Lewis Ballham

Joseph Lewis Ballham (c.1864 – 1948) was an English footballer. He won the Football Alliance title with Stoke in 1890–91 and also played for Burslem Port Vale. His brother Edgar played a friendly for Port Vale in 1890.

Lewis Ballham

Personal information
Full name	Joseph Lewis Ballham
Date of birth	c. 1864
Place of birth	Stoke-upon-Trent, England
Date of death	1948 (aged 83–84)
Place of death	Stoke-on-Trent, England
Position(s)	Forward
Youth career
	Stoke Locomotive
	Stoke
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1888–1890	Burslem Port Vale	16	(6)
1890–1892	Stoke	38	(11)
Total		54	(17)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Ballham played for Stoke Locomotive and Stoke, appearing in the FA Cup in 1886–87 and 1887–88, before joining Burslem Port Vale in August 1888. However, he was still under contract to Stoke until the end of September that year. He so had to wait until October to make his debut. The contract issue did not go away. In December 1888, he was forced to pay the club £20 damages and costs at £1 a week by the Stoke County Court. Despite this, and the regular football he enjoyed at Vale, he returned to their rivals in the summer of 1890. He had scored 29 goals in 70 games in all competitions for the Vale. He scored six goals in 20 Football Alliance games in 1890–91, as Stoke won the league title and regained admittance to the Football League. He scored five goals in 18 Football League games in 1891–92 before departing the Victoria Ground.

Career statistics

Source:

Club	Season	Division	League		FA Cup		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Stoke	1886–87	–	0	0	2	0	2	0
	1887–88		0	0	4	1	4	1
Burslem Port Vale	1888–89	The Combination	16	6	0	0	16	6
	1889–90	–	0	0	0	0	0	0
Stoke	1890–91	Football Alliance	20	6	3	3	23	9
	1891–92	Football League	18	5	5	1	23	6
Career total			54	17	14	5	68	22

Honours

Stoke

• Football Alliance: 1890–91