Vivian Woodward
Encyclopedia
Vivian John Woodward (3 June 1879 - 31 January 1954) was an English amateur
football
player who enjoyed the peak of his career in the late 1900s and early 1910s.
in 1901.
Woodward joined David Calderhead
's Chelsea
in 1909 and went on to play in a total of 116 games for them and scored a 34 goals. He was their leading scorer in the 1912-13 season when he scored 10 goals.
At the start of World War I
he enlisted in the British Army
and did not play many matches during the 1914-15 season
but he was given special leave to join Chelsea at Old Trafford for the Cup Final
when Bob Thomson
was injured. However Thomson recovered and Woodward refused to play and deny Thomson his chance to play in an FA Cup
final as Woodward had not played in any of the qualifying matches.
Woodward was injured later in the war and did not return to top class football.
debut in 1903, scoring twice in a 4-0 defeat of Ireland
. Between 1903 and 1911, he won 23 full caps and scored 29 goals, setting an English record that would last until the 1950s. He also played in three unofficial international matches against South Africa in 1910, scoring a further four goals. At the time, England only usually played three matches a season, for the British Home Championship
, but two tours to central Europe
in 1908 and 1909 netted Woodward 15 goals (over half his total). He held the overall England goalscoring record
, either jointly or alone, for 47 years - longer than any other player. With his 28th and 29th goals, the last of his career, he overhauled Steve Bloomer
against Wales
in March 1911, and was not himself overtaken until Tom Finney
scored his 30th (and last) goal in October 1958.
He also turned out 44 times for England Amateurs
and scored 57 goals, most of them against inferior European teams. In one match against France
in 1906, Woodward scored 8 goals in a 15-0 win according to The Times and Sporting Life match reports the following day. FIFA's official record of the match credits him with 4 goals.
and 1912 Olympic Games
, both of which Great Britain won.
of the Middlesex Regiment
. This was one of the Pals battalion
formed during the early stages of World War I
. It was known as a "Footballers Battalion" and it included many members of the Woodwards former team Tottenham Hotspur. He served on the western front
and was wounded in 1916. He reached the rank of Captain.
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|1908-09
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|1909-10
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|1910-11
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|1912-13
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Amateur
An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
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...
player who enjoyed the peak of his career in the late 1900s and early 1910s.
Club career
He began his career at Clacton Town Football Club and joined Tottenham HotspurTottenham 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....
in 1901.
Woodward joined David Calderhead
David Calderhead
David Calderhead was a Scottish footballer who later became a manager, notably of Chelsea.-Playing career:...
's Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
in 1909 and went on to play in a total of 116 games for them and scored a 34 goals. He was their leading scorer in the 1912-13 season when he scored 10 goals.
At the start of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he enlisted in the British 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...
and did not play many matches during the 1914-15 season
1914-15 in English football
The 1914–15 season was the 44th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:The 1914 Charity Shield was not contested due to suspension of football during World War I-Events:...
but he was given special leave to join Chelsea at Old Trafford for the Cup Final
1915 FA Cup Final
The 1915 FA Cup Final took place on 24 April 1915 and was contested by Sheffield United and Chelsea. It was the last FA Cup final to be staged before competitive football was abandoned in Britain because of the First World War...
when Bob Thomson
Bob Thomson
Robert 'Bob' Thomson was an English footballer who played during the early 20th century, mainly prior to World War I.Playing as a forward, Thomson carved out a career in the game despite having only one eye, resulting from a childhood accident with a firework...
was injured. However Thomson recovered and Woodward refused to play and deny Thomson his chance to play in an 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...
final as Woodward had not played in any of the qualifying matches.
Woodward was injured later in the war and did not return to top class football.
International career
He made his 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...
debut in 1903, scoring twice in a 4-0 defeat 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...
. Between 1903 and 1911, he won 23 full caps and scored 29 goals, setting an English record that would last until the 1950s. He also played in three unofficial international matches against South Africa in 1910, scoring a further four goals. At the time, England only usually played three matches a season, for 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...
