The Woodward Era

Woodward rises high to head at goal for Tottenham Hotspur

Vivian Woodward's career with the full England international side saw him play 23 matches, scoring 29 goals, between 1903 and 1911.
FIFA also give full international status to a further 30 matches that Woodward played, 24 for the England Amateur XI and 6 for the Great Britain Olympic team (effectively the England Amateur XI with a Union Flag sewn on their jerseys).
During the Woodward Era the amateurs played  40 matches (Olympics included) . Woodward played in 30, was captain in 28 and scored 44 goals. 27 of the matches were played abroad.
It is tempting to see these games as jolly boys' outings in which the English, hands deep in their Corinthian pockets, steamed off from Charing Cross to thrash the foreigners. They were, however, absolutely vital in the spread and development of the game on the continent.
In these 40 amateur matches Woodward was one of  99 players capped. Of the other 98 players, only 13 also represented the 'full' England side * and between them they collected 43 'full' caps.


* The players were Herbert Smith (4 caps), Bob Hawkes (5), Sammy Day (3), Stanley Harris (6), Harold Hardman (4), Wattie Corbett (3), Ken Hunt (2), Evelyn Lintott (7), Horace Bailey (5), Arthur Berry (1), Gordon Wright (1), A. E. Knight (1) and Billy Moore (1). 

Woodward's international appearances and goals:

 

England					England Amateurs/ GB*					Total
Date	Opponents	Cap	goals	total	Date	Opponents	Cap	goals	total	Cap	goals
14.02.03	Ireland	1	2	2						1	2
03.03.03	Wales	2	1	3						2	3
04.04.03	Scotland	3	1	4						3	4
12.03.04	Ireland	4		4						4
09.04.04	Scotland	5		4						5
25.02.05	Ireland	6		4						6
27.03.05	Wales	7	2	6						7	6
01.04.05	Scotland	8		6						8
					01.11.06	France	1	4	4	9	10
					01.04.07	Netherlands	2	1	5	10	11
6.04.07	Scotland	9		6						11
					21.12.07	Netherlands	3	3	8	12	14
15.02.08	Ireland	10	1	7						13	15
16.03.08	Wales	11	3	10						14	18
					23.03.08	France	4	3	11	15	21
04.04.08	Scotland	12								16
					18.04.08	Belgium	5	3	14	17	24
					20.04.08	Germany	6	2	16	18	26
06.06.08	Austria	13	1	11						19	27
08.06.08	Austria	14	4	15						20	31
10.06.08	Hungary	15	1	16						21	32
13.06.08	Bohemia	16								22
					20.10.08	Sweden	7*	2	18	23	34
					22.10.08	Netherlands	8*			24
					24.10.08	Denmark	9*	1	19	25	35
13.02.09	Ireland	17	2	18						26	37
15.03.09	Wales	18								27
					19.04.09	Belgium	10	2	21	28	39
					20.05.09	Switzerland	11	4	25	29	43
					22.05.09	France	12	1	26	30	44
29.05.09	Hungary	19	2	20						31	46
31.05.09	Hungary	20	4	24						32	50
01.06.09	Austria	21	3	27						33	53
					06.11.09	Sweden	13	1	27	34	54
					11.12.09	Netherlands	14	6	33	35	60
12.02.10	Ireland	22								36
					04.03.11	Belgium	15	1	34	37	61
13.03.11	Wales	23	2	29						38	63
					17.04.11	Netherlands	16			39
					25.05.11	Switzerland	17	1	35	40	64
					21.10.11	Denmark	18			41
					16.03.12	Netherlands	19	1	36	42	65
					08.04.12	Belgium	20			43
					30.06.12	Hungary	21*	1	37	44	66
					02.07.12	Finland	22*			45
					04.07.12	Denmark	23*			46
					09.11.12	Belgium	24	2	39	47	68
					21.03.13	Germany	25	1	40	48	69
					24.03.13	Netherlands	26	1	41	49	70
					15.11.13	Netherlands	27	1	42	50	71
					24.02.14	Belgium	28	1	43	51	72
					05.06.14	Denmark	29			52
					10.06.14	Sweden	30	1	44	53	73

Woodward (centre) watches the Denmark keeper make a catch, Stockholm 1912.

1863

Andy Mitchell has published his research into the real Founding Fathers of Association Football: 

http://www.scottishsporthistory.com/1/post/2013/12/the-men-who-wrote-the-laws-of-association-football.html

World Team of the decade - 1890s

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.
Please note that I have limited each player to one decade only, hence the absence of greats such as  Needham (1900s) , Bassett (1880s) from this selection. 

The 1890s was the decade of the great professional clubs and the growth of  league football. England and  Scotland were still the dominant forces in the World game.

