- Arnold Kirke-Smith
Arnold Kirke-Smith (
23 April 1850 -8 October 1927 ) was an English footballer who played for England as a forward in the first international match against Scotland, as well as captaining Oxford University in the1873 FA Cup Final .Career
Kirke-Smith was born in
Ecclesfield ,Sheffield and was educated atCheltenham College before going up to theUniversity of Oxford . He became the captain of the University football team and was known to be a "powerful and quick attacker".cite book | author=Graham Betts| title=England: Player by player | publisher=Green Umbrella Publishing | year=2006|pages=p.148| isbn=1-905009-63-1] He won his solitary England cap playing atinside right in England's first ever international match against Scotland on30 November 1872 , although he had previously represented Scotland in London based unofficial matches between the two nations. [cite book |last= Gibbons|first= Philip|authorlink= |title= Association Football in Victorian England - A History of the Game from 1863 to 1900|year= 2001|publisher= Upfront Publishing|pages=p.36-37|isbn=1-84426-035-6]In 1873, he captained the University team in the
1873 FA Cup Final against the holders, Wanderers. He started the match in goal but after conceding the first goal, he decided to play without a goalkeeper and moved into attack. Despite some "skilful" play, the students were unable to equalize before his plan "back-fired" whenCharles Wollaston scored a second goal. [cite book |last= Gibbons|first= Philip|authorlink= |title= Association Football in Victorian England - A History of the Game from 1863 to 1900|year= |publisher= |pages=p.38-39|isbn= ] During his career he also represented theSheffield FA and played for the original Sheffield club.After leaving university, he was ordained in 1875 and became the
curate atBiggleswade for two years. He was then curate atEaton Socon from 1877 to 1881 before moving toSomersham, Cambridgeshire , where he becamevicar in 1883. After six years, he was then appointed as vicar atBoxworth where he remained until his death on8 October 1927 .In 1998, the knitted woollen jersey that he wore in the first international match was sold at auction for £21,000.
Honours
;Oxford University
*FA Cup runners-up: 1873References
External links
*Englandstats|id=879|name=Arnold Kirke-Smith
* [http://www.englandfc.com/Profiles/php/PlayerProfileByName.php?id=887 England profile]
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