Reginald Horace Cumner (31 March 1918 – 18 January 1999) was a Wales international footballer. A forward, he played for Arsenal, Margate, Hull City, Notts County, Watford, Scunthorpe United, Bradford City, Poole Town, and Bridport. He won three international caps in the 1939 British Home Championship, scoring one goal.

Horace Cumner
Personal information
Full name Reginald Horace Cumner[1]
Date of birth (1918-03-31)31 March 1918[1]
Place of birth Cwmaman, Aberdare, Wales[1]
Date of death 18 January 1999(1999-01-18) (aged 80)
Place of death Poole, Dorset, England
Position(s) Outside-left
Youth career
Aberaman Athletic
1935–1936 Arsenal
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1936–1946 Arsenal 14 (3)
1936–1938Margate (loan)
1938Hull City (loan) 12 (4)
1946–1948 Notts County 66 (11)
1948–1950 Watford 62 (7)
1950–1953 Scunthorpe United 102 (21)
1953–1954 Bradford City 0 (0)
1954–1955 Poole Town
1955–1957 Bridport
Swanage Town
Total 256+ (46+)
International career
1939 Wales 3 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

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Cumner moved from Aberaman Athletic to Arsenal. He was loaned out to Margate and Hull City.[2] He played for Arsenal in the 1938 FA Charity Shield at Highbury, which ended in a 2–1 victory over Preston North End.[3] During World War II he guested for Cardiff City, Fulham, Greenock Morton, Liverpool, Portsmouth, Swansea Town, Aberaman Athletic, Port Vale, Clapton Orient and Plymouth Argyle.[1][4][5] He suffered severe burns during the war whilst on service for the Royal Marines.[6]

In August 1946, he signed for Notts County in part-exchange for Ian McPherson. He helped the Magpies to 12th and sixth place in the Third Division South in 1946–47 and 1947–48. He left Meadow Lane and switched to league rivals Watford. He helped Eddie Hapgood's "Hornets" to finish 17th in 1948–49 and sixth in 1949–50.

After departing Vicarage Road, he joined Leslie Jones's Scunthorpe United. He helped the "Iron" to mid-table finishes in the Third Division North in 1950–51, 1951–52, and 1952–53. He never played another game in the Football League after leaving the Old Showground, as he was signed to Ivor Powell's Bradford City, but never got onto the pitch at Valley Parade.[2] He later moved into non-League football with Poole Town (Western League), Bridport (Dorset Combination), and Swanage Town.[4]

International career

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Cumner earned three full caps for Wales,[2] and scored in the 1938–39 British Home Championship 3–1 defeat of Ireland.

Career statistics

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Source:[7]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Arsenal 1935–36 First Division 0 0 0 0 0 0
1936–37 First Division 0 0 0 0 0 0
1937–38 First Division 0 0 0 0 0 0
1938–39 First Division 12 2 0 0 12 2
1945–46 0 0 1 1 1 1
Total 12 2 1 1 13 3
Hull City (loan) 1937–38 Third Division North 12 4 0 0 12 4
Notts County 1946–47 Third Division South 35 5 3 1 38 6
1947–48 Third Division South 31 6 5 1 36 7
Total 66 11 8 2 74 13
Watford 1948–49 Third Division South 35 5 0 0 35 5
1949–50 Third Division South 23 2 4 0 27 2
1950–51 Third Division South 4 0 0 0 4 0
Total 62 7 4 0 66 7
Scunthorpe United 1950–51 Third Division North 35 10 0 0 35 10
1951–52 Third Division North 44 11 4 0 48 11
1952–53 Third Division North 23 0 0 0 23 0
Total 102 21 4 0 106 21
Bradford City 1953–54 Third Division North 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career total 254 45 17 3 271 48

Honours

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Arsenal

Wales

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 73. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  2. ^ a b c Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 66. ISBN 1-899468-67-6.
  3. ^ a b "1938/39 F.A. Charity Shield". footballsite.co.uk. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Reg Cumner". Greens on Screen. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  5. ^ John Litster (October 2012). "A Record of pre-war Scottish League Players". Scottish Football Historian magazine. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  6. ^ Matthews, Tony (2007). Who's who of Arsenal. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. p. 78. ISBN 9781845962326. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  7. ^ Horace Cumner at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)