GoS-DB Players

FREDDIE HAYCOCK

Full Name: Frederick James Haycock

Born: 19 April 1912

Came from: Aston Villa Went to: Aston Villa

First game: 15 December 1945 Last game: 15 December 1945

Appearances: 1 (1/0) Goals: 0

Although the Second World War was at an end, the Football League divided its competition into regional sections for the 1945-46 season because of the exceptional conditions at that time, with so many players still serving in the Armed Forces or employed on essential war work. Argyle played in the Football League South that season, against first-class opposition such as Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs, Aston Villa and Wolves. It proved impossible for the Pilgrims to field a regular side; 72 players made an appearance and performances inevitably suffered. From week to week the club called on Armed Services players who were stationed in the area, guest players from other League clubs and local amateurs to supplement its registered playing staff.

Haycock was one of 27 in the guest category. Born in Bootle, the winger started his career with Bootle schoolboys, Liverpool & District Schools and Waterford Town in Ireland before a brief spell with Blackburn Rovers, although no senior appearances are recorded, and then back locally with Prescot Cables FC. He signed for Aston Villa in 1936 and across the next three years made 100 appearances and scored 28 goals before the war interrupted his career, so was an experienced top-flight player when he guested for Argyle in December 1945, along with club-mate Albert Kerr. Nicknamed 'Schneider' at Villa Park for reasons which aren't apparent, he also guested for ICI Kynochs, Kidderminster Harriers, Leicester City, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, Northampton, Notts County, Walsall and Wolverhampton Wanderers during the war. Villa kept his registration until the war was over but he made no further appearances for them; instead he moved closer to home to join Wrexham in 1946, and then into non-league football with Hednesford Town and finally Stourbridge.

YOUR CONTRIBUTION

If you can add to this profile, perhaps with special memories, a favourite story or the results of your original research, please contribute here.

From Martin Hoban in Great Barr, West Midlands on 28/11/2013 ...

At IMI (the Imperial Metals Industry at Witton in Birmingham), an external transport system existed to ferry workers at unsociable hours. Fred was one of the drivers, a physically tough nuggety man. He lived down the road from us in Turnberry Road. Always cheerful and modest, he would pick me up at ungodly hours of a Sunday morning (1972). Not sure what he thought of a somewhat disheveled youth, given his background! Never said much about football - he would be in his early sixties then. I recall he told me that one of his sons joined the priesthood. Lovely chap.

From Jon Gibbes in Torquay on 27/05/2023 ...

I suspect, but am not sure, that Haycock played for Torquay as a winger away at Bristol Rovers on Monday 17 September 1945. The WMN said “Haycox” and Jack Rollin’s Soccer at War book guessed this was Jack Haycox who had played for Torquay before the War. I don’t think it was as Haycox had retired and never played on the wing. Fred Haycock was very much a “gun for hire” at the time and could very easily have taken a train from Birmingham to Bristol to earn a match fee - in the transitional season players earned match fees not wages as such so the more they played the more they earned. Would ... More

APPEARANCE DETAILS [reselect competitions]

The details below reflect appearances in all first-team competitions.