 Edmunds was born in Trimdon Grange, County Durham, the third child of James Edmunds, a coal miner, and his wife Sarah.He played North-Eastern League football for clubs including Shildon and Spennymoor United before, at the age of 23, signing for Darlington ahead of their first season in the Football League.A "towering centre forward", Edmunds went straight into the first eleven for the opening match, at home to Halifax Town in the newly formed Third Division North.