Bob Bolam

Robert Coltman Bolam (28 February 1896 – 20 June 1964) was an English footballer who made 79 appearances in the Football League playing as an outside forward, mainly at outside right, for Sheffield United, Darlington, South Shields and Queens Park Rangers.[1]

Bob Bolam
Personal information
Full name Robert Coltman Bolam[1]
Date of birth (1896-02-28)28 February 1896[2]
Place of birth Birtley, County Durham,[1] England
Date of death 20 June 1964(1964-06-20) (aged 68)[3]
Place of death Gateshead, County Durham,[3] England
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[4]
Position(s) Outside right
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
– Birtley
19??–1922 Sheffield United 33 (2)
1922–1923 Darlington 12 (2)
1923–1924 South Shields 32 (1)
1924–1925 Queens Park Rangers 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Life and career

Bolam was the eighth of nine children of William Bolam, a general labourer, and his wife Margaret Agnes. He was born and raised in Birtley, County Durham, and at the time of the 1911 Census, was working as a driver in a colliery.[5][6] He served in the Royal Navy during the First World War.[2]

After the war, Bolam joined Football League First Division club Sheffield United. He made his debut in a 2–0 win against then league leaders, West Bromwich Albion, in February 1920,[7] and in March, he scored, as well as creating several chances, in a 3–2 defeat at Sunderland in Charles Buchan's benefit match.[8] According to the Telegraph and Star, "he is speedy and invariably puts across a good ball, whilst his ability to use both feet enables him to meet his man with confidence and success".[9] But he was unable to keep his place, and at the end of the 1921–22 season, was not included on the club's retained list, and signed for Darlington of the Third Division.[10]

He went straight into the starting eleven, and opened the scoring in a 4–0 defeat of Accrington Stanley in his second match,[11] but soon lost his place,[12] played only 12 games over the season,[1] and moved on again, this time to South Shields.[13] A match preview in the Derby Daily Telegraph suggested his problem was temperamental: he "can play on either wing, and in the mood can be really dangerous, but he allows himself to become irritated, and goes off his game very easily."[14] He began well for South Shields, with the only goal of the Second Division fixture against Blackpool,[15] and played regularly, making 32 league appearances,[1] but still left for yet another club at the end of the season.[16] He played twice in the Third Division South for Queens Park Rangers, and retired from football in the summer of 1925.[17]

Bolam returned to the north-east of England, where he had married Mary Nicholson in 1924.[18] He died in hospital in Gateshead in 1964 at the age of 68.[3]

References
  1. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 29. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  2. "Royal Navy Seamen 1899–1919 Transcription". Robert Coltman Bolam. Service number: K41728. Birth date: 28 Feb 1896. Archive reference: ADM 188/950/41728. Retrieved 7 November 2014 – via Findmypast.
  3. "Wills and probate 1858–1996: Bolam 1964". UK Probate Service. p. 559. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  4. Kestrel (19 December 1923). "English Cup draw. Burnley to meet South Shields at Turf Moor". Burnley News. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. "1901 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription 3, St Johns Place, Birtley, Chester Le Street, Durham, England". Robt Bolam. Age: 5. Birth place: Birtley Durham. Archive reference: RG13. Piece number: 4702. Folio: 107. Page: 33. Retrieved 7 November 2014 – via Findmypast.
  6. "1911 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription 2 West Street Birtley, Birtley, Durham, England". Robert Cottman Bolam. Age: 15. Birth place: Birtley Durham. Occupation: Coal miner driver. Census reference: RG14PN30123 RG78PN1739 RD554 SD2 ED6 SN37. Retrieved 7 November 2014 – via Findmypast.
  7. Edmunds, Ian (1 February 2014). "February brings mixed fortunes for West Bromwich Albion". Tamworth Herald. Archived from the original on 7 November 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  8. "Buchan's benefit". Telegraph and Star. Sheffield. 17 March 1920. p. 5 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. Free Lance (22 March 1920). "Football gossip". Telegraph and Star. Sheffield. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. "Close season gossip". Daily Mail. Hull. 8 July 1922. p. 4 – via British Newspaper Archive. When Sheffield United signed on R. C. Bolam, Birtley, two years ago it was thought they had got a first team man in the making. However, the Northerner only revealed his true form on odd occasions, and as United are now well served for extreme wing position, they have let him go to Darlington
  11. "Saturday's results". Devon and Exeter Daily Gazette. 4 September 1922. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. "North and South. Bolam reappears". Derby Daily Telegraph. 6 January 1923. p. 4 – via British Newspaper Archive. He was dropped from the side last September, but reappeared a week ago to score a goal at Stalybridge.
  13. "Sporting items". Daily Mail. Hull. 8 August 1923. p. 2 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. "Derby's visitors". Derby Daily Telegraph. 18 January 1924. p. 6 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. "South Shields v. Blackpool". Yorkshire Post. 28 August 1923. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. "Sporting items". Nottingham Evening Post. 3 June 1924. p. 8 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  17. Westerberg, Kenneth. "1925/26" (XLS). QPRnet.com. Ron Norris. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  18. "England & Wales marriages 1837–2008 Transcription". Robert C Bolam. District: Gateshead. County: Durham. Volume: 10A. Page: 1907. Retrieved 7 November 2014 – via Findmypast.
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