Players - John Bamber

John Bamber
Birthdate: 11 April 1895
Birthplace: Peasley Cross, St Helens, England
Date of death: 19 August 1971
Other clubs: St Helens Recreation, Heywood, St Helens Town, Alexandra Victoria, Leicester City (1924-27), Tranmere Rovers (1927-30), Prescot Cables (1930-32)
Signed from: Alexandra Victoria
Signed for LFC: Free, 04.12.1915
International debut: 14.03.1921 vs. Wales
International caps: 1/0
Liverpool debut: 13.09.1919
Last appearance: 15.12.1923
Debut goal: 14.02.1920
Last goal: 11.09.1920
Contract expiry: 08.02.1924
Win ratio: 45.57% W:36 D:25 L:18
Total games/goals opposite LFC: 3 / 0
Wartime games/goals: 118 / 8
League games / goals: 71 / 2
Total games / goals: 79 / 2

Player Profile

Bamber started out his career as a right-winger but developed into a right-half of good repute. He joined Liverpool during World War I and did not cost the club a penny. He made 23 appearances in 1919/20 as competitive League football in England resumed after a four-year absence. Bamber was so described in March 1920 in the club programme: "Since coming to Anfield his consistency has been remarkable. Never really brilliant, but always very effective, Bamber is the type of player who is bound to make a name for himself; he discards all idea of ornamentality for efficiency, and seldom is it that the keenest critic can find fault with his work in the field." Thirty League matches followed the next season as he established himself in the side and was even chosen to represent England against Wales in March 1921. After playing the first four League matches of the 1921/22 season Bamber was stricken down with appendicitis. His illness paved the way for Jock McNab so once Bamber recovered he was only in the side if McNab was unavailable. Bamber missed out on medals as Liverpool won the Championship twice in 1922 and 1923.

In February 1924 Bamber joined Leicester who won the Second Division. He played for the Foxes in two seasons in the First Division before returning to Merseyside in 1927 to play for Tranmere. In April 1921 the Derby Daily Telegraph praised Bamber for being "a powerful defender, a sixth forward, a breaker-up and forager rolled into one. Has a wonderful stock of energy, delights in loading upon his forwards the choicest of delicate ground passes, and is an artist."
Appearances per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 71 8 0 0 0 79
1919-1920 23 5 0 0 0 28
1920-1921 30 3 0 0 0 33
1921-1922 8 0 0 0 0 8
1922-1923 4 0 0 0 0 4
1923-1924 6 0 0 0 0 6
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
Apps Minutes Opponent
7 630 Oldham Athletic
6 540 Sunderland
6 540 Manchester United
5 450 Aston Villa
5 450 Sheffield United
5 450 Blackburn Rovers
4 360 Huddersfield Town
4 360 Bolton Wanderers
3 270 Manchester City
3 270 Chelsea
3 270 Middlesbrough
3 270 Derby
3 270 Everton
3 270 Bradford City
2 180 Notts County
2 180 Gateshead
2 180 Sheffield Wednesday
2 180 Tottenham
2 180 WBA
2 180 Burnley
2 180 Arsenal
1 90 Birmingham City
1 90 Cardiff City
1 90 Luton Town
1 90 Newcastle United
1 90 Preston North End
Total Venue
43 Away
36 Home
Total Competition
71 League
8 FA Cup
Total W D L Win % Manager
66 32 22 12 48.5% David Ashworth
7 0 2 5 0% Matt McQueen
3 2 1 0 66.7% Caretaker Manager
3 2 0 1 66.7% George Patterson
Goals per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 2 0 0 0 0 2
1919-1920 1 0 0 0 0 1
1920-1921 1 0 0 0 0 1
1921-1922 0 0 0 0 0 0
1922-1923 0 0 0 0 0 0
1923-1924 0 0 0 0 0 0
A more detailed look at the player's goalscoring
Total Opponent
1 Oldham Athletic
1 Blackburn Rovers
Total Competition
2 League
Total Goal origin
2 Open play
Wartime Appearances / Goals
Season Appearances Goals
1915-1916 14 0
1916-1917 31 4
1917-1918 36 2
1918-1919 37 2
Milestone Appearances
# Date Against Stadium Competition
1 13.09.1919 Aston Villa Anfield League
50 05.03.1921 Huddersfield Town Leeds Road League
Milestone Goals
# Minute Date Against Stadium Competition
1 67 14.02.1920 Blackburn Rovers Anfield League
Scrapbook
Profile on John Bamber in the Echo in 1928
Profile on John Bamber in the Echo in 1928
Other Clubs
Club Season Club rank League apps League goals Total apps Total goals
St Helens Recreation N/A N/A N/A N/A
Heywood N/A N/A N/A N/A
St Helens Town N/A N/A N/A N/A
Alexandra Victoria N/A N/A N/A N/A
Leicester City 1924-1925 England Second Division 39 2 45 2
Leicester City 1925-1926 England First Division 42 3 43 3
Leicester City 1926-1927 England First Division 16 2 16 2
Tranmere Rovers 1927-1928 England Third Division North 39 0 42 1
Tranmere Rovers 1928-1929 England Third Division North 13 1 13 1
Tranmere Rovers 1929-1930 England Third Division North 34 0 34 0
Prescot Cables 1930-1932 Lancashire Combination 1 N/A N/A N/A N/A
Total 183 8 193 9