31.8.14

Newcastle United's Golden Era


The 11 seasons from 1900 marked a golden age for Newcastle United.
Let's take a look at their league positions and FA Cup performance:

season
League
FA Cup
1900–01
6th
R1
1901–02
3rd
R3
1902–03
14th
R1
1903–04
4th
R1
1904–05
Champions
Runners-up
1905–06
4th
Runners-up
1906–07
Champions
R1
1907–08
4th
Runners-up
1908–09
Champions
Semi-final
1909–10
4th
Winners
1910–11
8th
Runners-up

In the League a 7 season spell in which they were never lower than 4th, winning 3 titles.
A 7 year period in which they reached 5 FA Cup Finals , but won only 1. Four major honours- it could have been 8, but for The FA Cup Final hoodoo.



Here are the FA Cup Final teams:



1904–05
1905–06
1907–08
1909–10
1909–10 (r)
1910-11
1910-11 (r)
G
Jimmy Lawrence
FB
Andy McCombie
Billy McCracken
FB
Jack Carr
Dick Pudan
Tony Whitson
Jack Carr
Tony Whitson
HB
Alex Gardner
Colin Veitch (c)
HB
Andy Aitken
Colin Veitch (c)
Wilf Low
HB
Peter McWilliam
David Willis
F
Jock Rutherford
F
James Howie
George Jobey
F
Bill Appleyard
Colin Veitch (c)
Bill Appleyard
Albert Shepherd
Jimmy Stewart
F
Colin Veitch (c)
Ron Orr
Finlay Speedie
Sandy Higgins
F
Bert Gosnel
George Wilson
Mr.
Frank Watt
committee

The journalist Jimmy Catton claimed to have seen Andy Aitken penning an acceptance speech on the eve of the 1905 Final.
Catton also offered the explanation that rather than simply being serial chokers, Newcastle were hampered by the lush surface at Crystal Palace, more so than other teams because they were particularly reliant on pinging short fast passes and also because the St James' Park pitch was virtually grassless by comparison. The players themselves were notably superstitious, believing that passing a wedding on the way to the ground would guarantee a victory, whereas seeing a funeral meant defeat!

26.8.14

Hirsch and Fuchs




Julius Hirsch and Gottfried Fuchs, the 2 Jewish footballers who represented Germany. During the Third Reich era Fuchs went into exile and Hirsch was murdered at Auschwitz.
The memory of these 2 remarkable men has been kept alive by historian Werner Skrentny, and the city of Karlsruhe has a Gottfried-Fuchs-Platz and a Julius-Hirsch-Straße.  The DFB's Julius Hirsch Prize honours those who promote freedom , tolerance and humanity.

Their finest hour for Karlsruher FV came in 1910- winning the German National Championship.
The Karlsruher FV team who beat Holsten Kiel on 15.05.10 was:
Adolf Dell – Carl Hübner, Ernst Hollstein – Hans Ruzek, Max Breunig, Max Schwarze – Fritz TscherterFritz FördererGottfried FuchsJulius HirschHermann Bosch
Trainer: William Townley

Max Bruenig scored the winner from the penalty spot in the 114th minute at Köln.

It was in 1912 that Hirsch and Fuchs first played together for the German national team.  On 04.03.12 
at Zwolle Netherlands and Germany played a 5-5 draw. Fuchs scored Germany's first goal in the 13th minute, but Juller was the star of the show, scoring 4 goals. 


26.05.12- in a repeat of the 1910 final Holstein Kiel beat Karlsruher FV 1-0 (a penalty) at Hamburg. 

They next featured together in the consolation round of Olympic tournament on 03.07.12, 2 days after Fuchs scored 10 goals in a 16-0 demolition of Russia , Hirsch returned to the side for the match with Hungary. Hungary won 3-1 (an Imre Sclosser hat trick).


Hirsch and Fuchs final appearance together for Germany came  on 23.11.13. at Antwerp. Belgium thrashed Germany 6-2. Fuchs got Germany's second, but Belgium had already scored 5 by then. 

In all Julius Hirsch played 7 internationals, scoring 4 goals.
Gottfried Fuchs played 6 matches for the national team, scoring 14 goals.

                                              Fuchs seated far left, Hirsch far right. 


Fuchs 4th from left Hirsch far right. 


23.8.14

Genoa Cricket & Athletic Club



When Genoa Cricket & Athletic Club won the first of its national championships in 1898 it retained many features of its origins as an English institution. The club jerseys for example, were white, and the manager was an Englishman- Dr James Richardson Spensley.  Dr Spensley's association with the club began in  1897, effectively heralding its beginnings as a serious football club (from the foundation in 1893 the football had been casual, secondary to cricket and athletics). Initially membership of the club had been open only to Englishmen (I'm assuming this covered all Britons), but by 1898 there was a more cosmopolitain air- the championship winning side being made up as follows:

William Baird
England
Ernesto De Galleani
Italy
Fausto Ghigliotti
Italy
Edoardo Pasteur
Italy
James R. Spensley
England
Ettore Wallys Ghiglione
Italy
Robert Al Leaver
England
Giovanni Bocciardo
Italy
Henri Arthur Dapples
Switzerland
Silvio Pietro Bertollo
Italy
John Quertier Le Pelley
Guernsey



22.8.14

France v Switzerland 1930

The card shows the France team that lined up against Switzerland at Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
(Colombes). 
The match ended in a 3-3 draw. Switzerland were 2-0 in 13 minutes (both goals by Lehmann).Chueva (17 min) and Anatol (34) leveled the score. In the 58th minute  Libérati put France ahead and Romberg  completed the scoring with a 68th minute equalizer. 

