GAINSBOROUGH TRINITY
After rising through the ranks of the local football teams in Gainsborough during the mid1880’s Fred Spiksley made his senior debut for Trinity against Notts Jardines on 19th March 1887. Despite a formidable goalscoring record for the Jubilee Swifts in the Lincolnshire Junior Cup that year, where he scored 31 goals in 6 games, Spiksley’s light build meant that it took a little time for the Trinity committee to truly believe that the 17 year old was ready for the rigours of playing for the towns premier club.
With the help of Jack Madden, later to play for Scotland and Celtic, Fred Spiksley was able to prove his doubters wrong; scoring 31 goals in 29 games during his first season and creating many goals for his teammates.
He was to go on to play a further three seasons for his local team and established himself as a firm favourite amongst the Trinity faithful. Despite breaking his leg on his 19th birthday, in a match against Sheffield Wednesday at Olive Grove, Spiksley’s performances also attracted the attention of several Football League clubs, resulting in Blackburn Rovers, the FA Cup holders at the time, offering him a contract for the 1890-91 season. Spiksley rejected the offer, choosing to finish his compositors apprenticeship and remain with Trinity for one more year.
During his final season with Trinity he help the club win the Midland League Championship, an achievement that still remains the Lincolnshire clubs biggest achievement to date. He could add his winners medal to those that he had also collected when Trinity won the Lincolnshire County Cup and the Gainsborough News Charity Cup during his four seasons with the club.
He scored 126 goals in 131 games from left wing for his home town club.