George Edmonds (footballer)
Encyclopedia
George William Neville Edmonds (4 April 1893 – 10 December 1989) was an English professional footballer. He played as a centre forward for St Albans City
, Watford
, Wolverhampton Wanderers (Wolves), Fulham
and Northfleet. On three occasions he finished as Watford's top scorer, including in 1914–15
when they won the Southern League
. He later played in the 1921 FA Cup Final
for Wolves.
, Hertfordshire
, and started playing football for his school teams. After leaving school, he played for local clubs St Stephens, Andre & Sleigh and Watford Wednesday, whilst working in Watford's print industry. He then joined St Albans City
in 1912, still as an amateur. He joined Watford for 1913–14. Despite signing professional terms at the end of the season, he continued to work as a printer until his departure from the club, and resumed doing so on his return in 1926. The following season, Watford won the Southern League
; Edmonds finished as the club's top scorer with 17 goals in 35 appearances.
The Southern League was suspended for the next four seasons, as a result of the First World War. During this time Edmonds scored 7 goals in 6 Watford wartime matches, and also made guest appearances for Crystal Palace
. Upon the resumption of league football in 1919–20
, Edmonds again top-scored for Watford with 19 goals in 37 matches. However, he and Watford missed out on a second consecutive league title to Portsmouth
on goal average.
, and Edmonds and Gregory both played for Wolves as they were defeated in the 1921 FA Cup Final
. Edmonds stayed at Wolves for two further seasons. After their relegation in 1923, he remained a Second Division player by joining Fulham
. Fulham finished in the bottom half of the table for three consecutive years, and in 1926 Edmonds rejoined former club Watford for a fee of £250. His final season at the club was a mixed one; Watford finished 21st out of 22 teams in the Third Division South
, but for the third time Edmonds scored the most goals of any Watford player, with 12 goals from his 22 appearances. At the end of the season he joined Northfleet, and in 1930 he became a coach at Bushey United, near Watford.
Edmonds died in Ryde
, Isle of Wight
on 10 December 1989, aged 96.
St Albans City F.C.
St Albans City Football Club is a football club based in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. It was founded in 1908 and plays its home matches at Clarence Park, about 800 yards from the city centre. The club is in the Premier Division of the Southern League...
, Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
, Wolverhampton Wanderers (Wolves), Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
and Northfleet. On three occasions he finished as Watford's top scorer, including in 1914–15
1914–15 Watford F.C. season
Watford Football Club are an association football team from the county of Hertfordshire, England. The 1914–15 season was their nineteenth season of league football, since joining the Southern League as West Hertfordshire for the 1896–97 season...
when they won 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...
. He later played in the 1921 FA Cup Final
1921 FA Cup Final
The 1921 FA Cup Final was contested by Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge. Spurs won by a single goal, scored by Jimmy Dimmock, eight minutes into the second half...
for Wolves.
Early career and Watford
Edmonds went to school in the town of WatfordWatford
Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, and started playing football for his school teams. After leaving school, he played for local clubs St Stephens, Andre & Sleigh and Watford Wednesday, whilst working in Watford's print industry. He then joined St Albans City
St Albans City F.C.
St Albans City Football Club is a football club based in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. It was founded in 1908 and plays its home matches at Clarence Park, about 800 yards from the city centre. The club is in the Premier Division of the Southern League...
in 1912, still as an amateur. He joined Watford for 1913–14. Despite signing professional terms at the end of the season, he continued to work as a printer until his departure from the club, and resumed doing so on his return in 1926. The following season, Watford won 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...
; Edmonds finished as the club's top scorer with 17 goals in 35 appearances.
The Southern League was suspended for the next four seasons, as a result of the First World War. During this time Edmonds scored 7 goals in 6 Watford wartime matches, and also made guest appearances for Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
. Upon the resumption of league football in 1919–20
1919–20 Watford F.C. season
-External links:*...
, Edmonds again top-scored for Watford with 19 goals in 37 matches. However, he and Watford missed out on a second consecutive league title to Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
on goal average.
Later career
In May 1920, Edmonds moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers for a fee of £1,500. At the same time, Val Gregory made the same move for an identical fee. At Wolves, Edmonds played in the Football League for the first time. They finished the season 15th in the Second DivisionFootball 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...
, and Edmonds and Gregory both played for Wolves as they were defeated in the 1921 FA Cup Final
1921 FA Cup Final
The 1921 FA Cup Final was contested by Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge. Spurs won by a single goal, scored by Jimmy Dimmock, eight minutes into the second half...
. Edmonds stayed at Wolves for two further seasons. After their relegation in 1923, he remained a Second Division player by joining Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
. Fulham finished in the bottom half of the table for three consecutive years, and in 1926 Edmonds rejoined former club Watford for a fee of £250. His final season at the club was a mixed one; Watford finished 21st out of 22 teams in the Third Division South
Football League Third Division South
The Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
, but for the third time Edmonds scored the most goals of any Watford player, with 12 goals from his 22 appearances. At the end of the season he joined Northfleet, and in 1930 he became a coach at Bushey United, near Watford.
Edmonds died in Ryde
Ryde
Ryde is a British seaside town, civil parish and the most populous town and urban area on the Isle of Wight, with a population of approximately 30,000. It is situated on the north-east coast. The town grew in size as a seaside resort following the joining of the villages of Upper Ryde and Lower...
, Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
on 10 December 1989, aged 96.
Watford
- Southern LeagueSouthern Football LeagueThe 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...
- Winner (1): 1914–15
- Runner up (1): 1919–20
- Watford Football Club top scorer (3): 1914–151914–15 Watford F.C. seasonWatford Football Club are an association football team from the county of Hertfordshire, England. The 1914–15 season was their nineteenth season of league football, since joining the Southern League as West Hertfordshire for the 1896–97 season...
, 1919–201919–20 Watford F.C. season-External links:*...
, 1926–27