Dawson: George

1917-1917 (Leeds City War-time Guest Player Details)

Wing Half

Born: Bedlington: Unknown

Debut: v Huddersfield Town (a): 06-01-1917

Height & Weight: Unknown

Dawson started his career with local teams Dudley Rovers, Seghill United and then Bedlington United, and then moved to Second Division Preston North End, making his debut early in the 1912-13 season and went on to make twenty-six appearances and assisted Preston’s promotion to the First Division. He soon established himself as North End’s first choice Left Half but Preston were relegated after finishing nineteenth in the First Division. He was still to the fore as Preston finished second in the Second Division in the last season before the Football League suspended League games due to the outbreak of WW1. He had made seventy -nine League appearances to that time and notched a goal in each season to total three times that he had found the back of the net. He returned to Deepdale, when the League fixtures recommenced after WW1. He made another forty-four League appearances in the two subsequent seasons, without adding to his goal tally. With City he made his debut at Left Half against Huddersfield Town in a 1-1 draw at Elland Road, after Bob Hewison was unavailable. He retained his place in the at left- half for the next game in a 3-1 win over Lincoln City at Elland Road and also featured at Left Half in the trip to Hillsborough, which brought a 2-2 draw against The Wednesday. J.H. Stainton, writing in the Leeds Mercury reported "The City goal was heavily assailed, though only four minutes remained when Wednesday again got on terms. This was directly due to a bad blunder by Dawson. A long pass out saw him allow the ball to go on to Kirkman, who dribbled in, and with a swift, low shot had Robinson beaten. He played his fourth and final game for City, when Bob Hewison was not available at right half for the 1-1 draw at Hull City on 10th February 1917. He scored four times in one hundred and twenty-three League appearances. He died in 1927.