Bert Freeman
Encyclopedia
Bertram Clewley Freeman (1 October 1885 – 11 August 1955) was an English
footballer who was one of the most prolific goal-scorers of his time, playing at centre forward for Woolwich Arsenal
, Everton
, Burnley
and Wigan Borough
. He was also an England
international, scoring three goals in five appearances, and won the FA Cup
with Burnley
in 1914
.
, Birmingham
and attended Gower Street School in Aston
, where he started to make a name for himself as a prolific goal-scorer. He ended his schooldays with two games in which he scored seven and nine times respectively.
After moving to Gower Street Old Boys at the age of 16, he then moved on to Aston Manor where he was spotted by Aston Villa
, for whom he signed professionally in April 1904. At 5 ft 8 in he was not the biggest of forwards and he failed to make an impact at Villa Park, and was never selected for the first-team before he was transferred to Woolwich Arsenal in November 1905.
, scoring Arsenal's only goal in a 3–1 defeat. In his first season
he scored twelve goals in 21 games. He also helped the club reach the FA Cup semi-final with two goals against Manchester United
in Round Four, helping the club reach the semi-finals, where they lost to Newcastle United
2–0.
Arsenal finished in seventh place in the 1906–07 season
, with Freeman scoring eight goals in twelve league games. Although Arsenal again reached the FA Cup semi-finals, Freeman made no appearances in cup matches that season. By this time he had competition for the centre-forward's role with Peter Kyle
, restricting his appearances; the situation continued the following season
, with Freeman making a further 15 league appearances with four goals.
With Freeman unable to hold a regular place down, new manager George Morrell, in an effort to alleviate the club's debts, allowed him to join Everton
in April 1908. In Freeman's biography in Arsenal Who's Who, it is argued that this was "one of the great transfer blunders of those early years". In his three seasons at Arsenal, Freeman scored a total of 24 goals in 49 appearances in league and cup matches.
Ernest Edwards, the Liverpool Echo
journalist, who had christened Anfield
’s home end The Spion Kop, convinced the Blues that Freeman was worth taking a chance on and the 22-year-old signed for a fee of £350 in time to make his debut at the end of the 1907–08 season
.
He made his debut in a goalless draw away to Liverpool
on 17 April 1908 and played in the remaining four games of the season, scoring once. He soon formed a useful partnership with his former Arsenal team-mate Tim Coleman
, who had joined Everton a few weeks earlier. During his first full season
with Everton he scored 38 goals from 37 appearances, which made him the Football League's top scorer, with Coleman contributing a further 20 goals, as Everton finished in the runners-up position, seven points behind the champions, Newcastle United
. In the Autumn of 1908, between 10 October and 12 December, Freeman had a run of 10 successive goal-scoring appearances – during which he struck 17 times, including hat-trick
s against Sheffield United
and Sunderland
. Freeman's total of 38 league goals broke the record for the most Football League goals in a season previously held by Liverpool
's Sam Raybould
(31 in 1902–03
) and was to stand until broken by Ted Harper
with 43 in 1925–26
.
Freeman won his first international cap for England
in the 1909 British Home Championship
match against Wales
on 15 March 1909. Freeman scored England’s second goal in a 2–0 victory. He retained his place for the next international against Scotland
on 3 April, which England also won 2–0 (both goals from George Wall
) as England claimed the championship title. He also played for the Football League against the Irish League in 1909, scoring four goals.
In the 1909–10 season
, Freeman was not able to score so freely with 22 league goals as Everton finished in mid-table. They did, however, have a good run in the FA Cup
, with Freeman scoring four goals, including two against Coventry City
in Round Four, as Everton reached the semi-final where they were put out 3–0 by Barnsley
after a replay.
The following season started poorly for Freeman, and by mid-November he had lost his place in the Everton team to George Beare
who had recently arrived from Blackpool
. Despite an outstanding goals return – 67 goals in 94 appearances – Freeman had always struggled to impress the hierarchy at Everton and he was allowed to leave in 1911, aged 26, as the Everton directors believed he was past his best, with his final appearance coming against his former team, Arsenal
, on 11 March 1911.
for a fee of £800, by John Haworth
who had taken over the managerial reins at Turf Moor
the previous September, having been one of the founders of Accrington Stanley
. At the time, Burnley were experiencing severe financial difficulties and had spent ten years in the Second Division
. However, a good run in the FA Cup had helped to improve the club’s finances and Haworth was able to persuade the directors to depart from their policy of only recruiting local players in an effort to alleviate the team's goal scoring problem.