, but two tours to central Europe
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
in 1908 and 1909 netted Woodward 15 goals (over half his total). He held the overall England goalscoring record
Progression of England association football goalscoring record
This is a progressive list of association footballers who have held or co-held the record for international goals for the England national football team, beginning with William Kenyon-Slaney who scored the first ever international goal...
, either jointly or alone, for 47 years - longer than any other player. With his 28th and 29th goals, the last of his career, he overhauled Steve Bloomer
Steve Bloomer
Steve Bloomer was an English footballer and manager who played for Derby County, Middlesbrough and England during the 1890s and 1900s. Bloomer remains a legend at Derby County and the club anthem, Steve Bloomer's Watchin', is played before every home game...
against 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...
in March 1911, and was not himself overtaken until Tom Finney
Tom Finney
Sir Thomas Finney, OBE is a former English footballer, famous for his loyalty to his league club, Preston North End, and for his performances in the English national side....
scored his 30th (and last) goal in October 1958.
He also turned out 44 times for England Amateurs
England national amateur football team
The England national amateur football team was the amateur representative team for England at football. It was formed in 1906, due to the growth of the professional game which meant that amateur players could no longer easily find places in the main England national team.-First match and unbeaten...
and scored 57 goals, most of them against inferior European teams. In one match against France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
in 1906, Woodward scored 8 goals in a 15-0 win according to The Times and Sporting Life match reports the following day. FIFA's official record of the match credits him with 4 goals.
Olympic career
Woodward was Great Britain captain at the 1908Football at the 1908 Summer Olympics
Bohemia were forced to withdraw before the tournament started after losing their FIFA membership.-Semi-finals:-Bronze medal match:The French were so shocked by their humiliating 17-1 defeat against Denmark that they declined to play for the bronze medal; therefore, the Netherlands played Sweden for...
and 1912 Olympic Games
Football at the 1912 Summer Olympics
Football at the 1912 Summer Olympics was one of the 102 events at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden. It was the fourth time football was on the Olympic schedule. The tournament was contested between 11 nations, all of them from Europe, with Great Britain winning the gold medals...
, both of which Great Britain won.
Military career
He joined the 17th BattalionBattalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
of the Middlesex Regiment
Middlesex Regiment
The Middlesex Regiment was a regiment of the British Army. It was formed in 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms when the 57th and 77th Regiments of Foot were amalgamated with the county's militia and rifle volunteer units.On 31 December 1966 The Middlesex Regiment was amalgamated with three...
. This was one of the Pals battalion
Pals battalion
The Pals battalions of World War I were specially constituted units of the British Army comprising men who had enlisted together in local recruiting drives, with the promise that they would be able to serve alongside their friends, neighbours and work colleagues , rather than being arbitrarily...
formed during the early stages of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. It was known as a "Footballers Battalion" and it included many members of the Woodwards former team Tottenham Hotspur. He served on the western front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
and was wounded in 1916. He reached the rank of Captain.
Career statistics
|-|1900-01||rowspan="9"|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....
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|1908-09
The Football League 1908-09
The 1908–1909 season was the 21st season of the The Football League.-Overview:Tottenham Hotspur played their first ever season in the Football League, gaining promotion to the First Division in the process...
||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...
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|1909-10
The Football League 1909-10
The 1909–1910 season was the 22nd season of the The Football League.-Final league tables:The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at the website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics separated.Note:...
||rowspan="6"|Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
||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....
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|1910-11
The Football League 1910-11
The 1910–1911 season was the 23rd season of the The Football League.-Final league tables:The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at the website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics separated.Note:...
||rowspan="2"|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...
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|1911-12
The Football League 1911-12
The 1911–1912 season was the 24th season of the The Football League.-Overview:Blackburn Rovers won the First Division title for the first time....
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|1912-13
The Football League 1912-13
The 1912–1913 season was the 25th season of the The Football League.-Final league tables:The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at the website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics separated.Note:...
||rowspan="3"|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....
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|1913-14
The Football League 1913-14
The 1913–1914 season was the 26th season of the The Football League.-Final league tables:The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at the website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics separated.Note:...
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|1914-15
The Football League 1914-15
The 1914–1915 season was the 27th season of The Football League.-First Division:Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against;GA = Goal average; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points...
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