Chris Charsley
Encyclopedia
Charles Christopher "Chris" Charsley (7 November 1864 – 10 January 1945) was an English footballer who played as a goalkeeper
for Small Heath
and England
, and a police officer
who rose to the rank of Chief Constable
.
, he joined the Birmingham
police force
in 1884. Between 1886 and 1894 he made 80 appearances in the FA Cup
, Football Alliance
and the Football League
for Small Heath (later to become Birmingham City
) as an amateur
. He helped the club to the inaugural Football League Second Division
championship in 1892–93
, and played a few games the following season, including the test match against Darwen
which won them promotion
to the First Division
. He also played for Aston Villa
as a guest in 1886. Charsley had a brief spell with West Bromwich Albion
, whom he joined in August 1891. He made his only appearance for Albion in a 2–1 defeat to Preston North End
in November of the same year, before re-joining Small Heath the following month.
On 25 February 1893 he became the first Birmingham City player – and the only player who had played for the club in its Small Heath Alliance days – to represent England
at full international level when he was capped against Ireland
. England won 6–1 in the game which was played at Wellington Road, Perry Barr
, Birmingham, with Walter Gilliat
scoring three goals in his solitary England appearance.
In 1899 he was appointed Chief Constable
of Coventry
. On retiring from the police force in 1919, he moved to Weston-super-Mare
, Somerset
, where he became deputy Mayor
and served on the town council
until his death at the age of 80.
His brother Walter
also played a few times for Small Heath.
Goalkeeper (football)
In association football, the goalkeeper occupies a position that represents the last line of defence between the opponent's offence and his own team's goal. The primary role of the goalkeeper is to defend his team's goal and prevent the opposition from scoring a goal...
for Small Heath
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
and England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
, and a police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
who rose to the rank of Chief Constable
Chief Constable
Chief constable is the rank used by the chief police officer of every territorial police force in the United Kingdom except for the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police, as well as the chief officers of the three 'special' national police forces, the British Transport Police, Ministry...
.
Career
Born in LeicesterLeicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
, he joined the Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
police force
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
in 1884. Between 1886 and 1894 he made 80 appearances in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
, Football Alliance
Football Alliance
The Football Alliance was an association football league in England which ran for three seasons, from 1889–90 to 1891–92.It was formed by 12 clubs as a rival to the Football League, which had begun in the 1888–89 season, also with 12 member clubs...
and the Football League
The 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...
for Small Heath (later to become Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
) as an amateur
Amateur
An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
. He helped the club to the inaugural Football League Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
championship in 1892–93
1892-93 in English football
The 1892–93 season was the 22nd season of competitive football in England.-Events:The Football League and the Football Alliance formally merged, and so the Football League Second Division was formed, consisting mostly of Football Alliance clubs...
, and played a few games the following season, including the test match against Darwen
Darwen F.C.
A.F.C. Darwen is a football club from Darwen in Lancashire, North West England. The team, formed in 1870 as Darwen F.C., currently play in the Division One of the North West Counties League. They play their home games at the Anchor Ground.-History:...
which won them promotion
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
to the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
. He also played for Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
as a guest in 1886. Charsley had a brief spell with West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
, whom he joined in August 1891. He made his only appearance for Albion in a 2–1 defeat to Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
in November of the same year, before re-joining Small Heath the following month.
On 25 February 1893 he became the first Birmingham City player – and the only player who had played for the club in its Small Heath Alliance days – to represent England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
at full international level when he was capped against Ireland
Ireland national football team (IFA)
The Ireland national football team represented Ireland at association football, it was organised by the Irish FA , and is the fourth oldest international team in the world. It mainly played in the British Home Championship against England, Scotland and Wales...
. England won 6–1 in the game which was played at Wellington Road, Perry Barr
Perry Barr
Perry Barr is an inner-city area in north Birmingham, England. It is also a council constituency, managed by its own district committee. The constituency includes the smaller Perry Barr ward and the wards of Handsworth Wood, Lozells and East Handsworth, and Oscott, which elect three councillors to...
, Birmingham, with Walter Gilliat
Walter Gilliat
Walter Evelyn Gilliat was an English amateur football player who played for Oxford University and Old Carthusians, as well as making one appearance for the English national side, when he scored three goals...
scoring three goals in his solitary England appearance.
In 1899 he was appointed Chief Constable
Chief Constable
Chief constable is the rank used by the chief police officer of every territorial police force in the United Kingdom except for the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police, as well as the chief officers of the three 'special' national police forces, the British Transport Police, Ministry...
of Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
. On retiring from the police force in 1919, he moved to Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare is a seaside resort, town and civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, which is within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. It is located on the Bristol Channel coast, south west of Bristol, spanning the coast between the bounding high ground of Worlebury...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, where he became deputy Mayor
Deputy Mayor
Deputy mayor is an elective or appointive office of the second-ranking official in many local governments. Many elected deputy mayors are members of the city council who are given the title and serve as acting mayor in the mayor's absence...
and served on the town council
Town council
A town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or civil parishes. A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch....
until his death at the age of 80.
His brother Walter
Walter Charsley
Walter Augustine Charsley was an English footballer born in Stafford. The younger brother of Small Heath and England goalkeeper Chris Charsley, he played three times as a wing half for Small Heath in the Football Alliance in the 1890–91 season. He died in Birmingham.-References:...
also played a few times for Small Heath.