France:                                                        Switzerland:
Antonin Lozès  
F.C. Sochaux
GK
Charles  Pasche  
Grasshopper
Manuel Anatol  
R.C. France
RB
Max Weiler  
Grasshopper
André Chardar  
F.C. Sète
LB
Rudolf Ramseyer  
F.C. Bern
Louis Cazal  
F.C. Sète
HB
Paul De Lavallaz  
Grasshopper
Alexandre Villaplane  
R.C. France
HB
Adolfo Spiller  
F.C. Zürich
Henri Pavillard  
Stade Français
HB
Charles Regamey  
Grasshopper
Ernest Libérati  
Amiens A.C.
F
Adolf Stelzer  
F.C. Zürich
André Cheuva  
Olympique Lillois
F
Willy Baumeister  
F.C. Zürich
Paul Nicolas  
Amiens A.C.
F
Jacques Romberg  
F.C. Zürich
André Maschinot  
F.C. Sochaux
F
August Lehmann  
F.C. Zürich
Pierre Korb  
F.C. Mulhouse 93
F
Rene Grimm  
F.C. Biel

Villaplane,  Libérati and  Maschinot were in the squad that represented France in the 1930 World Cup.
Alexandre Villaplane was Algeria born. He captained France in Uruguay. As his career waned he became more involved in criminal activities. In 1944 he was executed for  war crimes having collaborated with the Nazis






                                                              Switzerland

21.8.14

Los grandes centre- forwards

This page is taken from an edition of Mundo Uruguayo published in 1930, the centenary of the nation. The issue was titled 'The Resurgence of the Nation' and focused on the triumphs of the Uruguay national team in the 1920s. The magazine was published on July 18th, the day of the hosts' first ever World Cup match.

The 4 centre forwards featured are:

Jose Piendibene (Peñarol )
Over 500 games for Peñarol . 
40 Uruguay caps (1909-21), 20 goals. 
South American Championship Winner 1916, 1917 & 1920

Pedro Petrone (Nacional) 
29 international appearances (1923-30, his last appearance being on the day the article appeared, 18.07.30).
24 goals.
World Cup winning squad 1930.
Olympic Gold Medalist 1924,1928.
South American Championship Winner 1923,1924.

Carlos Scarone (Nacional) 
25 appearances (1909-22) 18 goals
South American Championship Winner 1917 


Rene Borjas (Wanderers)
7 appearances (1923-28) 3 goals.
Olympic Gold Medalist 1928.
South American Championship Winner 1926.


19.8.14

Sheffield and England in the 19th Century...

The City of Sheffield was a major centre of footballing development , and its influence on the evolution of the Association game cannot be overlooked.  There were Sheffield men present in the England XI right from the very start. Charlie Clegg played in the 5th 'Alcock International' and also in the first official international in 1872. Clegg, who went on to be a massively influential administrator, later complained about the snooty attitude of his southern teammates. 
During the 19th century 7 Sheffield based clubs had players capped by England:

Reverend John Robert Blayney Owen


Jack Hunter - in the 7 internationals in which he played England won only once and conceded 31 goals! He went on to lead Blackburn Olympic to FA Cup victory, being largely responsible for the professional approach they took to the game. 


Billy Mosforth-The Little Wonder, often described as England's first working class player (more on this matter in the near future) and the first player to represent both Wednesday and Sheffield United.

United's first international- Harry Lilley

 Michael Whitham


Raby Howell- the first Roma to play for England.

England's most famous 1 cap wonder? Billy Foulke

The Wednesday

Charles Clegg
Forward
1 cap
1872
William Clegg
Half Back
1 cap
1873
Billy Mosforth
Outside Left
5 caps
1877-82
Teddy Brayshaw
Centre Half
1 cap
1887
Billy Betts
Centre Half
1 cap
1889
Fred Spiksley
Outside Left
7 caps
1893-98
Tom Crawshaw
Centre Half
10 caps
1895-1904

Sheffield FC

John Owen
Forward
1 cap
1874
John Hudson
Half Back
1 cap
1883

Owlerton

William Carr
Goalkeeper
1 cap
1875

Heeley

Jack Hunter
Half Back
7 caps
1878-1882

Sheffield Albion

William Clegg
Forward
1 cap
1879
Billy Mosforth
Outside Left
4 caps
1879-80

Thursday Wanderers

Thomas Heathcote Sorby
Forward
1 cap
1879

Sheffield United

Harry Lilley
Left Back
1 Cap
1892
Michael Whitham
Right Back
1 Cap
1892
Ernest Needham
Half Back
16 Caps
1894-1902
Raby Howell
Right Half
1 Cap
1895
Billy Foulke
Goalkeeper
1 Cap
1897
Tommy Morren
Centre Half
1 Cap
1898
Harry Thickett
Right Back
2 Caps
1899