Louis Cardwell

Louis Cardwell (20 August 1912 – 23 April 1986) was an English professional footballer. A defender, he spent six years at Blackpool in the 1930s, making over 100 the Football League appearances for the club, and helping Blackpool to win promotion out of the Second Division in 1936–37. He later played for Manchester City, Netherfield, and Crewe Alexandra.

Louis Cardwell

Personal information
Full name	Louis Cardwell[1]
Date of birth	(1912-08-20)20 August 1912
Place of birth	Blackpool, England
Date of death	23 April 1986(1986-04-23) (aged 73)
Place of death	Blackpool, England
Playing position(s)	Defender
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
	South Shore
	Imperial Hydro
1931–1937	Blackpool	132	(6)
1937–1946	Manchester City	39	(0)
1946	→ Netherfield (loan)
1947–1949	Crewe Alexandra	25	(0)
Total		196+	(6+)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

Blackpool

After starting his career with South Shore and Imperial Hydro, Cardwell made his debut for Blackpool on 17 January 1931, in a 5–1 defeat at Middlesbrough.[2] It was his only league appearance of the 1930–31 season; he did, however, appear in the club's two FA Cup ties.[2] He missed the entire 1931–32 campaign due to injury, and only returned with ten games of the following 1932–33 season remaining, appearing in six of them.[3] Sandy MacFarlane succeeded Harry Evans as Blackpool manager prior to the 1933–34 season, and the Scot only gave one start to Cardwell, in a 3–0 Boxing Day defeat at Hull City.[4] The following season, however, he selected him in 29 of the club's 42 league games.[5]

Cardwell served under his third Blackpool manager (this time Joe Smith) for the 1935–36 term, and he went on to be ever-present for the season. He also scored five goals. The first three came in consecutive games: against Bradford City on 7 March, Plymouth Argyle a week later, and then against Barnsley on 21 March. The remaining two were both from the penalty spot: against Hull City on 11 April, and against Newcastle United on 22 April, in the penultimate game of the league campaign.[6]

Cardwell was also ever-present the following season, 1936–37, as Blackpool were promoted to the First Division as runners-up of the Second Division. In 1937–38, Cardwell started in eleven of the first twelve league games (and scored in one of them) before being sold to Manchester City. His final game for the "Seasiders" came on 16 October, a 2–0 defeat to Chelsea at Bloomfield Road.

Manchester City and beyond

Cardwell played 39 League games for Manchester City. The "Citizens" were relegated out of the top-flight in 1937–38, and finished fifth in the Second Division in 1938–39 – they were five points behind promoted Sheffield United.

He joined Port Vale as a wartime guest in January 1945, making his debut in a 5–0 defeat at Wrexham on 20 January.[7] He scored one goal in seven further games before departing in March 1945. He also guested for Blackpool, Fulham, Millwall, Portsmouth and West Ham United.[8]

Cardwell moved on loan to Netherfield, and then left Maine Road permanently on a transfer to Crewe Alexandra in 1947. The "Railwaymen" finished tenth and 12th in the Third Division North in 1947–48 and 1948–49 under the stewardship of Frank Hill and Arthur Turner. He played 25 league games during his two seasons at Gresty Road.

Statistics

Source:[9]

Club	Season	Division	League		FA Cup		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Blackpool	1930–31	First Division	1	0	2	0	3	0
	1931–32	First Division	0	0	0	0	0	0
	1932–33	First Division	5	0	0	0	5	0
	1933–34	Second Division	1	0	0	0	1	0
	1934–35	Second Division	29	0	1	0	30	0
	1935–36	Second Division	42	5	2	0	47	5
	1936–37	Second Division	42	0	2	0	44	0
	1937–38	First Division	11	1	0	0	11	1
	Total		131	6	7	0	138	6
Manchester City	1938–39	Second Division	37	0	2	0	39	0
	1945–46		0	0	4	0	4	0
	1946–47	Second Division	2	0	0	0	2	0
	Total		39	0	6	0	45	0
Crewe Alexandra	1947–48	Third Division North	20	0	4	0	24	0
	1948–49	Third Division North	5	0	0	0	5	0
	Total		25	0	4	0	29	0
Career total			295	6	17	0	302	6

Honours

Blackpool

• Football League Second Division runner-up: 1936–37

References

1. "Louis Cardwell". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
2. Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992, Breedon Books Sport, p. 236
3. Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992, Breedon Books Sport, p. 240
4. Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992, Breedon Books Sport, p. 242
5. Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992, Breedon Books Sport, p. 244
6. Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992, Breedon Books Sport, p. 246
7. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 53. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
8. Hogg, Tony (1995). West Ham Who's Who. London: Independent UK Sports publications. p. 223. ISBN 1-899429-01-8.
9. Louis Cardwell at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)

• Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992. Breedon Books Sport. ISBN 1-873626-07-X.