Obituary: Warren Bradley
Warren Bradley's name may not be instantly recognisable to modern followers of Manchester United but the popular figure who died this week, aged 73, nevertheless held a very special niche in the history of the club.
Born in Hyde, Cheshire (now Greater Manchester), on Tuesday 20 June 1933, Warren started playing football as a schoolboy representing amongst others Hyde Grammar School, where he was educated, and Cheshire Boys.
As a young man, Warren studied at Hatfield College, Durham University, but continued to pursue his sporting ambitions by playing for local club Durham City. He later played for Bolton Wanderers as an amateur without making a senior appearance.
As a player he first came to prominence playing for the famous non-league club Bishop Auckland. He collected two FA Amateur Cup winners' medals after playing in the finals of 1956 against Corinthian Casuals (he appeared in the replay at Middlesbrough's Ayresome Park, which Bishop Auckland won 4-1) and the following year when the club completed a hat-trick of victories in the competition after they had beaten Wycombe Wanderers 3-1 in front of 90,000 fans at Wembley. Warren scored one of the goals in that triumph. He also won 11 caps playing for England's amateur international side.
Warren joined Manchester United, along with Bishop Auckland team-mates Derek Lewin and Bob Hardisty, in the wake of the Munich air disaster. His colleagues' activity at Old Trafford was to be limited to playing in the reserves, but Warren proceeded to become established, at least in the short term, as a member of the post-Munich first team.
An accomplished crosser of the ball, Warren could also locate the net himself. He bagged a highly respectable 12 goals during the emotional 1958/59 season when United finished second behind Wolves. His contribution to the club's remarkable campaign led to him being selected for the full England team against Italy and collecting a further two caps on the national team's tour of South America.
Warren again played regularly in the first team the following season, but after that he slowly faded from the picture and in March 1962 he was transferred, for a substantial fee, to nearby Bury. He later played with non-league Northwich Victoria, Macclesfield Town - where he was recently selected in the club's all-time best XI - and Bangor City.
On retiring from football, Warren was able to concentrate on his teaching career, which saw him rise to the position of headmaster.
Diminutive in stature, Warren was a busy winger who could leave the most robust of defenders trailing in his wake. And in the event of the more ruthless full-backs catching him, he was ready - he used to protect his ankles with bundles of cotton wool.
Warren was a familiar figure around Old Trafford in recent years in his work for the Association of Former Manchester United Players (AFMUP). As one of the organisation's chief administrators, he spent countless hours answering queries, writing letters and helping to arrange AFMUP's popular golf days and dinners. The Association will find his enthusiasm and dedication hard to replace.
A thoroughly decent and likeable figure, Warren will be missed greatly by everyone who knew him. Everyone at Manchester United sends their sincere condolences to his family, friends and colleagues at this very sad time.
