Harold Fleming (footballer)

Harold Fleming
Personal information
Full name Harold John Fleming
Date of birth 30 April 1887
Place of birth Downton, Wiltshire, England
Date of death 23 August 1955
Playing position Inside forward
Youth career
St. Marks
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1907-1924 Swindon Town 295 (182)
National team
1909-1914 England 11 (9)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.


Harold John Fleming (30 April 1887 – 23 August 1955) was a footballer for St. Marks F.C. and Swindon Town.

Football career

Fleming was an inside forward and began his career at St. Marks before being invited for a trial at Swindon Town by manager, Sam Allen. Fleming scored a brace in a 4-0 win over Salisbury and was swiftly signed on a full-time basis.

Harold Fleming became a Swindon Town legend scoring 203 times in 332 games for Swindon and if not for World War I his career may have been more successful. He worked as a physical education instructor during the conflict.

Fleming's legendary status in the minds of Swindon supporters is cemented by a road named after the forward close to the County Ground named Fleming Way and a statue which stands in the club's foyer. (During his career, he also had a style of football boot named after him.)

Swindon Town career details

Season Team League Apps League Goals Cup Apps Cup Goals
1923-24 Swindon Town 5 3 5 2
1922-23 Swindon Town 14 4 1 0
1921-22 Swindon Town 24 11 2 2
1920-21 Swindon Town 26 16 1 1
1919-20 Swindon Town 20 10 2 0
1914-15 Swindon Town 23 12 2 0
1913-14 Swindon Town 24 18 1 1
1912-13 Swindon Town 12 9 2 1
1911-12 Swindon Town 20 16 6 5
1910-11 Swindon Town 30 19 4 2
1909-10 Swindon Town 33 19 6 7
1908-09 Swindon Town 34 28 1 0
1907-08 Swindon Town 30 17 4 0

England career

Fleming remains the only Swindon player to have represented England at senior level while playing for the club - gaining 11 caps between 1909 and 1914.

Cap Date Venue Opposition Att. Result Goals
1 3 April 1909 Crystal Palace Scotland 40,000 (W) 2-0 0
2 29 May 1909 Budapest Hungary 10,000 (W) 4-2 1
3 31 May 1909 Budapest Scotland 13,000 (W) 8-2 2
4 12 February 1910 Belfast Ireland 25,000 (D) 1-1 1
5 14 March 1910 Cardiff Wales 20,000 (W) 1-0 0
6 11 February 1911 Derby Ireland 20,000 (W) 2-1 0
7 13 March 1911 Millwall Wales 22,000 (W) 3-0 0
8 10 February 1912 Dublin Ireland 15,000 (W) 6-1 3
9 17 March 1913 Bristol Wales 8,000 (W) 4-3 1
10 5 April 1913 Chelsea Scotland 52,500 (W) 1-0 0
11 4 April 1914 Glasgow Scotland 127,307 (L) 1-3 1

Family

Harold Fleming was the son of Fredrick Henry Fleming (born 19 May 1850), and had one brother (Fredrick Edwin) and two sisters (Ella and Edith). All four went on to have children, including a daughter (Meriel) for Harold.

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