1.Cuthbert Ottaway (Oxford University)
In the earliest days of international football there was only one match a season. Ottaway captained England in the first ever international on 30th November 1872 and in the corresponding game 16 months later (7.3.74).
Number of matches as captain:
First match as captain: 30.11. 72
Last match as captain: 7.3.74
Record as captain:
W
|
D
|
L
|
%
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
.png)
2. Alexander Morten (Crystal Palace)
Goalkeeper Morten's only game as captain was in the 4-2 victory over Scotland at The Oval on 8th March 1873.
3.Charles William Alcock (Wanderers)
CW Alcock captained England to a 2-2 draw against Scotland at The Oval on 6th March 1875.
4. Frank Heron (Wanderers)
Captain in a 3-0 defeat at Glasgow's West of Scotland Cricket Ground on 4th March 1876.
5.William Rawson (Oxford University)
Rawson led England to a 3-1 defeat at The Oval on 3rd March 1877.
6.Arthur Cursham (Notts County)
Cursham's second and last outing as captain was in England's first match against Wales, played at The Oval.
First match as captain: 2.3.78
Last match as captain: 18.1.79
Record as captain:
W
|
D
|
L
|
%
|
7. Henry Wace (Wanderers)
Wace was captain for the April 5th, 1879 clash at the Oval (pictured above), which England won 5-4.
8.Charles Wollaston (Wanderers)
Wollaston's only game as captain was at the first Hampden Park, Glasgow (13th March 1880)- Scotland remarkably avenging the previous year's defeat by the same 5-4 scoreline.
9.Francis Sparks (Clapham Rovers)
In his only game as captain, against Wales at Wrexham's Racecourse Ground on 15th March 1880, Sparks scored 2 goals in a 3-2 win.
10.Jack Hunter (Sheffield Heeley)
In Jack Hunter's only game as captain England suffered their first defeat by Wales, losing 1-0 at Blackburn Rovers' Alexandra Meadows ground.
11.Norman Bailey (Clapham Rovers)
Norman Coles Bailey was the first man to have an extended run at the England captaincy, fulfilling the role 15 times over 6 seasons in an era that saw the introduction of the British Home Championship.
Number of matches as captain: 15
First match as captain: 12.3.81
Last match as captain:19.3.87
Record as captain:
W
|
D
|
L
|
%
|
12. Charlie Bambridge (The Swifts)
Charlie Bam's two games as captain were separated by 5 years. Both were against Ireland and resulted in 13-0 and 7-0 victories for England.
Number of matches as captain: 2
First match as captain: 18.2. 82
Last match as captain:5.2.87
Record as captain:
W
|
D
|
L
|
%
|
2
|
13.Jack Hudson (The Wednesday)
On 24th February 1883 England beat Ireland 7-0 at Aigburth Park Cricket Ground, Liverpool in Jack Hudson's only game as captain and his sole international appearance.
14.Percy Melmoth Walters (Old Carthusians)
'Afternoon' Walters (as opposed to 'Morning' - his brother) was very much in the traditional amateur mould- Oxford University, Corinthians, Old Carthusians. He returned to first class football after taking his degree and became England captain in his 3rd match in the absence of Norman Bailey.
Number of matches as captain: 4
First match as captain:13.3. 86
Last match as captain:15.3.90
W
|
D
|
L
|
%
|
15.Tinsley Lindley (Cambridge University/Nottingham Forest )
Lindley was a prolific goalscorer who wore regular brogues to play football rather than football boots. He scored in each international in which he was captain.
Number of matches as captain: 4
First match as captain: 4.2. 88
Last match as captain: 7.3.91
W
|
D
|
L
|
%
|
,+John.jpg)
16.John Brodie (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Brodie's only game as captain came in 6-1 defeat of Ireland at Everton's Anfield Road on 2.3. 89. Brodie was among the scorers.
As a 15 year old he had been one of the founders of St. Luke's, the team that went on to become Wolverhampton Wanderers. Brodie played for Wolves for 14 seasons and later served as a director of the club.
17. Jimmy Forrest (Blackburn Rovers)
Jimmy Forrest is often cited as being the first professional to play for England. He captained the national side on one occasion, on 15.3. 90. England played 2 Home International Championship matches that day. Forrest led the side beat Ireland 9-1 , the first national team to consist entirely of professionals.
18.Arthur Melmoth Walters (Old Carthusians)
Arthur Melmoth Walters captained England in a 1-1 draw with Scotland at second Hampden (Caithkin Park) on 5th April 1890. His partner at fullback was his elder brother, Percy, who had also captained England.
19.John Goodall (Derby County)
John Goodall was a giant of the game in the Victorian era, but he only led England twice. In his first game as captain against Wales at Sunderland he opened the scoring after 7 minutes. 3 years later he was captain again for a 2-2 draw at Celtic Park, scoring England's first goal in the 11th minute.
Number of matches as captain: 2
First match as captain: 7.3. 91
Last match as captain: 7.4.94
Record as captain:
W
|
D
|
L
|
%
|
20.Billy Moon (Old Westminsters)
A then record crowd of 31.000 watched England's 2-1 victory over Scotland at Ewood Park, Blackburn on 6th April 1891. It was goalkeeper Billy Moon's only match as captain.
21.Harry Daft (Notts County)
Harry Daft captained England in a game against Ireland at Belfast's Solitude ground on 5th March 1892. Daft scored both goals in a 2-0 win.
See Chris Freddi's interesting comment below.
22.Arthur Dunn (Cambridge University)
5th March 1892: On the same day as Harry Daft was leading England in Belfast, Arthur Dunn was captaining England against Wales at The Racecourse, Wrexham. Following this 2-0 win, Dunn was captain in a fine 4-1 win at Ibrox the next month. England were 4-0 up after 26 minutes.
Number of matches as captain: 2
First match as captain: 5.3.92
Last match as captain: 2.4.92
Record as captain:
W
|
D
|
L
|
%
|
23.George Cotterill (Old Brightonians)
England scored an impressive 11 goals in Cotterill's 2 matches as captain, winning 6-1 against Ireland in Birmingham and 5-2 against Scotland at Richmond.
Number of matches as captain: 2
First match as captain: 25. 2.93
Last match as captain: 1.4.93
Record as captain:
W
|
D
|
L
|
%
|
24.Bob Holmes (Preston North End )
Mixed fortunes for Holmes during his captaincy. Starting off with a 6-0 beating of Wales and finishing with a 9-0 win over Ireland. In between came a disappointing 2-2 draw in Belfast in which Holmes left the field injured after 20 minutes.
Number of matches as captain: 3
First match as captain: 13.3.93
Last match as captain: 9.3.95
W
|
D
|
L
|
%
|
2
|
1
|
66
|
25.Charles Wreford-Brown (Old Carthusians)
Both his matches as captain came against Wales.
Number of matches as captain: 2
First match as captain: 12.3.94
Last match as captain: 18.3.95
Record as captain:
W
|
D
|
L
|
%
|
26.Cunliffe Gosling (Old Etonians)
One match in charge- a 3-0 win over Scotland at Goodison Park, 6th April 1895.
27.Gilbert Oswald Smith (Oxford University)
Regarded by many as the best centre forward up until that point in time, Smith's captaincy continued into the 20th century.
His record here is for the period up to 07.04.1900
GO Smith was made captain for the first time in his 5th international, a visit to Belfast's Solitude ground on 7th March 1896. Smith opened the scoring .
Number of matches as captain: 15
First match as captain: 7.3.96
Last match as captain: ongoing...
Record as captain:
W
|
D
|
L
|
%
|
11
|
1
|
3
|
73
|
