Roderick Ernest Welsh was an English

English people

The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...

 footballer.

Playing career

Welsh played for Dipton United, Annfield Plain

Annfield Plain F.C.

Annfield Plain Football Club is an English amateur association football club. The club is based in Annfield Plain, near Stanley, County Durham and its home stadium is Derwent Park. The first team joined the North Eastern League for the 1925–26 season and played in the league until 1964, when they...

, Durham City

Durham City A.F.C.

Durham City A.F.C. are an English football club that currently plays in the Northern Premier League Division One North. They are based in the city of Durham in North East England.-History:...

 and Portsmouth

Portsmouth F.C.

Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...

 before joining Port Vale

Port Vale F.C.

Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...

 in May 1935. At first he struggled, appearing only intermittently and breaking an ankle

Ankle

The ankle joint is formed where the foot and the leg meet. The ankle, or talocrural joint, is a synovial hinge joint that connects the distal ends of the tibia and fibula in the lower limb with the proximal end of the talus bone in the foot...

 at the 1–0 win at Southampton on 31 March 1936. He returned powerfully in August 1936 and appeared frequently until he was dropped in February 1938 and was given a free transfer in May that year.

He was also a professional cyclist in England.