b. Blackburn 15 December 1880
d. Blackburn 30 October 1962
 

Debut  6 April 1901 (20y 112d) Final Game 8 April 1901(20y114d)
CAREER: Alma Swifts;Christ Church;Park Road '98;Blackburn Rovers Aug'00-'02;Darwen;Trawden Forest Oct'02;Oswaldtwistle Rovers May'03.
 

FL      2 apps     

The son of a joiner and builder, born in Mosley Street, Blackshaw had an unfortunate introduction to Football. In 1895, at the age of 14, he broke his leg playing for Alma Swifts against St John’s reserves at Hole i’th Wall. Not deterred he had a formidable scoring reputation with Park Road but found the step up to the Football League too great. Given two games as Dewhurst's deputy he was nervous in the first but improved on his second. However he received no other chance. He started work as a furniture maker at Hewitt's in King Street but at the age of 25 he opened his own business in Swan Street operating as a joiner and undertaker until he retired in 1946, apart from service with the Royal Engineers during the Great War. A town councillor from 1929 to 1932 (Park Ward)  he was a member of the Board of Guardians from 1922 to 1930. In 1954 he celebrated his golden wedding at his home in Park Lee Road and died at his home in Alexandra Road eight years later. His brother Tom was chairman of the Rovers in the 1950s and was responsible for bringing Johnny Carey to the club.