Claude Wilson
Encyclopedia
Claude William Wilson was an English
amateur footballer who played in the 1880 FA Cup Final
for Oxford University
and made two appearances for England
.
, Oxfordshire
and educated at Brighton College
, where he played for the college football team in 1876 and 1877, being captain in the latter year. He then went up to Exeter College, Oxford
where he won blues for football in 1879, 1880 and 1881.
team for their first ever meeting with Wales
. The match was played at the Kennington Oval on 18 January 1879 in a blizzard. Due to the atrocious snowfall both captains agreed to play halves of only 30 minutes each. The poor attendance (reports range from 85 to 300) was also attributed to the weather. Some sources suggest that William Clegg
turned up 20 minutes late for the game. Clegg, a solicitor, was working late on a case (the trial of Charles Peace
, the Banner Cross murderer) and was unable to leave Sheffield
for London on the Friday night. The next morning, the southbound train with Clegg on it, was delayed by heavy snow. The match started without Clegg and England played with ten men until he arrived. Despite this, England won the match by two goals to one, with Herbert Whitfeld
and Thomas Sorby
scoring for England.
In 1880
, he was part of the Oxford University
team that reached the FA Cup Final
, where they met the previous year's losing finalists, Clapham Rovers
. This was the university's fourth appearance in the Cup Final since the Cup was inaugurated in 1872, and, having "conquered much-fancied Nottingham Forest in the semi-final" were favourites to take the trophy. In the event, the Rovers defence were able to keep the university forwards at bay, and with Wilson and his fellow full-back Robert King tiring towards the end of the second half, and the prospect of extra time imminent, Francis Sparks
"made a clever run down the wing, crossed to the waiting Clopton Lloyd-Jones
who had the simple task of slotting the ball between the Oxford goalposts to secure a one-goal lead." This was last appearance in an FA Cup Final for both teams.
His second England call-up came for the match against Scotland
on 12 March 1881, in which England went down to a "humiliating" 6–1 defeat, with Scotland's goals including a hat-trick
from John Smith
and two from George Ker
.
Wilson also played for the Old Brightonians and represented Sussex
. He was described by Charles Alcock
in his 1882 "Football Annual" as "a splendid back; strong kick; very fast and active; his unexpected demise, in June, was deeply regretted by all who knew him".
level. He played in one match for the University
against the Gentlemen of England in June 1881, when he scored 51 in the university's second innings in a drawn match.
Immediately after this match, he played for Surrey
against Gloucestershire
. In this match, in which he was the wicketkeeper, he was dismissed LBW
to W. G. Grace
, who led his team to a victory by 8 wickets.
on 7 July, aged 23 years.
FA Cup
runners-up: 1880
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...
amateur footballer who played in the 1880 FA Cup Final
1880 FA Cup Final
The 1880 FA Cup Final was contested by Clapham Rovers and Oxford University at the Kennington Oval. Clapham Rovers won 1–0, the only goal scored by Clopton Lloyd-Jones.-Teams:-References:**...
for Oxford University
Oxford University A.F.C.
Oxford University Association Football Club is an English football club representing the University of Oxford.-History:Formed in 1872, the club was a giant of the 1870s, winning the FA Cup 2-0 against Royal Engineers in 1874 and finishing the competition as runners up in 1873, 1877 and 1880, the...
and made two appearances 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...
.
Education
Wilson was born in BanburyBanbury
Banbury is a market town and civil parish on the River Cherwell in the Cherwell District of Oxfordshire. It is northwest of London, southeast of Birmingham, south of Coventry and north northwest of the county town of Oxford...
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
and educated at Brighton College
Brighton College
Brighton College is an institution divided between a Senior School known simply as Brighton College, the Prep School and the Pre-Prep School. All of these schools are co-educational independent schools in Brighton, England, sited immediately next to each another. The Senior School caters for...
, where he played for the college football team in 1876 and 1877, being captain in the latter year. He then went up to Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England and the fourth oldest college of the University. The main entrance is on the east side of Turl Street...
where he won blues for football in 1879, 1880 and 1881.
Football career
Wilson was called into the EnglandEngland 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...
team for their first ever meeting with 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...
. The match was played at the Kennington Oval on 18 January 1879 in a blizzard. Due to the atrocious snowfall both captains agreed to play halves of only 30 minutes each. The poor attendance (reports range from 85 to 300) was also attributed to the weather. Some sources suggest that William Clegg
William Clegg
-External links:****...
turned up 20 minutes late for the game. Clegg, a solicitor, was working late on a case (the trial of Charles Peace
Charles Peace
Charles Frederick Peace was a notorious English burglar and murderer from Sheffield, whose somewhat remarkable life later spawned dozens of romanticised novels and films...
, the Banner Cross murderer) and was unable to leave Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
for London on the Friday night. The next morning, the southbound train with Clegg on it, was delayed by heavy snow. The match started without Clegg and England played with ten men until he arrived. Despite this, England won the match by two goals to one, with Herbert Whitfeld
Herbert Whitfeld
Herbert Whitfeld was an English amateur sportsman who played association football and county cricket.In football, he helped Old Etonians win the 1879 FA Cup Final and was on the losing side in 1881 as well as making one appearance for England in 1879. In cricket, he played for Sussex County...
and Thomas Sorby
Thomas Sorby
Thomas Heathcote Sorby was an English amateur footballer who made one appearance for England.-Football career:...
scoring for England.
