Horace Cumner

Reginald Horace Cumner (31 March 1918 – 18 January 1999) was a Wales international footballer. A forward, he played for Arsenal, Margate, Hull City, Notts County, Watford, Scunthorpe United, Bradford City, Poole Town, and Bridport. He won three international caps in the 1939 British Home Championship, scoring one goal.

Horace Cumner

Personal information
Full name	Reginald Horace Cumner[1]
Date of birth	(1918-03-31)31 March 1918[1]
Place of birth	Cwmaman, Aberdare, Wales[1]
Date of death	18 January 1999(1999-01-18) (aged 80)
Place of death	Poole, Dorset, England
Playing position(s)	Outside-left
Youth career
	Aberaman Athletic
1935–1936	Arsenal
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1936–1946	Arsenal	14	(3)
1936–1938	→ Margate (loan)
1938	→ Hull City (loan)	12	(4)
1946–1948	Notts County	66	(11)
1948–1950	Watford	62	(7)
1950–1953	Scunthorpe United	102	(21)
1953–1954	Bradford City	0	(0)
1954–1955	Poole Town
1955–1957	Bridport
	Swanage Town
Total		256+	(46+)
National team
1939	Wales	3	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Cumner moved from Aberaman Athletic to Arsenal. He was loaned out to Margate and Hull City.[2] During World War II he guested for Cardiff City, Fulham, Liverpool, Portsmouth, Swansea Town, Aberaman Athletic, Port Vale, Clapton Orient and Plymouth Argyle.[1][3] He suffered severe burns during the war whilst on service for the Royal Marines.[4] In August 1946, he signed for Notts County in part-exchange for Ian McPherson. He helped the "Magpies" to 12th and sixth place in the Third Division South in 1946–47 and 1947–48. He left Meadow Lane, and switched to league rivals Watford. He helped Eddie Hapgood's "Hornets" to finish 17th in 1948–49 and sixth in 1949–50. After departing Vicarage Road, he joined Leslie Jones's Scunthorpe United. He helped the "Iron" to mid-table finishes in the Third Division North in 1950–51, 1951–52, and 1952–53. He never played another game in the Football League after leaving the Old Showground, as he was signed to Ivor Powell's Bradford City, but never got onto the pitch at Valley Parade.[2] He later moved into non-league football with Poole Town (Western League), Bridport (Dorset Combination), and Swanage Town.[3]

International career

Cumner earned three full caps for Wales,[2] and scored in the 1938–39 British Home Championship 3–1 defeat of Ireland.

Statistics

Source:[5]

Club	Season	Division	League		FA Cup		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Arsenal	1935–36	First Division	0	0	0	0	0	0
	1936–37	First Division	0	0	0	0	0	0
	1937–38	First Division	0	0	0	0	0	0
	1938–39	First Division	12	2	0	0	12	2
	1945–46		0	0	1	1	1	1
	Total		12	2	1	1	13	3
Hull City (loan)	1937–38	Third Division North	12	4	0	0	12	4
Notts County	1946–47	Third Division South	35	5	3	1	38	6
	1947–48	Third Division South	31	6	5	1	36	7
	Total		66	11	8	2	74	13
Watford	1948–49	Third Division South	35	5	0	0	35	5
	1949–50	Third Division South	23	2	4	0	27	2
	1950–51	Third Division South	4	0	0	0	4	0
	Total		62	7	4	0	66	7
Scunthorpe United	1950–51	Third Division North	35	10	0	0	35	10
	1951–52	Third Division North	44	11	4	0	48	11
	1952–53	Third Division North	23	0	0	0	23	0
	Total		102	21	4	0	106	21
Bradford City	1953–54	Third Division North	0	0	0	0	0	0
Career total			254	45	17	3	271	48

Honours

Wales

• British Home Championship winner: 1938–39 (shared)

References

1. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 73. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
2. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 66. ISBN 1-899468-67-6.
3. "Reg Cumner". Greens on Screen. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
4. Matthews, Tony (2007). Who's who of Arsenal. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. p. 78. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
5. Horace Cumner at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)