REMEMBER WHEN: The footballer done for fraud (From Swindon Advertiser)

REMEMBER WHEN: The footballer done for fraud

5:31pm Friday 27th May 2011 in Looking Back

Harold Fleming, perhaps the greatest footballer Swindon ever had, was the son of butcher Frederick Henry and Jane Fleming.

They moved to Swindon from Downton where they ran a shop in Market Street.

In December 1899 the shop was visited by a weights and measures inspector making his checks around the town.

When he asked Frederick to weigh some produce on the shop’s scales, a coin fell from under the pan. Questioned about this, Frederick claimed he had no idea how the coin came to be there.

A charge of fraud was filed against him with a date to appear in court in February.

If found guilty Frederick would face a large fine and his reputation would be in tatters.

The family appeared before the court and their son, 12-year-old Harold, came forward to admit he had been using the scales unknown to his parents to share out sweets between himself and some friends.

He had placed the French coin under the pan in order to have a larger share himself and had forgotten all about removing it afterwards.

The court found Frederick not guilty. He must have had a few choice words with Harold on their way home!

Harold, though, made good. He went on to work for a while in the GWR Works before going to Warminster to study at the Theological College.

While playing football for St Mark’s he was spotted by Swindon FC manager Sam Allen and so began his career.

He later married Grace Haskins and went on to play for England and was capped nine times.

After he retired from football he opened a sports shop in Regent Street, which was well known for the football boots he supplied.

He died on August 23, 1955.

A statue of Harold stands in the foyer at the County Ground with the inscription: “To the inspiring memory of Harold Fleming, the great footballer and gentleman who played for Swindon Town between 1907-24 and capped nine times for England.”

A BLACK SABBATH FOR THESE LADS

Among the many court cases taking place in the first few months of 1900 was one case of three boys – Francis Townsend, Thomas Crayford and Charles Hollister of Old Town – who had been arrested by PC Pike at Coate Road on the serious charge of “playing football on a Sunday”.

Even more shocking was the fact that the boys did not think they had done anything wrong!

Each was fined 2s 6d (121/2p).

STRAPPED FOR CASH

In February 1900, Swindon were placed fourth in the Southern league table just nine points behind Tottenham Hotspur.

The club though was in a difficult financial situation and the Deficit Fund Committee organised various events at the County Ground throughout that year to raise funds to keep afloat.