BigSoccer's Players of the Season: 1908-1909

Additions in blue.


URU-ARG 2-2, 15.8.1908, Montevideo, Attendance: 7,000
goals: Zumaran, Bertone / Brown, Susan

FA Charity Shield replay, Manchester United-Queens Park Rangers 4-0, 29.8.1908, Stamford Bridge, London, Attendance: 50,000
goals: Jimmy Turnbull 3, Wall
best players: Meredith, Jimmy Turnbull

Scottish League, Dundee-Celtic 2-1, 29.8.1908, Dundee, Attendance: 19,000
goals: Hunter, Bellamy / Somers
best players: Lee, Dainty, Neal /

ARG-URU 2-1, 13.9.1908, Buenos Aires, Attendance: 6,700
goals: Brown, Hutton / Brachi

ARG-URU 0-1, 4.10.1908, Buenos Aires, Attendance: 7,200
goals: Brachi

Scottish League, Celtic-Dundee 2-0, 10.10.1908, Celtic Park, Glasgow, Attendance: 30,000
goals: Hamilton 2
best players: Hamilton, Somers / Dainty

Olympic Games Quarter-final, GBR*-SWE 12-1, 20.10.1908, White City Stadium, London, Attendance: 2,000
goals: Woodward 2, Stapley 2, Purnell 4, Berry, Chapman, Hawkes 2 / Bergström

Olympic Games Semi-final, GBR*-NED 4-0, 22.10.1908, White City Stadium, London, Attendance: 6,000
goals: Stapley 4

Olympic Games Final, GBR*-DEN 2-0, 24.10.1908, White City Stadium, London, Attendance: 8,000
goals: 1:0 (20.) Chapman, 2:0 (46.) Woodward
best players: Bailey (gk) /
Globe newspaper: Great Britain was far from poorly represented out of the limited amateur talent available, in the Olympic contests, and yet was hard pressed to beat Denmark, the final score being only two goals to nil in favour of England, while, especially in the second half, the Danes were good value for quite this number of goals.

NED-SWE 5-3, 25.10.1908, The Hague, Attendance: 8,000
goals: Snethlage 2, Welcker, Francken, Thomée / Gustafsson 2, Ohlson

HUN-AUT 5-3, 1.11.1908, Budapest, Millenaris Sporttelep, Attendance: 6,500
goals: Krempels 2, Schlosser, Koródy, O.G / Fischera 2, Studnicka

Football League, Everton-Sunderland 4-0, 7.11.1908, Liverpool, Attendance: 25,000
goals: Freeman 3, Coleman
best players: Scott (gk), Sharp, Freeman / Roose (gk)

Football League, Newcastle United-Sunderland 1-9, 5.12.1908, Newcastle, Attendance: 50,000
goals: Shepherd (pen) / Hogg 3, Holley 3, Bridgett 2, Mordue
best players: / Hogg, Holley, Bridgett


Football League, Everton-Newcastle United 0-1, 1.1.1909, Liverpool, Attendance: 40,000
goals: Howie
best players: / Lawrence (gk)

FA Cup 2nd round, Manchester United-Everton 1-0, 6.2.1909, Manchester, Attendance: 35,217
goals: Halse
best players: Halse

British Home Championship, ENG-IRL 4-0, 13.2.1909, Bradford, Valley Parade, Attendance: 28,000
goals: Hilsdon 50', 87'pen, Woodward 60', 80'
best players: Wedlock, Woodward, Berry, Crompton, Cottle / Harris, Hunter
http://www.englandfootballonline.com/Seas1900-39/1908-09/M0099Ire1909.html
Arthur Bridgett was injured in the first minute after Jimmy Balfe knocked him off the ball. Although he remained on the pitch until the end of the match, he was unable to play.

Scottish League-Football League 3-1, 27.2.1909, Glasgow, Celtic Park, Attendance: 46,000
goals: Paul, Quinn 2 / Woodward
best players: Paul, Bennett, Quinn, May, Collins / Hardy (gk)
England picked a largely experimental side.

