| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 31 March 1905 | ||
| Place of birth | Birdholme, England | ||
| Date of death | 27 July 1942 (aged 37) | ||
| Place of death | Derby, England | ||
| Position | Centre forward/Inside left | ||
| Youth career | |||
| New Tupton Ivanhoe | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1923–1925 | Chesterfield | 0 | (0) |
| 1925–1927 | Derby County | 8 | (3) |
| 1927–1928 | Manchester City | 5 | (1) |
| 1928–1932 | Reading | 69 | (44) |
| 1932–1933 | Chesterfield | 30 | (6) |
| 1933–1935 | Coventry City | 16 | (17) |
| 1935–? | Burton Town | ? | (?[1]) |
| Total | 128 | (71) | |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Arthur Bacon (31 March 1905 – 27 July 1942) was an Englishfootballer who played as either astriker or aninside forward. Although frequently a reserve throughout his career Bacon managed an impressive strike rate with 71 league goals in 128 games.
After playing his youth football with New Tupton Ivanhoe Bacon signed forChesterfield but failed to make an appearance at the club before a move toDerby County. Bacon failed to gain a first-team place at Derby and an equally unproductive spell atManchester City followed before he joinedReading. He became a prolific scorer atElm Park and even hit six goals in a 7–3 win overStoke City during the1930–31 season, which stands as the club record for the most goals by one player in a match.[2]
Bacon returned to Chesterfield for the1932–33 season, although he managed only six goals in 30 league appearances. Following this he enjoyed a productive spell atCoventry City, where his former Derby teammateHarry Storer Jr. was the manager. After Storer added Bacon to his squad in 1933 the striker promptly scored 14 goals over four games, all in the space of 15 days.[3] Despite this he found opportunities atHighfield Road limited and dropped out ofthe Football League in 1935 to finish his career atBurton Town.
During theSecond World War Bacon reportedly served as aWar reserve constable inDerby, however his occupation was with theRolls-Royce factory where he was a fireman. He was killed, aged 37, in Hawthorn Street during anair-raid on 27 July 1942.[4][5] There is some dispute as to whether he was a victim of the bombs or one of those machine-gunned from the attacking aircraft.
He is commemorated on the memorial in the Chesterfield FC Memorial Garden at theChesterfieldProact Stadium based on his death while serving in uniform.[6]
