Early life and career Charles W. Alcock

1 life , career

1.1 football

1.1.1 first international match
1.1.2 fa cup
1.1.3 football styles


1.2 cricket

early life , career

alcock born in sunderland, , family moved chingford, part of essex, @ age. according jb smart, born charles , took middle name william in memory of younger brother (who died in 1858, aged 11). educated @ harrow school, alcock keen schoolboy footballer, , formed forest club elder brother, john, in chingford in 1859. prime mover in 1863 foundation of forest s more famous successor, wanderers f.c., predominantly old harrovian side. influence on game of football wanderers considered 1870 marylebone cricket club (mcc) of football. player, alcock renowned hard-working centre-forward accurate shot. on 6 march 1875, captained england against scotland, scoring goal in 2–2 draw.

football
first international match

see england v scotland (1870)

alcock 1 of responsible first ever international soccer match (and subsequent international games) scotland. first 2 of these took place in 1870, later matches in 1871 , 1872. after 1870 games there resentment in scotland team did not contain more home grown players , of fire aimed @ alcock. alcock himself categorical international standing of 1870 games , felt responsibility lay inclusion of many england-based players in scotland team, writing in scotsman newspaper:

must join issue correspondent in instances. first, assert of whatever scotch eleven may have been composed right play open every scotchman [alcock s italics] whether lines cast north or south of tweed , if in face of invitations publicly given through columns of leading journals of scotland representative eleven consisted chiefly of anglo-scotians ... fault lies on heads of players of north, not on management sought services of alike impartially. call team london scotchmen contributes nothing. match was, announced, intents , purposes between england , scotland .

alcock proceeded offer further challenges scottish team drawn scotland , proposed north of england compromise venue take account travelling distances. although not recognised fifa official, scotsman newspaper described 1870 , 1871 games international , in italics. 1 reason absence of response alcock s challenges may have been different football codes being followed in scotland @ time. written reply alcock s letter above states: mr alcock s challenge meet scotch eleven on borders sounds , doubtless meant. may not known mr alcock leading supporter of called association game ... devotees of association rules find no foemen worthy of steel in scotland . alcock appeared particularly concerned number of players in scottish football teams @ time, adding: more eleven not care play greater numbers our opinion game becomes less scientific , more trial of charging , brute force... charles w alcock, hon sec of football association , captain of english eleven .

in 1872 alcock s behind statement further interests of association in scotland, decided during current season, team should sent glasgow play match v scotland in fa s minutes of 3 october 1872. 1872 international match took place between england , scotland on 30 november, alcock ruled out of england side drew 0–0 @ west of scotland cricket ground in partick through injury sustained 2 weeks earlier, playing old harrovians against old etonians. instead represented country umpire, england captaincy awarded cuthbert ottaway.

fa cup

on 20 july 1871, alcock, in position fa secretary, proposed desirable challenge cup should established in connection association, clubs belonging association should invited compete . thus, fa cup – world s first national football tournament, based on alcock s experience of inter-house sudden death competition @ harrow – born. fifteen teams took part in first competition in 1872, alcock captaining winning wanderers side. fitting final should played @ oval, since alcock had become secretary of surrey county cricket club previous month. after joining fa committee in 1866, alcock served fa secretary 1870 1895, before serving vice-president. alcock refereed 1875 , 1879 fa cup finals, , journalist responsible compiling first football annual in 1868.

early football styles

alcock notable not organiser , player, key proponent , pioneer of modern football playing styles employed teamwork , passing. on 31 march 1866 alcock first soccer player ever ruled offside, confirming players – , alcock – probing ways of exploiting new offside rule right start. 1870 alcock first recognise benefit of playing football in scientific way. alcock himself 1 of earliest soccer players described in contemporary reports showing teamwork between players, example in 1871 england versus scotland international:

indeed seemed if [scottish] defence prove more equal attack until executed run down c w alcock wc butler , rsf walker, acting in concert, enabled last named of trio equalise score accomplishment of merited goal

in 1874 alcock first advocate predecessor of modern passing style known combination game : nothing succeeds better may call combination game attributed sheffield fc beginning of modern passing game. in discussion on history of definite scheme of attack , elaborate combination in football playing style, alcock noted (in 1891): perfection of system in vogue @ present time in great measure creation of last few years. cambridge university eleven of 1883 first illustrate full possibilities of systematic combination giving full scope defence attack

cricket

in cricket, alcock captained middlesex in first county match in 1867, before playing essex. played 1 first-class fixture, marylebone cricket club (mcc), in 1862 (essex not yet first-class county).

between 1872 , 1907, alcock served secretary of surrey. repeating interest in sporting internationals, arranged first cricket test match played in england, england against australia @ kennington oval in 1880 edited cricket newspaper quarter of century, , edited james lillywhite s cricketers annual 1872 1900.

charles alcock buried in west norwood cemetery in south london, england.