British Home Championship, WAL-SCO 3-2, 1.3.1909, The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham, Attendance: 6,000
goals: Davies (23), Jones (26), Davies (39) / Walker (70), Paul (73)
best players: Meredith, Roose (gk), Lot Jones / Paul, Somers

Football League, Sunderland-Everton 2-0, 13.3.1909, Sunderland, Attendance: 8,000
goals: Brown 2
best players: Brown

British Home Championship, ENG-WAL 2-0, 15.3.1909, Nottingham, City Ground, Attendance: 11,500
goals: Holley 15', Freeman 42'
best players: Woodward, Warren
http://www.englandfootballonline.com/Seas1900-39/1908-09/M0100Wal1909.html
Aided by the blustering wind in the first half, England obtained a lead which they held to the end.
Just before the first goal, Fred Pentland collided with Charlie Morris and had to retire from the game.

British Home Championship, SCO-IRL 5-0, 15.3.1909, Ibrox Park, Glasgow, Attendance: 24,000
goals: McMenemy (15), MacFarlane (20), Thomson (48), McMenemy (77), Paul (84)
best players: McMenemy

British Home Championship, IRL-WAL 2-3, 20.3.1909, Belfast, Attendance: 8,000
goals: 1:0 (30') Lacey, 1:1 (42') W. Jones, 1:2 (62') Wynn, 1:3 (67') Meredith, 2:3 (75') Hunter
best players: Meredith

BEL-NED 1-4, 21.3.1909, Antwerp, Attendance: 6,000
goals: Poelmans / Snethlage, Dé Kessler, Welcker, Lutjens

FA Cup Semi-final, Manchester United-Newcastle United 1-0, 27.3.1909, Bramall Lane, Sheffield, Attendance: 40,118
goals: Halse
best players: Roberts, Duckworth / Veitch

FA Cup Semi-final, Bristol City-Derby County 1-1, 27.3.1909, Stamford Bridge, London, Attendance: 33,878
goals: Rippon (pen) / Garry
best players: Wedlock, Rippon, Cottle, Annan / Morris, Garry, Nicholas, Davis, Thompson

FA Cup Semi-final replay, Bristol City-Derby County 2-1, 31.3.1909, St Andrew's, Birmingham, Attendance: 30,000
goals: Rippon (pen), Hardy / Davis
best players: Wedlock, Hardy / Thompson

British Home Championship, ENG-SCO 2-0, 3.4.1909, London, Crystal Palace, Attendance: 40,000
goals: Wall 3', 10'
best players: Crompton, Pennington, Wall, Wedlock, Holley / Walker
http://www.englandfootballonline.com/Seas1900-39/1908-09/M0101Sco1909.html
Harold Fleming replaced Tottenham Hotspur FC's Vivian Woodward in the line-up the day before the match. Woodward had injured his ankle in the match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Gainsborough Trinity FC the previous Saturday. Although he participated in practice, he still felt pain and so withdrew. As he was the original chosen captain, Crompton was then given the responsibility.
The 38th contest between England and Scotland, played on the Crystal Palace ground on Saturday, produced one of the best international games of recent years. At times the play reached a very high standard, and there was nothing in the shape of rough or foul play to mar what proved to be a most enjoyable game to watch. England gained a well-deserved victory by two goals to none, and earned the distinction of being the first country to win the three international games without the loss of a goal.
The Scottish press were very critical of their selectors, which was unusual for the time. Generally the English and Scottish national selectors were respected for their thoroughness and good judgement.

