b. Dukinfield  JFM 1884
d. Ashton under Lyne 8 May 1926
 

Debut  13 April 1906 Final Game 20 September 1906
CAREER: Stalybridge Albion ’02;Hooley Hill;Earlestown Aug'05;Blackburn Rovers Mar'06 (£115 with Cunliffe);St Helens Recs Sum '07;Earlestown '08;Hurst '10;Stalybridge Celtic Oct’14.
 

FL        4 apps

The son of a bricklayer who had come from Mellor in Derbyshire, France was a stone mason who was signed with his wing partner Cunliffe. The pair was thrust into the Good Friday game with Preston, in which France coped the better, but even though he regularly outshone Eddie Latheron in the reserves his career did not flourish. He and Cunliffe moved together to St Helens but then France moved to Hurst. In 1912/13 he was an ever present and scored almost thirty goals. He was still in action just before the Great War. In 1917 he was serving in France with the Cheshire Regiment and still playing with a successful army side. His son John played in the Football League for Swindon Town and Halifax  Town.