William Evans (footballer)
Encyclopedia
William Addams Williams Evans (September 1853 – 23 April 1919) was a Welsh churchman who played for the Wales national football team
, in the first two international matches in 1876 and 1877 before a long career as a Church of England
minister.
, Monmouthshire
, the son of the local vicar and the grandson of William Addams Williams of Llangibby Castle, the County Magistrate for Monmouthshire, after whom he was named. After completing his education at Shrewsbury School
, Evans went up to St John's College, Oxford
in 1872.
Evans graduated in 1877 as a Bachelor of Arts
and was then ordained as a Church of England curate
.
in Leicestershire
for six years before brief periods at All Saints
, Northampton
and his last English parish at Harrowden
, Bedfordshire
.
In 1885, he returned to Monmouthshire becoming rector
of Llandegveth
in 1886, where he remained until his death in 1919.
but failed to win a blue. In 1876, he replied to an advertisement placed by Llewelyn Kenrick
in "The Field
" seeking Welsh players to represent their country in a match against Scotland
.
Evans was the only player from South Wales
selected for the first Welsh international XI
, with the others all from North Wales
(other than John Hawley Edwards who was born in Shrewsbury
in England and had previously represented the England national football team
). The match was played at Hamilton Crescent
, Partick
, the home of the West of Scotland Cricket Club on 25 March 1876 and the Welsh were well defeated, conceding four goals without reply. Evans played at right back and acquitted himself well, with the match report commenting: "Evans and Kenrick, the backs, played splendidly for Wales".
The return match came on 5 March 1877 at the Racecourse Ground
, Wrexham
, with Evans retaining his place in defence. The Scots were again victorious, winning 2–0, but Evans had the misfortune to concede an own goal
for the second goal.
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 the first two international matches in 1876 and 1877 before a long career as a Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
minister.
Early life and education
Evans was born in UskUsk
Usk is a small town in Monmouthshire, Wales, situated 10 miles northeast of Newport.The River Usk flows through the town and is spanned by an ancient, arched stone bridge at the western entrance to the town. A castle above the town overlooks the ancient Anglo-Welsh border crossing - the river can...
, Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire (historic)
Monmouthshire , also known as the County of Monmouth , is one of thirteen ancient counties of Wales and a former administrative county....
, the son of the local vicar and the grandson of William Addams Williams of Llangibby Castle, the County Magistrate for Monmouthshire, after whom he was named. After completing his education at Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury School is a co-educational independent school for pupils aged 13 to 18, founded by Royal Charter in 1552. The present campus to which the school moved in 1882 is located on the banks of the River Severn in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England...
, Evans went up to St John's College, Oxford
St John's College, Oxford
__FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...
in 1872.
Evans graduated in 1877 as a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
and was then ordained as a Church of England curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
.
Church career
Evans served as a curate at BarwellBarwell
Barwell is a civil parish and large village in Leicestershire, England, with a population of around 8,750 people. The name literally translates as "Stream of the Boar" and is said to originate from a boar that used to drink from the well near a brook in Barwell. It was originally known as Borewell,...
in Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
for six years before brief periods at All Saints
All Saints' Church, Northampton
All Saints' Church, Northampton situated in the centre of Northampton, is a Parish Church of the Church of England and Northampton's Civic Church....
, Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
and his last English parish at Harrowden
Harrowden, Bedfordshire
Harrowden is a one street hamlet in the English county of Bedfordshire. The street runs from east to west parallel and to the south of the A421 Bedford Southern Bypass, and 200 metres to the north of the village of Shortstown...
, Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
.
In 1885, he returned to Monmouthshire becoming rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of Llandegveth
Llandegveth
Llandegveth is a village in Monmouthshire, south east Wales, United Kingdom.- Location :Llandegveth is located between Cwmbran, in Torfaen, and Usk in rural Monmouthshire.- History & amenities :...
in 1886, where he remained until his death in 1919.
Football career
Whilst at Oxford University, Evans played for the university football teamOxford 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...
but failed to win a blue. In 1876, he replied to an advertisement placed by Llewelyn Kenrick
Llewelyn Kenrick
Samuel Llewelyn Kenrick was a Welsh solicitor who became the founder of the Football Association of Wales and organised the first Welsh international football match against Scotland in 1876...
in "The Field
The Field (magazine)
The Field is the world's oldest country and field sports magazine, having been published continuously since 1853.The famous sportsman Robert Smith Surtees, the creator of Jorrocks, was the driving force behind the initial publication...
" seeking Welsh players to represent their country in a 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...
.
Evans was the only player from South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
selected for the first Welsh international XI
Scotland v Wales (1876)
The first international match for the Wales national football team came on 25 March 1876 when they played Scotland at Hamilton Crescent, Partick, the home of the West of Scotland Cricket Club, with the Scots claiming an emphatic 4–0 victory...
, with the others all from North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
(other than John Hawley Edwards who was born in Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
in England and had previously represented the England national football team
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 match was played at Hamilton Crescent
Hamilton Crescent
Hamilton Crescent is a cricket ground located in the Partick area of Glasgow, Scotland. It is the home of the West of Scotland Cricket Club.Hamilton Crescent is famous for holding the first ever international football match, played between Scotland and England...
, Partick
Partick
Partick is an area of Glasgow on the north bank of the River Clyde, just across from Govan. To the west lies Whiteinch. Partick was a Police burgh from 1852 until 1912 when it was incorporated into the city.-History:...
, the home of the West of Scotland Cricket Club on 25 March 1876 and the Welsh were well defeated, conceding four goals without reply. Evans played at right back and acquitted himself well, with the match report commenting: "Evans and Kenrick, the backs, played splendidly for Wales".
The return match came on 5 March 1877 at the Racecourse Ground
Racecourse Ground
The Glyndŵr University Racecourse Stadium AKA The Racecourse Ground is a stadium located in Wrexham, North Wales. It is the home of Wrexham F.C. and, since 2010, the Crusaders Rugby League team who play in the engage Super League...
, Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
, with Evans retaining his place in defence. The Scots were again victorious, winning 2–0, but Evans had the misfortune to concede an own goal
Own goal
An own net occurs in goal-scoring games when a player scores a goal that is registered against his or her own team. It is usually accidental, and may be a result of an attempt at defensive play that failed or was spoiled by opponents....
for the second goal.