Abel Roberts Finch (31 August 1908 – 2000) was an footballer[3] who played as a full-back.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Abel Roberts Finch[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 31 August 1908[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Hednesford, England[1] | ||
| Date of death | 2000 (aged 91–92)[1] | ||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Full-back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1923–1924 | Hednesford Primitives | ||
| 1924–1925 | Hednesford Town | ||
| 1925–1938 | West Bromwich Albion | 216 | (0) |
| 1938–1939 | Swansea Town | 0 | (0) |
| 1939 | Hednesford Town | ||
| 1946 | Tamworth | ||
| Total | 216 | (0) | |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
He joined Hednesford Prims in 1922 and Hednesford Town in 1923, but after only a few first- team games he was approached by West Bromwich Albion, signing professional forms for them in 1925, making his debut at home to Leicester City, 27 February 1926, at the age of 17.
Bob made two England International trials, one of them for the Rest v England, opposite the great Dixie Dean. On 6 March 1937, he played against Arsenal in a 6th Round FA Cup game before 64,815 Hawthorn supporters. Transferred to Swansea in May 1939, Bob managed only one game before War was declared.
Bob made 216 senior appearances for Albion and 231 more for their Central League side, many as captain, winning Championship medals in 1926–27, 32–33, 33-34 and 34–35, but was unlucky in being out of the Albion team for most of the 1930–31 season when they won promotion from Division Two and the FA Cup in the same season.
Bob died locally in 2000, aged 92.
References edit
- ^ a b c d Rob Finch at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
- ^ "West Bromwich Albion. Directors rely on reserves". Sunday Dispatch Football Guide. London. 23 August 1936. p. iv – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Finch Bob Image 1 West Bromwich Albion 1928". Vintage Footballers. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
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