Savage: Reginald (Reg)

1931-1939 (Player Details)

Goalkeeper

Born: Eccles: 05-07-1912

Debut v Blackburn Rovers (a): 01-09-1934

5’11 1/2” 11st 0lb (1931)

He began with his local team, Taylor Brothers, in Eccles/Trafford Park Manchester, before joining Stalybridge Celtic, from where he joined Leeds in February 1931, after trials. He was understudy to Jim Potts and then Stan Moore for over three seasons before finally making his debut in 1934-35. He made twenty-seven appearances that season before giving way to the newly signed Albert McInroy and had to wait until 1937 before finally succeeding the ex-England International. He was eventually ousted by another international keeper, Irish International Jim Twomey, in March 1938. With Twomey well established, he moved to Queen of the South in July 1939. The club was second to Rangers in the first War-time Scottish Western Division season of 1939-40. When War broke out he was called up by the RAF and based at Blackpool. He guested with Blackpool and was part of their highly successful War-time team that had been bolstered by the availability of RAF servicemen, such as Stanley Matthews and Stan Mortensen and many noted players. He only played eighteen games in the 1941-42 season in which the club finished top of the Northern Division First Championship. The following season he played eight times as they again topped the First Championship and went on to complete what was probably Blackpool's best season. He, along with Alf Pope, another former Leeds player then with Hearts, were in the Blackpool line up as they drew 2-2 at Bloomfield Road in front of 28,000, on 1st May 1943 and then travelled to Hillsborough to play in front of 42,657 and beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 to win the League North Cup Final and gain the right to play Arsenal, the League South Winners, in the Cup Winners play-off in front of 55,195 at Stamford Bridge on 15th May 1943, which they won 4-2. 1943-44 saw him play thirty-seven times as the seasiders won the First Championship and came seventh in the second. But while both Savage and Pope played both games they won 2-1 at Bloomfield Road on 29th April 1944 but went down 2-4 to go out on aggregate to Aston Villa a week later before a crowd of 54,824 at Villa Park. As Blackpool's regular guest goalkeeper Savage was due to play for the Whites against the Tangerines in a pre-season practice game on 12 August 1944 but he generously "agreed to stand down" to allow Tottenham goalkeeper Ted Ditchburn to play. Ditchburn probably wished he hadn't as Stan Mortensen scored five past him and Fred Kirkham added another as the Tangerines defeated the Whites 6-2. The experience did not seem to scar Ditchburn as he went on to win six England caps. Savage went on to play nine times in the 1944-45 season, before moving to the Midlands where he guested for Derby County and made twenty-seven appearances for them that season. The following season he remained as a guest at Derby making five appearances before he was transferred from Queen of the South to Nottingham Forest in early 1946 and played nineteen times for them before the end of the season. He then made twenty appearances for them in the 1946-47 season before retiring. He became a butcher in Swinton, Manchester, like his father before him, but he made a few appearances for Accrington Stanley in 1947, but not in the first team. Later he was a scout for various clubs including Birmingham City and Bury. He died in Salford on 28th September 1997.