b. Ashton in Makerfield  30 April 1886
d. Newton le Willows AMJ 1968
 

Debut  13 April 1906 (19y 348d)
CAREER: Audenshaw '98;Hooley Hill '02;Hyde St George’s;Earlestown Jan'05;Blackburn Rovers Mar'06 (£115 with France);St Helens Recs Jul'07;Altrincham Jan’14;Liverpool Feb'16-Oct'17;Altrincham;Oldham Athletic Aug'19-Jun'20[2];Witton Albion;Altrincham;Mossley '22.
 

FL     1 app

A wood carver who partnered Herbert France at Earlestown, the pair were signed together and thrust into action on Good Friday. It was a derby game against  Preston and Cunliffe found it hard to make a mark. A season in the reserves prompted the pair to move on to St Helens, making it four clubs in succession where they had played together. Improbably he was drafted into the Liverpool team during the war and made 57 appearances and was  a member of the side  that won the principal Lancashire tournament. Afterwards he played for Altrincham and then for Oldham, where he made his second Football League appearance, thirteen years after his debut. In October 1917 he was suspended sine die by the FA for taking part in coupon betting. His offence  came to light because he refused to pay out winnings of 70 shilling on a shillng coupon, which prompted a complaint to the authorities. The sentence was subsequently reduced.