Mexborough and Swinton Times January 13, 1928

Radford Arrives

After, being tried, and failing to satisfy, either Wombwell or Wath, Bernard Radford the former Dearne Valley schools player and old boy, has suddenly come into his own —if his recent work is a sample and not merely an isolated burst.

About three weeks ago, after he had been retired into comparative obscurity with Darfield for a longish spell, he was transferred to Nelson. That club made the rather daring experiment of putting him straightway into their Football League team.

He came off, and last Saturday crowned a satisfactory series of initial appearances with a, hat trick in the first half of the match with Rochdale, which brought Nelson’s first win since November 19, Radford led the attack cleverly and the forwards were the best part of the team. Radford was for several years partner to Jack Wilkinson, in that noted wing that still stands as the best the Dearne Valley has produced. Wilkinson easily forestalled his old colleague in his advance into first-class football—but it looks as though Radford will make up for lost time.

He lives at Darfield and took the decision to give up a good position at one of the local collieries in favour of professional football career only after careful consideration. He is a steady lad who knows how to look after himself and at 19 appears to have a successful career before him.