Corinthians for England

Corinthian FC were formed very much along the lines of an Old Boys club. A de facto England XI for ex Varsity men, who were invariably products of the public schools' system.
Corinthian came into being in 1882. Professionalism was still outlawed, but the influence of the  northern and midland clubs who gave assistance to their working class players was on the rise. 6 of the England team to face Scotland in 1882 came from Lancashire, Sheffield or midlands clubs- the regions in which professional football was about to flourish.
N.L Jackson's reasoning for the founding of Corinthian FC is often reported as being to ensure that England were able to keep pace with Scotland on the international front. Their role, however, was also to preserve an amateur foothold in the higher reaches of the English game.
Amateurs, of course, could play for whomsoever they wished to. We read of England XIs in the 1890s as being 'entirely Corinthians' but one could be a member of Corinthian FC and play occasionally or go on tour with them whilst still being primarily a member of another club.
There have, however, been 17 men who represented England whilst Corinthian was their primary club.


Cecil White (left half) 

	apps
1888	2

Henfrey

Arthur Henfrey (half back / forward) 

	apps	goals
1891-96	5	2

Anthony  Hossack (right half) 

	apps
1892-94	2

Smith

Gilbert Oswald Smith (centre forward) 

	apps	goals	capt
1893-1901	20	11	14

Smith has been described as the greatest player of the 19th century.

Lodge 

Vaughan Lodge (fullback) 

	apps
1894-96	5

Lodge's parents were Welsh. It appears that he drowned himself whilst suffering from depression.

W.J. Oakley (fullback)   

	apps		capt
1895-1901	16		1

Middleditch 

Bernard Middleditch (right half) 

	apps
1897	1

Geoffrey Wilson (inside left) 

	apps	goals
1900	2	1

Foster

• Reginald Erskine 'Tip'  Foster  (inside forward) 

• 	apps	goals	capt
  1900-02	5	3	1

  
  
• The only man to captain England at football and cricket.

Fry

C B Fry (right back) 

	apps
1901	1

The legendary great all rounder.

Corbett

Bertie Corbett  (outside left)

	apps
1901	1

Corbett was the author of The Annals of the Corinthian F. C. (1906).

K.E Hegan (outside forward)

	apps	goals
1923	4	4

Later to become Lieutenant-Colonel Kenneth Edward Heg

Norman Creek (forward) 

	apps
1923	1

Creek was a  decorated pilot from the 1914-18 war and the author of  The History of the Corinthian Football Club (1933) 

  Basil Patchitt  (fullback or half back)

	apps
1923	2

Bower

Alfred George 'Baishe'  Bower (fullback)

• 	apps		capt
  1923-27	5		3

  
  

Bower was the last amateur to captain England and the last amateur to play for England in the Home Championship.

Doggart

Graham Doggart (inside left)

	apps	goals	capt
1923	1		1

I read a description of Graham Doggart as being a 'useful' footballer. His goalscoring record for Corinthian (1919-1933) suggests a degree of understatement there:  appearances 203 goals 207.

Ashton

• Claude Ashton (centre forward)   

• 	apps		capt
  1925	1		1

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