Charlie Drinkwater

Charles James 'Charlie' Drinkwater was an English football outside left and manager who played for Aston Villa, Charlton Athletic and Watford in the Football League.

Non-league (1932-1935)

Drinkwater began his career at Athenian League side Hampstead in 1932, failing to make an appearance before moving to Northfleet United in March 1933. He returned to Hampstead shortly afterwards and made his debut for the club in the penultimate game of the 1932/33 season, a 4-1 victory over Uxbridge Town. Drinkwater remained with Hampstead (now renamed Golders Green) for the 1933/34 season and scored his first goal for the club in the opening game of the season, a 2-1 defeat to Walthamstow Avenue. He scored 10 goals in 36 appearances during the campaign, helping the Greens to a third-place finish in the league. His form earnt a move to Football League Division Two side Brentford as an amateur, though he failed to make an appearance for the first team and returned to Golders Green for the start of the 1934/35 season, making 37 appearances and scoring 12 goals during the campaign. Drinkwater moved to fellow Athenian League side Walthamstow Avenue before the end of the season.

Football League (1935-1947)

Drinkwater received another chance at league football when he signed for Division One side Aston Villa as an amateur in June 1935. He signed a professional contract October that year. Drinkwater's professional debut came in a league match versus Chelsea on 16 November 1935. He instantly made a name for himself, scoring within three minutes of the kickoff. The Straits Times reported that Drinkwater "trapped a centre with the coolness of a veteran, steadied himself and drove the ball into the net". His parents were present at the match, his mother "gripped her husband's arm and wept with pride". Drinkwater made his second appearance for Villa the following Saturday, in a 2-2 draw with bitter rivals Birmingham City. Despite Villa's relegation to Division Two for the 1936/37 season, the derby appearance was Drinkwater's last for the club. He joined Division One side Charlton Athletic in July 1938, but made just three appearances before being released in the summer of 1939. The breakout of the Second World War halted organised league football until 1946, but Drinkwater had signed for Watford during the war. His war service took him away from the club, but he re-signed in October 1944 and was an ever-present during the 1945/46 season, when an enlarged FA Cup programme was played instead of the league. When league play returned, Drinkwater made just one appearance during Watford's 1946/47 Division Three South campaign and left the club at the end of the season.

Return to non-league (1951-1953)

Drinkwater resumed his playing career in April 1953, when he joined London League side Ruislip Manor as player-manager. He remained in the job until October 1953, his best finish being second, during the 1952/53 season.

Burns made appearances for touring side Middlesex Wanderers in 1935.

Drinkwater made one appearance for England Juniors in 1935.

During the Second World War, Drinkwater served in the Royal Navy as a Physical Training Instructor. After the war, he worked at Mount Vernon Hospital as a remedial gymnast for thirty years.