Dan Woodards
Encyclopedia
Dan Woodards was an English footballer who played as a wing half
for West Ham United
until his retirement from football in 1921.
, England
and started his football career playing with local sides in East London
. He joined West Ham in 1905 but did not make an appearance for them until 1907 in a game in the Southern League
against Brighton
. He also played for West Ham in the Second Division
after World War I
. He finished playing in 1921 having made 197 appearances in all competitions for West Ham, scoring three goals
. He was the only person in the ground when, in August 1944, a Luftwaffe
V1
landed on the pitch, exploding and causing damage to the playing area. West Ham were forced to play away from Upton Park, winning nine consecutive matches. After hard work by Woodards the pitch was restored and West Ham returned there to play their home games, losing 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur
on their return.
Woodards died in 1964.
Wing half
In association football, the position of wing half or wing half back) was popularly used in the late nineteenth and first half of the 20th centuries...
for West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
until his retirement from football in 1921.
Playing career
Woodards was born in East HamEast Ham
East Ham is a suburban district of London, England, and part of the London Borough of Newham. It is a built-up district located 8 miles east-northeast of Charing Cross...
, 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...
and started his football career playing with local sides in East London
East End of London
The East End of London, also known simply as the East End, is the area of London, England, United Kingdom, east of the medieval walled City of London and north of the River Thames. Although not defined by universally accepted formal boundaries, the River Lea can be considered another boundary...
. He joined West Ham in 1905 but did not make an appearance for them until 1907 in a game in the 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...
against Brighton
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
. He also played for West Ham in the 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...
after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He finished playing in 1921 having made 197 appearances in all competitions for West Ham, scoring three goals
Later career
Woodards returned to West Ham to work as a groundsman at Upton ParkBoleyn Ground
The Boleyn Ground, more commonly referred to as Upton Park due to its location in Upton Park, London is the football stadium of West Ham United.-History:...
. He was the only person in the ground when, in August 1944, a Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
V1
V-1 flying bomb
The V-1 flying bomb, also known as the Buzz Bomb or Doodlebug, was an early pulse-jet-powered predecessor of the cruise missile....
landed on the pitch, exploding and causing damage to the playing area. West Ham were forced to play away from Upton Park, winning nine consecutive matches. After hard work by Woodards the pitch was restored and West Ham returned there to play their home games, losing 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur
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....
on their return.
Woodards died in 1964.