Caesar Jenkyns
Encyclopedia
Caesar Augustus Llewellyn Jenkyns (24 August 1866 – 23 July 1941) was a Welsh international footballer who played in the Football League
for Small Heath
, Woolwich Arsenal
, Newton Heath
and Walsall
.
, Jenkyns played for a number of English
clubs, as well as winning eight caps for Wales
.
After playing for several amateur sides in the Birmingham
area, Jenkyns joined Small Heath
(later renamed Birmingham) in 1888, and was at the club as they first joined the Football Alliance
in 1889 and then became founder members of the Football League Second Division
in 1892. By now he had made his debut for Wales and was club captain; he skippered Small Heath to promotion to the First Division
in 1894, beating Darwen
3–1 in a test match.
Known as one of the most rugged defenders of his era, he was sent off four times whilst playing for Small Heath and that at a time when such occurrences were extremely rare. His career at Small Heath ended in March 1895 when he was released after an incident at Derby
where, after being ordered from the field, he attempted to assault two spectators. Jenkyns moved to London in April 1895, joining Woolwich Arsenal
, who had joined the Second Division less than two years ago. He was immediately made Arsenal captain, and made his mark in Arsenal history by becoming the club's first ever international player, after winning a cap for Wales against Scotland
on 21 March 1896.
Playing at centre-half (which in those days was a midfield
position), Jenkyns scored six times in 27 matches for Arsenal and was regarded by the club as one of their star players. However, his stay at the Gunners did not last long; in the summer of 1896 he moved to Newton Heath
(who later became Manchester United). Jenkyns made his debut for the club on 1 September 1896 against Gainsborough Trinity. He spent two seasons with the Manchester
club, helping them to runners-up position in the Second Division in 1897.
After retirement, Jenkyns ran a public house in Moxley
before joining the police force.
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...
for Small Heath
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...
, 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...
, Newton Heath
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...
and Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
.
Playing career
Born in Builth WellsBuilth Wells
Builth Wells is a town in the county of Powys, within the historic boundaries of Brecknockshire, mid Wales, lying at the confluence of the River Wye and the River Irfon, in the Welsh of the Wye Valley. It has a population of 2,352....
, Jenkyns played for a number of English
Football in England
Association football is a national sport in England, where the first modern set of rules for the code were established in 1863, which were a major influence on the development of the modern Laws of the Game...
clubs, as well as winning eight caps for 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...
.
After playing for several amateur sides in the 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...
area, Jenkyns joined Small Heath
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...
(later renamed Birmingham) in 1888, and was at the club as they first joined the Football Alliance
Football Alliance
The Football Alliance was an association football league in England which ran for three seasons, from 1889–90 to 1891–92.It was formed by 12 clubs as a rival to the Football League, which had begun in the 1888–89 season, also with 12 member clubs...
in 1889 and then became founder members of the Football League 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...
in 1892. By now he had made his debut for Wales and was club captain; he skippered Small Heath to promotion to 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....
in 1894, beating Darwen
Darwen F.C.
A.F.C. Darwen is a football club from Darwen in Lancashire, North West England. The team, formed in 1870 as Darwen F.C., currently play in the Division One of the North West Counties League. They play their home games at the Anchor Ground.-History:...
3–1 in a test match.
Known as one of the most rugged defenders of his era, he was sent off four times whilst playing for Small Heath and that at a time when such occurrences were extremely rare. His career at Small Heath ended in March 1895 when he was released after an incident at Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
where, after being ordered from the field, he attempted to assault two spectators. Jenkyns moved to London in April 1895, joining 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...
, who had joined the Second Division less than two years ago. He was immediately made Arsenal captain, and made his mark in Arsenal history by becoming the club's first ever international player, after winning a cap for Wales 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 21 March 1896.
Playing at centre-half (which in those days was a midfield
Midfield
Midfield is the part of a sports pitch that lies approximately in the center. It is a term most commonly associated with football to refer to the area in and around the center circle, as well as the players who occupy that region, but it can be used in field hockey to describe the same area, or in...
position), Jenkyns scored six times in 27 matches for Arsenal and was regarded by the club as one of their star players. However, his stay at the Gunners did not last long; in the summer of 1896 he moved to Newton Heath
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...
(who later became Manchester United). Jenkyns made his debut for the club on 1 September 1896 against Gainsborough Trinity. He spent two seasons with the Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
club, helping them to runners-up position in the Second Division in 1897.
After retirement, Jenkyns ran a public house in Moxley
Moxley
Moxley is a part of Darlaston in the West Midlands. It was first developed during the early part of the 19th century when a handful of terraced houses were built to accommodate locals working in factories and mines and the area was created in 1845 out of land from Darlaston, Bilston and...
before joining the police force.