Career
Lindley began his career with his hometown club Keighley Town before joining Merseyside outfit Everton before going into coaching and management with Swindon Town and Crewe Alexandra. Lindley played for Everton as a wing half, making 51 Football League appearances between 1947 and 1951. He joined Swindon Town as a coach in 1951, stepping up to the manager"s seat two years later, when Louis Page was sacked.
He spent most of this on one player - Matt Gemmell, costing £2,250 from Portsmouth, and he made just eight league appearances for the club
Swindon finished in their lowest league position in Lindley"s first season - 20th - and when the 1954-1955 season looked to be going the same way, he was given three months" notice in January 1955. A month later, Lindley was appointed as the manager of Crewe Alexandra.
His spell at the Railwaymen proved to be even less successful than his time at Swindon, as they finished bottom of the Third Division North three times in three successively worse seasons. Lindley was sacked after the third bottom-place finish, which meant that the club would be competing in the new Fourth Division the following year.
Later Lindley teamed up with Don Revie at Leeds United and became his valued assistant manager and chief scout.
Lindley stayed at the club for over twenty years and became caretaker manager on four separate occasions.