Fred Appleyard (13 June 1909 – March 1995) was an English professional footballer who played as a left-half or inside-left in the Football League for Rochdale, and in non-League football for Norden St James, Norden Congregationalists and Rochdale St Clement's.

Fred Appleyard was born on 13 June 1909 in Norden, Rochdale, Lancashire.^[4] He was the second son of George Appleyard, a domestic coachman, and his wife Sarah, and had an older brother, Willie.^[5]

Appleyard played in non-League football for Norden St James^[1] before signing for Third Division North club Rochdale on amateur forms in January 1928.^[4] He made his debut on 9 March 1929 in a 5–1 defeat away to Tranmere Rovers in the league, which proved to be his only appearance of the 1928–29 season.^[1] He turned professional in 1930,^[4] and made his next first-team appearance in November of that year. He appeared in four matches in the 1930–31 season, three in the league and one in the FA Cup.^[1] Having finished in 21st place, Rochdale had to apply for re-election, and with the club's future uncertain, Appleyard was one of just six players offered terms for the 1931–32 season.^[6] Their application was successful, and Appleyard made two more league appearances. His last, in January 1932, was as stand-in for Rochdale's regular left half, George Ward, in a 3–2 defeat at home to Crewe Alexandra.^[1][7] After leaving Rochdale he returned to playing in non-League with Norden Congregationalists, which he joined in June 1933, and Rochdale St Clement's from September 1935.^[4]

The 1939 Register finds Appleyard living in Rochdale with his parents and a younger sister and employed as a production process worker in textile bleaching and dyeing.^[8] He died in Ulverston, Cumbria, in March 1995 at the age of 85.^[1][9]