John William Duerden
b. Blackburn 3 February 1862
d. Blackburn JAS 1924
Debut 19 January 1889 (26y 350d) Final Game 15 April 1889 (27y 71d)
CAREER: Witton '80;Livesey Grasshoppers '86;Livesey United;Darwen (trial);Cherry Tree '87;Blackburn Casuals ’87;Witton '88;Blackburn Rovers '88;Brierfield Mar'90.
FL 2 apps
LC 3 apps 4 gls 3g 1
A dark skinned young man who played his early football in the Witton and Livesey areas he had an unsuccessful trial with Darwen but persevered and was taken on by the Rovers, although there was some controversy about this. He had signed to play for the Blackburn Casuals but accepted the offer to play for the Rovers’ reserves. Immediately the story sprang up that he had received a bribe to do so, although this account was totally spurious. Curiously his two firs team appearances were on the left wing and at centre half, but he had played in the forward line at Witton. When he joined Brierfield the club was docked four points for playing him when ineligible.
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