Working class hero?

 The focus of early Association football was exclusive- the preserve of young men, likely ex Public Schoolboys and university men of independent means. 
According to our research 27 players represented England before a 'working man' was included in the line up.
The schools/clubs/university affiliations of most of the players from the early days reveal their upper class backgrounds. Further insight is gleaned from their father's occupations and the professions that the players themselves pursued (often later than their footballing careers). Let's see:

Game		school or college
1	Robert Barker	Westminster
	Father was a rector, he was a civil engineer.
1	Harwood Greenhalgh
	Father Lace Manufacturer, he managed a cotton factory.
1	Reginald Courtenay Welch	Harrow
	Followed his father into the law.
1	Frederick Chappell	Marlborough, Oxford University
	Followed his father into the law.
1	William J Maynard
	Legal clerk.
1	John Brockbank	Shrewsbury, Cambridge University
	Actor.
1	Charlie Clegg
	Solicitor.
1	Cuthbert Ottaway	Eton, Oxford University
	Son of a surgeon, Ottaway became a barrister.
1	Charles Chenery
	Articled to solicitors.
1	Kirke Smith	Cheltenham College, Oxford University
	Father was a solicitor and farmer- he was at Oxford University and went into the church.
1	Charles John Morice	Harrow
	Stockbroker, as was his father.
2	Alexander Morton
	Member of the stock exchange.
2	Leonard Howell	Winchester College
	Malt Factor.
2	Lieut. Alfred G Goodwyn	Royal Military Academy
	From a military family and an officer in the Royal Engineers.
2	Walpole Vidal	Westminster, Oxford University
	Went into the church.
2	Lieut. Pelham von Donop	Royal Military Academy
	An officer in the Royal Engineers.
2	William Clegg
	Solicitor.
2	Alexander Bonsor	Eton
	A brewer by trade, a director of Combe & Co., the family business.
2	Hubert Heron
	Commercial clerk.
2	William Kenyon-Slaney	Eton , Oxford University
	From a military family, an officer in the Grenadier Guards. His proper title in later life- The Right Honorable Colonel William Slaney Kenyon-Slaney MP.
3	Robert Ogilvie	Brentwood School
	A member of Lloyds.
3	Alfred Hugh Stratford	Malvern College
	No occupations recorded.
3	Francis Birley	Winchester College, Oxford University
	Barrister.
3	Charles Wollaston	Lancing College, Oxford University
	Solicitor.
3	Robert Kingsford	Marlborough College
	His father was a solicitor, Robert lived on independent means.
3	J Hawley Edwards
	Solicitor.
3	John Owen	Oxford University
	Schoolmaster and clergyman.

What a profusion of lawyers! And then, in England's 4th international (06.03.75) William Henry Carr was one of six new 'caps' (an anachronism here). 

4	William Carr
	A Metalsmith.
4	Edward Haygarth	Lancing College
	Solicitor.
4	William Rawson	Westminster, Oxford University
	Oxford schoolmaster, Electrical Engineer.
4	Charlie Alcock	Harrow
	Sports journalist and administrator.
4	Herbert Rawson
	An officer in the Royal Engineers.
4	Cpt.Richard Geaves	Harrow
	An army officer.

Carr played for a number of Sheffield clubs and also represented the Sheffield Association. He was with Owlerton when he made his only international appearance, in which he came on 15 minutes late! He is described variously as A Metalsmith, a white metal smith and later a silversmith.  

Carr's fellow Sheffielder Billy Mosforth (one of seven who became the 43rd players to represent England in match #6, 03.03.77) is often cited as being England's first working class player, and he was undoubtedly a professional footballer. However, Jimmy Forrest is generally regarded as being the first professional footballer to represent England, although he was 'among others' from the leading Lancashire clubs who were representing England during the period when professionalism was sanctioned by the FA.

World Team of the Decade-1880s

Just a bit of fun to stimulate some debate. I'm going to select a team for every decade from the 1880s to the 1930s. The inspiration? In November 1905 The Daily Mail chose a World XI to challenge another planet at football. I came across this when reading about Leigh Richmond Roose. 
As yet I have not been able to track down that 1905 World XI.
A difficult selection, as the 1880s was probably the decade in which the most profound changes in football took place. In 1880 the game at the highest level would have been almost exclusively the preserve of the old boys and amateurs. 
Three key developments shaped the decade:
 The emergence of the professional teams of Lancashire and the midlands.
The influx of Scottish professionals and the influence they had on the way the game was played.
The legalization of professionalism. 
Anyway, my selection for the 1880s- lining up in the 2-3-5 formation:

	Player	Team	Country
GK	Herby Arthur	Blackburn Rovers	England
In the 1880s the FA Cup was the measure of success in the domestic game and Arthur won it 3 years in a row with Rovers. Another considered was James Trainer of Preston North End.
RB	Nick Ross	Preston North End/Everton	Scotland
A pioneer professional, considered the best defender in the country, reputedly paid £10 a month in 1888.
LB	Fergus Suter	Blackburn Rovers	Scotland
One of the earliest professional signings in the game when he joined Darwen. Caused a stir by moving to neighbours Blackburn Rovers. Others considered were Walter Arnott ( Queen’s Park/ Scotland ) and P.M Walters (Old Carthusians/ England).
RH	Arthur Fitzgerald Kinnaird	Old Etonians	Scotland
Lord Kinnaird’s physical approach to the game may have been a bit old school even at the end of his own playing days, but his achievements cannot be overlooked. He could play in any position.
CH	Norman Bailey	Clapham Rovers	England
The first man to have a protracted run as England captain and the first to reach the magical figure of ten caps. A solid performer.
LH	Jimmy Forrest	Blackburn Rovers	England
The first openly professional player to represent England. Won the FA Cup 5 times.
OR	Billy Bassett	West Bromwich Albion	England
1.65 m in an era of physicality, Bassett was a winger who also scored goals.
IR	Fred Dewhurst	Preston North End	England
The team of the decade would have to have some representative from Corinthian FC, but Fred Dewhurst wasn’t your typical Corinthian- he was the only amateur in the Preston Invincibles line up. A prolific scorer at international level.
CF	John Goodall	Preston North End	England
I chose Goodall as one of the earliest in a long line of professional centre forwards who have been England superstars. I gave consideration also to Tinsley Lindley (Cambridge University, Nottingham Forest/ England) and Archie Hunter (Aston Villa/ Scotland).
IL	Jimmy Ross	Preston North End	Scotland
The Little Demon scored a goal a game in the first two seasons of the Football League. In his time at Preston he scored 250 goals in 220 appearances.
OL	James Brown	Blackburn Rovers	England
Brown was another leading figure in the FA Cup dominance of Blackburn Rovers. Charlie Bambridge (Swifts/England) was a contender.

I expect some criticism for the lack of Scotsmen in the team, and would welcome readers to submit their alternative selections.