Poland: George

WW2 Guest: 1943-1944 (Leeds United War-time Guest Player Details)

Goalkeeper

Born: Penarth, Glamorgan: 21-09-1913

Debut: v Sunderland (h): 04-09-1943

Height & Weight: Unknown

Poland started with local clubs Cogan and then Penarth Mission before having a trial with Third Division South Swindon Town. It was as a winger that Poland signed for Swindon in 1934 but failed to make the first team before being released. He joined Third Division South Cardiff City as a goalkeeper in November 1935 and made twenty-four League and two F.A. Cup appearances before moving to Third Division North Wrexham in July 1938. He had just one season at the Racecourse Ground and played thirty-nine League games and was twice capped by Wales. His first cap came on his own ground at Wrexham in a 3-1 win over Northern Ireland on 15th March 1939, while his second and final cap came in a 1-2 defeat by France at the Stade de Colombes in Paris on 21st May 1939. He was signed by First Division Liverpool on 28th June 1939 but never played a game for them as World War Two brought an end to the Football League fixtures. He was a guest for Brentford, Cardiff City, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Leeds United in the War Period. He was with Leeds for nine games in the the 1943-44 Football League Northern Section (First Championship) and one in the 1944-45 Football League Northern Section (Second Championship). He made his debut in the 1-5 home defeat by Sunderland on 4th September 1943 then two weeks later he played against Bradford City in a 3-3 draw at Valley Parade then missed the next three games before playing two consecutive games in a 4-3 win at Gateshead and a 3-3 draw at Doncaster Rovers. He missed the home game with Doncaster before playing three more consecutive games a 1-6 loss away to Bradford Park Avenue and a 2-2 draw in the reverse fixture at Elland Road and then a 3-1 win over York City at Bootham Crescent. He then missed two games before playing twice more in a 4-0 win over Halifax Town at Elland Road and a 0-3 defeat by Huddersfield Town at Leeds Road. His final game was another loss at Huddersfield, this time by 1-4 in the Second Championship. He also made two appearances for Cardiff City in 1939-40, while at Brentford he played twice in 1940-41 and nineteen times in 1941-42, in that season he also played once for Fulham and in 1942-43 he had nine games with Crystal Palace. He also played in the 1940-41 London War Cup Final for Brentford at Stamford Bridge on 7th June 1941, when they were defeated 2-3 by Reading. He was capped four times by Wales in Wartime Internationals all against England. The first came in a 2-1 defeat at St Andrews, Birmingham on 25th October 1941, followed by a 1-0 win at Ninian Park, Cardiff on 9th May 1942, a 2-1 win at Molineux, Wolverhampton on 24th October 1942 and the last in a 3-5 defeat at Wembley in front of a 75,000 crowd on 27th February 1943. After the War he returned to Third Division South Cardiff City on 28th August 1946 and though the Bluebirds were promoted as Champions he only played the first two games of the season in a 1-2 loss at Norwich City on 31st August 1946 and a 2-3 away loss at Swindon Town on 4th September 1946, after which he spent the rest of the season as understudy to Danny Canning. He went into Non-League with Lovells Athletic before finishing his career with his local club, Penarth Albion. He died in 1988.