William Lindsay (footballer)
Encyclopedia
William Lindsay was an English
amateur footballer who, generally playing as a full back, helped the Wanderers
win the FA Cup
in 1876
, 1877
(when he scored the winning goal) and 1878
and made one appearance for England
in 1877. He also played cricket
for Surrey
between 1876 and 1882.
, the son of Major William Lindsay of the 10th Regiment. His father and most of his family were killed during the Indian Rebellion of 1857
at the Siege of Cawnpore
.
In 1858 he was admitted to Winchester College
as one of three boys orphaned by the Indian Mutiny and remained at the college until 1865. At school he was a keen sportsman and played cricket for the Commoners XI between 1862 and 1864, as well as for the school football team. In 1860, he won the school wide jump competition and was second in the 100 yards. In 1863, he won both the high jump and the wide jump, followed by the high jump with pole in 1864 and the sack race the following year.
in 1875, now aged 28.
Lindsay played for Scotland
in all five of the unofficial internationals against England in 1870 and 1871, which were played at Kennington Oval before the first official international match
played on 30 November 1872. He qualified for Scotland as his father was born in Dundee
in 1810, and indeed his grandfather had been Provost of Dundee
.
His first appearance for the Wanderers was against Clapham Rovers
on 2 October 1875 and he went on to make eight appearances that season, including five in the FA Cup run, where Wanderers reached the Cup Final
played against Old Etonians
at the Oval on 11 March 1876. The match finished 1-1 after extra time. John Hawley Edwards scored for Wanderers; Alexander Bonsor
got Old Etonians' equalizing goal. Wanderers won the replay 3-0, with two goals from Thomas Hughes
and one by Charles Wollaston
.
The following season he again turned out regularly for the Wanderers, making a total of seven appearances, including three matches in another successful FA Cup campaign, as Wanderers again reached the final to be played against Oxford University
.
Three weeks prior to the Cup Final he was one of seven debutants in the England
team to play Scotland
at the Kennington Oval on 3 March 1877. According to Philip Gibbons, in the 1870s the England side "tended to be chosen on availability rather than skill alone" The change in the England line-up made little difference to England's performance against the Scots who won the game 3–1, with England's consolation goal coming from Alfred Lyttelton
; the Scots thus inflicted England's first international defeat on home soil in the sixth appearance between the two countries. Lindsay, along with four of the international debutants, was never selected again for international honours.
In the 1877 FA Cup Final
, played against Oxford University
at the Oval on 24 March, Arthur Kinnaird
conceded an own goal
to enable Oxford University to take the lead. A few minutes from time, the Wanderers equalized when Jarvis Kenrick
slotted home a goal after a pass from Hubert Heron
. The game finished level after 90 minutes; in extra time, Wanderers proved too strong for their opponents when Lindsay's initial shot was headed back to him by an Oxford defender. Following in, Lindsay was able to steer the ball past the keeper for the winning goal.
In 1877–78, Lindsay appeared for Wanderers in the later stages of their FA Cup campaign, as they reached the final for the thirs consecutive year, and the fifth time in the first seven years of the competition. The Final
against the Royal Engineers
was played at the Kennington Oval
on 23 March. Wanderers won 3-1, with two goals by Jarvis Kenrick
and one by Arthur Kinnaird
. Wanderers were thus the cup winners for the third consecutive year; as a result, the Football Association awarded the Wanderers the cup outright - the offer was declined in a "highly sporting and honourable gesture" on condition that it could never be won outright.
Lindsay continued to turn out occasionally for the Wanderers until January 1880, when he was part of the side who were defeated 3–0 by Old Etonians
in what turned out to be the Wanderers final FA Cup appearance.
During his football career, he also played for Crystal Palace, Civil Service
, Gitanos and South Norwood
as well as playing representative football for Surrey.
He joined Surrey
in 1876, and in his seven seasons with the county he scored 987 runs at an average of 17.31. His highest innings was 74 against Middlesex
at the Oval in 1877. He also played cricket for Devon
.
and from 1877 to 1881 was private secretary to the Under-secretary of State, and in 1882 became Senior Clerk. He was private secretary to Lord George Hamilton
, Hon. Edward Stanhope
, the Marquess of Lansdowne
and Viscount Enfield before he retired in 1900.
