Shirley Hubbard (18 February 1885 – 22 February 1962) was an English professional footballer who made 140 appearances in the

Football League The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, the league is the oldest such competition in the world. It was the top-level football league in Engla ...

for Leicester City as a

forward Forward is a relative direction, the opposite of backward. Forward may also refer to: People * Forward (surname) Sports * Forward (association football) * Forward (basketball), including: ** Point forward ** Power forward (basketball) ** Sm ...

. He later served as player-manager of Ashby Town.

Career

After beginning his career with local

Leicester Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands. The city l ...

clubs, Second Division club Leicester Fosse bought Hubbard out of the army to sign him on 22 April 1907. Over the next six years he made 151 appearances. He scored 39 goals for the club and helped the Foxes to promotion to the First Division at the end of the 1907–08 season. Hubbard departed Filbert Street for North Eastern League club

Darlington Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, County Durham, England. The River Skerne flows through the town; it is a tributary of the River Tees. The Tees itself flows south of the town. In the 19th century, Darlington underwen ...

in May 1913 and was playing for

South Shields South Shields () is a coastal town in South Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England. It is on the south bank of the mouth of the River Tyne. Historically, it was known in Roman times as Arbeia, and as Caer Urfa by Early Middle Ages. According to the 20 ...

upon the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. During the war, he guested for Port Vale, Bloxwich Strollers, Birmingham and on two occasions for Leicester Fosse. Hubbard briefly resumed his professional career with the reformed Leicester City during the 1919–20 season and finished his Foxes career with 154 appearances and 40 goals. He took over as player-manager at Leicestershire Senior League club Ashby Town. Hubbard later returned to Leicester City as a

coach Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Co ...

prior to the Second World War.

Personal life

As of 1901, Hubbard worked as a shoe finisher and enlisted in the Leicestershire Regiment on 14 July 1903. He was posted to India and served until April 1907. As of 1911, Hubbard was married with one child. In November 1914, three months after the outbreak of the First World War, Hubbard re-enlisted in the Leicestershire Regiment and was sent to the

Western Front Western Front or West Front may refer to: Military frontiers *Western Front (World War I), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (World War II), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (Russian Empire), a majo ...

in February 1915. He saw action at Hooge, the Hohenzollern Redoubt, the

Somme __NOTOC__ Somme or The Somme may refer to: Places *Somme (department), a department of France *Somme, Queensland, Australia *Canal de la Somme, a canal in France *Somme (river), a river in France Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Somme'' (book), a ...

and during the

Hundred Days Offensive The Hundred Days Offensive (8 August to 11 November 1918) was a series of massive Allies of World War I, Allied offensives that ended the First World War. Beginning with the Battle of Amiens (1918), Battle of Amiens (8–12 August) on the Wester ...

. After he retired from football, Hubbard remained on the sports scene and wrote a column in the local

Leicestershire Leicestershire ( ; postal abbreviation Leics.) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East Midlands, England. The county borders Nottinghamshire to the north, Lincolnshire to the north-east, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire t ...

press.

Career statistics

Honours

Leicester Fosse * Football League Second Division second-place promotion: 1907–08

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hubbard, Shirley 1885 births 1962 deaths Footballers from Leicester Military personnel from Leicester English men's footballers Men's association football forwards Men's association football inside forwards Royal Leicestershire Regiment soldiers Leicester City F.C. players Darlington F.C. players Gateshead A.F.C. players Port Vale F.C. wartime guest players Leicester City F.C. wartime guest players British Army personnel of World War I Birmingham City F.C. wartime guest players Association football coaches Leicester City F.C. non-playing staff English Football League players Men's association football player-managers English football managers