He made his Burnley debut at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers
on 15 April 1911. The following season
, he began to repay Haworth’s faith in him as the goals came on a regular basis; a 2–1 victory over Wolves on 23 December saw Freeman score his twentieth goal of the season in only the nineteenth game, and he followed this with a hat-trick in a 4–0 defeat of Glossop North End
a week later. By the end of March, Freeman’s goals had helped Burnley to the top of the table with a seven point margin over third placed Derby County
with five games to play and promotion seemed secured. The absence, however, of winger Dick Lindley
contributed to the club only collecting three more points and Burnley missed out on promotion finishing two points behind second place Chelsea
. For Freeman, however, there was the satisfaction of finishing as the league’s top scorer with 32 goals from 33 appearances and returning to the England
side.
He was selected for all three matches in the 1912 British Home Championship
, the first of which came against Ireland on 10 February 1912 in which Freeman scored England's fourth goal in a 6–1 victory (with a hat-trick
from Harold Fleming
). He scored again in the next match, a 2–0 victory against Wales
on 11 March and retained his place for the final match against Scotland
on 23 March which ended 1–1, thus enabling England and Scotland to share the title.
In 1912–13
, Freeman at first struggled to maintain his form of the previous season, but in a run of ten straight League victories between November 1912 and January 1913 Freeman scored fifteen goals, representing an emphatic return to form. Haworth was by now building a team not just to gain promotion but to secure the club’s place in the top division and, having already recruited Tommy Boyle
from Barnsley
the previous year to strengthen the defence, he signed winger Eddie Mosscrop
in September 1912, followed by the signing of three players from Gainsborough Trinity
in February (following an F.A. Cup tie between the two clubs), including goalkeeper Ronnie Sewell
. These players were to form the core of the Burnley side over the next few years and all were future England
internationals. By mid-February, Burnley were top of the table and Freeman scored twice to defeat First Division Middlesbrough
in the third round of the cup to set up a tie at local rivals Blackburn Rovers
, where a single goal from Boyle saw them through to a semi-final
against Sunderland
. A 0–0 draw on 29 March at Bramall Lane
preceded a replay at St Andrew's which saw Burnley lose 3–2. The FA Cup run had distracted Burnley from the league, and they had slipped into second place. They were able to hold onto the runners-up position and Freeman was again the league’s top scorer with 31 goals from 37 appearances as Burnley eventually secured their return to the top flight after an absence of 13 years, finishing second in the table behind Preston North End
. The success of Freeman and Burnley led to calls for him to be selected again for England, but these were ignored by the England selectors who opted for George Elliott and then Harry Hampton at centre-forward, and Freeman's England career ended with three goals in five appearances of which four were won with one draw.
In their first season
back in the First Division
, neither Freeman nor Burnley were able to replicate their form of the previous season, but neither were the club ever in danger of relegation as they finished the League season in twelfth place with Freeman scoring 16 goals from 31 appearances, a strike rate of a goal every other game. In the FA Cup
, however, it was a different story as Freeman’s two goals in the early rounds helped them reach a Fourth Round tie against Sunderland
. After a goalless first match, Burnley won the replay 2–1 to avenge their defeat in the previous season’s semi-final. The semi-final saw them come up against Sheffield United
; the first match was again goalless, and in the replay at Goodison Park
Tommy Boyle
scored the goal (a long-range effort past the Sheffield keeper) that put Burnley into the FA Cup Final
for the first time in their history, where they were to meet Liverpool
.
The final
was played at Crystal Palace
on 25 April, in front of King George V
, who was the first reigning monarch to attend a Cup Final. The final itself was something of an anti-climax, after the drama of the early rounds. A fierce shot on 58 minutes by Freeman gave Burnley "a narrow victory in an otherwise undistinguished match in which two teams with low positions in the League slogged it out in midfield, neither set of forwards being capable of mounting a sustained attack". Despite the lack of quality in the final, Burnley deserved the plaudits having been the first team to overcome five First Division clubs to take the trophy.
Freeman started the 1914–15 season
in prolific early season form as he scored ten goals in the first eleven league games. By the end of the year, however, Freeman’s goalscoring touch had deserted him and manager John Haworth
even tried playing him the wing in an unsuccessful attempt to rekindle some kind of form. A late-season run of good results saw the Clarets claim a final position of fourth in the table in which only three points separated the top seven teams, with Everton
claiming the title.
