Murphy was born in Nottingham in the third quarter of 1872.[2] After playing his youth football with Hucknall St John's, he joined Notts County for whom he made 37 appearances in the Football League between 1896 and 1898, scoring 24 goals,[2] including 22 in 1896–97, thus making him joint top-scorer in the Second Division with teammate Tom Boucher,[1] helping Notts County claim the Second Division title and gain promotion to the First Division, after a series of play-off matches.[3]
That season Doncaster were runners up in the Midland League and were elected for the first time to Division 2 for the 1901−02 season in which he played in all 36 League and 2 FA Cup games, scoring five goals including a hat-trick in a win against Newton Heath.[4]
In his third season, he moved to play mainly at right half, scoring three times in his 29 games.[4]
In1903−04 he managed eight league goals and one in a friendly, before leaving the club as they were again elected to Division 2.[4]
^ abcJoyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 192. ISBN1-899468-67-6.
^Gibbons, Philip (2001). Association Football in Victorian England – A History of the Game from 1863 to 1900. Upfront Publishing. pp. 356–357. ISBN1-84426-035-6.
^ abcdeBluff, Tony (2011). Donny:Doncaster Rovers F.C. The Complete History (1879−2010). Yore Publications. ISBN978-0-9569848-3-8.
