James Richardson Spensley

Infobox Football biography
playername=James Richardson Spensley


fullname = Dr James Richardson Spensley
nickname =
dateofbirth = 17 May, 1867
cityofbirth = Stoke Newington
countryofbirth = England
dateofdeath = Death date and age|1915|11|10|1867|5|17
cityofdeath = Mainz
countryofdeath = Germany
currentclub =
clubnumber =
height =
position = "Goalkeeper"," Defender"
years = 1896-1906
clubs = Genoa
caps(goals) = 22 (0)
manageryears = 1896–1907
managerclubs = Genoa

Dr James Richardson Spensley [cite web | url=http://www.n16mag.com/issue31/5.htm| title=Italian Football| work=N16Mag.com | accessdate=August | accessyear=2007] (17 May, 1867 - 10 November, 1915) was an English doctor, footballer, manager, Scout Leader and medic from Stoke Newington, London. He is considered to be one of the "Fathers of Italian football", [cite web | url=http://www.rsssf.com/players/eng-players-in-it.html| title=English Players in Italy| work=RSSSF.com | accessdate=August | accessyear=2007] due to his association with Genoa CFC and his contribution to the modern day variation of the game in Italy.

Biography

He was born in 1867 in the Stoke Newington district of London to William Spensley and Elizabeth Alice Richardson.cite web | url=http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~grahamf/dat0.htm#899| title=Spensley, James Richardson | work=RootsWeb.com | accessdate=August | accessyear=2007] Although he was born and grew up in London, the Spensley family were originally from the Swaledale area in Yorkshire. [cite web | url=http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~grahamf/dat0.htm#503| title=Genealogy Data - Spensley Family| work=RootsWeb.com | accessdate=August | accessyear=2007]

Richardson Spensley had the opportunity to travel far and wide as an adult. Amongst the most keen interests which he had acquired whilst travelling were; oriental religion, languages; he was versed in Greek and Sanskrit, boxing and football.cite web | url=http://www.enciclopediadelcalcio.com/Genoa1.html| title=Storia del Genoa| work=EnciclopediaDelCalcio.com | accessdate=August | accessyear=2007] As well as working as a doctor, he would go on to spend some time as a correspondent for British newspaper the "Daily Mail".cite web | url=http://www.enciclopediadelcalcio.com/Genoa1.html| title=Storia del Genoa| work=EnciclopediaDelCalcio.com | accessdate=August | accessyear=2007]

Football in Genoa

Richardson Spensley arrived in Genoa during 1896, he initially arrived to cure English sailors on the coal ships.cite web | url=http://www.enciclopediadelcalcio.com/Genoa1.html| title=Storia del Genoa| work=EnciclopediaDelCalcio.com | accessdate=August | accessyear=2007] He joined Genoa Cricket & Athletics Club; a cricket and athletics club formed by British expatriates. He opened the footballing section for the club on 10 April 1897cite web | url=http://www.enciclopediadelcalcio.com/Genoa1.html| title=Storia del Genoa| work=EnciclopediaDelCalcio.com | accessdate=August | accessyear=2007] and was put in place as its first ever manager. [cite web | url=http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/clubs/genoa.html| title=Genoa| work=Channel4.com | accessdate=August | accessyear=2007] This was innovative as the modern day footballing scene in Italy was in its embryonic stages.

In fact, if it wasn't for Edoardo Bosio in Turin founding clubs, there would have been no football at all in Italy at Richardson Spensley's time of arrival.cite web | url=http://www.lifeinitaly.com/sport/history-italian-soccer.asp | title=Edoardo Bosio and Football in Turin | work=Life in Italy | accessdate=August | accessyear=2007] Richardson Spensley participated as a player-manager for Genoa in the first ever Italian Football Championship (which he initiated) during 1898 which his club won. The following season he switched position from defender to goalkeeper, playing on until 1906. [cite web | url=http://www.batsweb.org/sport/Calcio/Campionato/form1898.htm| title=Le formazioni dei campioni d'Italia dal 1898 al 1915| work=BatsWeb.com | accessdate=August | accessyear=2007]

Including the first title, Genoa won the Italian league six times while Richardson Spensley was at the helm. After retiring from playing when he was almost 40 years old, he stayed on in the management role for one more year, before leaving entirely.

couting and death

While living in England he had known Robert Baden-Powell who founded the Scout Movement, from whom he had received an autographed copy of "Scouting for Boys". Along with a Genovese man named Mario Mazza, they founded the first Italian scouting movement called "Federazione Italiana dello Scautismo" in 1910.

During World War I, he worked in the medical field putting his scouting abilities to use as a Lieutenant in the Royal Army Medical Corps.cite web | url=http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~grahamf/dat0.htm#899| title=Spensley, James Richardson | work=RootsWeb.com | accessdate=August | accessyear=2007] [cite web | url=https://www.military-genealogy.com/nameShow?war=1&sid=1031173| title=James Richardson Spensley| work=Military-Genealogy.com | accessdate=August | accessyear=2007] He was injured on the battle field while tending to the wounds of an enemy out of compassion, he died at Mainz, Germany in hospital not long after. [cite news|url=http://www.clandeigrifoni.it/clandeigrifoni/index.php?app=clan&clanID=1372c0a3c23f12a2a8676f3da1685f3d&mod=chapters_explorer&chapter_id=267|publisher=Clan Dei Grifoni|title=La Storia del Grifone|date=24 June 2007] cite web | url=http://www.storiadelcalcio.info/?p=128| title=I pionieri: James R. Spensley| work=StoriaDelCalcio.info | accessdate=August | accessyear=2007] His grave was discovered at "Niederzwehren Cemetery" in Kassel by two Genoese students during 1990.

Honours

*1898 Italian Football Championship (Genoa)
*1899 Italian Football Championship (Genoa)
*1900 Italian Football Championship (Genoa)
*1902 Italian Football Championship (Genoa)
*1903 Italian Football Championship (Genoa)
*1904 Italian Football Championship (Genoa)

References

External links

* [http://www.liguria.agesci.it/main.php?linkmenu=on&link=storia&pag=1 A.G.E.S.C.I. Liguria - Founded by J.R. Spensley]