{{Short description|English footballer (1910–1995)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Use British English|date=May 2016}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Teddy Sandford | image = | full_name = Edward Albert Sandford | birth_date = {{Birth date|1910|10|22|df=y}} | birth_place = Handsworth, Birmingham, England | death_date = {{death date and age|1995|5|13|1910|10|22|df=y}} | death_place = West Bromwich, England | height = {{height|ft=5|in=9}} | position = Inside forward | youthyears1 = 1929–1930 | youthclubs1 = West Bromwich Albion (amateur) | years1 = 1930–1939 | clubs1 = West Bromwich Albion | caps1 = 286 | goals1 = 67 | years2 = 1939–1941 | clubs2 = Sheffield United | caps2 = 5 | goals2 = 1 | years3 = 1941–1943 | clubs3 = Morris Commercial | caps3 = <!--League games only--> | goals3 = | nationalyears1 = 1932 | nationalteam1 = England | nationalcaps1 = 1 | nationalgoals1 = 0 }} '''Edward Albert Sandford''' (22 October 1910 – 13 May 1995)<ref>{{cite web |title=England players: Teddy Sandford |url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamPlyrsBios/PlayersS/BioSandfordEA.html |website=englandfootballonline |accessdate=4 October 2018}}</ref> was an English footballer who played as an inside forward. During his professional career from 1930 to 1943 he represented West Bromwich Albion, Sheffield United, Morris Commercial and made one appearance for the England national team.

==Early life== Sandford was born in Handsworth, Birmingham at a tea room run by his father. Two of his uncles, Abe Jones and Billy Jones, were noted footballers.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Thompson |first=John |date=1939-01-28 |title=John Thompson's Sportfolios |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-mirror-john-thompsons-sportfolios/165435671/ |access-date=2025-02-14 |work=Daily Mirror |pages=27}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1949-06-26 |title=Vicar "sold" a full-back to "raise the wind" |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/sunday-mercury-vicar-sold-a-full-back/165425951/ |access-date=2025-02-14 |work=Sunday Mercury |pages=17}}</ref>

== Club career == As a youth he played football for Tantany Athletic, Overend Wesley, Birmingham Carriage Works and Smethwick Highfield. In October 1929, while still an amateur, he joined West Bromwich Albion, the club that his uncle Abe Jones had represented between 1896 and 1901.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1931-08-31 |title=Good football stock |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/grimsby-evening-telegraph-good-football/165423105/ |access-date=2025-02-14 |work=Grimsby Evening Telegraph |pages=7}}</ref><ref name=whos>{{cite book | last = Matthews | first = Tony | title = The Who's Who of West Bromwich Albion | publisher = Breedon Books | year = 2005 | page = 207 | isbn = 1-85983-474-4}}</ref>

Sandford turned professional in May 1930 and scored on his senior debut in November of the same year when Albion beat Preston North End 3–2 in a Division Two match. During his first season, he was part of the Albion side that won promotion to the First Division and that also beat Birmingham 2–1 in the 1931 FA Cup Final.<ref name=whos/>

Sandford scored for West Bromwich Albion in the 1935 FA Cup Final.<ref name=whos/><ref>{{Cite news |date=1935-04-28 |title=Sheffield Wednesday win cup with highest score for 32 years |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sunday-people-sheffield-wednesday-wi/165422444/ |access-date=2025-02-14 |work=The Sunday People |pages=24}}</ref>

He joined Sheffield United for £1,500 in 1939,<ref>{{Cite news |date=1939-03-17 |title=Albion transfer two internationals |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-gazette-albion-transfer-two-i/165421444/ |access-date=2025-02-14 |work=Birmingham Gazette |pages=12}}</ref> and scored once from five appearances in the 1938–39 Second Division,<ref name="ENFA">{{cite web |url=https://www.enfa.co.uk/playersearch.php |title=Player search: Sandford, EA (Teddy) |website=English National Football Archive |access-date=14 February 2025 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> before finishing his career with Morris Commercial, retiring in May 1943.<ref name=whos/>

== International career== In November 1932 he won his only England cap, in a 0–0 draw with Wales at Wrexham.<ref>{{Englandstats|ref=y|access-date=4 October 2018}}</ref> He was called up a number of other times as a reserve player.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1936-12-12 |title=Short passes |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/sports-argus-short-passes/165424606/ |access-date=2025-02-14 |work=Sports Argus |pages=6}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1939-03-16 |title=Albion part way with two internationals |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-despatch-albion-part-way-with-tw/165425180/ |access-date=2025-02-14 |work=Evening Despatch |pages=16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1935-02-06 |title=Romance of a footballer - Ted Sandford, of West Bromwich, Engaged |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-gazette-romance-of-a-football/165425416/ |access-date=2025-02-14 |work=Birmingham Gazette |pages=7}}</ref>

==Later life and death== Sandford returned to West Bromwich Albion in the late 1940s, serving as a coach and scout. After retiring from playing, he joined his father at the family-run tea room.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1949-02-05 |title=Ted Sandford's Missions |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/sports-argus-ted-sandfords-missions/165436321/ |access-date=2025-02-14 |work=Sports Argus |pages=3}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=For club & country: Teddy Sandford|url=https://www.wba.co.uk/news/2016/february/for-club--country-teddy-sandford |access-date=2025-02-14 |publisher=West Bromwich Albion F.C. |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1949-09-24 |title=Helped Albion win Cup and promotion |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/sports-argus-helped-albion-win-cup-and-p/165435986/ |access-date=2025-02-14 |work=Sports Argus |pages=4}}</ref> In later life Sandford lived in Great Barr, Birmingham.<ref name="EvMail Obit" /> He died in Sandwell General Hospital, West Bromwich, in May 1995 following a stroke.<ref name="EvMail Obit">{{Cite news |date=1995-05-16 |title=Teddy Sandford dies, 84 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-evening-mail-teddy-sandford-d/165417582/ |access-date=2025-02-14 |newspaper=Evening Mail |location=Birmingham |page=41}}</ref>

==Personal life== Sandford married Lily Smith in 1937 at St James Church in Handsworth.<ref>{{cite news |title="Ted" Sandford married |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-despatch-marriage-of-sandford/165441507/ |access-date=14 February 2025 |work=Evening Despatch |date=17 May 1937 |pages=9}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1987-05-21 |title=Soccer is a golden memory |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/black-country-evening-mail-soccer-is-a-g/165441472/ |access-date=2025-02-14 |work=Black Country Evening Mail |pages=13}}</ref> He had a son, Russell, who played non-League football for Moor Green while working as a teacher.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1960-12-17 |title=Ex-Albion player's son weds |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-evening-mail/165441059/ |access-date=2025-02-14 |work=Birmingham Evening Mail |page=15}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{Englandstats}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sandford, Teddy}} Category:1910 births Category:1995 deaths Category:English men's footballers Category:Footballers from Handsworth, West Midlands Category:England men's international footballers Category:Men's association football inside forwards Category:English Football League players Category:West Bromwich Albion F.C. players Category:Sheffield United F.C. players Category:20th-century English sportsmen