During the 1914-18 war the camp contained between 4,000 and 5,500 civilian prisoners. A complex society evolved in the camp- newspapers were printed and drama and music groups were formed. Football was a popular distraction, and there were several noteworthy former professional footballers and coaches among the inmates.
Spiksley's name is spelled incorrectly here.
Fred Spiksley- 44 year old Spikesley had won 7 England caps between 1893 and 1898, and played most of his first class matches for The Wednesday
(with whom he won the FA Cup in 1896).
At the outbreak of the war he was a coach in Germany.
He had moved there in 1913 and worked with TSV 1860 München and 1. FC Nuremberg.
There has been some debate as to whether Fred Spiksley was at Ruhleben.
Modern biographers claim that he wasn't. However he is mentioned as having being interred there
Fred Pentland - after a ten year professional career (Middlesbrough being his main team) 31 year old Pentland had gone to Germany in 1914 to coach the German Olympic team. Pentland had won 5 England caps in 1909.
Steve Bloomer- the legendary Derby County, Middlesbrough and England goalscorer only arrived in Germany 3 weeks before the war broke out. The 40 year old had been appointed manager of Britannia Berlin 92, having played his final game for Derby the previous January.
John Cameron- the 42 year old former FA Cup winning Tottenham player manager and Scotland international was in Germany as coach of Dresdner SC when the war started.
Edwin Dutton- nobody seems to know where Dutton was born. He had English parents but grew up in Poland and Germany. His teams as a player included Britannia Berlin 92, BFC Preussen and Newcastle United. He was capped by Germany in a match against Hungary in 1909. He was 24 at the start of the war.
Jack Brearley- 38 year old Liverpudlian Brearley was coach of Viktoria 89 Berlin in 1914. As a player he had represented Millwall Athletic, Notts County, Middlesbrough, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace.
England v The Rest of the World, 1915
The Ruhleben Football Association was formed with Pentland as chairman and Cameron as secretary and cup and league competitions were organised with games attracting crowds of up to 1,000.
In November 1914, Bloomer captained a Tottenham Hotspur XI to victory in a cup final against an Oldham Athletic XI.
On May 2nd 1915 an England XI featuring Pentland, Wolstenholme, Brearley and Bloomer played a World XI captained by Cameron.
Pentland and Cameron produced a souvenir booklet of the 1915 season.
March 3rd 1916: John Cameron's XI defeated Steve Bloomer's XI.
On May 2nd 1915 an England XI featuring Pentland, Wolstenholme, Brearley and Bloomer played a World XI captained by Cameron.
Pentland and Cameron produced a souvenir booklet of the 1915 season.
March 3rd 1916: John Cameron's XI defeated Steve Bloomer's XI.
October 7th 1916: Cameron's XI 4 Brearley's XI 2.
In 1918 Coupe de Allies, a triangular tournament featuring a British XI, a French XI and a Belgium XI, was organized.
