Arthur Bateman (footballer, born 1908)

Arthur Bateman (15 March 1908 – September 1979) was an English professional footballer who played as a full back. He is best remembered for his five-year spell in the Football League with Brentford, where he was captain and made over 150 appearances. In 2013, Bateman was named in a Football League 125th anniversary poll as Brentford's fourth-best captain and he was inducted into the club's Hall of Fame in 2015.[4][5]

Arthur Bateman
Personal information
Full name Arthur Bateman[1]
Date of birth (1908-04-01)1 April 1908
Place of birth Grimsby, England
Date of death September 1979 (1979-10) (aged 71)[2]
Place of death Grimsby, England
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[3]
Position(s) Full back
Youth career
Cleethorpes Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1927–1933 Grimsby Town 18 (0)
1933–1934 Southend United 19 (0)
1934–1939 Brentford 146 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

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Early years

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Bateman began his career at Cleethorpes Town, before joining hometown club Grimsby Town in 1927.[6] He was with the club through its heyday in the First Division, but made only 18 appearances across six seasons.[6] Bateman moved to Third Division South club Southend United during the 1933 off-season.[7] He departed the Shrimpers in January 1934, after making 22 appearances.[7]

Brentford

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Bateman joined Second Division club Brentford in January 1934 and made his debut towards the end of the month in a 3–0 victory over Plymouth Argyle at Griffin Park.[7][8] Nicknamed "Iron Man",[9] Bateman vice-captained the Brentford team which was crowned Second Division champions in the 1934–35 season and secured promoted to the First Division for the only time in the club's history.[6] Bateman's only goal for the club came against Bradford Park Avenue on 22 April 1935, a 40-yard free kick in a 3–2 win which clinched promotion.[6] After the departure of Bert Watson, Bateman was promoted to captain for the 1935–36 season and led the Bees to fifth place in the First Division,[6] the club's highest ever finish in the league pyramid.[4] An injury suffered in a 1–0 victory over Arsenal at Griffin Park in September 1938 brought Bateman's career to a premature end.[6] He made 154 appearances for Brentford and scored one goal during just shy of five years with the club.[6]

International career

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Bateman's form for Brentford saw him called up to the England squad for a three-match friendly tour of Europe in May 1938, but he failed to make an appearance.[2]

Personal life

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Following his early retirement from football, Bateman returned to Grimsby and became a policeman, retiring in 1969 with the rank of Detective Inspector.[9]

Career statistics

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Southend United 1933–34[7] Third Division South 19 0 3 0 22 0
Brentford 1933–34[8] Second Division 18 0 18 0
1934–35[8] 41 1 1 0 42 1
1935–36[8] First Division 23 0 0 0 23 0
1936–37[8] 26 0 2 0 28 0
1937–38[8] 31 0 4 0 1[a] 0 36 0
1938–39[8] 7 0 0 0 7 0
Total 146 1 7 0 1 0 154 1
Career total 165 1 10 0 1 0 176 1
  1. ^ Appearance in Empire Exhibition Trophy

Honours

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Brentford

Individual

References

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  1. ^ Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 20. ISBN 978-1905891610.
  2. ^ a b "England Uncapped Players – Arthur Bateman". www.englandfootballonline.com. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  3. ^ "Brentford. Only one change in 'Bees' team". Sunday Dispatch Football Guide. London. 23 August 1936. p. iv – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b "Brentford". Football League 125. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  5. ^ a b Wickham, Chris. "Kevin O'Connor and Marcus Gayle join others in being added to Brentford FC Hall of Fame". brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Harefield: Yore Publications. p. 17. ISBN 0955294916.
  7. ^ a b c d "Player Profile". SUFCdb. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. pp. 372–375. ISBN 0951526200.
  9. ^ a b Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopaedia. Yore Publications. p. 18. ISBN 1-874427-57-7.