Career
Born in Attercliffe, Sheffield he joined the Yorkshire Light Infantry in March 1900 where he served for four years. In April 1904 Southern League champions Southampton were seeking a replacement for the ageing Harry Wood. Bluff was spotted playing for the First Army Corps and the "Saints" directors were so impressed that they paid for his discharge from the Army, in time for Southampton"s summer tour of South America, during which they played teams representing Argentina (when he scored four goals) and Uruguay, winning 8–0 and 8–1 respectively.
According to Holley & Chalk, “his army discipline and training served him in good stead” and “he displayed a natural goal-scoring ability”, his heading being “a strong feature of his game”.
His form earned him a call-up to the England international squad where he was first reserve for a match against Ireland in 1905. In the summer of 1905 the Southern League introduced a wage limit which resulted in the transfer of several players, including Bluff who reluctantly moved back to Yorkshire to join Sheffield United.
At Bramall Lane he was never quite able to re-capture the form he had shown in Southampton, although he did score eleven goals in 1906-1907, helping United to finish fourth in the First Division. In December 1907 he moved on to Birmingham for six months, followed by a spell with Street Helens Town.
He died in Northampton at the age of 70.