Tinsley Lindley
Encyclopedia
He was the son of Leonard Lindley who was a lace dresser. The family lived in Clipstone Avenue, Nottingham and Lindley attended Nottingham High School between 1875 and 1883, where he first revealed his extraordinary talent.
He later attended The Leys School
The Leys School
The Leys School is a co-educational Independent school, located in Cambridge, England, and is a day and boarding school for about 550 pupils aged between 11 and 18 years...
in Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, where he turned to rugby. From 1885 to 1888 he studied at Caius College, Cambridge and during this time played football for Cambridge University, and also for the Corinthians and Casuals
Casuals F.C.
Casuals F.C. were an amateur football club based in London, formed in 1878.They were founder members of the Isthmian League in 1905 and won the FA Amateur Cup in 1936....
. In 1888, he returned to his home town to join Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
, but during the 1889-90 season also played two league matches for local rivals Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
.
In 1891 he also played for Crusaders and Swifts
Swifts F.C.
Swifts Football Club were a football team based in Slough, England.The club were founded c.1868 and played their home matches on a ground near The Dolphin public house, Slough...
for a short while before guest-playing for 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 a 4-1 defeat at Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
in 1892.
His many transfers were due primarily to his professional full-time career and the fact that he always remained an amateur, although many clubs wanted to hire him as a professional. He was the epitome of the 'Corinthian gentleman amateur' of his time, being an academic as well as a sportsman. He refused to wear ordinary football boots when playing, preferring walking brogues instead, declaring that boots marred his great sprinting speed.
His England call-up came on 13 March 1886 when, along with his Nottingham Forest team-mate John Leighton
John Leighton (footballer)
John Edward Leighton was an English amateur footballer who played on the wing for Nottingham Forest and the Corinthians in the 1880s and made one appearance for England in 1886.-Football career:...
, he was one of eight new caps selected to play against Ireland at Ballynafeigh Park, Belfast. Lindley scored as England "totally dominated" the match with Benjamin Spilsbury
Benjamin Spilsbury
Benjamin Ward "Ben" Spilsbury was an English international footballer. He made his debut for the international team against Ireland on the 28 February 1885...
scoring four goals in a 6–1 victory.
It has been claimed that he holds the record for scoring in 9 consecutive 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...
matches between 13 March 1886 and 7 April 1888. However, there is no substance whatsoever to this claim, as this includes the match against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
on 29 March 1886, in which all contemporary reports credit the goals to George Brann
George Brann
George Brann was an English amateur cricketer and footballer who had a long career with Sussex County Cricket Club at the end of the 19th century, and played three matches for the England national football team.-Education:...
, Fred Dewhurst
Fred Dewhurst
Fred Dewhurst was a professional footballer, who played as an inside forward for Preston North End in the late 19th century...
& Andrew Amos
Andrew Amos
Andrew Amos was an English amateur football player who played for Cambridge University, Old Carthusians, Corinthian and Hitchin Town, as well as making two appearances for the English national side...
. He did, however, score in each of the next 6 consecutive games, which is still an England record (though note that 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...
scored in 10 consecutive matches in which he played, and George Camsell
George Camsell
George Henry Camsell was an English football player, most notably for Middlesbrough.Born in Framwellgate Moor, Durham City in 1902, Camsell played for Durham City before signing for Middlesbrough on 6 October 1925 for the sum of £500. His debut was against Nottingham Forest on 31 October 1925...
in 9). In total he scored 14 international goals in just 13 games. He held the overall England goalscoring record
Progression of England association football goalscoring record
This is a progressive list of association footballers who have held or co-held the record for international goals for the England national football team, beginning with William Kenyon-Slaney who scored the first ever international goal...
from March 1888 when he equalled Charles Bambridge
Charles Bambridge
Edward Charles Bambridge was an English footballer who made eighteen appearances as a left winger for England between 1879 and 1887, being appointed captain twice. He was one of three brothers who played for England....
's tally of 11 until his final tally of 14 was overhauled by 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...
in 1898.
He also played first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
for Cambridge University
Cambridge University Cricket Club
Cambridge University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team. It now plays all but one of its first-class cricket matches as part of the Cambridge University Centre of Cricketing Excellence , which includes Anglia Ruskin University...
and Nottinghamshire.
On retirement from football, Lindley turned his full attention to his law practice, having been called to the Bar in 1899 while still playing. He also lectured in law at University of Nottingham
University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
and served as a County Court Judge. Lindley also stayed loyal to Nottingham Forest, serving on the committee for several years. He was awarded the OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1918 and died in Nottingham in 1940 aged 74.