Samuel Meston

Infobox Football biography
playername = Samuel Meston


fullname = Samuel Meston
nickname =
height =height|ft=5|in=10
weight =
dateofbirth = birth date|1872|1|16
cityofbirth = Arbroath
countryofbirth = Scotland
dateofdeath = death date and age|1948|8|14|1872|1|16|df=y
cityofdeath = Ashurst, Hampshire
countryofdeath = England
currentclub =
clubnumber =
position = Half-back
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years =
1894-1895
1895-1906
1906-1907
1907-1909
1909-?
1913-?
clubs = Arbroath Victoria
Stoke
Southampton
Salisbury City
Croydon Common
Salisbury City
Eastleigh Athletic.
caps(goals) =
011 0(2)
246 (18)




manageryears =
managerclubs =
nationalyears =
nationalteam =
nationalcaps(goals) =
pcupdate =
ntupdate =

Samuel Meston (born Arbroath 16 January 1872, died Ashurst, Hampshire 14 August 1948) was a professional footballer who played as a half-back for Stoke and Southampton.

Playing career

He started his career with his local team, Arbroath Victoria before signing as a professional with Stoke in January 1894. At the end of the 1894-95 season, he joined Southampton, together with several other Stoke players and soon proved to be one of the most valuable players signed for the Saints in their Southern League days. His trademark hard shots were nicknamed "Long Toms" after a cannon used during the Boer War and elsewhere.

He played in a variety of positions, although his favourite position was at right-half. Whilst at Southampton, he won a record 6 Southern League championship medals and appeared in the FA Cup finals in 1900, defeating three First division clubs on the way, [ [http://www.freewebs.com/captainbeecher/1900.htm Giant Killers 1900] ] and 1902. He made a total of 288 appearances for the Saints, including 42 in the FA Cup (a total only exceeded by Terry Paine and Nick Holmes).

After 11 seasons with the Saints, he left in May 1906 to join Salisbury City and also played for Croydon Common and Eastleigh Athletic.

After leaving full-time football, he worked as a brake-fitter at the Eastleigh railway depot.

Two decades later his son, Sammy Meston also played for Southampton, as well as for Everton and Tranmere Rovers.

Honours

Southampton

* FA Cup finalist: 1900 and 1902
* Southern League championship: 1896-97, 1897-98, 1898-99, 1900-01, 1902-03 and 1903-04

References

*cite book
author=Duncan Holley & Gary Chalk
title=The Alphabet of the Saints
publisher= ACL & Polar Publishing
year=1992
id=ISBN 0-9514862-3-3
*cite book
author=Gary Chalk & Duncan Holley
title=Saints - A complete record
publisher= Breedon Books
year=1987
id=ISBN 0-907969-22-4