Reg Hollingsworth

Reg Hollingsworth

Reginald (Reg) Hollingsworth, the son of a colliery Winding Engineer, was born in Doncaster on 17th October 1909. The family later moved to Rainworth. He was training as an Mechanical Engineer and played football as an amateur for Sutton Junction, a team in Nottinghamshire. In 1928 he was signed by Frank Buckley, the shrewd manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers.

A centre-half, Reg Hollingsworth soon established himself as the first-team centre-half. In 1928 he bought Billy Hartill a cenre-forward who was playing for the Royal Horse Artillery. The following year Frank Buckley purchased Charlie Phillips from Ebbw Vale. Another important signing was Billy Barraclough.

Billy Hartill scored 30 goals in the 1931-32 season and helped Wolves win the Second Division championship. Charlie Phillips was also in great form adding 18 goals that season. Despite the signing of Bryn Jones from Aberaman in 1933 Wolves could only finish 15th in the First Division in the 1933-34 season.

Hollingsworth suffered from injury problems and in 1935 he was forced into retirement. He had scored 8 goals in 180 games for Wolves.

Reg Hollingsworth died in 1969.