In 1880
1879-80 in English football
The 1879–1880 season was the ninth season of competitive football in England.-National team:* England score given firstKey* A = Away match* F = FriendlyNote – TheFa.com give different times for the England goals in the match against Wales....
, he was part of the Oxford University
Oxford University A.F.C.
Oxford University Association Football Club is an English football club representing the University of Oxford.-History:Formed in 1872, the club was a giant of the 1870s, winning the FA Cup 2-0 against Royal Engineers in 1874 and finishing the competition as runners up in 1873, 1877 and 1880, the...
team that reached the FA Cup Final
1880 FA Cup Final
The 1880 FA Cup Final was contested by Clapham Rovers and Oxford University at the Kennington Oval. Clapham Rovers won 1–0, the only goal scored by Clopton Lloyd-Jones.-Teams:-References:**...
, where they met the previous year's losing finalists, Clapham Rovers
Clapham Rovers F.C.
Clapham Rovers was from its foundation in 1869 a leading English sports organisation in the two dominant codes of football, association football and rugby union. It was a prominent club in the late 19th century but is now defunct...
. This was the university's fourth appearance in the Cup Final since the Cup was inaugurated in 1872, and, having "conquered much-fancied Nottingham Forest in the semi-final" were favourites to take the trophy. In the event, the Rovers defence were able to keep the university forwards at bay, and with Wilson and his fellow full-back Robert King tiring towards the end of the second half, and the prospect of extra time imminent, Francis Sparks
Francis Sparks
Francis John Sparks was an English amateur footballer, who played as a forward. He won the FA Cup in 1880 with Clapham Rovers and made three appearances for England, scoring three goals and being appointed captain.-Career:...
"made a clever run down the wing, crossed to the waiting Clopton Lloyd-Jones
Clopton Lloyd-Jones
Clopton Allen Lloyd-Jones was an English businessman and sportsman, best known for football and cricket. He played for the Clapham Rovers when they won the FA Cup in 1880.-Life:...
who had the simple task of slotting the ball between the Oxford goalposts to secure a one-goal lead." This was last appearance in an FA Cup Final for both teams.
His second England call-up came for the 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 12 March 1881, in which England went down to a "humiliating" 6–1 defeat, with Scotland's goals including 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 John Smith
John Smith (footballer born 1855)
Dr. John Smith was a Scottish footballer of the 1870s and 1880s.Smith began playing football at Mauchline F.C. before transferring to Edinburgh University while he studied...
and two from George Ker
George Ker
George "Geordie" Ker was a Scottish footballer of the 1870s and 1880s.Kerr played for Queen's Park juniors, Kerland FC, and Alexandra Athletic before joining Queen's Park in 1877. Until 1878, Ker had played as a defender but converted to a striker in 1878...
.
Wilson also played for the Old Brightonians and represented Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
. He was described by Charles Alcock
Charles Alcock
Charles Alcock may refer to:*Charles R. Alcock , New Zealand astronomer*C. W. Alcock, Charles William Alcock , English footballer, creator of the FA Cup and organiser of the first Test in England...
in his 1882 "Football Annual" as "a splendid back; strong kick; very fast and active; his unexpected demise, in June, was deeply regretted by all who knew him".
Cricket career
Wilson also played cricket at first classFirst-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
level. He played in one match for the University
Oxford University Cricket Club
Oxford University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team, representing the University of Oxford. It plays its home games at the University Parks in Oxford, England...
against the Gentlemen of England in June 1881, when he scored 51 in the university's second innings in a drawn match.
Immediately after this match, he played for Surrey
Surrey County Cricket Club
Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
against Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Gloucestershire. Its limited overs team is called the Gloucestershire Gladiators....
. In this match, in which he was the wicketkeeper, he was dismissed LBW
Leg before wicket
In the sport of cricket, leg before wicket is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed. An umpire will rule a batsman out LBW under a series of circumstances which primarily include the ball striking the batsman's body when it would otherwise have continued on to hit the batsman's...
to W. G. Grace
W. G. Grace
William Gilbert Grace, MRCS, LRCP was an English amateur cricketer who is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest players of all time, having a special significance in terms of his importance to the development of the sport...
, who led his team to a victory by 8 wickets.
Death
In July 1881, he caught sunstroke during a cricket match and subsequently died in ReigateReigate
Reigate is a historic market town in Surrey, England, at the foot of the North Downs, and in the London commuter belt. It is one of the main constituents of the Borough of Reigate and Banstead...
on 7 July, aged 23 years.
Honours
Oxford UniversityOxford University A.F.C.
Oxford University Association Football Club is an English football club representing the University of Oxford.-History:Formed in 1872, the club was a giant of the 1870s, winning the FA Cup 2-0 against Royal Engineers in 1874 and finishing the competition as runners up in 1873, 1877 and 1880, 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...
runners-up: 1880
1880 FA Cup Final
The 1880 FA Cup Final was contested by Clapham Rovers and Oxford University at the Kennington Oval. Clapham Rovers won 1–0, the only goal scored by Clopton Lloyd-Jones.-Teams:-References:**...