Biography

Experienced outside right Cliff Chadwick joined Hull City in September 1946 and was a first team regular for five months, scoring seven goals including a brace against Halifax Town in October 1946. As the season wore on he drifted out of the first team picture, as was his habit before the War at Middlesbrough, but returned in May and June 1947 and scored his eighth and final goal for the Tigers against Barrow. He left the club in June 1947 after being placed on the transfer list.
Clifton “Cliff” Chadwick hailed from Bolton but came into football as a teenager at Lancashire Combination side Fleetwood, a side he had only joined in August 1933 from West Lancashire League side Turton. Two months later Cliff signed his first professional contract when in October 1933 he transferred to Division Two side Oldham Athletic and within a couple of weeks he had graduated from the Latics’ Reserves to the first team, scoring on his debut against Bradford City. He was a regular starter for Oldham for the next four months, scoring six goals in 21 appearances on the wing and attracting the attention of more illustrious clubs.
In February 1934, just four months after signing his first professional contract, Division One side Middlesbrough paid a fee approaching £1,000 for Chadwick’s services. He made an immediate first team debut against Chelsea, the first of three starts he made in early March 1934 before reverting to the Reserves. Cliff was back in first team action at the start of the 1934/35 season but after scoring his first Boro goal against Portsmouth in August 1934 he dropped out of the side in September 1934, returning for seven starts in February and March 1935. A regular starter during much of the 1935/36 season, Cliff spent time on both wings and scored a brace in February 1936 against Everton before being dropped when Arthur Cunliffe was signed from Aston Villa. Over the next three seasons Chadwick continued to drift in and out of the Boro first team without really holding a first team place for a whole season – he supplemented any missing appearance fees by selling motor car tyres during his spare time. When World War Two drew an abrupt halt to the Football League in September 1939 Cliff had scored 28 goals in 97 appearances.
During the conflict Cliff remained active – he served the RAF as a physical training instructor and later he became a parachuting instructor, turning from teacher to combatant when he completed four parachute operations on the European mainland during 1944. This airborne activity resulted in Cliff spending six months in hospital as he recovered from operations on both knees. Chadwick he was still registered to Middlesbrough during the War but he played many games as a guest for Bolton Wanderers and also assisted Manchester United, playing for the Red Devils in the 1945 League Cup North final. His final senior appearance for Middlesbrough came in January 1946, an FA Cup tie against Leeds United.
Chadwick was placed on the transfer list by Hull City in June 1947 and joined Division Three North side Darlington in July 1947. He was a regular for the Quakers throughout most the 1947/48 season and scored five goals in 38 appearances. In August 1948 Cliff was appointed player-manager at North Eastern League side Stockton FC, he piloted The Ancients to the League title in May 1951 and into the FA Cup Third Round in January 1952 before announcing his retirement in August 1952. Chadwick remained in the Teesside area, establishing a physiotherapy practice in Middlesbrough and undertaking scouting missions for Blackburn Rovers. He later emigrated to Australia, where he died in March 1999.
Details
Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 26 January 1914, Bolton
Hull City First Game: 21 September 1946, Chester A (Division Three North), 32 years, 238 days old
Hull City Final Game: 7 June 1947, New Brighton H (Division Three North), 33 years, 132 days old
Clubs
Turton, Fleetwood (1933), Oldham Athletic (1933-1934), Middlesbrough (1934-1946), Hull City (1946-1947), Darlington (1947-1948), Stockton FC (1948-1952)
Hull City Record
Career: 27 apps, 8 goals
Cliff ChadwickSeason | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1946/47 | 23 | 7 | 4 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – |