The focus of early Association football was exclusive- the preserve of young men, likely ex Public Schoolboys and university men of independent means.
According to our research 27 players represented England before a 'working man' was included in the line up.
The schools/clubs/university affiliations of most of the players from the early days reveal their upper class backgrounds. Further insight is gleaned from their father's occupations and the professions that the players themselves pursued (often later than their footballing careers). Let's see:
What a profusion of lawyers! And then, in England's 4th international (06.03.75) William Henry Carr was one of six new 'caps' (an anachronism here).
Carr played for a number of Sheffield clubs and also represented the Sheffield Association. He was with Owlerton when he made his only international appearance, in which he came on 15 minutes late! He is described variously as A Metalsmith, a white metal smith and later a silversmith.
Carr's fellow Sheffielder BillyMosforth (one of seven who became the 43rd players to represent England in match #6, 03.03.77) is often cited as being England's first working class player, and he was undoubtedly a professional footballer. However, Jimmy Forrest is generally regarded as being the first professional footballer to represent England, although he was 'among others' from the leading Lancashire clubs who were representing England during the period when professionalism was sanctioned by the FA.
According to our research 27 players represented England before a 'working man' was included in the line up.
The schools/clubs/university affiliations of most of the players from the early days reveal their upper class backgrounds. Further insight is gleaned from their father's occupations and the professions that the players themselves pursued (often later than their footballing careers). Let's see:
Game | school or college | |
1 | Robert Barker | Westminster |
Father was a rector, he was a civil engineer. | ||
1 | Harwood Greenhalgh | |
Father Lace Manufacturer, he managed a cotton factory. | ||
1 | Reginald Courtenay Welch | Harrow |
Followed his father into the law. | ||
1 | Frederick Chappell | Marlborough, Oxford University |
Followed his father into the law. | ||
1 | William J Maynard | |
Legal clerk. | ||
1 | John Brockbank | Shrewsbury, Cambridge University |
Actor. | ||
1 | Charlie Clegg | |
Solicitor. | ||
1 | Cuthbert Ottaway | Eton, Oxford University |
Son of a surgeon, Ottaway became a barrister. | ||
1 | Charles Chenery | |
Articled to solicitors. | ||
1 | Kirke Smith | Cheltenham College, Oxford University |
Father was a solicitor and farmer- he was at Oxford University and went into the church. | ||
1 | Charles John Morice | Harrow |
Stockbroker, as was his father. | ||
2 | Alexander Morton | |
Member of the stock exchange. | ||
2 | Leonard Howell | Winchester College |
Malt Factor. | ||
2 | Lieut. Alfred G Goodwyn | Royal Military Academy |
From a military family and an officer in the Royal Engineers. | ||
2 | Walpole Vidal | Westminster, Oxford University |
Went into the church. | ||
2 | Lieut. Pelham von Donop | Royal Military Academy |
An officer in the Royal Engineers. | ||
2 | William Clegg | |
Solicitor. | ||
2 | Alexander Bonsor | Eton |
A brewer by trade, a director of Combe & Co., the family business. | ||
2 | Hubert Heron | |
Commercial clerk. | ||
2 | William Kenyon-Slaney | Eton , Oxford University |
From a military family, an officer in the Grenadier Guards. His proper title in later life-The Right Honorable Colonel William Slaney Kenyon-Slaney MP. | ||
3 | Robert Ogilvie | Brentwood School |
A member of Lloyds. | ||
3 | Alfred Hugh Stratford | Malvern College |
No occupations recorded. | ||
3 | Francis Birley | Winchester College, Oxford University |
Barrister. | ||
3 | Charles Wollaston | Lancing College, Oxford University |
Solicitor. | ||
3 | Robert Kingsford | Marlborough College |
His father was a solicitor, Robert lived on independent means. | ||
3 | J Hawley Edwards | |
Solicitor. | ||
3 | John Owen | Oxford University |
Schoolmaster and clergyman. | ||
What a profusion of lawyers! And then, in England's 4th international (06.03.75) William Henry Carr was one of six new 'caps' (an anachronism here).
4 | William Carr | |
A Metalsmith. | ||
4 | Edward Haygarth | Lancing College |
Solicitor. | ||
4 | William Rawson | Westminster, Oxford University |
Oxford schoolmaster, Electrical Engineer. | ||
4 | Charlie Alcock | Harrow |
Sports journalist and administrator. | ||
4 | Herbert Rawson | |
An officer in the Royal Engineers. | ||
4 | Cpt.Richard Geaves | Harrow |
An army officer. | ||
Carr played for a number of Sheffield clubs and also represented the Sheffield Association. He was with Owlerton when he made his only international appearance, in which he came on 15 minutes late! He is described variously as A Metalsmith, a white metal smith and later a silversmith.
Carr's fellow Sheffielder BillyMosforth (one of seven who became the 43rd players to represent England in match #6, 03.03.77) is often cited as being England's first working class player, and he was undoubtedly a professional footballer. However, Jimmy Forrest is generally regarded as being the first professional footballer to represent England, although he was 'among others' from the leading Lancashire clubs who were representing England during the period when professionalism was sanctioned by the FA.