By now, league football had been interrupted by the First World War, but Freeman was to return to Turf Moor
for two further seasons after the cessation of hostilities. Although only managing 12 goals in the first post-war season
, Freeman was still Burnley’s top goal-scorer for the season, as Burnley finished as runners-up in the First Division
, nine points behind champions West Bromwich Albion
. On 21 February 1920,Freeman became the first Burnley player to score 100 League goals, in a 2–0 win at Derby County
. Freeman’s final goal for Burnley came on 20 March in a 2–1 victory against Sunderland
.
The following season
, he played in the first three matches, all of which ended in defeats and he lost his place to Joe Anderson. He then had to sit and watch as none of the next thirty games were lost and his league career at Burnley was over. As a result, he did not receive a Championship medal despite the contributions that he had made to Burnley's success in his time with the club. He made one final appearance as a replacement for Anderson in a 3–0 FA Cup defeat at Hull City
on 19 February 1921, and he joined Wigan Borough
at the end of the season.
In his ten years with Burnley, he scored a total of 115 goals in 189 appearances, having helped Burnley achieve promotion back to the top flight and to win the FA Cup
for the only time in the club's history. Shortly before he left Turf Moor
, a local newspaper published this tribute:
in the Third Division North with Wigan Borough
where his 13 goals from 25 appearances made him the club's top scorer for the season. He subsequently played for Kettering Town
and Kidderminster Harriers
before retiring from football.
Bert Freeman died in August 1955, aged 69. His brother, Walter
was also a footballer, playing for Aston Villa
, Birmingham
and Fulham
.
Burnley
England
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 who was one of the most prolific goal-scorers of his time, playing at centre forward for Woolwich Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
, Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
and Wigan Borough
Wigan Borough F.C.
Wigan Borough Football Club was an English football club from the town of Wigan, Lancashire. It was a fourth attempt at establishing football in Wigan, their forerunners Wigan County, Wigan United and Wigan Town all having fallen into liquidation previously....
. He was also an England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
international, scoring three goals in five appearances, and won the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
with Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
in 1914
1914 FA Cup Final
The 1914 FA Cup Final was contested by Burnley and Liverpool at Crystal Palace. Burnley won by a single goal, scored by ex-Evertonian Bert Freeman. The game was the last ever final at Crystal Palace and was played in front of a reigning monarch, George V, for the first time. Neither club had...
.
Early days
Freeman was born in HandsworthHandsworth, West Midlands
Handsworth is an inner city area of Birmingham in the West Midlands, England. The Local Government Act 1894 divided the ancient Staffordshire parish of Handsworth into two urban districts: Handsworth and Perry Barr. Handsworth was annexed to the county borough of Birmingham in Warwickshire in 1911...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and attended Gower Street School in Aston
Aston
Aston is an area of the City of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Lying to the north-east of the Birmingham city centre, Aston constitutes an electoral ward within the council constituency of Ladywood.-History:...
, where he started to make a name for himself as a prolific goal-scorer. He ended his schooldays with two games in which he scored seven and nine times respectively.
After moving to Gower Street Old Boys at the age of 16, he then moved on to Aston Manor where he was spotted by Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
, for whom he signed professionally in April 1904. At 5 ft 8 in he was not the biggest of forwards and he failed to make an impact at Villa Park, and was never selected for the first-team before he was transferred to Woolwich Arsenal in November 1905.
Woolwich Arsenal
Freeman scored on his Arsenal debut on 25 November 1905 away to Nottingham ForestNottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
, scoring Arsenal's only goal in a 3–1 defeat. In his first season
1905-06 in English football
The 1905–06 season was the 35th season of competitive football in England.-Events:Following the increase in size of the Football League from 36 clubs to 40, and with Doncaster Rovers having been relegated from the Second Division, four new clubs were elected into the league, along with Stockport...
he scored twelve goals in 21 games. He also helped the club reach the FA Cup semi-final with two goals against Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
in Round Four, helping the club reach the semi-finals, where they lost to Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
2–0.
Arsenal finished in seventh place in the 1906–07 season
1906-07 in English football
The 1906–07 season was the 36th season of competitive football in England.-Honours:-First Division:-Second Division:P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = PointsReferences...
