Blackman: Frederick Ernest (Fred)

1914-1919 (Leeds City Player Details)

Right Back

Born: Kennington: 08-02-1884

Debut: v Hull City (a): 21-02-1914

5’10” 12st 7lb (1914)

A Full Back of outstanding qualities, Blackman joined Woolwich Arsenal in 1907 when already in his early twenties. He did no make the first team at Highbury and left for Non-League Hastings and St Leonards in May 1907, before joining the Southern League Brighton and Hove Albion two years later. While at the South Coast team he established his growing reputation representing the Southern League twice and featuring as an ever-present in his club’s Southern League championship-winning side of 1910. He also made a lasting impression on Northern sides in other games as he played in Brighton’s 3-1 FA Cup win over Leeds City in January 1911. His form was so impressive that he was given a trial for the full England team at Tottenham in the same month. He was obviously destined for better things and Huddersfield Town paid £300 for his services in May 1911. He made thirty-two appearances for the Terriers in his first season and another thirty-six in 1912-1913 before Leeds City paid £1,000 to secure his signature in February 1914, after he had taken his appearance tally with Town to ninety-two in League games. Blackman had played fourteen times for City in his first part-season and followed this up with another thirty in 1914-15 before the War curtailed his Leeds career. During the War he was based in the South of England and guested for Fulham. When the Football League restarted he was into his mid-thirties and City allowed him to move to Third Division Queens Park Rangers in 1919, having lost four years of his footballing life to WW1. He carried on playing for another three seasons before retiring in 1922, after forty-two games for Rangers.