| Fred Blackburn | |
| Fullname: | James Thomas Alfred Blackburn |
| Birth Date: | 20 July 1878 |
| Birth Place: | Blackburn, Lancashire, England |
| Death Place: | Ilford, England |
| Position: | Outside-left, wing-half |
| Clubs1: | Mellor |
| Years2: | 1897–1905 |
| Clubs2: | Blackburn Rovers |
| Caps2: | 192 |
| Goals2: | 25 |
| Years3: | 1905–1913 |
| Clubs3: | West Ham United |
| Caps3: | 217 |
| Goals3: | 24 |
| Nationalyears1: | 1901–1904 |
| Nationalteam1: | England |
| Nationalcaps1: | 3 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 1 |
James Thomas Alfred Blackburn (20 July 1878 – 13 March 1951), known as Fred Blackburn, was an English footballer who played in the Football League for Blackburn Rovers and in the Southern League for West Ham United.[1]
Blackburn played for his home-town club of Blackburn Rovers, playing as an outside-left, and featured for the team at the age of 17.[2]
He was capped three times for England, making his international debut at Crystal Palace against Scotland, in which he scored in a 2–2 draw.[3] He also represented the English League against the Scottish League and played in a North versus South fixture.[2]
He moved to West Ham United in the summer of 1905, along with Blackburn teammates Lionel Watson and Harry Hindle, and switched to wing-half while with the club. He was an ever-present during the 1909–10 season and totalled 237 Southern League appearances for the club, scoring 24 goals, before leaving in 1913.[2]
After retiring from the game, Blackburn joined the Merchant Navy, but later returned to football to coach Barking.[2]
His brother Arthur made a handful of appearances for Blackburn Rovers and for Southampton as a full-back.[4]