Thomas Baddeley (2 November 1874 â 24 September 1946) was an England international footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Baddeley made over 350 league appearances in his playing career and earned five caps. After starting his career in the English Football League with Burslem Port Vale, he spent 1896 to 1907 at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Then he ended his career with spells at Bradford Park Avenue and Stoke.
Thomas Baddeley was born on 30 October 1874 in Bycars, near Burslem, Staffordshire. He worked as a baker. He married Phoebe Anne Blackham in 1904 and had three sons: Sydney, Thomas (who died in 1910 at the age of three), and Tom (born 1912). He was working as a potters turner in 1911. According to the 1921 census, he worked as a beer seller. He employed a servant, though he was unemployed by 1939. He died on 24 September 1946 and was buried at Burslem cemetery with his son, Tom, and wife.
Baddeley began his professional career with Burslem Port Vale in 1893 after joining the club from local non-League side Burslem Swifts. He played two Second Division games in the 1893âÂÂ94 season, as Joe Frail and Hugh Mackay shared the number one jersey. Baddeley then established himself between the sticks to become an ever-present at the Athletic Ground during the 1894âÂÂ95 and 1895âÂÂ96 seasons. However, he was suspended by the club in August 1896 after signing professional forms with another club and was sold on to Wolverhampton Wanderers in October 1896 for ã50.
He broke through into the first-team the following year, making his league debut on 1 September 1897 in a 3âÂÂ0 win over Preston North End. The team went on to finish third in 1897âÂÂ98, eighth in 1898âÂÂ99, and fourth in 1899âÂÂ1900. In his first three years at Wolves, he kept 31 clean sheets. Conversely Baddeley was also in goal in 1900 when Wolves were sensationally knocked out of the FA Cup by Queens Park Rangers at home. Wolves went on to finish 13th in 1900âÂÂ01, 14th in 1901âÂÂ02, 11th in 1902âÂÂ03, eighth in 1903âÂÂ04, and 14th again in 1904âÂÂ05, before suffering relegation in last place in 1905âÂÂ06 after conceding 99 goals in 38 games. They then went on to post a sixth-place finish in the Second Division in 1906âÂÂ07.
After making a total of 315 appearances in an 11-year stay at Molineux, he left Wolves in 1907 for Southern League side Bradford Park Avenue. They finished 13th in 1907âÂÂ08, and were then elected into the English Football League. He played in their first-ever league match in September 1908, as the club went on to finish in 16th place in 1908âÂÂ09 and 10th place in 1909âÂÂ10. However, he returned to the Midlands with Stoke after failing to become a regular in the Bradford team. His stay at the Victoria Ground proved short, though, and he played seven Birmingham & District League games in the 1909âÂÂ10 season before he dropped into non-League action with nearby Whitfield Colliery, before retiring in May 1911.
Baddeley made his England debut on 14 February 1903, in a 4âÂÂ0 win over Ireland at his home club ground of Molineux. He won four further caps over the next 14 months, playing against Scotland (twice), Wales, and Ireland again.
England