He was married to Emily (who was four years older than he was), and they had a daughter, Lilias, and a son, William.
Lindsay died at his home in Rochester, Kent on 15 February 1923.
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...
amateur footballer who, generally playing as a full back, helped the Wanderers
Wanderers F.C.
Wanderers Football Club is an English amateur football club, based in London, that plays in the Surrey South Eastern Combination. Founded as Forest Football Club in 1859, the club changed its name to Wanderers in 1864....
win 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...
in 1876
1876 FA Cup Final
Match rules:90 minutes normal time.30 minutes extra-time if scores are level, at captains' discretion.Replay if scores still level.No substitutes.-Summary:The replay took place one week later at the same venue...
, 1877
1877 FA Cup Final
The 1877 FA Cup Final was a football match between Wanderers and Oxford University on 24 March 1877 at Kennington Oval in London. It was the sixth final of the world's oldest football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup . Wanderers were the reigning cup-holders and had won the...
(when he scored the winning goal) and 1878
1878 FA Cup Final
Match rules:90 minutes normal time.30 minutes extra-time if scores are level, at captains' discretion.Replay if scores still level.No substitutes.-Post-match:...
and made one appearance for 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...
in 1877. He also played cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
for Surrey
Surrey County Cricket Club
Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
between 1876 and 1882.
Early life and education
Lindsay was born in Benares, IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, the son of Major William Lindsay of the 10th Regiment. His father and most of his family were killed during the Indian Rebellion of 1857
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
at the Siege of Cawnpore
Siege of Cawnpore
The Siege of Cawnpore was a key episode in the Indian rebellion of 1857. The besieged British in Cawnpore were unprepared for an extended siege and surrendered to rebel Indian forces under Nana Sahib, in return for a safe passage to Allahabad. However, under ambiguous circumstances, their...
.
In 1858 he was admitted to Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
as one of three boys orphaned by the Indian Mutiny and remained at the college until 1865. At school he was a keen sportsman and played cricket for the Commoners XI between 1862 and 1864, as well as for the school football team. In 1860, he won the school wide jump competition and was second in the 100 yards. In 1863, he won both the high jump and the wide jump, followed by the high jump with pole in 1864 and the sack race the following year.
Football career
Lindsay subsequently represented the Old Wykehamists before joining the WanderersWanderers F.C.
Wanderers Football Club is an English amateur football club, based in London, that plays in the Surrey South Eastern Combination. Founded as Forest Football Club in 1859, the club changed its name to Wanderers in 1864....
in 1875, now aged 28.
Lindsay played for Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
in all five of the unofficial internationals against England in 1870 and 1871, which were played at Kennington Oval before the first official international match
Scotland v England (1872)
Scotland v England was the first ever official international football match to be played. It was contested by the national teams of Scotland and England. The match took place on 30 November 1872 at West of Scotland Cricket Club's ground at Hamilton Crescent in Partick, Scotland...
played on 30 November 1872. He qualified for Scotland as his father was born in Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
in 1810, and indeed his grandfather had been Provost of Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
.
His first appearance for the Wanderers was against Clapham Rovers
Clapham Rovers F.C.
Clapham Rovers was from its foundation in 1869 a leading English sports organisation in the two dominant codes of football, association football and rugby union. It was a prominent club in the late 19th century but is now defunct...
on 2 October 1875 and he went on to make eight appearances that season, including five in the FA Cup run, where Wanderers reached the Cup Final
1876 FA Cup Final
Match rules:90 minutes normal time.30 minutes extra-time if scores are level, at captains' discretion.Replay if scores still level.No substitutes.-Summary:The replay took place one week later at the same venue...
played against Old Etonians
Old Etonians F.C.
The Old Etonians Football Club is an English football club whose players are taken from previous attendees of Eton College, in Eton, Berkshire.-History:...
at the Oval on 11 March 1876. The match finished 1-1 after extra time. John Hawley Edwards scored for Wanderers; Alexander Bonsor
Alexander Bonsor
Alexander George Bonsor was one of the earliest known footballers.-Career:Bonsor played in the 1872 FA Cup Final - the first ever final in the FA Cup's history - and finished on the winning side...
got Old Etonians' equalizing goal. Wanderers won the replay 3-0, with two goals from Thomas Hughes
Thomas Hughes (footballer)
Thomas Bridges Hughes was an English amateur footballer who was the first player to score two goals in an FA Cup Final, with Wanderers in 1876...
and one by Charles Wollaston
Charles Wollaston
Charles Henry Reynolds Wollaston was an English footballer for Wanderers F.C. and England.Wollaston played for Wanderers in the first FA Cup Final in 1872 and scored in the second final of 1873. In all he won five winner's medals, the first player to achieve this feat.He earned four caps for...
.
The following season he again turned out regularly for the Wanderers, making a total of seven appearances, including three matches in another successful FA Cup campaign, as Wanderers again reached the final to be played against Oxford University
Oxford University A.F.C.
Oxford University Association Football Club is an English football club representing the University of Oxford.-History:Formed in 1872, the club was a giant of the 1870s, winning the FA Cup 2-0 against Royal Engineers in 1874 and finishing the competition as runners up in 1873, 1877 and 1880, the...
.
Three weeks prior to the Cup Final he was one of seven debutants in the 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...
team to play Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
at the Kennington Oval on 3 March 1877. According to Philip Gibbons, in the 1870s the England side "tended to be chosen on availability rather than skill alone" The change in the England line-up made little difference to England's performance against the Scots who won the game 3–1, with England's consolation goal coming from Alfred Lyttelton
Alfred Lyttelton
Alfred Lyttelton QC was a British politician and sportsman who excelled at both football and cricket. During his time at university he participated in Varsity Matches in five sports: cricket , football , athletics , rackets and real tennis , displaying an ability that made him...
; the Scots thus inflicted England's first international defeat on home soil in the sixth appearance between the two countries. Lindsay, along with four of the international debutants, was never selected again for international honours.
In the 1877 FA Cup Final
1877 FA Cup Final
The 1877 FA Cup Final was a football match between Wanderers and Oxford University on 24 March 1877 at Kennington Oval in London. It was the sixth final of the world's oldest football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup . Wanderers were the reigning cup-holders and had won the...
, played against Oxford University
Oxford University A.F.C.
Oxford University Association Football Club is an English football club representing the University of Oxford.-History:Formed in 1872, the club was a giant of the 1870s, winning the FA Cup 2-0 against Royal Engineers in 1874 and finishing the competition as runners up in 1873, 1877 and 1880, the...
at the Oval on 24 March, Arthur Kinnaird
Arthur Kinnaird, 11th Lord Kinnaird
Arthur Fitzgerald Kinnaird, 11th Lord Kinnaird KT was a principal of The Football Association and a leading footballer....
conceded an own goal
Own goal
An own net occurs in goal-scoring games when a player scores a goal that is registered against his or her own team. It is usually accidental, and may be a result of an attempt at defensive play that failed or was spoiled by opponents....
to enable Oxford University to take the lead. A few minutes from time, the Wanderers equalized when Jarvis Kenrick
Jarvis Kenrick
Jarvis Kenrick was an English association football player....
slotted home a goal after a pass from Hubert Heron
Hubert Heron
George Hubert Hugh Heron was an English footballer who made five appearances as a forward for England in the 1870s and won three FA Cup winners' medals.-Playing career:...
. The game finished level after 90 minutes; in extra time, Wanderers proved too strong for their opponents when Lindsay's initial shot was headed back to him by an Oxford defender. Following in, Lindsay was able to steer the ball past the keeper for the winning goal.
In 1877–78, Lindsay appeared for Wanderers in the later stages of their FA Cup campaign, as they reached the final for the thirs consecutive year, and the fifth time in the first seven years of the competition. The Final
1878 FA Cup Final
Match rules:90 minutes normal time.30 minutes extra-time if scores are level, at captains' discretion.Replay if scores still level.No substitutes.-Post-match:...
against the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers A.F.C.
The Royal Engineers Association Football Club is an association football team representing the Corps of Royal Engineers, the "Sappers", of the British Army. In the 1870s it was one of the strongest sides in English football, winning the FA Cup in 1875 and being Cup Finalists in four of the first...
was played at the Kennington Oval
The Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
on 23 March. Wanderers won 3-1, with two goals by Jarvis Kenrick
Jarvis Kenrick
Jarvis Kenrick was an English association football player....
and one by Arthur Kinnaird
Arthur Kinnaird, 11th Lord Kinnaird
Arthur Fitzgerald Kinnaird, 11th Lord Kinnaird KT was a principal of The Football Association and a leading footballer....
