5'7.5" 10st.10lb.

b. Blackburn 16 May 1874

d. Blackburn 18 February 1948

Debut 18 September 1897 (23y 125d) Final Game 16 April 1900 (29y 335d)

First Goal 25 September 1897 Final Goal 24 March 1900

CAREER: St Luke's;Wheelton;Rawtenstall;Bacup'95;Clitheroe Jun'96;Blackburn Rovers May'97; Stalybridge Rovers '00;Woolwich Arsenal May'01[122-33];Plymouth Argyle '05;Brentford Apr'07;Darwen Sep'07.

FL         56 apps 11 gls

FAC       4 apps

TM        1 app      1 gl

Total   61 apps  12 gls  et 30m

LC        6 apps   1 gl

The son of a fish and fruit merchant from Galligreaves Road, Chip Briercliffe had a variety of occupations, among them carter, platelayer on the railways and hod carrier, in a number of towns. He made the grade the hard way playing for local clubs before signing for the Rovers, at a time when he had a dislocated shoulder. He quickly became a firm favourite, running the wing with bounce and displaying an eye for goal but he was unfortunate that Fred Blackburn came along to displace him. After the obscurity of Stalybridge he joined Arsenal and served them for several seasons during which he helped them to gain promotion to the First Division. A reserve for England, he gained county caps for London and Devon, although his time in London was cut short when he obtained the tenancy of the Infirmary Hotel in Blackburn. During the war he kept the Waterloo Hotel in Penny Street and this occupation proved ideal because he moved to several public houses, the last of which was the Royal Oak in Highfield Road. He was the brother in law of Everton's William Stevenson, the pair having married sisters