Geordie Dewar
Encyclopedia
George "Geordie" Dewar was a Scottish
footballer
who played in the early days of professional football for Blackburn Rovers
as well as being capped
twice for Scotland
. He was born in Dumbarton, Scotland
.
A powerful centre half, he came to prominence in local football with Dumbarton Athletic before joining Dumbarton
in September 1887, winning his two caps in the two subsequent years. His first cap came on 24 March 1888 in the British Home Championship
match at the Solitude Ground, Belfast
where he scored the opening goal in the 10–2 rout of Ireland
. He also played in the 3–2 victory over England
the following April
.
One of the people watching the England v. Scotland game in April 1889 was Tom Mitchell, the secretary of Blackburn Rovers
. He was looking to strengthen his side by buying the best players from Scotland. Mitchell persuaded Dewar to join Blackburn; in doing so, he brought an end to his international career as at this time Scotland did not select men playing in England. Dewar became a fixture in the Blackburn team over the next few years, playing 174 league matches; he even turned out for the Football League
against their Scottish counterparts.
In the FA Cup final against Sheffield Wednesday
(from the Football Alliance
) at The Oval
on 29 March 1890, Rovers were the odds-on favourites to win in view both of their record of three victories in the previous six seasons and their superior league placing. Blackburn fielded a team consisting of nine England or Scotland internationals. Rovers lived up to expectations as they romped away with the Cup defeating their Yorkshire opponents 6–1 with goals by Billy Townley (3), Nat Walton
, Jack Southworth
and Joe Lofthouse
.
Blackburn reached the FA Cup Final again in 1891. On this occasion Notts County
were their opponents. In the final, played at Kennington Oval on 21 March, Rovers put County under pressure from the beginning and in the 8th minute, centre-half Dewar scored from a Townley corner. Before the end of the first-half, Southworth and Townley had added further goals. Jimmy Oswald
of Notts County scored a late consolation goal but Blackburn finished comfortable 3–1 winners and won the FA Cup for the fifth time in eight years.
In June 1897 he moved to New Brighton Tower
and was part of the team that won the Lancashire League
championship. Although New Brighton Tower would now be playing in the Second Division
of The Football League
he decided to move on and joined Southern League
champions Southampton
, who had just moved to their new home at The Dell
.
At Southampton he only made four appearances in November/December 1898 replacing the injured Bob Petrie
. Now in his thirties and with his best days behind him he retired from football in 1899 and returned to his native Scotland.
Dewar died in 1915 aged 48.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
footballer
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...
who played in the early days of professional football for 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....
as well as being capped
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
twice for 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...
. He was born in Dumbarton, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Playing career
Dewar served his apprenticeship as a ship's upholster before embarking on a full-time career as a professional footballer.A powerful centre half, he came to prominence in local football with Dumbarton Athletic before joining Dumbarton
Dumbarton F.C.
Dumbarton Football Club is Scotland's 4th oldest football club – founded in 1872, just after Queen's Park , Kilmarnock and Stranraer...
in September 1887, winning his two caps in the two subsequent years. His first cap came on 24 March 1888 in the British Home Championship
British Home Championship
The 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...
match at the Solitude Ground, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
where he scored the opening goal in the 10–2 rout of Ireland
Ireland national football team (IFA)
The Ireland national football team represented Ireland at association football, it was organised by the Irish FA , and is the fourth oldest international team in the world. It mainly played in the British Home Championship against England, Scotland and Wales...
. He also played in the 3–2 victory over 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...
the following April
1888-89 in English football
The 1888–1889 season was the 18th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:A new competition, The Football League, started this season...
.
One of the people watching the England v. Scotland game in April 1889 was Tom Mitchell, the secretary of 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....
. He was looking to strengthen his side by buying the best players from Scotland. Mitchell persuaded Dewar to join Blackburn; in doing so, he brought an end to his international career as at this time Scotland did not select men playing in England. Dewar became a fixture in the Blackburn team over the next few years, playing 174 league matches; he even turned out for the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
against their Scottish counterparts.
In the FA Cup final against Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
(from 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...
) at The Oval
The Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
on 29 March 1890, Rovers were the odds-on favourites to win in view both of their record of three victories in the previous six seasons and their superior league placing. Blackburn fielded a team consisting of nine England or Scotland internationals. Rovers lived up to expectations as they romped away with the Cup defeating their Yorkshire opponents 6–1 with goals by Billy Townley (3), Nat Walton
Nat Walton
Nathaniel "Nat" Walton was an English international footballer, who played as an inside forward.-Career:Born in Preston, Walton played professionally for Blackburn Rovers, and earned one cap for England in 1890....
, Jack Southworth
Jack Southworth
John Southworth , was a footballer who played in the early days of professional football for Blackburn Rovers and Everton as well as being capped three times for England...
and Joe Lofthouse
Joe Lofthouse
Joseph Morris "Joe" Lofthouse was an English footballer.-Playing career:Joseph Lofthouse was born in Blackburn on 14 April 1865. A talented footballer he joined Blackburn Rovers...
.
Blackburn reached the FA Cup Final again in 1891. On this occasion Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
were their opponents. In the final, played at Kennington Oval on 21 March, Rovers put County under pressure from the beginning and in the 8th minute, centre-half Dewar scored from a Townley corner. Before the end of the first-half, Southworth and Townley had added further goals. Jimmy Oswald
Jimmy Oswald
James Oswald was a Scottish footballer who played as a centre forward in the 1891 FA Cup Final for Notts County as well as making three appearances for Scotland between 1889 and 1897.During his career he also played for Third Lanark, St Bernard's, Rangers , Raith Rovers and...
of Notts County scored a late consolation goal but Blackburn finished comfortable 3–1 winners and won the FA Cup for the fifth time in eight years.
In June 1897 he moved to New Brighton Tower
New Brighton Tower F.C.
New Brighton Tower F.C. was a short-lived English football club based in New Brighton, Merseyside. Established in 1896, the club spent three seasons in the Football League before folding in 1901. They played at the 80,000-capacity Tower Athletic Grounds....
and was part of the team that won the Lancashire League
Lancashire League (football)
The Lancashire League has been the name of two separate football competitions for clubs based in northern England.-Lancashire League :...
championship. Although New Brighton Tower would now be playing 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...
of The Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
he decided to move on and joined Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
champions Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
, who had just moved to their new home at The Dell
The Dell (Southampton F.C.)
The Dell in Milton Road, Southampton, England was the home ground of Southampton Football Club, between 1898 and 2001.-New stadium:Since 1896, Southampton had been tenants of Hampshire County Cricket Club at the County Ground, having vacated the Antelope Ground in the summer of 1896...
.
At Southampton he only made four appearances in November/December 1898 replacing the injured Bob Petrie
Bob Petrie
Robert "Bob" Petrie was a professional footballer who won the FA Cup with Sheffield Wednesday in 1896 and was on the losing side in the 1900 FA Cup final with Southampton.-Playing career:...
. Now in his thirties and with his best days behind him he retired from football in 1899 and returned to his native Scotland.
Dewar died in 1915 aged 48.
Honours
Blackburn RoversBlackburn 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....
- 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...
winner: 1890 and 1891