Biography
George Spence was amongst the pioneer players for Hull City when the club was formed in 1904. He played in the two FA Cup ties at Stockton that City played that season, scoring in both, and started 40 friendly games that season, scoring 15 goals. Inside forward Spence spent the club’s inaugural Football League season with City too, scoring in the opening league fixture against Barnsley. His final goal also came in a 4-1 victory, this time against Lincoln City just before Christmas. Spence drifted out of the first team in the early months of 1906 and left the club that close season.
George was born in Rothesay, on the Scottish Inner Hebridean island of Bute. His football career began at St Mirren before headed south to join Derby County in August 1898. Within four months he had switched to Gainsborough Trinity where he scored ten goals during the remainder of the season. Two spells at Southern League side Reading came either side of a season at Second Division Preston North End, where Spence scored another seven league goals. He spent 1903/04 season at Southampton, contributing to the Saints lifting the Southern League championship, prior to his move to Hull City.
On leaving Anlaby Road in 1906, Spence returned to Scotland to play for Clyde and Cowdenbeath – his career finished in 1909. He returned to Bute and worked a a joiner, where he died of polio in February 1945.
Details
Nationality: Scotland
Date/Place of Birth: 27 September 1877, Rothesay
Hull City First Game: 17 September 1904, Stockton A (FA Cup Preliminary Round), 26 years, 356 days old
Hull City Final Game: 24 March 1906, Blackpool H (Division Two), 28 years, 178 days old
Clubs
St Mirren (1895-1898), Derby County (1898), Gainsborough Trinity (1898-1899), Reading (1899-1901), Preston North End (1901-1902), Reading (1902-1903), Southampton (1903-1904), Hull City (1904-1906), Clyde (1906-1907), Cowdenbeath (1907-1908)
Hull City Record
Career: 23 apps, 4 goals
George Spence| Season | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1904/05 | - | - | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1905/06 | 19 | 2 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - |