Biography
A highly capable custodian, Boxley began his career with Cradley Heath St.Luke's. After a short spell with Newton Rovers, he rejoined his home town club in January 1906 where his impressive form brought him to the attention of Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Jack Addenbrooke. Boxley duly signed for Wolves in April 1909, gaining his first representative honour later that same month when playing for a Birmingham & District FA side against their Scottish Junior FA counterparts at Celtic Park, Scotland beating 'England' 2-0 before a crowd of some 12,000.
His senior debut for the Molineux side came at home to Fulham the following November after first choice keeper Tommy Lunn had been injured in a 7-1 defeat at Barnsley. Despite conceding a goal four minutes in, Boxley made some fine saves to help Wolves draw 1-1. The surprise sale of Lunn to First Division Tottenham Hotspur in April 1910 saw Boxley establish himself in the starting line-up, making over 70 first-team appearances before losing his place to future Welsh international stopper Ted Peers in March 1912.
Eager to play, Boxley moved to Shrewsbury Town that summer teaming up with his younger brother Harry, a striker of some promise who latterly played league football for Derby, Bristol Rovers and Bournemouth. Fred quickly enhanced his reputation as 'the cleverest custodian' in the Birmingham & District League whilst also patrolling the beat as a member of the local Police Force. At nearly 14 stones, Boxley cut quite an imposing figure and in an FA Cup game against London Caledonians he famously came out of goal to play centre-half as the Shrews scrambled a late equaliser at the Gay Meadow.
On leaving the Police, he took up a position at Lowcock's Iron Foundry in Shrewsbury where he sustained a serious hand injury in November 1913, his left hand being badly crushed in the pulleys of a crane. The outbreak of war saw many clubs 'mothballed' and, although Boxley did rejoin St.Luke's in Sepetmber 1915, it wasn't until the summer of 1919 that he returned to 'senior' football with Wrexham. An ever-present during his solitary season at the Racecourse, he gained a Welsh Cup runners-up medal before opting to return to Shrewsbury in August 1920. Boxley's distinguished playing career effectively came to an end after he suffered a broken leg against Burton All Saints in November 1921.
Debut
August 30th, 1919
Willenhall Swifts 1 - 0 Wrexham
League (Birmingham & Distict League)
Playing Statistics - First Team Competitive matches
(All Seasons)
Please use the filters below to select a season and competition level to view details of all games played.
Competition |
 |
 |
NPS |
G2G |
 |
 |
Win % |
Draw % |
Loss % |
League |
34 | - | - |
- | - | - | 50.0 | 14.7 | 35.3 |
FA Cup |
3 | - | - |
- | - | - | 33.3 | 33.3 | 33.3 |
Welsh Cup |
5 | - | - |
- | - | - | 60.0 | 20.0 | 20.0 |
Totals: |
42 | - | - |
- | - | - | 50.0 | 16.7 | 33.3 |
Recent Starting Appearances (First Team Competitive matches)
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Recent Goals Scored (First Team Competitive matches)
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List of First Team Competitive matches played (click to expand)
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May 1st, 1920
|
01/05/20
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Shrewsbury T. (A)
|
6 - 2 |
|
Apr 21st, 1920
|
21/04/20
|
Welsh Cup |
Final |
vs. Cardiff C. (H)
|
1 - 2 |
|
Apr 17th, 1920
|
17/04/20
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Brierley H.A. (A)
|
0 - 4 |
|
Apr 10th, 1920
|
10/04/20
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Hednesford (H)
|
6 - 0 |
|
Apr 5th, 1920
|
05/04/20
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Darlaston (H)
|
2 - 2 |
|
Apr 3rd, 1920
|
03/04/20
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Hednesford (A)
|
0 - 2 |
|
Apr 2nd, 1920
|
02/04/20
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Brierley H.A. (H)
|
4 - 0 |
|
Mar 27th, 1920
|
27/03/20
