Harold Walden

Harold Adrian Walden (October 10, 1889 in Ardwick, Manchester – December 2, 1955 in Leeds) was an English amateur football player who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics.

A centre forward, he began his career at Halifax Town before joining Bradford City in December 1911. He spent four seasons with the Bantams and was the League's top scorer in 1911-12. That summer, he was part of the English amateur team that represented Great Britain at the Olympic football tournament, winning the gold medal. He played in all three matches and scored nine goals.

Walden entered the army by joining the Cheshire Regiment in 1903, and served in India and Ireland. He played for the Army against the Navy in 1910 and 1911, and also served in World War I, for the West Yorkshire Regiment, rising to the rank of captain. After the war ended he joined Arsenal and played twice for the Gunners, both times against Oldham Athletic, with his debut coming on February 12 1921. With just those two games (and a single goal) to his name, he returned to Bradford at the end of the 1920-21 season.

After retiring from football and the army, he went into the music hall as a variety performer in Yorkshire, after making his stage debut while still playing football, in 1919. He had also had a minor film career, which included starring in "The Winning Goal", one of the earliest football-related films, in 1920. He made at least one 78rpm record, "Ronnie the Robin" b/w "And only me knows why", on the Imperial label (Imperial 2589).He died in 1955 of a heart attack at Leeds railway station.

External links

* [http://www.databaseolympics.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=WALDEHAR01 Olympics Profile]
* [http://archive.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/1999/3/10/165262.html Harold Walden remembered]
*imdb|id=0907077