Alan Foster (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Alan Foster was an English
footballer born in Rawmarsh
, Yorkshire
, who scored one goal from 13 appearances in the Football League
playing as an inside forward
for Bristol City
.
He began his football career with Rotherham Town
, followed by two years with Bristol City, before moving into the Southern League
with Reading
. A successful player at Reading
, he was remembered for his hat-trick
scored against Italian giants AC Milan in the club's 5–0 victory. The result prompted the leading Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera
to report that "without doubt, Reading FC are the finest foreign team seen in Italy".
Foster served as a private
in the 17th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment
– the Footballers' Battalion – during the First World War, and was killed in action in 1916.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer born in Rawmarsh
Rawmarsh
Rawmarsh is a large village in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham, in South Yorkshire, England. It is two miles north of Rotherham. It has a population of 18,210. The village also forms part of the Sheffield Urban Area.-Etymology:...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, who scored one goal from 13 appearances in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
playing as an inside forward
Inside forward
In football, the position of inside forward was popularly used in the late nineteenth and first half of the 20th centuries. The inside forwards would support the centre forwards, running and making space in the opposition defence, and, as the passing game developed, supporting him with passes...
for Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
.
He began his football career with Rotherham Town
Rotherham Town F.C.
Rotherham Town Football Club was the name of two English football clubs from Rotherham, Yorkshire. The first briefly played in the Football League, while the second became part of another Football League club, Rotherham United, who are still members of the League today...
, followed by two years with Bristol City, before moving into the Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
with Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
. A successful player at Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
, he was remembered for his hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
scored against Italian giants AC Milan in the club's 5–0 victory. The result prompted the leading Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera
Corriere della Sera
The Corriere della Sera is an Italian daily newspaper, published in Milan.It is among the oldest and most reputable Italian newspapers. Its main rivals are Rome's La Repubblica and Turin's La Stampa.- History :...
to report that "without doubt, Reading FC are the finest foreign team seen in Italy".
Foster served as a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in the 17th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment
Middlesex Regiment
The Middlesex Regiment was a regiment of the British Army. It was formed in 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms when the 57th and 77th Regiments of Foot were amalgamated with the county's militia and rifle volunteer units.On 31 December 1966 The Middlesex Regiment was amalgamated with three...
– the Footballers' Battalion – during the First World War, and was killed in action in 1916.
External links
- Foster's details at the Commonwealth War Graves CommissionCommonwealth War Graves CommissionThe Commonwealth War Graves Commission is an intergovernmental organisation of six independent member states whose principal function is to mark, record and maintain the graves, and places of commemoration, of Commonwealth of Nations military service members who died in the two World Wars...