Bert Crossthwaite

Herbert Crossthwaite (4 April 1887 – 20 May 1944) was an English footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Blackpool, Fulham and Birmingham in the Football League and for Exeter City in the Southern League.

Sporting career

Crossthwaite played football for Preston Post Office before signing amateur forms with Football League First Division club Preston North End, but made no senior appearances for that club. Having turned professional, Crossthwaite joined Fulham for a £15 fee ahead of the 1907–08 season, and made two more Second Division appearances in the second half of that campaign, standing in for first-choice goalkeeper Leslie Skene on each occasion. He was retained for 1908–09, but took no further part in the first team, He missed only one Southern League match in the 1909–10 season.

He then moved to Birmingham, joined the police, and was reinstated as an amateur. He was also a competent sprinter, despite being a heavy man, and was for many years actively involved with the charity sports meetings organised by the Birmingham police. The 1901 United Kingdom Census records him as a postal telegraph messenger. He married Agnes Carter in 1909, and the couple had two children, Ann and Herbert. His police file describes him as tall, of dark complexion with dark brown hair and eyes. On 20 May 1944, at the age of 57, he collapsed and died in Erdington.

A cousin, Harry Crossthwaite, played League football for Stockport County and Stoke.