GER-SUI 1-0, 4.4.1909, Karlsruhe, Attendance: 7,000
goals: Kipp

HUN-GER 3-3, 4.4.1909, Millenáris Sporttelep, Budapest, Attendance: 9,000
goals: Borbás, Schlosser, Sebestyén / Worpitzky 2, Ugi

Scottish Cup Final, Celtic-Rangers 2-2, 10.4.1909, Hampden Park, Glasgow, Attendance: 70,000
goals: Quinn, Munro / Bennett, Gilchrist
best players: McMenemy, Quinn / Craig, Galt

Football League, Sunderland-Newcastle United 3-1, 10.4.1909, Sunderland, Attendance: 30,000
goals: Brown 2, Holley (pen) / Shepherd
best players: Brown, Roose (gk), Bridgett / Shepherd, Anderson

Football League, Newcastle United-Everton 3-0, 12.4.1909, Newcastle, Attendance: 30,000
goals: McCracken (pen), Stewart 2
best players: McCracken, Rutherford, McWilliam

Scottish Cup Final replay, Celtic-Rangers 1-1, 17.4.1909, Hampden Park, Glasgow, Attendance: 60,000
goals: Quinn / Gordon
best players: McNair, Quinn / McPherson, A Smith
Mayhem broke out at the Scottish Cup Final replay when hundreds of fans rioted at the end of the match. It was the second time that Celtic and Rangers had finished all square. Most of the players and fans alike assumed that there would be extra time. However under the rules of the SFA, extra time was only permissible for the second replay. A rumour spread around the terraces that the result had been pre-arranged to secure a third lucrative pay day.
When the Scottish Football Association met to consider the matter the following Monday, both clubs made it clear that they did not wish to stage another replay, so the final was never decided and the cup and players medals were withheld.

FA Cup Final, Manchester United-Bristol City 1-0, 24.4.1909, Crystal Palace, London, Attendance: 71,400
goals: Sandy Turnbull 22'
best players: Roberts, Meredith, Wall, Duckworth / Wedlock

NED-BEL 4-1, 25.4.1909, Rotterdam, Attendance: 10,000
goals: Lutjens, Snethlage 3 / Goossens

FA Charity Shield, Newcastle United-Northampton Town 2-0, 29.4.1909, Stamford Bridge, London, Attendance: 7,000
goals: Allan, Rutherford
best players: Rutherford

Charity Cup Final, Rangers-Celtic 4-2, 15.5.1909, Hampden Park, Glasgow, Attendance: 25,000
goals: 1-0 Gordon, 2-0 Gordon 3-0 Bennett, 3-1 McLean, 4-1 May (penalty), 4-2 Own goal (Rennie).
best players: Gordon

Ferencváros-Sunderland 2-3, 15.5.1909, Millenáris Sporttelep, Budapest, Attendance: ?
Wiener AC-Sunderland 2-1, 19.5.1909, Vienna, Attendance: ?
Sunderland tour of Cental Europe. They lose to the best Austrian club, Wiener AC.

Denmark XI-Newcastle United 1-1, 16.5.1909, Copenhagen, Attendance: ?

HUN-ENG 2-4, 29.5.1909, Millenáris Sporttelep, Budapest, Attendance: 10,000
goals: Késmárky, Grósz / Bridgett, Woodward, Fleming, (own goal)
best players: ?
Hungary fields only a weaker team.

HUN-AUT 1-1, 30.5.1909, Millenáris Sporttelep, Budapest, Attendance: 11,000
goals: Borbás / Schrenk
Hungary fields its best team.

HUN-ENG 2-8, 31.5.1909, Millenáris Sporttelep, Budapest, Attendance: 11,000
goals: Schlosser, Mészáros / Fleming 2, Woodward 4, Holley 2
best players: ?
Hungary fields its best team, but they are tired after the match against Austria.

AUT-ENG 1-8, 1.6.1909, Hohe Warte, Vienna, Attendance: 3,000
goals: Neubauer / Woodward 3, Halse 2, Holley 2, Warren
best players: ?
The only reference to this game found is in the Weston-super-Mare Gazette: The match aroused little interest among the spectators. The visitors completely outplayed the Austrians.

Challenge Cup Final, Ferencváros-Wiener SC 2-1, 13.6.1909, Vienna, Attendance: 1,000
goals: Weisz 34', Schlosser 54' /
The best Austrian club, Wiener AC, who has beaten Hungarian champion Ferencváros in May, does not participate.

Liga Uruguaya-Everton 1-2, 13.6.1909, Montevideo, Attendance: ?
Liga Argentina-Everton 1-4, 20.6.1909, Buenos Aires, Attendance: ?
Everton tour of South America.