, with Freeman scoring eight goals in twelve league games. Although Arsenal again reached the FA Cup semi-finals, Freeman made no appearances in cup matches that season. By this time he had competition for the centre-forward's role with Peter Kyle
Peter Kyle
Peter Kyle was a Scottish footballer.Born in Rutherglen, Glasgow, Kyle played at centre-forward, first for junior clubs Larkhill and Royal Albert before joining Clyde...
, restricting his appearances; the situation continued the following season
1907-08 in English football
The 1907–08 season was the 37th season of competitive football in England. Manchester United were Football League champions for the first time, while Bradford City won the Second Division and Wolverhampton Wanderers won the FA Cup...
, with Freeman making a further 15 league appearances with four goals.
With Freeman unable to hold a regular place down, new manager George Morrell, in an effort to alleviate the club's debts, allowed him to join Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
in April 1908. In Freeman's biography in Arsenal Who's Who, it is argued that this was "one of the great transfer blunders of those early years". In his three seasons at Arsenal, Freeman scored a total of 24 goals in 49 appearances in league and cup matches.
Everton
An Everton director had been sent to watch Freeman play for Arsenal in 1907, and on his return was asked by the board: "Did he score any goals?" The unnamed director apparently reported back: "He scored all four of them, but he did nothing else!"Ernest Edwards, the Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
The Liverpool Echo is a newspaper published by Trinity Mirror in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is published Monday to Saturday, and is Liverpool's evening newspaper while its sister paper, the Liverpool Daily Post, is the morning paper...
journalist, who had christened Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
’s home end The Spion Kop, convinced the Blues that Freeman was worth taking a chance on and the 22-year-old signed for a fee of £350 in time to make his debut at the end of the 1907–08 season
1907-08 in English football
The 1907–08 season was the 37th season of competitive football in England. Manchester United were Football League champions for the first time, while Bradford City won the Second Division and Wolverhampton Wanderers won the FA Cup...
.
He made his debut in a goalless draw away to Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
on 17 April 1908 and played in the remaining four games of the season, scoring once. He soon formed a useful partnership with his former Arsenal team-mate Tim Coleman
Tim Coleman
John George "Tim" Coleman was an English footballer.Coleman was born in Kettering, Northamptonshire, and first played for local non-league sides, Kettering Town and then Northampton Town in 1901...
, who had joined Everton a few weeks earlier. During his first full season
1908-09 in English football
The 1908–09 season was the 38th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Tottenham Hotspur played their first ever season in the Football League, gaining promotion to the First Division in the process...
with Everton he scored 38 goals from 37 appearances, which made him the Football League's top scorer, with Coleman contributing a further 20 goals, as Everton finished in the runners-up position, seven points behind the champions, Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
. In the Autumn of 1908, between 10 October and 12 December, Freeman had a run of 10 successive goal-scoring appearances – during which he struck 17 times, including 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...
s against Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
and Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
. Freeman's total of 38 league goals broke the record for the most Football League goals in a season previously held by Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
's Sam Raybould
Sam Raybould
Samuel Francis "Sam" Raybould was an English professional football player. He played as a striker and is most renowned for his days playing for Liverpool.- Life and playing career :...
(31 in 1902–03
1902-03 in English football
The 1902–03 season was the 32nd season of competitive football in England.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour. * indicates new record for competition-First Division:-Second Division:...
) and was to stand until broken by Ted Harper
Ted Harper
Edward Cashfield "Ted" Harper was a 'strong and quick' English footballer, who played at centre-forward scoring a then record high of 43 league goals in a season in 1925–26 for Blackburn Rovers...
with 43 in 1925–26
1925-26 in English football
The 1925–26 season was the 51st season of competitive football in England. This marked the year that Huddersfield Town won the League three years running, making them the first team in Football League history to do so.-Honours:-First Division:...
.
Freeman won his first international cap for England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
in the 1909 British Home Championship
1909 British Home Championship
The 1909 British Home Championship was an international football tournament between the British Home Nations. England dominated the competition with three wins over their opponents. When placed in the context of their overseas tours to Europe in 1908 and 1909, this made a run of ten victories for...
match against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
on 15 March 1909. Freeman scored England’s second goal in a 2–0 victory. He retained his place for the next international against Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
on 3 April, which England also won 2–0 (both goals from George Wall
George Wall
George Wall was an English football player.Born in Boldon Colliery, County Durham, Wall started his career with Boldon Royal Rovers, and played for Whitburn and Jarrow before joining Barnsley in 1903. In almost three years with Barnsley, Wall scored 24 league goals at a rate of almost one goal in...