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Darlaston (A)
|
2 - 1 |
|
Mar 20th, 1920
|
20/03/20
|
Welsh Cup |
Semi-Final |
vs. Ebbw Vale (H)
|
1 - 0 |
|
Mar 13th, 1920
|
13/03/20
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Kidderminster (H)
|
2 - 0 |
|
Mar 6th, 1920
|
06/03/20
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Kidderminster (A)
|
0 - 0 |
|
Feb 28th, 1920
|
28/02/20
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Stourbridge (H)
|
5 - 1 |
|
Feb 21st, 1920
|
21/02/20
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Stourbridge (A)
|
0 - 2 |
|
Feb 18th, 1920
|
18/02/20
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Wellington Town (H)
|
5 - 1 |
|
Feb 14th, 1920
|
14/02/20
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. West Brom Reserves (A)
|
0 - 0 |
|
Feb 7th, 1920
|
07/02/20
|
Welsh Cup |
6th Round |
vs. Saltney Utd (H)
|
4 - 1 |
|
Jan 31st, 1920
|
31/01/20
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Wednesbury O.A. (A)
|
0 - 1 |
|
Jan 24th, 1920
|
24/01/20
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Wednesbury O.A. (H)
|
3 - 0 |
|
Jan 21st, 1920
|
21/01/20
|
Welsh Cup |
5th Round, Replay |
vs. Rhos (H)
|
2 - 0 |
|
Jan 17th, 1920
|
17/01/20
|
Welsh Cup |
5th Round |
vs. Rhos (A)
|
1 - 1 |
|
Jan 10th, 1920
|
10/01/20
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Walsall (A)
|
1 - 1 |
|
Jan 3rd, 1920
|
03/01/20
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Wellington Town (A)
|
1 - 2 |
|
Dec 27th, 1919
|
27/12/19
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Worcester City (H)
|
4 - 2 |
|
Dec 26th, 1919
|
26/12/19
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Nuneaton Town (H)
|
4 - 0 |
|
Dec 20th, 1919
|
20/12/19
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Birmingham Reserves (A)
|
0 - 3 |
|
Dec 13th, 1919
|
13/12/19
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Wolves Reserves (A)
|
2 - 3 |
|
Dec 6th, 1919
|
06/12/19
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Wolves Reserves (H)
|
3 - 0 |
|
Nov 29th, 1919
|
29/11/19
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Shrewsbury T. (H)
|
6 - 0 |
|
Nov 22nd, 1919
|
22/11/19
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. West Brom Reserves (H)
|
2 - 0 |
|
Nov 15th, 1919
|
15/11/19
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Coventry C. Reserves (A)
|
2 - 5 |
|
Nov 12th, 1919
|
12/11/19
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Stoke Reserves (H)
|
2 - 1 |
|
Nov 8th, 1919
|
08/11/19
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Coventry C. Reserves (H)
|
1 - 2 |
|
Nov 1st, 1919
|
01/11/19
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Stoke Reserves (A)
|
2 - 1 |
|
Oct 29th, 1919
|
29/10/19
|
FA Cup |
2nd Qualifying Round, Replay |
vs. Crewe Alex. (H)
|
0 - 1 |
|
Oct 25th, 1919
|
25/10/19
|
FA Cup |
2nd Qualifying Round |
vs. Crewe Alex. (A)
|
3 - 3 |
|
Oct 18th, 1919
|
18/10/19
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Worcester City (A)
|
1 - 2 |
|
Oct 11th, 1919
|
11/10/19
|
FA Cup |
1st Qualifying Round |
vs. Marlborough (H)
|
8 - 0 |
|
Oct 4th, 1919
|
04/10/19
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Walsall (H)
|
4 - 2 |
|
Sep 20th, 1919
|
20/09/19
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Nuneaton Town (A)
|
0 - 0 |
|
Sep 13th, 1919
|
13/09/19
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Birmingham Reserves (H)
|
0 - 3 |
|
Sep 6th, 1919
|
06/09/19
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Willenhall Swifts (H)
|
3 - 1 |
|
Aug 30th, 1919
|
30/08/19
|
League |
Birmingham & Distict League |
vs. Willenhall Swifts (A)
|
0 - 1 |
|
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List of First Team Competitive goals scored
|
None |
= Starting Appearances (Sub Appearances) | = Goals | NPS = Squad Appearances (as Non-Playing Sub) | GtGR = Goals to Games Ratio
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Yel = Yellow Cards/Cautions | Red = Red Cards/Dismissals | W/D/L - Games won, drawn or lost as percentage of games played in |