Albert Groves

For the English full back who played for Lincoln City, Sheffield United and Middlesbrough, see Albert Groves (footballer, born 1883). For the American architect, see Albert B. Groves.

Albert Groves

Personal information
Full name	Albert Groves
Date of birth	January 1886
Place of birth	Newport, Wales
Date of death	1960
Height
Position(s)	Centre-half
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
–	Aberdare Athletic
1909–1920	Wolverhampton Wanderers	217	(20)
1920–1924	Walsall	124	(15)
–	Willenhall
Total		341+	(35+)
Managerial career
1920–1921	Walsall
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Albert Groves (1886 – 1960) was a Welsh footballer and manager. A centre-half, he played for Aberdare Athletic, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Walsall, and Willenhall. He served Walsall as player-manager in the 1920–21 season.

Playing career

Born at Newport in January 1886, Groves played for Aberdare Athletic before signing with Wolverhampton Wanderers in August 1909. He made his Second Division debut at Molineux on the last day of the 1909–10 season, in a 3–2 win over Manchester City. Wanderers went on to finish ninth in 1910–11 and fifth in 1911–12, before Groves scored ten league goals to help the club to a tenth-place finish in 1912–13. The club went on to finish ninth in 1913–14 and fourth in 1914–15, before World War I temporarily put a halt to the Football League. During the war he guested for Port Vale in October 1916, scoring three goals in 23 games before moving on to Bury and Sunbeam Motor Works (Coventry). After returning to "Wolves" after the war, he helped the club to a 19th-place finish in 1919–20. He was then appointed player-manager at Birmingham League outfit Walsall, before he was replaced by Joe Burchell. He remained on at Fellows Park as player-secretary, and scored eight goals in 36 games in 1921–22, as the club became founder members of the Third Division North. He continued to turn out for the "Saddlers" in 1922–23 and 1923–24, racking up 79 League, 12 FA Cup and 33 other senior appearances, scoring 15 goals. He then ended his playing days at Willenhall, and after retiring from football he ran the Hope and Anchor public house in Willenhall.