) as England claimed the championship title. He also played for the Football League against the Irish League in 1909, scoring four goals.
In the 1909–10 season
1909-10 in English football
The 1909–10 season was the 39th season of competitive football in England.-Events:Aston Villa won their sixth top division title.Lincoln CIty were re-admitted to the Football League after a season away, at the expense of Chesterfield.-Honours:...
, Freeman was not able to score so freely with 22 league goals as Everton finished in mid-table. They did, however, have a good run in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
, with Freeman scoring four goals, including two against Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
in Round Four, as Everton reached the semi-final where they were put out 3–0 by Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
after a replay.
The following season started poorly for Freeman, and by mid-November he had lost his place in the Everton team to George Beare
George Beare
George Beare was an English professional footballer who played for Blackpool and Everton in the early years of the twentieth century.-Football career:...
who had recently arrived from Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
. Despite an outstanding goals return – 67 goals in 94 appearances – Freeman had always struggled to impress the hierarchy at Everton and he was allowed to leave in 1911, aged 26, as the Everton directors believed he was past his best, with his final appearance coming against his former team, Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, on 11 March 1911.
Burnley
Freeman was recruited to BurnleyBurnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
for a fee of £800, by John Haworth
John Haworth
John Haworth was an English football manager. After playing amateur football as a youth, he was appointed manager of Accrington Stanley in 1897. He was in charge of the team for 13 years, leading them to two Lancashire Combination titles, before moving to nearby Burnley in July 1910...
who had taken over the managerial reins at Turf Moor
Turf Moor
Turf Moor is a football stadium in Burnley, Lancashire. It is the home ground of Burnley Football Club, which has played there since moving from its Calder Vale ground in 1883. The stadium, which is situated on Harry Potts Way, named so after the club's longest serving Manager, has a capacity of...
the previous September, having been one of the founders of Accrington Stanley
Accrington Stanley F.C.
Accrington Stanley is an English association football club from Accrington in Lancashire, in the North West of England, who play in Football League Two, the fourth-highest division in the English football league system....
. At the time, Burnley were experiencing severe financial difficulties and had spent ten years in the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
. However, a good run in the FA Cup had helped to improve the club’s finances and Haworth was able to persuade the directors to depart from their policy of only recruiting local players in an effort to alleviate the team's goal scoring problem.
He made his Burnley debut at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
on 15 April 1911. The following season
1911-12 in English football
The 1911–12 season was the 41st season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Blackburn Rovers won the First Division title for the first time....
, he began to repay Haworth’s faith in him as the goals came on a regular basis; a 2–1 victory over Wolves on 23 December saw Freeman score his twentieth goal of the season in only the nineteenth game, and he followed this with a hat-trick in a 4–0 defeat of Glossop North End
Glossop North End A.F.C.
Glossop North End A.F.C. are an English football club based in Glossop, Derbyshire. Former members of the Football League, they are currently in the North West Counties League and are members of the Derbyshire County Football Association. They play their home matches at Surrey Street, which has a...
a week later. By the end of March, Freeman’s goals had helped Burnley to the top of the table with a seven point margin over third placed Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
with five games to play and promotion seemed secured. The absence, however, of winger Dick Lindley
Dick Lindley
Richard "Dick" Lindley was an English professional footballer who played as an inside forward. He was part of the Burnley side which won the FA Cup in 1914.-References:...
contributed to the club only collecting three more points and Burnley missed out on promotion finishing two points behind second place Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
. For Freeman, however, there was the satisfaction of finishing as the league’s top scorer with 32 goals from 33 appearances and returning to the England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
side.
He was selected for all three matches in the 1912 British Home Championship
1912 British Home Championship
The 1912 British Home Championship was a football competition played between the British Home Nations during the second half of the 1911–12 season. England and Scotland shared the trophy after both beat Wales and Ireland and then drew the deciding match at Hampden Park. Ireland took third...
, the first of which came against Ireland on 10 February 1912 in which Freeman scored England's fourth goal in a 6–1 victory (with a 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...
from Harold Fleming
Harold John Fleming
Harold John Fleming was a footballer for St. Marks F.C. and Swindon Town.-Football career:Fleming was an Inside Forward and began his career at St. Marks before being invited for a trial at Swindon Town by manager, Sam Allen. Fleming scored a brace in a 4-0 win over Salisbury City F.C...
). He scored again in the next match, a 2–0 victory against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
on 11 March and retained his place for the final match against Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
on 23 March which ended 1–1, thus enabling England and Scotland to share the title.
