Reed was born in Spennymoor, County Durham, in May 1913. As a young man he spent time with Huddersfield Town before returning to his native County Durham in 1930. He played as a centre forward and "prolific goal scorer" for Spen Black and White before joining Spennymoor United in May 1931. His performances attracted attention from league clubs: he was watched more than once by Everton, who eventually authorised a director to watch him again on "Wed. next, with powers to sign him on up to a fee of £250." On Wednesday next, 23 September, he scored a hat-trick against Darlington's reserve team in the North-Eastern League. The transfer took place at a fee of £250, reported as a Spennymoor club record, Reed received a signing-on bonus of £5 and wages of £4 10s a week, and he went straight into Everton's reserve team for their next match. He played and scored regularly for the reserves, with 18 goals from 16 games in the Central League, but was given a free transfer. He moved on to Bristol Citya Second Division club, but one whose relegation was already confirmedin time to make his Football League debut in the last home match of that season, against Manchester United on 28 April 1932. He played only rarely for Bristol City's first team. In mid-November 1933, with the club thirteen matches into the season and still without a win, Reed came into the side for the visit to Cardiff City in place of the captain, Ted Bowen, who was rested. He scored twice, "proved an inspiring leader, and the whole team rose to the occasion in such brilliant style that the Ashton Gate men won in a common canter." He kept his place as Bristol City won their next four matches and drew the fifth, but Bowen returned to the side thereafter. Reed was unable to force himself back into the team ahead of either Bowen or Joe Riley, and he moved on to another Third Division South club, Newport County, in February 1934. He scored eleven goals in what remained of the campaign, and then signed for Queens Park Rangers, also of the Southern Section. After four goals in the first five matches of the season, Reed lost his place through injury. He came back in for four appearances without scoring in October and November, but those were his last for the club's first team. Reed returned to the north-east of England and signed for Darlington of the Third Division North. He was a regular at centre forward during the first half of the 1935–36 season, but lost his place to John Logan, up till then a wing half, at the turn of the year. Although the experiment failed, Reed appeared only infrequently thereafter, but his scoring rate improvedfour goals from his last six appearances, as against three from his first twelve. He was given a free transfer, and moved on to another Northern Section club, Gateshead. While pursuing his football career in the winter, Reed spent his summers playing guitar and crooning at an increasingly professional level. In 1936 and 1937, he worked with Alan Green's Band, and in March 1938after 23 League appearances for Gateshead that produced just two goalshe decided to quit football and concentrate on a musical career. He signed what the Daily Mirror described as a long contract to front Oscar Rabin's Romany Band at the Hammersmith Palais. By February 1940, he was leading his own band playing at the Ritz Hotel. After the war, he worked in music publishing, for companies including Chappell, Boosey & Hawkes, and Syd Dale's Amphonic. Reed died in early 1978 in the Wisbech area of Cambridgeshire at the age of 64. He was buried in Blackhill Cemetery, in Consett, County Durham.
