Education
Back in the top flight, Burnley finished third in 1898-1899, the best position in the club"s history.
Back in the top flight, Burnley finished third in 1898-1899, the best position in the club"s history.
Although he was never a professional football player himself, Bradshaw was appointed secretary of Burnley in 1891, and became chairman two years later. In 1896, he became first team manager, and although the team was relegated from the First Division in his first season after finishing bottom and losing test matches (playoffs), they were promoted straight back up again the following season. He signed several influential players including Archie Cross, Percy Sands, Jimmy Jackson and Jimmy Ashcroft for Arsenal, and brought in a Scottish style of play with short passing and fluid movement into position.
Eighteen of the twenty Arsenal players in the squad had been Bradshaw"s signings.
However, he never oversaw Arsenal at the top, as he joined Southern League side Fulham in the summer of 1904, becoming the club"s first professional manager. Bradshaw continued to manage Fulham until his contract expired in 1909.
Bradshaw declined to continue as Fulham manager and instead went on to become secretary of the Southern League, a post he held until his retirement in 1921. He died in 1924.