Walter Bennett

It was a different world...

Footballers were paid decently enough, but for most working class pros the end of their playing days  meant a return to industry. Some made it as coaches and others were set up as publicans, but they were in the minority. In April 1908 Cocky Bennett was killed at  Denaby Main Colliery. 18 months earlier he had been playing for Bristol City in the First Division. 

 He scored 22 goals in 49 matches for Bristol City, helping them to win the Second Division title in 1905-06. 

Bennett had joined Bristol City from Sheffield United. He made 234 appearances for The Blades, scoring 72 goals. During this period United were a consistently strong side, as witnessed by the achievements shown here:

	League	FA Cup
1896–97	Runners up
1897–98	Champions
1898–99
1899–1900	Runners up	Winners
1900–01		Runners up
1901–02		Winners*

*Bennett played in the first match but missed the replay due to injury

Bennett represented England twice in 1901.

Manchester United's First FA Cup Win -1909

GK		Harry Moger
RB		George Stacey
LB		Vince Hayes
RH		Dick Duckworth
CH		Charlie Roberts (c)
LH		Alex Bell
OR		Billy Meredith
IR		Harold Halse
CF		Jimmy Turnbull
IL		Sandy Turnbull
OL		George Wall

United played in a white strip with a red chevron.

The toss, the captains were the two great centre halves, Charlie Roberts and Billy Wedlock. Referee Mr Jim Mason.

A great view of Crystal Palace as the game gets underway. Note the 2-3-5 formations.

 Sandy Turnbull scores for United. Turnbull was later implicated in the 1915 Betting Scandal and was  banned for life from football. Turnbull was killed in action in Arras (1917). His life ban was posthumously rescinded by the Football Association in 1919 (!).

Jock Hamilton

Jock Hamilton was a centre half who signed for Wolverhampton Wanderers from Ayr FC in 1894. Injury restricted Hamilton to 5 appearances for Wolves. He then spent 2 seasons with Loughborough in Division 2, making 59 league appearances. On leaving Loughborough in 1897 Hamilton played for Bristol City in the Southern league for 3 seasons. He then returned to the Football League with Leicester Fosse (28 games in 2 seasons). Hamilton then had spells with Watford and Wellingborough before joining Fulham in 1903.
 The following season he took on the role of assistant trainer at Craven Cottage, graduating to trainer in 1908. He returned to Bristol City as reserve team trainer in 1910, becoming first team manager in 1915.
 This is an unremarkable career, a Scottish professional playing in England, a journeyman who moved into management. 
There is one episode, however, that sets Hamilton aside from his contemporaries. 
On April 23, 1907 he was appointed manager of Paulistano Athletic Club. He was the first professional coach in Brazilian football. He introduced what is known as Systema Ingleza - the short passing game, as well as a systematic programme of training and preparation. 
Hamilton was in São Paulo for 5 months before returning to Fulham, during which time Paulistano won the Campeonato Paulista.