Charlie Williams (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Charles Albert "Charlie" Williams (19 November 1873 – 1952) was an English
football
goalkeeper
and manager, who was the first goalkeeper known to have scored a goal in a first-class match.
in 1891. He spent his first two seasons in and out of the first team, and started the 1893-94
season, Arsenal's first in the Football League, as regular goalkeeper, being in goal for Arsenal's very first game against Newcastle United
on 2 September 1893.
However, Williams was in goal for some of Arsenal's most heavy defeats that season, including a 0-6 defeat to Newcastle United and a 0-5 loss to Liverpool
. Arsenal signed Harry Storer
in the 1894 close season and duly sold Williams on to Manchester City
; he had played 23 first-class matches in total for Arsenal.
At City, he was regular goalkeeper for eight seasons, and while there he won a Second Division
winners' medal in 1898-99
, and became the first goalkeeper in League history to score a goal, with a long clearance against Sunderland
at Roker Park
on 14 April 1900.
He later had spells with Tottenham Hotspur
, Norwich City
and Brentford
.
, whom he led to a second place at the 1908 Olympics. He also later managed the Danish club B 93 and French
side Lille OSC
. According to the Arsenal F.C.
official magazine, he then moved to Brazil
to manage Fluminense
, where he managed the team in the first ever Fla-Flu
derby, which Fluminense won 3 - 2.
, aged 78. Reports say he had a son, also named Charlie, who was a referee in the 1950s.
Seth Burkett
, a Lincolnshire
born youngster, is his great-great nephew, and after being spotted by Brazil
ian football agents while his local team Stamford A.F.C. were on tour in the country, he signed for Brazilian 5th division side Sorriso E.C.
. Burkett has received plenty of media attention as he is the only Englishman
to be playing professionally in Brazil at the moment.
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...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
goalkeeper
Goalkeeper (football)
In association football, the goalkeeper occupies a position that represents the last line of defence between the opponent's offence and his own team's goal. The primary role of the goalkeeper is to defend his team's goal and prevent the opposition from scoring a goal...
and manager, who was the first goalkeeper known to have scored a goal in a first-class match.
Playing career
Williams started his career as a youth with minor clubs Phoenix and Erith before joining Royal ArsenalArsenal 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...
in 1891. He spent his first two seasons in and out of the first team, and started the 1893-94
1893-94 in English football
The 1893–94 season was the 23rd season of competitive football in England.-Events:The 1893–94 season saw four of the most famous teams in English Footballing history join the Second Division: Liverpool, Newcastle United, Manchester City, and the first team based in London, Woolwich Arsenal...
season, Arsenal's first in the Football League, as regular goalkeeper, being in goal for Arsenal's very first game against 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...
on 2 September 1893.
However, Williams was in goal for some of Arsenal's most heavy defeats that season, including a 0-6 defeat to Newcastle United and a 0-5 loss 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...
. Arsenal signed Harry Storer
Harry Storer, Sr.
Harry Storer was an English football goalkeeper who played for Arsenal and Liverpool, and a cricketer who played first class cricket for Derbyshire in 1895.- Life and playing career :...
in the 1894 close season and duly sold Williams on to Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
; he had played 23 first-class matches in total for Arsenal.
At City, he was regular goalkeeper for eight seasons, and while there he won a 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...
winners' medal in 1898-99
1898-99 in English football
The 1898–99 season was the 28th season of competitive football in England.-Events:This was the first season in which automatic promotion/relegation was introduced between the First and Second divisions. Both Divisions were expanded to 18 teams....
, and became the first goalkeeper in League history to score a goal, with a long clearance 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...
at Roker Park
Roker Park
Roker Park was an English football stadium situated in Roker, Sunderland. The stadium was the home of the English football club Sunderland A.F.C. from 1897 to 1997 before the club moved to the Stadium of Light. Near the end of the stadium's history, its capacity was around 22,500 with only a small...
on 14 April 1900.
He later had spells with Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
, Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
and Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
.
Coaching career
After retiring as a player, he became a manager, taking charge of the Danish national teamDenmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
, whom he led to a second place at the 1908 Olympics. He also later managed the Danish club B 93 and French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
side Lille OSC
Lille OSC
LOSC Lille Métropole is a French association football club based in Lille. The club was founded in 1944 as a result of a merger and currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football. Lille plays its home matches at the Stade Lille-Metropole in nearby Villeneuve-d'Ascq. In 2012, the...
. According to the Arsenal F.C.
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...
official magazine, he then moved to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
to manage Fluminense
Fluminense Football Club
Fluminense Football Club is a sports club based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Founded in the beginning of the 20th century as a single-sport institution, Fluminense is today an umbrella organization for several teams in more than 16 different sport activities. The most popular endeavor of Fluminense,...
, where he managed the team in the first ever Fla-Flu
Fla-Flu
Fla-Flu is a football matchup between cross-town rivals Flamengo and Fluminense. Matches take place in the 95,000-seat Maracanã Stadium, located near downtown Rio, in the city's Maracanã district...
derby, which Fluminense won 3 - 2.
Personal life
He died in 1952 in South AmericaSouth America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, aged 78. Reports say he had a son, also named Charlie, who was a referee in the 1950s.
Seth Burkett
Seth Burkett
Seth Lawson Burkett is an English professional footballer who currently plays as a left back in Brazil for Sorriso, a team in the Fifth Division of the Brazilian football league system...
, a Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
born youngster, is his great-great nephew, and after being spotted by Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian football agents while his local team Stamford A.F.C. were on tour in the country, he signed for Brazilian 5th division side Sorriso E.C.
Sorriso Esporte Clube
Sorriso Esporte Clube, commonly known as Sorriso, is a Brazilian football club based in Sorriso, Mato Grosso state. They competed in the Copa do Brasil twice.-History:...
. Burkett has received plenty of media attention as he is the only Englishman
Englishman
Englishman may refer to:*English people*Grey Partridge*Jason Englishman, Canadian rock music singer and guitarist*Jenny-Bea Englishman, real name of the Canadien singer Esthero*Erald Briscoe, reggae musician who records under the name Englishman...
to be playing professionally in Brazil at the moment.