Bob Bayliss

Debut game
v Hucknall Byron (h) 20th December 1919

Final game for Gresley Rovers first team
v Alfreton Town (a) 26th April 1924

The most important feature of the 1920 - 1921 season was the transfer of Bob Bayliss to Derby County for £500 which at the time was the highest fee received by the club for one player.

The business was carried out very quickly by Mr Morgan Roberts Director of Derby County, Jimmy Methven the manager, Tom Beard and Mr Fred Baker secretaries of Gresley Rovers.

Several clubs had watched Bob since he joined Rovers including Blackpool who made a very strong bid for him.

As a player he possessed marvellous capabilities, his speed and shooting power were extremely fine.

Derby fell in love with him when the semi-final of the Derbyshire Senior Cup against their reserves was played at the Moat Ground a few weeks earlier. Two goals were scored by Bayliss in grand style. Bob was in fact a reluctant hero - he only agreed to join Derby when they wrote a clause into his contract enabling him to return to Gresley the following season if he so wished. He played one game for Derby against Sheffield United in February 1921 and later returned to Rovers

Bob was employed in the forwarding department at Worthington's Brewery and began his footballing career at the age of 15 with Winshill St Marks in the second division of the Burton & District League.

The following season he moved to Burton Town and then to Overseal Swifts before moving to the Moat Ground where he made his debut against Hucknall Byron on the 20th December 1919 which we won 2-1 with scorers Billy Warren, a penalty, and Bob.

His final game for Rovers was against Alfreton Town away on the 26th April 1924, which we lost 0-7.

Bob was also a keen cricketer being vice-captain of Winshill and winning several awards playing for Worthington's.

Sadly Bob died suddenly in November 1943 aged 48 years.

1919 - 1920 - 6 apps 7 goals
1920 - 1921 - 26 9*
1921 - 1922 - 38 12*
1922 - 1923 - 35 11*
1923 - 1924 - 36 14
Total 151 apps 53 goals

* Not all goal scorers were recorded for these seasons so the total could have been slightly more.