Joe Rogers (footballer born 1874)
Encyclopedia
Joseph James Rogers was an English
professional footballer
who played either as a forward
or full back for Southampton
, Grimsby Town
and Newcastle United
.
, he was playing for Macclesfield when he was signed by Southampton in December 1894, midway through the inaugural Southern League
season. Shortly after joining "the Saints" he scored ten goals in a friendly match against the Wiltshire Regiment
, which was won 13–0 on a quagmire of a pitch at Southampton's Antelope Ground
.
He made his first few league appearances at either centre forward or inside forward
before Southampton's coaches persuaded him to play as a full back. In this position "his speed, control and kicking ability came in useful", but Rogers soon became unsettled on the south coast and moved to Grimsby Town
in May 1896. In his two seasons with Southampton, he made 15 Southern League appearances, scoring twice.
He spent two seasons at Grimsby in the Football League Second Division
scoring quite prolifically, reaching third place in the table in 1896–97
. In these two seasons he played 53 league games, scoring 23 goals.
In 1898 he moved to Newcastle United
who had just been promoted to the First Division
. He made such an impression in Newcastle's first two First Division seasons that he was selected to join a FA
tour of Germany, scoring five goals in one of the three matches in which he appeared. He was thus Newcastle's first "international" player.
He moved on to Preston North End
in January 1901 for two seasons before taking up a coaching post in Germany. He subsequently returned to Grimsby where he joined Grimsby Town's coaching staff.
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...
professional 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 either as a forward
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
or full back for 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...
, Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
and 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...
.
Football career
Born in MacclesfieldMacclesfield
Macclesfield is a market town within the unitary authority of Cheshire East, the county palatine of Chester, also known as the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the Macclesfield urban sub-area at the time of the 2001 census was 50,688...
, he was playing for Macclesfield when he was signed by Southampton in December 1894, midway through the inaugural 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...
season. Shortly after joining "the Saints" he scored ten goals in a friendly match against the Wiltshire Regiment
Wiltshire Regiment
The Wiltshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 62nd Regiment of Foot and the 99th Duke of Edinburgh's Regiment of Foot....
, which was won 13–0 on a quagmire of a pitch at Southampton's Antelope Ground
Antelope Ground
The Antelope Ground, Southampton was a sports ground that was the first home of both Hampshire County Cricket Club, who played there prior to 1884, and of Southampton Football Club, who played there from 1887 to 1896 as "Southampton St...
.
He made his first few league appearances at either centre forward or inside forward
Inside forward
In football, the position of inside forward was popularly used in the late nineteenth and first half of the 20th centuries. The inside forwards would support the centre forwards, running and making space in the opposition defence, and, as the passing game developed, supporting him with passes...
before Southampton's coaches persuaded him to play as a full back. In this position "his speed, control and kicking ability came in useful", but Rogers soon became unsettled on the south coast and moved to Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
in May 1896. In his two seasons with Southampton, he made 15 Southern League appearances, scoring twice.
He spent two seasons at Grimsby in 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...
scoring quite prolifically, reaching third place in the table in 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...
. In these two seasons he played 53 league games, scoring 23 goals.
In 1898 he moved to 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...
who had just been promoted 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....
. He made such an impression in Newcastle's first two First Division seasons that he was selected to join a FA
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
tour of Germany, scoring five goals in one of the three matches in which he appeared. He was thus Newcastle's first "international" player.
He moved on to Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
in January 1901 for two seasons before taking up a coaching post in Germany. He subsequently returned to Grimsby where he joined Grimsby Town's coaching staff.