Education
He went straight into the team and made 41 appearances during the 1933/34 season, in which the Bees finished fourth in Division Two.
He went straight into the team and made 41 appearances during the 1933/34 season, in which the Bees finished fourth in Division Two.
Early years A right back, Astley began his career in his native north west, playing for a number of amateur clubs before signing for Division Three North side Southport in 1930. He made just two appearances for the club before departing in 1932 to join League of Ireland side Shelbourne. He left the club at the end of the 1932/33 season and returned to England.
Brentford Astley signed for Division Two side Brentford in May 1933.
The arrival of full backs Arthur Bateman and George Poyser in the summer of 1934 saw Astley lose his place in the team, making just one appearance during the 1934/35 season, in which Brentford secured promotion to Division One as champions. He instead played for the reserves, winning the 1935 London Challenge Cup with the team
Astley managed to make eight appearances in Division One during the first half of the 1935/36 season, before departing Griffin Park in February 1936. Astley made 50 appearances for Brentford and scored no goals.
Coventry City Astley joined Division Three South high-flyers Coventry City in February 1936.
He made 14 appearances in what remained of the 1935/36 season and helped the Sky Blues to the Division Three South title. Astley displaced Vic Brown from the team and with former Brentford teammate Walter Metcalf on the other flank, was an ever-present until professional football was suspended in 1939 upon to the outbreak of the Second World War. He made 146 appearances for the Sky Blues.
While with Shelbourne, Astley played for the League of Ireland representative team against their Welsh League counterparts.
Coventry City Football League Division Three South (1): 1935/36.