Ernest Greenhalgh

Ernest Harwood Greenhalgh (22 August 1848 - 11 July 1922) was an English footballer who played for England as a full back in the first international match against Scotland.cite web | title=England National Football Team Match No. 1 | work=England Football Online | url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/Seas1872-00/1872-73/M0001Sco1872.html | accessdate=January 20 | accessyear=2008]

Playing career

Greenhalgh was born in Mansfield and played for Notts County from 1867 to 1883, before the foundation of The Football League. His arrival at Notts County in 1867 helped to "greatly improve (their) results, due mainly to his great influence and leadership". [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.20|isbn=1-84426-035-6]

He was one of only two players not from a London-based or university team to be chosen by the England selectors for the match against Scotland on 30 November 1872. In this match he played as the only full back in a 1-1-8 or 1-2-7 formation and was Notts County's first international representative. [cite web | title=Club Affiliations - Notts County | work=England Football Online | url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamClubs/Clubs/NottsCo.html | accessdate=January 20 | accessyear=2008] From the eleven who played in the first international, the England selectors only recalled Greenhalgh and Charles Chenery for the return match on 8 March 1873, which resulted in a 4-2 victory for England.

In 1882-83 his leadership helped County to reach the FA Cup Semi-finals where they were unfortunate to meet the Old Etonians at their finest losing 2-1 at the Kennington Oval.

Later career

After retiring from playing in 1883, Greenhalgh continued to play an important part in the development of football, helping to found Greenhalgh's F.C. in Mansfield. He was also the owner of Field Mill in Mansfield which was the home of Mansfield Mechanics F.C., until becoming the home of Mansfield Town in 1916. [ cite book | author=Graham Betts| title=England: Player by player | publisher=Green Umbrella Publishing | year=2006|pages=p.114| isbn=1-905009-63-1]

References

External links

*Englandstats|id=414|name=Ernest Greenhalgh
* [http://www.englandfc.com/Profiles/php/PlayerProfileByName.php?id=417 England profile]