George Amos Hadley (5 June 1889 – 2 November 1954) was an English
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby le ...
who played at
wing-half
A midfielder is an outfield position in association football.
Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...
either side of the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
.
Football career
Hadley was born in
Darlaston
Darlaston is an industrial town in the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall in the West Midlands of England. It is located near Wednesbury and Willenhall.
Topography
Darlaston is situated between Wednesbury and Walsall in the valley of the River T ...
, Staffordshire and worked as a press-tool setter with a lock manufacturer while playing football with Willenhall Swifts.
In July 1913, he moved to the south coast to join
Southampton
Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...
of the Southern League. A "''stocky, versatile half-back (who) could also play up front''", Hadley made his first-team debut in a 2–0 defeat at
Reading
Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of Letter (alphabet), letters, symbols, etc., especially by Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch.
For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process invo ...
on 1 November 1913 when he replaced
Jim McAlpine
James Montgomery McAlpine (28 June 1887 – October qtr. 1948) was a Scottish footballer, who played as a half back for Southampton in the Southern League before playing for Football League clubs Millwall and Gillingham.
Football career
Bor ...
at
left-half
A midfielder is an outfield position in association football.
Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...
. After four matches, McAlpine was recalled and Hadley switched to
right-half
A midfielder is an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position in association football.
Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As #Cent ...
where he remained until February when he lost his place to
Jack Small
John Small (7 October 1765 – 21 January 1836) at the CricketArchive was an English . Hadley returned after three matches and ended the season with four matches at
inside-left
Forwards (also known as attackers) are Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield positions in an association football team who play the furthest up the pitch and are therefore most responsible for scoring Goal (sport)#Association footbal ...
, scoring twice.
The following season, Hadley only missed five matches, generally playing as a wing-half but with the occasional appearance as an
outside-forward
Forwards (also known as attackers) are outfield positions in an association football team who play the furthest up the pitch and are therefore most responsible for scoring goals as well as assisting them. As with any attacking player, the role ...
. By the end of the season, England was at war and normal football was suspended. The "Saints" retained Hadley's registration throughout the war, and he played in the occasional wartime fixture.
After the end of the war, Hadley was sold to
Aston Villa
Aston Villa Football Club is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club competes in the , the top tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1874, they have played at their home ground, Villa Park ...
of the
Football League First Division
The Football League First Division was a division of the Football League in England from 1888 until 2004. It was the top division in the English football league system from the season 1888–89 until 1991–92, a century in which the First ...
, for whom he made four appearances before a transfer to
Coventry City
Coventry City Football Club is a professional association football club based in Coventry, West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. The team currently compete in the EFL Championship, Championship, the second tier of the English footbal ...
in July 1920. Hadley remained at City until 1922, when a broken collarbone brought his career to a close.