In 1912–13
1912-13 in English football
The 1912–13 season was the 42nd season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Sunderland won the First Division for the fifth time, with a record of 25–4–9; Aston Villa, finishing second, had fewer defeats, but a lot more draws: 19–12–7....
, Freeman at first struggled to maintain his form of the previous season, but in a run of ten straight League victories between November 1912 and January 1913 Freeman scored fifteen goals, representing an emphatic return to form. Haworth was by now building a team not just to gain promotion but to secure the club’s place in the top division and, having already recruited Tommy Boyle
Tommy Boyle
Thomas Wilkinson Boyle was an English footballer, primarily associated with BurnleyTommy Boyle is the only player to have captained a Burnley team in a winning FA Cup Final...
from Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
the previous year to strengthen the defence, he signed winger Eddie Mosscrop
Eddie Mosscrop
Edwin "Eddie" Mosscrop was an English professional footballer who played as a winger. He won two caps for the England national football team in 1914 and was part of the Burnley side which won the FA Cup in 1914. He served with the British Army in Salonika during the First World War, before...
in September 1912, followed by the signing of three players from Gainsborough Trinity
Gainsborough Trinity F.C.
Gainsborough Trinity Football Club are an English football club based in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire.Between 1896 and 1912 they were members of the Football League. They are currently in the Conference North, and play their home matches at The Northolme, which has a capacity of 4,304...
in February (following an F.A. Cup tie between the two clubs), including goalkeeper Ronnie Sewell
Ronnie Sewell
William Ronald "Ronnie " Sewell was an English professional footballer who played for Gainsborough Trinity, Burnley, Blackburn Rovers and England....
. These players were to form the core of the Burnley side over the next few years and all were future England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
internationals. By mid-February, Burnley were top of the table and Freeman scored twice to defeat First Division Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
in the third round of the cup to set up a tie at local rivals Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
, where a single goal from Boyle saw them through to a semi-final
FA Cup Semi-finals
The FA Cup Semi-finals are played to determine which teams will contest the FA Cup Final. They are the penultimate phase of the FA Cup, the oldest football tournament in the world.- Location :...
against Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
. A 0–0 draw on 29 March at Bramall Lane
Bramall Lane
-Cricket at the Lane:Bramall Lane opened as a cricket ground in 1855, having been leased by Michael Ellison from the Duke of Norfolk at an annual rent of £70. The site was then away from the town's industrial area, and relatively free from smoke. It was built to host the matches of local cricket...
preceded a replay at St Andrew's which saw Burnley lose 3–2. The FA Cup run had distracted Burnley from the league, and they had slipped into second place. They were able to hold onto the runners-up position and Freeman was again the league’s top scorer with 31 goals from 37 appearances as Burnley eventually secured their return to the top flight after an absence of 13 years, finishing second in the table behind Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
. The success of Freeman and Burnley led to calls for him to be selected again for England, but these were ignored by the England selectors who opted for George Elliott and then Harry Hampton at centre-forward, and Freeman's England career ended with three goals in five appearances of which four were won with one draw.
In their first season
1913-14 in English football
The 1913–14 season was the 43rd season of competitive football in England.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour. * indicates new record for competition-First Division:-Second Division:...
back in the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
, neither Freeman nor Burnley were able to replicate their form of the previous season, but neither were the club ever in danger of relegation as they finished the League season in twelfth place with Freeman scoring 16 goals from 31 appearances, a strike rate of a goal every other game. In the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
, however, it was a different story as Freeman’s two goals in the early rounds helped them reach a Fourth Round tie against Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
. After a goalless first match, Burnley won the replay 2–1 to avenge their defeat in the previous season’s semi-final. The semi-final saw them come up against Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
; the first match was again goalless, and in the replay at Goodison Park
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
Tommy Boyle
Tommy Boyle
Thomas Wilkinson Boyle was an English footballer, primarily associated with BurnleyTommy Boyle is the only player to have captained a Burnley team in a winning FA Cup Final...
scored the goal (a long-range effort past the Sheffield keeper) that put Burnley into the FA Cup Final
FA Cup Final
The FA Cup Final, commonly referred to in England as just the Cup Final, is the last match in the Football Association Challenge Cup. With an official attendance of 89,826 at the 2007 FA Cup Final, it is the fourth best attended domestic club championship event in the world and the second most...
for the first time in their history, where they were to meet Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
.
