Arthur Kingscott
Encyclopedia
Arthur Kingscott was a footballing personality from Derbyshire at the turn of the 20th century who died at the age of 74. He was from New Sawley, Long Eaton
in Derbyshire
England
, later serving as a treasurer at the Football Association
. There is an unconfirmed report in Caxton's 'Association Football' (1960) that Kingscott played a hand in the discovery of Steve Bloomer
before his first game with Derby County
.
in two different years when he took charge of both the 1900
and 1901
matches (indeed the second of those matches featured a replay; Kingscott was the referee there as well). Both matches were notable for featuring Southern League
sides, a feat which had arisen due to the fallout created by The Association Footballers' Union attempt to unionise football in 1898.
In the first of those matches Bury
defeated Southampton
and in the second Tottenham
were victorious against Sheffield United
.
Kingscott, however, was appointed to referee the replayed final, at Burnden Park
, in Bolton
, Greater Manchester
the following Saturday.
from 1891 until 1906, 14 seasons in total and his son, Arthur H Kingscott, refereed for 13 seasons in the 1920s and 1930s, taking charge of the 1931 FA Cup Final
.
. Kingscott alleged that the Final referees had earned money from the use of the match ball.
Long Eaton
Long Eaton is a town in Derbyshire, England. It lies just north of the River Trent about southwest of Nottingham and is part of the Nottingham Urban Area...
in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, later serving as a treasurer at the Football Association
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
. There is an unconfirmed report in Caxton's 'Association Football' (1960) that Kingscott played a hand in the discovery of Steve Bloomer
Steve Bloomer
Steve Bloomer was an English footballer and manager who played for Derby County, Middlesbrough and England during the 1890s and 1900s. Bloomer remains a legend at Derby County and the club anthem, Steve Bloomer's Watchin', is played before every home game...
before his first game with Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
.
1900 and 1901 FA Cup finals
Kingscott was the last man to referee the FA Cup FinalFA Cup Final
The FA Cup Final, commonly referred to in England as just the Cup Final, is the last match in the Football Association Challenge Cup. With an official attendance of 89,826 at the 2007 FA Cup Final, it is the fourth best attended domestic club championship event in the world and the second most...
in two different years when he took charge of both the 1900
1900 FA Cup Final
The 1900 FA Cup Final was contested by Bury and Southampton at Crystal Palace. Bury won 4–0, with goals by Jasper McLuckie , Willie Wood and John Plant. This final was the last of the 19th Century and the first victory in the FA Cup for Bury, who beat a team who similarly had never reached...
and 1901
1901 FA Cup Final
The 1901 FA Cup Final was played at Crystal Palace between Tottenham Hotspur and Sheffield United–and the first FA Cup Final to be filmed by Pathé News.-Match details:-Replay:-Match Rules:*90 minutes....
matches (indeed the second of those matches featured a replay; Kingscott was the referee there as well). Both matches were notable for featuring Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
sides, a feat which had arisen due to the fallout created by The Association Footballers' Union attempt to unionise football in 1898.
In the first of those matches Bury
Bury F.C.
Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
defeated Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
and in the second Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
were victorious against Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
.
Controversy at the 1901 FA Cup Final
In the 1901 final Kingscott awarded an equalising goal for Sheffield United that became a matter of great debate indeed was the first goalmouth incident to be debated with the use of film. The award of the goal was controversial but did not provoke any complaint. The following has been recorded of that incident:"A linesman flagged for a corner-kick after BennettWalter BennettWalter Bennett was a professional footballer who won the 1899 and 1902 FA Cup finals with Sheffield United. He also played on the losing side in the 1901 FA Cup final...
had charged Tottenham goalkeeper ClawleyGeorge ClawleyGeorge Clawley was an English professional goalkeeper who played for Stoke, Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries...
near the goal-line and the ball had gone behind. The referee then surprised everyone by awarding a goal to Sheffield, on the grounds that the ball had crossed the goal-line as Clawley had attempted to field LipshamBert LipshamHerbert Broughall Lipsham was a professional footballer who won the 1902 FA Cup Final with Sheffield United.-Club career:...
's shot from the left seconds before Bennett had moved in to charge him. The general opinion was that referee Kingscott had made a sad error of judgement. He was too far up the field to be able to decide the point, yet he refused to consult with a linesman much nearer to the incident."
Kingscott, however, was appointed to referee the replayed final, at Burnden Park
Burnden Park
Burnden Park was the home of English FA Premier League football club Bolton Wanderers who played home games here between 1895 and 1997. As well as hosting an FA Cup Final replay it was the scene of one of the greatest disasters in English football and the subject of an L. S...
, in Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
, Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
the following Saturday.
Lengthy career
Kingscott refereed on the Football LeagueThe Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
from 1891 until 1906, 14 seasons in total and his son, Arthur H Kingscott, refereed for 13 seasons in the 1920s and 1930s, taking charge of the 1931 FA Cup Final
1931 FA Cup Final
The 1931 FA Cup Final was a football match between West Bromwich Albion and Birmingham, played on 25 April 1931 at the original Wembley Stadium in London. The showpiece event was the final match of the 1930–31 staging of English football's primary cup competition, the Football Association Challenge...
.
Resignation from role as FA treasurer
Kingscott was in attendance in his duty at FA treasurer at the opening of York City's Bootham Crescent in August, 1932. However, it was on 12 December 1933 that he resigned his position following comments that he directed at the referee of the 1933 FA Cup Final1933 FA Cup Final
The 1933 FA Cup Final was a football match between Everton and Manchester City on 29 April 1933 at Wembley Stadium in London. The deciding match of English football's primary cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup , it was the 62nd final, and the 11th at Wembley...
. Kingscott alleged that the Final referees had earned money from the use of the match ball.