	Player	Team	Country
GK	Ned Doig	Sunderland	Scotland
Jack Robinson the England goalkeeper also developed the skills associated with modern  goalkeeping.
RB	Nicol Smith	Rangers	Scotland
Smith, a strong brave player with an accurate pass, was an early example of an attacking fullback who liked to get forward. He won 5 league titles and 3 Scottish cups with Rangers.
LB	William John Oakley	Corinthian FC	England
An amateur who made 16 international appearances.
RH	Jack Reynolds	Aston Villa/ West Bromwich Albion	Ireland/England
Jack Reynolds was capped by both  England and Ireland. His contemporaries describe him as being remarkably skillful, fast, a good header of the ball and a formidable defender.
CH	Johnny Holt	Everton	England
For a small man to occupy the role of centre half, the pivotal player in the team, required very high levels of skill.
LH	Jimmy  Crabtree	Aston Villa	England
One of England's greatest players. Shone in any position. Great as a half-back, but greater, possibly, as a back, kicking cleanly and with rare precision. A keen, skilful tackler, clever at close quarters and equally reliable in the open; cool, resourceful, and brainy. Excelled in the finer points of the game, and one of the most versatile players England has boasted. For many seasons unrivalled in his position. The Villa News and Record  September 1906
OR	Charlie Athersmith	Aston Villa	England
The speediest forward in England is said to be Athersmith, of Aston Villa, one of the most dangerous men to tackle...he is one of the very best forwards at outside-right. His speed often gets him through where a slower man would have but little chance. Ernest Needham, Association Football (1901)
IR	Steve Bloomer	Derby County	England
A legendary goal machine who would challenge for a place in a selection from the entire history of the game.
CF	Johnny Campbell	Sunderland	Scotland
Popular opinion dictates that GO Smith was the finest centre forward of the era, but Campbell’s phenomenal goalscoring in the League cannot be overlooked. Johnny Campbell of Celtic, Aston Villa and Scotland is also worthy of mention.
IL	'Diamond' Freddy Wheldon	Aston Villa	England
When at his best, he was undoubtedly the finest inside left forward England possessed. His command of the ball, his adaptability to prevailing conditions, combined with his dodging, his swerving, and his deadly shooting, made him a great player in the highest company. Brilliant with head and foot alike, he has always been an ornament to the game.  The Villa News and Record  September 1906
OL	Fred Spiksley	The Wednesday	England
A skilful player, technically adept, relying on close control.

Alternative selections are welcomed!

England from the spot...

It is worth remembering that the penalty kick was the brainchild of an Irishman.  Supporters of England in the modern era have every reason to dislike the free kick from eleven metres, but it seems that England's fear of the penalty kick is almost as old as the penalty kick itself.
The first thing that struck me when looking at the stats was the relatively low frequency with which penalties seem to have been awarded in internationals. Only 13 kicks awarded in the 167 internationals that England played between the introduction of the penalty in August 1891 and the summer of 1937, when our coverage of football history ends. 5 goals in 13 attempts represents a 38% success rate.

Date		Player		Opponents	Venue
18.02.99	X	Jimmy Crabtree (Aston Villa)		Ireland	Roker Park
18.03.01	✔	Ernest Needham (Sheffield United)		Wales	St.James Park
30.03.01	X	Ernest Needham (Sheffield United)		Scotland	Crystal Palace
Saved
03.03.02	X	Ernest Needham (Sheffield United)		Wales	Racecourse Wrexham
13.06.08	✔	George Hilsdon (Chelsea)		Bohemia	Stadión Letná Prague
13.02.09	✔	George Hilsdon (Chelsea)		Ireland	Park Avenue
21.05.21	X	George Jud Harrison (Everton)		Belgium	Stade du Daring Brussels
Missed from the spot on debut, played just 2 internationals and never scored for England
08.12.24	X	Billy Walker (Aston Villa)		Belgium	The Hawthorns
28.11.27	X	Roy Goodall (Huddersfield Town)		Wales	Turf Moor
19.10.29	✔	Ernest Hine (Leicester City)		Ireland	Windsor Park
20.10.30	X	Alf Strange (Sheffield Wednesday)		Ireland	Bramall Lane
16.05.31	✔	Eric Coog  Houghton (Aston Villa)		Belgium	Stade du Daring Brussels
14.11.34	X	Eric Brook (Manchester City)		Italy	Highbury
Saved - This came in the first minute of the infamous Battle of Highbury match. Brook scored twice in the first ten minutes regardless.
	13	X	8		✔	5

Ernest Needham

George 'Gattling Gun' Hilsdon 

Ernest Hine 

Coog Houghton

Medgyessy Jenő

The Danubian influence on the football of South America predates Dori Kruschner (Dori Kürschner) and his work in Brazil. It also predates the Ferencvaros tour that allegedly influenced the style of Argentine football. 
Eugênio Medgyessy arrived in Brazil in 1926 and managed Botafogo, where in true Brazilian style he picked up a nickname-Marineti. Medgyessy later managed  Fluminense (1927-28) and  São Paulo (1932-33) before moving  to Argentina where he had spells with Racing (Club de Avellaneda), San Lorenzo and River Plate. 
As Medgyessy Jenő he had played for Ferencvaros from 1907-1919, making 80 first team appearances. Medgyessy was a League championship winner with Fradi on 4 occasions (1909-10, 1910-11, 1911-12, 1912-13) and a Cup winner in 1913. 
Despite these achievements his personal career was described as unspectacular. He received injuries whilst fighting for the central powers in 1918. Whilst in South America Medgyessy was instrumental in organizing Ferencvarosi's tour of 1929.