The final
1914 FA Cup Final
The 1914 FA Cup Final was contested by Burnley and Liverpool at Crystal Palace. Burnley won by a single goal, scored by ex-Evertonian Bert Freeman. The game was the last ever final at Crystal Palace and was played in front of a reigning monarch, George V, for the first time. Neither club had...
was played at Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace National Sports Centre
The National Sports Centre at Crystal Palace in south London, England is a large sports centre and athletics stadium. It was opened in 1964 in Crystal Palace Park, close to the site of the former Crystal Palace, in the former parkland and also usurping part of the former grand prix circuit.It was...
on 25 April, in front of King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
, who was the first reigning monarch to attend a Cup Final. The final itself was something of an anti-climax, after the drama of the early rounds. A fierce shot on 58 minutes by Freeman gave Burnley "a narrow victory in an otherwise undistinguished match in which two teams with low positions in the League slogged it out in midfield, neither set of forwards being capable of mounting a sustained attack". Despite the lack of quality in the final, Burnley deserved the plaudits having been the first team to overcome five First Division clubs to take the trophy.
Freeman started the 1914–15 season
1914-15 in English football
The 1914–15 season was the 44th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:The 1914 Charity Shield was not contested due to suspension of football during World War I-Events:...
in prolific early season form as he scored ten goals in the first eleven league games. By the end of the year, however, Freeman’s goalscoring touch had deserted him and manager John Haworth
John Haworth
John Haworth was an English football manager. After playing amateur football as a youth, he was appointed manager of Accrington Stanley in 1897. He was in charge of the team for 13 years, leading them to two Lancashire Combination titles, before moving to nearby Burnley in July 1910...
even tried playing him the wing in an unsuccessful attempt to rekindle some kind of form. A late-season run of good results saw the Clarets claim a final position of fourth in the table in which only three points separated the top seven teams, with Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
claiming the title.
By now, league football had been interrupted by the First World War, but Freeman was to return to Turf Moor
Turf Moor
Turf Moor is a football stadium in Burnley, Lancashire. It is the home ground of Burnley Football Club, which has played there since moving from its Calder Vale ground in 1883. The stadium, which is situated on Harry Potts Way, named so after the club's longest serving Manager, has a capacity of...
for two further seasons after the cessation of hostilities. Although only managing 12 goals in the first post-war season
1919-20 in English football
The 1919–1920 season was the 45th season of competitive football in England, and the first following the end of World War I.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour. * indicates new record for competition...
, Freeman was still Burnley’s top goal-scorer for the season, as Burnley finished as runners-up in the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
, nine points behind champions West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
. On 21 February 1920,Freeman became the first Burnley player to score 100 League goals, in a 2–0 win at Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
. Freeman’s final goal for Burnley came on 20 March in a 2–1 victory against Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
.
The following season
1920-21 in English football
The 1920–21 season was the 46th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:The Football League Third Division is introduced, expanding the League's operational radius south of Birmingham...
, he played in the first three matches, all of which ended in defeats and he lost his place to Joe Anderson. He then had to sit and watch as none of the next thirty games were lost and his league career at Burnley was over. As a result, he did not receive a Championship medal despite the contributions that he had made to Burnley's success in his time with the club. He made one final appearance as a replacement for Anderson in a 3–0 FA Cup defeat at Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
on 19 February 1921, and he joined Wigan Borough
Wigan Borough F.C.
Wigan Borough Football Club was an English football club from the town of Wigan, Lancashire. It was a fourth attempt at establishing football in Wigan, their forerunners Wigan County, Wigan United and Wigan Town all having fallen into liquidation previously....
at the end of the season.
In his ten years with Burnley, he scored a total of 115 goals in 189 appearances, having helped Burnley achieve promotion back to the top flight and to win the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
for the only time in the club's history. Shortly before he left Turf Moor
Turf Moor
Turf Moor is a football stadium in Burnley, Lancashire. It is the home ground of Burnley Football Club, which has played there since moving from its Calder Vale ground in 1883. The stadium, which is situated on Harry Potts Way, named so after the club's longest serving Manager, has a capacity of...
, a local newspaper published this tribute:
Later career
He spent the 1921–22 season1921-22 in English football
The 1921–22 season was the 47th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:The league underwent a major expansion for the second consecutive season, adding 20 teams from the Midlands and Northern England. They were placed in the new Third Division North, and the existing southern-based...
in the Third Division North with Wigan Borough
Wigan Borough F.C.