. Wanderers were thus the cup winners for the third consecutive year; as a result, the Football Association awarded the Wanderers the cup outright - the offer was declined in a "highly sporting and honourable gesture" on condition that it could never be won outright.
Lindsay continued to turn out occasionally for the Wanderers until January 1880, when he was part of the side who were defeated 3–0 by Old Etonians
Old Etonians F.C.
The Old Etonians Football Club is an English football club whose players are taken from previous attendees of Eton College, in Eton, Berkshire.-History:...
in what turned out to be the Wanderers final FA Cup appearance.
During his football career, he also played for Crystal Palace, Civil Service
Civil Service F.C.
Civil Service F.C. is an English football club based in the city of London. The club originally played both association football and rugby football and the Civil Service, along with Blackheath F.C., is one of the two clubs that can claim to be a founder member of both the Football Association and...
, Gitanos and South Norwood
South Norwood F.C.
South Norwood F.C. were an amateur football club, founded in 1870 or 1871, who featured in the early years of the FA Cup. They have been described as "one of the best in England at that time"...
as well as playing representative football for Surrey.
Cricket career
At Winchester, he played for the school cricket eleven in 1864 and 1865.He joined Surrey
Surrey County Cricket Club
Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
in 1876, and in his seven seasons with the county he scored 987 runs at an average of 17.31. His highest innings was 74 against Middlesex
Middlesex County Cricket Club
Middlesex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Middlesex. It was announced in February 2009 that Middlesex changed their limited overs name from the Middlesex Crusaders, to the...
at the Oval in 1877. He also played cricket for Devon
Devon County Cricket Club
Devon County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Devon and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy....
.
Life outside sport
In 1867 he started work as a junior clerk in the store department of the India OfficeIndia Office
The India Office was a British government department created in 1858 to oversee the colonial administration of India, i.e. the modern-day nations of Bangladesh, Burma, India, and Pakistan, as well as territories in South-east and Central Asia, the Middle East, and parts of the east coast of Africa...
and from 1877 to 1881 was private secretary to the Under-secretary of State, and in 1882 became Senior Clerk. He was private secretary to Lord George Hamilton
Lord George Hamilton
Lord George Francis Hamilton GCSI, PC, JP was a British Conservative Party politician of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.-Background:...
, Hon. Edward Stanhope
Edward Stanhope
Edward Stanhope was a British Conservative Party politician.-Background and education:Born in London, Stanhope was the second son of Philip Stanhope, 5th Earl Stanhope, by his wife Emily Harriet, daughter of General Sir Edward Kerrison, 1st Baronet...
, the Marquess of Lansdowne
Henry Petty-FitzMaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne
Henry Charles Keith Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne, KG, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, PC was a British politician and Irish peer who served successively as the fifth Governor General of Canada, Viceroy of India, Secretary of State for War, and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs...
and Viscount Enfield before he retired in 1900.
He was married to Emily (who was four years older than he was), and they had a daughter, Lilias, and a son, William.
Lindsay died at his home in Rochester, Kent on 15 February 1923.
Sporting honours
WanderersWanderers F.C.
Wanderers Football Club is an English amateur football club, based in London, that plays in the Surrey South Eastern Combination. Founded as Forest Football Club in 1859, the club changed its name to Wanderers in 1864....
- FA CupFA CupThe 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...
winners: 18761876 FA Cup FinalMatch rules:90 minutes normal time.30 minutes extra-time if scores are level, at captains' discretion.Replay if scores still level.No substitutes.-Summary:The replay took place one week later at the same venue...
, 18771877 FA Cup FinalThe 1877 FA Cup Final was a football match between Wanderers and Oxford University on 24 March 1877 at Kennington Oval in London. It was the sixth final of the world's oldest football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup . Wanderers were the reigning cup-holders and had won the...
and 18781878 FA Cup FinalMatch rules:90 minutes normal time.30 minutes extra-time if scores are level, at captains' discretion.Replay if scores still level.No substitutes.-Post-match:...