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Chesterfield-born England goalkeeper Harold Gough clears his lines

HAROLD GOUGH was one of the select group of men born in Derbyshire who played association football for England. He won just a single cap, playing in goal against Scotland at Hampden Park on 9 April 1921. He had an unhappy day between the posts - England were beaten 3-0.

Harold Gough was born in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, on 31 December 1890. Like a number of other North Derbyshire men who became professional footballers, he graduated towards the Yorkshire clubs rather than Derby County.

He began in non-League football with Spital Olympic and Castleford Town, had three games for Bradford Park Avenue in 1910, and then rejoined Castleford Town. His big break came when he signed for Sheffield United in 1913, and over the next 10 years he made 242 League appearances for the Blades, and gained an FA Cup winner's medal with them in 1915.

After leaving United in 1923 he joined Castleford Town for a third time, then subsequently became a much-travelled goalkeeper, turning out for Harrogate Town, Oldham Athletic and Bolton Wanderers before finishing his career at Torquay United, where he played 56 league games between 1928 and 1930.

Harold Gough was known for his bravery and daring between the posts, and was described in a pen-picture as 'cool, collected and very tough.' One of a line of top-class goalkeepers with links to Chesterfield, he died on 16 June 1970 at the age of 79.

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County:  Derbyshire

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