Wigan Borough Football Club was an English football club from the town of Wigan, Lancashire. It was a fourth attempt at establishing football in Wigan, their forerunners Wigan County, Wigan United and Wigan Town all having fallen into liquidation previously....
where his 13 goals from 25 appearances made him the club's top scorer for the season. He subsequently played for Kettering Town
Kettering Town F.C.
Kettering Town Football Club are a football club originating in Kettering, Northamptonshire but currently based in the nearby village of Irthlingborough. The club play in the Conference National after winning the Conference North in 2007–08...
and Kidderminster Harriers
Kidderminster Harriers F.C.
Kidderminster Harriers F.C. are an English football club based in Kidderminster, Worcestershire formed in 1886 They currently play in the Conference National and have played at Aggborough Stadium since they were formed...
before retiring from football.
Bert Freeman died in August 1955, aged 69. His brother, Walter
Walter Freeman (footballer)
Walter D. Freeman was an English professional footballer who played as an inside-forward....
was also a footballer, playing for Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
, Birmingham
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
and Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
.
Career statistics
| Club | Season | Domestic League | FA Cup | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | ||
| Aston Villa Aston Villa F.C. Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder... |
1904–05 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Woolwich Arsenal | 1905–06 | 17 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 21 | 12 |
| 1906–07 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 8 | |
| 1907–08 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 4 | |
| Total | 44 | 21 | 5 | 3 | 48 | 24 | |
| Everton Everton F.C. Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football... |
1907–08 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 1908–09 | 37 | 38 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 38 | |
| 1909–10 | 34 | 22 | 7 | 4 | 41 | 26 | |
| 1910–11 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | |
| Total | 86 | 63 | 8 | 4 | 94 | 67 | |
| Burnley Burnley F.C. Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888... |
1910–11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1911–12 | 33 | 32 | 1 | 1 | 34 | 33 | |
| 1912–13 | 37 | 31 | 6 | 5 | 43 | 36 | |
| 1913–14 | 31 | 16 | 8 | 3 | 39 | 19 | |
| 1914–15 | 32 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 35 | 15 | |
| 1919–20 | 28 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 32 | 12 | |
| 1920–21 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 166 | 103 | 23 | 12 | 189 | 115 | |
| Wigan Borough Wigan Borough F.C. Wigan Borough Football Club was an English football club from the town of Wigan, Lancashire. It was a fourth attempt at establishing football in Wigan, their forerunners Wigan County, Wigan United and Wigan Town all having fallen into liquidation previously.... |
1921–22 | 25 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 13 |
| Total | 25 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 13 | |
| Career Totals | 321 | 200 | 36 | 19 | 357 | 219 | |
Honours
EvertonEverton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
- Football League First DivisionFootball League First DivisionThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
runners-up: 1908–091908-09 in English footballThe 1908–09 season was the 38th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Tottenham Hotspur played their first ever season in the Football League, gaining promotion to the First Division in the process...
Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
- Football League Second DivisionFootball League Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
runners-up: 1912–131912-13 in English footballThe 1912–13 season was the 42nd season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Sunderland won the First Division for the fifth time, with a record of 25–4–9; Aston Villa, finishing second, had fewer defeats, but a lot more draws: 19–12–7.... - FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
winners: 19141914 FA Cup FinalThe 1914 FA Cup Final was contested by Burnley and Liverpool at Crystal Palace. Burnley won by a single goal, scored by ex-Evertonian Bert Freeman. The game was the last ever final at Crystal Palace and was played in front of a reigning monarch, George V, for the first time. Neither club had... - Football League First DivisionFootball League First DivisionThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
runners-up: 1919–201919-20 in English footballThe 1919–1920 season was the 45th season of competitive football in England, and the first following the end of World War I.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour. * indicates new record for competition...
England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
- British Home ChampionshipBritish Home ChampionshipThe British Home Championship was an annual football competition contested between the United Kingdom's four national teams, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from the 1883–84 season until the 1983–84...
winners: 19091909 British Home ChampionshipThe 1909 British Home Championship was an international football tournament between the British Home Nations. England dominated the competition with three wins over their opponents. When placed in the context of their overseas tours to Europe in 1908 and 1909, this made a run of ten victories for...
, 19121912 British Home ChampionshipThe 1912 British Home Championship was a football competition played between the British Home Nations during the second half of the 1911–12 season. England and Scotland shared the trophy after both beat Wales and Ireland and then drew the deciding match at Hampden Park. Ireland took third...