Reg Preedy

Clitheroe born Reg was a prolific goalscorer with Darwen during the 1930's, in a little over 350 games for the Salmoners he scored a remarkable 281 league and cup goals in his two periods with the club. Darwen spotted him playing in the Clitheroe Sunday school league, and signed him on in 1929, he played for Darwen in the West lancs league side and made his debut in the Combination side on the 13th December 1929, playing alongside former England International Joe Smith, he scored 15 goals in his first six games, which included six in one game against Rochdale Reserves. In his first full season with the Salmoners the club would win the Combination title and Combination Cup for the second year in succession, of the total of 115 league goals that season Reg scored 38 goals, with Joe Smith 28 /Shaw 21 /Dale 21 the other main scorers. At the end of that season Burnley signed him on, Darwen failed to get any fee due to Reg only being on amateur forms. His spell at Burnley was a unhappy one and although he played in the Burnley reserve team a few games his chances were few and he returned to Darwen after 12 months. In his second spell with the club he became Darwens all-time leading goalscorer, being the leading scorer for a further six consecutive years. In December 1938 the whole of Darwen's footballing public was shocked by the news that Reg had signed for local rivals Rossendale United, by that time Reg had been only one of two players left from the great Darwen team of the early 30's, and it marked the end of a golden era for the Salmoners!

Acknowledgements for the history in this section are made to :  Darwen RBL -- who originally published this page in 2002