53 Alf Toward

Biography

Centre forward Alfred Vickers Toward joined the Tigers in December 1908, adding to the depth of striker choices that the club retained in its early years. He scored on his debut, a 4-0 thrashing of Barnsley, and added four more goals in the closing weeks of the season. He started 1908/09 season on the first team fringes, making four starts (and scoring once, against Barnsley once more) in the first two months. But the strength of the other strikers on offer, notably Arthur Temple and John Smith, meant Toward was denied further first team chances at City and he left at the end of December 1909.

Toward was born at Castleside in rural County Durham and played local football for several years. He was on the books of Northern League side Leadgate Park when he signed professional terms for Hull City at the age of 26.

Toward joined Oldham Athletic in December 1909, a transfer that haunted the Tigers five months later when City, needing a win over the Latics to secure promotion to the First Division, lost 3-0 with Toward scoring one of the goals. Now a First Division player himself, Toward was Oldham’s top league goalscorer in 1910/11 season with 13 strikes. He remained at Boundary Park for two further years, joining First Division rivals Preston North End in October 1913. He made 30 appearances and scored 8 goals for the Lilywhites in a variety of positions before World War 1 intervened. After the War Toward had spells at junior side Darlington Forge and senior rivals Darlington before returning to Leadgate Park. He retired to his home town Castleside where he worked as a builder, dying in May 1962.

Details

Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 31 May 1882, Castleside
Hull City First Game: 23 January 1909, Barnsley H (Division Two), 26 years, 237 days old
Hull City Final Game: 23 October 1909, Clapton Orient A (Division Two), 27 years, 145 days old

Clubs

Leadgate Park (1906-1908), Hull City (1908-1909), Oldham Athletic (1909-1913), Preston North End (1913-1915), Darlington Forge (1919), Darlington (1919-1920), Leadgate Park (1920-1922)

Hull City Record

Career: 10 apps, 6 goals

Alf Toward

Season	LGE App	LGE Gls	FAC App	FAC Gls	FLC App	FLC Gls	EUR App	EUR Gls	OTH App	OTH Gls
1908/09	6	5	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
1909/10	4	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-