In total he scored 38 goals in 66 appearances for Chelsea, including four hat-tricks (on two of these occasions he managed four goals).[6]

Walsall

Bambrick gradually fell out of favour, losing the number 9 shirt to George Mills, transferring to Walsall in July 1938 where he spent a season before the outbreak of World War II led to his retirement. He returned to Linfield as a coach, but Walsall retained his registration and refused to release him to play for Linfield in war-time competitions. He eventually played for Linfield in the 1943 County Antrim Shield when he scored his final goal.[4]

International career

Bambrick scored 12 goals in 11 games for Ireland, including six in one game against Wales.[2] His goal tally ensures that he still ranks as the joint-fourth highest goalscorer for the Northern Ireland national side.

International goals

Scores and results list Northern Ireland's goal tally first.

#DateVenueOpponentResultCompetition
122 October 1928Liverpool, England England1–21929 British Home Championship
223 February 1929Belfast, Northern Ireland Scotland3–71929 British Home Championship
323 February 1929Belfast, Northern Ireland Scotland3–71929 British Home Championship
41 February 1930Belfast, Northern Ireland Wales7–01930 British Home Championship
51 February 1930Belfast, Northern Ireland Wales7–01930 British Home Championship
61 February 1930Belfast, Northern Ireland Wales7–01930 British Home Championship
71 February 1930Belfast, Northern Ireland Wales7–01930 British Home Championship
81 February 1930Belfast, Northern Ireland Wales7–01930 British Home Championship
91 February 1930Belfast, Northern Ireland Wales7–01930 British Home Championship
105 December 1931Belfast, Northern Ireland Wales4–01932 British Home Championship
1127 March 1935Wrexham, Wales Wales1–31935 British Home Championship
1216 March 1938Belfast, Northern Ireland Wales1–01938 British Home Championship

References
  1. "Joe Bambrick". Northern Ireland Football Greats. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  2. Ryder, Chris. "Joe Bambrick: Footballer 1905 -1983". Ulster History Circle. Archived from the original on 2 November 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  3. "World League Topscorers". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 19 February 2006. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  4. "NIFG: Joe Bambrick". Nifootball.blogspot.co.uk. 31 July 2006. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  5. "First XI: Capital punishment ... games between Arsenal and Chelsea | Football First XIs". ESPN. 27 October 2011. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  6. "Players Appearances Ba-Bd". Bounder.friardale.co.uk. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
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