Bradley spent the early part of his playing career in junior football around his local North East, playing for the intriguingly-named Dunston Wednesday, Fatfield Albion and Jarrow Caledonians before heading south for a spell with Portsmouth.

On 1 April 1914, he returned home to sign for Newcastle United, the club he had supported as a youngster, but the outbreak of the First World War came before he could make his first team debut for the Geordies.

With Newcastle suspending operations for the duration of the hostilities, Bradley joined up with Gainsborough Trinity, but then switched his allegiances to Leeds City in August 1915. Regular Peacocks keeper Willis Walker had left Elland Road to sign up for the Royal Naval Depot, though he would return to assist City when he could be released.

Bradley made his debut for Leeds on the opening day of the 1915/16 season, away to Derby County on 4 September. The game finished in a 3-1 victory for City, with the Yorkshire Evening Post reporting that he 'distinguished himself with several brilliant saves'. The following week, when City beat The Wednesday 2-1, the Leeds Mercury described him as an 'alert custodian' following 'a smart exhibition'.

Bradley played in eleven of City's twelve opening fixtures, though he lost his way after a decent start, and made way for Willis Walker when he was able to return to the West Riding in December.

That was it for Bradley in a Leeds shirt, and returned to Newcastle to sit out the rest of the war. He made his First Division debut against Preston at St James Park on 1 November 1919.

Bradley was never an automatic choice for the Magpies but made 133 League appearances for the club before signing for Ashington in May 1927. He collected an FA Cup winner's medal when Newcastle beat Aston Villa 2-0 at Wembley in 1924, giving an outstanding display as a late replacement for Alex Mutch.

Bradley left Ashington in 1929 to join North Shields, where he played on into his late forties.