Newspaper sources: Daily Telegraph & Courier, Globe, Sporting Life, The Sportsman, Athletic News, Lincolnshire Echo, Manchester Courier, Newcastle Daily Chronicle, Nottingham Journal, Sheffield Daily Telegraph, Sheffield Evening Telegraph, Sheffield Independent, Shields Daily News, Sunderland Daily Echo, Western Times, Weston-super-Mare Gazette, Yorkshire Post, Dundee Courier, The Scotsman, Scottish Referee, Belfast News-Letter.

Sources are from the British Newspaper Archive, managed by the British Library Board.

 

Suggested best XI 1908-09 (2-3-5):

Roose - Crompton, Pennington - Warren, Wedlock, Roberts - Meredith, Walker, Woodward, Holley, Wall.

 

The first decade of the twentieth century offered some insight into what was to come. Liverpool and Manchester United won their first league championships. Celtic pulled off consecutive Scottish league and cup doubles, and might have had a third but for crowd trouble. The maximum wage was introduced in England in 1901 and endured for sixty years.

The merging by the FA of local amateur and professional associations in 1904 spelt the end of amateur influence. Corinthians ceased to be a major force, as did Queen's Park after they joined the Scottish League. An England amateur team began playing internationals in 1906 and won two Olympic tournaments. But it was in no way a representative side. 8,000 spectators watched England's amateurs defeat Denmark in the London Olympic final of 1908. A few months earlier 121,452 had attended the full Scotland v England international at Hampden Park. There was only one amateur player on the field.

The most consistent English club during the second half of the decade was Newcastle, who claimed three league titles and lost three cup finals they were expected to win. England and Scotland were well matched, winning three games against each other and drawing the remaining four. Half Scotland's players were from English clubs. The leading player of the decade was a Welshman, Billy Meredith, who led Wales to their first Home Championship in 1907.

Many British teams, major and minor, toured Europe and also South America. Their opponents were usually outclassed but the seeds had been sown.

 

I think Meredith is ahead of Wedlock this season despite missing another month through suspension. Other Top 3 candidates are Woodward and Roose, as you say, as well as Crompton.

Wiener AC were not a particularly strong side. Their victory over Sunderland was one of only two against British teams in 16 matches up to 1914. They drew one and lost the other thirteen. None of their players were picked for a weak Austrian national XI who lost 8-1 at home to England this season.

I am not sure whether any Danish players have done enough yet. If Denmark had been a genuinely good side they should have been able to beat England's amateurs comfortably.

The dilemma is that Sophus Nielsen is regarded as one of Denmark's greatest ever players, and not just for scoring a lot of easy goals in one-sided matches. In total he is thought to have scored 213 goals in 175 games. All were against amateurs, including 72 in 18 matches for German club Holstein Kiel in 1910 and 1911. His Danish club was Frem (joined 1904) whose one match against a British team was a 3-2 defeat in May 1908 by an amateur side called Northern Nomads. Like Imre Schlosser, Nielsen was bow-legged, and there appear to be other parallels in that both scored heavily against amateur opponents and were highly regarded as footballers by later generations.

Middelboe and Wolfhagen both played for KB (Kobenhavn Boldklub). Their club's results against British teams were a 6-1 defeat by Newcastle in 1904, a 9-0 loss to Queen's Park in 1908, one win (3-1) and two losses (4-1 and 5-2) against Leeds Schools in 1912, and a 5-1 win against Queen's Park in 1914. Middelboe joined Chelsea in 1913, which why he is the best known of these three Danes. As the first Danish player in British football, he had a novelty value that may have enhanced his reputation.

At some stage I think Sophus Nielsen should be included in the Top 23, but I am not sure when. He was 21 at the end of the 1908-09 season and retired at the age of 33.

 

At this stage, I expect that a country being two steps behind ENG/SCO (I mean, in a similar level to WAL/IRE) could give at least 1 player worthy of a nomination.

Circa 1908, the better danish players were: N.Middelboe, S.Hansen and Buchwald.