Joe Powell
Encyclopedia
Joseph Joshua "Joe" Powell (1870 – 29 November 1896) was an English
football
er who was captain of Woolwich Arsenal
in their first season of League football. He is also notable for being one of the few footballers to die as a result of an injury incurred whilst playing.
Born in Bristol
, Powell had joined the Army
as a young man, and served in the South Staffordshire Regiment
. He played football for the regimental team, and impressed enough in a match against Woolwich Arsenal in October 1892 that Arsenal bought him out of his army contract and signed him as a professional that December. Having turned professional, Arsenal had been shunned by many other clubs and county associations, and only competed in FA Cup
matches and friendlies. A strong and purposeful right back, Powell immediately became a regular in the Arsenal side.
In 1893 Royal Arsenal were accepted into the Football League and joined the Second Division
. Powell captained the side in its inaugural match against Newcastle United
on 2 September 1893. Powell went on to play in all but two of the Gunners' League matches that season, and was a near ever-present for the next two seasons as well (missing three and five games respectively). He scored his one and only League goal for Arsenal in a 5-0 victory over Loughborough
on 4 January 1896.
Powell started the 1896-97
season well; he played in eight of the club's first ten Second Division matches that season. However in a United League match against Kettering Town
on 23 November, he fell awkwardly and badly broke his arm. He soon contracted blood poisoning and tetanus
, and despite having the arm amputated
he died a week later at the age of 26. He had played 92 League and FA Cup matches for the club, and a further 35 senior matches in other competitions.
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...
er who was captain of 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...
in their first season of League football. He is also notable for being one of the few footballers to die as a result of an injury incurred whilst playing.
Born in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, Powell had joined the Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
as a young man, and served in the South Staffordshire Regiment
South Staffordshire Regiment
The South Staffordshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 38th Regiment of Foot and the 80th Regiment of Foot. In 1959 the regiment was amlagamated with the North Staffordshire Regiment to form the Staffordshire Regiment...
. He played football for the regimental team, and impressed enough in a match against Woolwich Arsenal in October 1892 that Arsenal bought him out of his army contract and signed him as a professional that December. Having turned professional, Arsenal had been shunned by many other clubs and county associations, and only competed in 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...
matches and friendlies. A strong and purposeful right back, Powell immediately became a regular in the Arsenal side.
In 1893 Royal Arsenal were accepted into the Football League and joined 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...
. Powell captained the side in its inaugural match 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. Powell went on to play in all but two of the Gunners' League matches that season, and was a near ever-present for the next two seasons as well (missing three and five games respectively). He scored his one and only League goal for Arsenal in a 5-0 victory over Loughborough
Loughborough F.C.
Loughborough Athletic and Football Club were an English football club based in Loughborough, Leicestershire, that played in The Football League at the end of the 19th century.-History:...
on 4 January 1896.
Powell started the 1896-97
1896-97 in English football
The 1896–97 season was the 26th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Aston Villa became the second team to complete "the Double" of winning the Football League Championship and the FA Cup. No other team would complete the double for 64 years.The Cup Final was played on 10 April...
season well; he played in eight of the club's first ten Second Division matches that season. However in a United League match against 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...
on 23 November, he fell awkwardly and badly broke his arm. He soon contracted blood poisoning and tetanus
Tetanus
Tetanus is a medical condition characterized by a prolonged contraction of skeletal muscle fibers. The primary symptoms are caused by tetanospasmin, a neurotoxin produced by the Gram-positive, rod-shaped, obligate anaerobic bacterium Clostridium tetani...
, and despite having the arm amputated
Amputation
Amputation is the removal of a body extremity by trauma, prolonged constriction, or surgery. As a surgical measure, it is used to control pain or a disease process in the affected limb, such as malignancy or gangrene. In some cases, it is carried out on individuals as a preventative surgery for...
he died a week later at the age of 26. He had played 92 League and FA Cup matches for the club, and a further 35 senior matches in other competitions.