96 James Middlehurst

Biography

James Henry Middlehurst was a full back born in Prescot near Wigan in Lancashire to a coal miner father. James himself worked in a brass wire works during his teenage years while playing local district football around Prescot and St Helens. Like so many of his contemporaries in the pre-World War One era, he came to Hull City’s attention thanks to the scouting of former Tigers player William Robinson, who also hailed from Prescot. Middlehurst signed for Hull City in August 1914 from St Helens Recreation on the same day as another Prescot man, City’s post-war first team goalkeeper Billy Mercer.

Middlehurst went straight into the Tigers’ Reserves side and within a month he was handed a September 1914 first team debut against Arsenal, replacing regular right back John Pattison. Middlehurst did not reappear again until April 1915 against Leicester Fosse, by which time new manager Fred Stringer was in post and Pattison had himself been replaced at right back by Charlie Betts.

The Football League was suspended at the end of the 1914/15 season and Middlehurst’s time at Hull City seemed destined to be shortlived. He returned to the North West and played wartime fixtures for Liverpool in the 1915/16 season, then signed up for the Army in July 1916. Sent to battle in Mesopotamia, present day Iraq, he later served in India before demobilisation in January 1920. Within a few days Hull City again took on Middlehurst, signing him ahead of Liverpool, and by March 1920 manager David Menzies had reintroduced him to the City first team to replace the suspended Matt Bell. Despite starting seven of the final nine games, City did not retain Middlehurst in the 1920 close season.

James joined Southern League side Chatham in October 1920 before returning north a year later to play for Midland League side Wakefield City. At this point his football career came to an end, he returned to Prescot and by 1939 was working as a wood turner and performing Air Raid Patrol duties around Prescot’s local shops. Staying in Prescot for the rest of his days, Middlehurst died on Christmas Day 1954 while attending church.

Details

Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 17 November 1892, Prescot
Hull City First Game: 26 September 1914, Arsenal A (Division Two), 21 years, 313 days old
Hull City Final Game: 1 May 1920, Rotherham County A (Division Two), 27 years, 166 days old

Clubs

Hull City (1914-1915), Hull City (1920), Chatham (1920-1921), Wakefield City (1921-1922)

Hull City Record

Career: 9 apps, 0 goals