Fred Warburton

Biographical information

RolesCoach
SexMale
Full nameFrederick "Fred"•Warburton
Used nameFred•Warburton
Born8 August 1880 in Little Bolton, England (GBR)
Died29 November 1948 in Morecambe, England (GBR)
NOC Netherlands
Nationality Great Britain

Biography

Fred Warburton gave up his stonemason’s apprenticeship to pursue a footballing career. Having played for local sides in the Bolton area he joined Bolton Wanderers in 1900 before later playing for Bury, Swindon Town, and Plymouth Argyle. He then returned north in 1909 to join Accrington Stanley, and then ending his playing career at Morecambe in 1911.

Warburton then left football and went into the building trade until a friend, and ex-Preston player Jimmy Wilson, who was coaching in the Netherlands, suggested Warburton did the same and he got a job at Amsterdam FC for a year before moving on to Utrecht. His next job was with HVV Den Haag, a position he held until 1935. Under his leadership, Den Haag won the Dutch League title in 1914. He also coached the cricket section of the club to 18 national titles, having been a good cricketer with Bolton’s Turton Cricket Club before moving abroad.

Having coached the Dutch national football team for one match before World War I, Warburton was given the permanent trainer’s job in 1919, and coached them in a further 20 matches, up to 1924, including winning a bronze medal at the 1920 Antwerpen Olympics. Warburton left Den Haag, and the Netherlands, in 1935 after discovering he had to pay a great deal of money to the Dutch government in back taxes. He had planned to flee to Canada with his family and forwarded most of his belongings on prior to the move. On his way to North America, he stopped off in Morecambe so his wife could say goodbye to relatives, and they persuaded them not to emigrate!

Warburton then got back into coaching at Morecambe FC and Westgate Cricket Club up to the outbreak of World War II. Despite being fit and healthy, Fred Warburton died suddenly in 1948 at the age of 68. Two of his sons, Joe and George were also professional footballers.

Coaching results

Games Sport (Discipline) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal Nationality As
1920 Summer Olympics Football (Football) NED GBR Fred Warburton
Football, Men (Olympic) Netherlands 3 Bronze