Players - Abraham Hartley

Abraham Hartley
Birthdate: 8 February 1872
Birthplace: Dumbarton, Scotland
Date of death: 9 October 1909
Other clubs: Artizan Thistle, Dumbarton (1892), Everton (1892-97), Southampton (1898-99), Woolwich Arsenal (1899), Burnley (1899-1900)
Signed from: Everton
Signed for LFC: £175, 17.12.1897
Liverpool debut: 25.12.1897
Last appearance: 02.03.1898
Debut goal: 29.12.1897
Last goal: 29.12.1897
Contract expiry: 16.07.1899
Win ratio: 33.33% W:4 D:3 L:5
Total games/goals opposite LFC: 5 / 2
League games / goals: 7 / 1
Total games / goals: 12 / 1

Player Profile

Dumbarton won the first two seasons of the Scottish Football League from 1890-1892, but only finished fifth, ten points behind Celtic, in Hartley's only season at the club in which he played eight games and scored five goals. He moved south of the border to Everton where he never played more than 15 games a season but almost scored in every other game in his 61 appearances. Hartley joined neighbours Liverpool in December 1897 after he had scored three goals in as many games for Everton that season. He was picked for seven first division matches for Liverpool during the 1897/98 season. He scored just once, the winning goal in a 2-1 away win at Sheffield United on 29 December 1897. Hartley also figured in five FA Cup ties that year, including the day when Liverpool were thrashed 5-1 by Derby County at Anfield in a third round replay, after they had seemingly done the hard part by earning a 1-1 draw in Derby a week before.

Interestingly Hartley had the habit of placing a rolled-up cigarette behind one ear prior to kick-off, somehow keeping it tucked up there for 45 minutes and then smoking it at half-time! In the summer of 1898 Hartley joined Southern League's Southampton who won the League title for the third consecutive season to which he contributed 14 league goals. Hartley was still on Liverpool's books as Southampton was outside the Football League. He was sold permanently from Liverpool to Woolwich Arsenal in the Second Division on 16 July 1899. He scored once in five appearances for the Gunners and was sold in December the same year to Burnley. His five goals from thirteen appearances were unable to prevent Burnley being relegated to the Second Division at the end of that season.Hartley died only 37 years of age on 9 October 1909 after collapsing due to heart failure outside the pay office of London and South Western Railway at the Southampton docks.
Appearances per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 7 5 0 0 0 12
1897-1898 7 5 0 0 0 12
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
Apps Minutes Opponent
2 180 Sheffield United
2 180 Derby
2 180 Sunderland
2 180 Manchester United
1 90 Blackburn Rovers
1 90 Bolton Wanderers
1 90 WBA
1 90 Hucknall St Johns
Total Venue
6 Away
6 Home
Total Competition
7 League
5 FA Cup
Total W D L Win % Manager
12 4 3 5 33.3% Tom Watson
Goals per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 1 0 0 0 0 1
1897-1898 1 0 0 0 0 1
A more detailed look at the player's goalscoring
Total Opponent
1 Sheffield United
Total Competition
1 League
Total Goal minute period
1 46-60 minutes
Total Goal origin
1 Open play
Milestone Appearances
# Date Against Stadium Competition
1 25.12.1897 Bolton Wanderers Burnden Park League
Milestone Goals
# Minute Date Against Stadium Competition
1 55 29.12.1897 Sheffield United Bramall Lane League
Other Clubs
Club Season Club rank League apps League goals Total apps Total goals
Artizan Thistle Scotland N/A N/A N/A N/A
Dumbarton 1892-1893 Scotland Division 1 8 5 8 5
Everton 1892-1893 England First Division 1 1 1 1
Everton 1893-1894 England First Division 6 2 7 2
Everton 1894-1895 England First Division 11 5 15 6
Everton 1895-1896 England First Division 15 7 16 7
Everton 1896-1897 England First Division 14 6 19 9
Everton 1897-1898 England First Division 3 3 3 3
Southampton 1898-1899 Southern League 21 14 24 16
Arsenal 1899-1900 England Second Division 5 1 9 1
Burnley 1899-1900 England First Division 13 5 13 5
Total 97 49 115 55