XIII. JIMMY FORREST
— J. A. Brierley | 14/03/1903 —

With all the brilliant qualities sketched last week, Forrest never drew any such extravagant wages as we have heard of in later years. Probably he would, echo the expression of John Goodall in an interview I had with the famous centre some time ago. Goodall thought he was born too soon; at least he said so as we talked of the figure which several of the Villa players, including Crabtree and Athersmith, and other crack players, notably Raisbeck and Calvey, had been drawing. He could scarcely credit my statement that one year Calvey received £10 a week for the whole 12 months, summer as well as winter. It was well known, however, that certain cracksmen were getting £7 the year through. Of course the fixing of a maximum wage of £4 has put an end to these fancy salaries — so far as we know — but even such a wage would have seemed a big one to members of the old brigade.

Forrest: The highest wage I ever got was £2, and that was only in my later days. When I first started we received no wages, but were paid 7s. 6d. for loss of work on Saturday morning, and 10s. if we had to be away on Friday afternoon in order to make a long journey.

Continuing his recollections, Forrest recalled the international of 1891, which the Blackburn folk boycotted because they were dissatisfied at the non-inclusion of any Rover. Forrest, Jack Southworth, J. Barton, and W. Townley were all men thought to have claims to recognition, but never a one was in the eleven, though Preston got two places (Howarth and Holmes at back), while Everton supplied four players, including Johnny Holt, the dandy, determined half-back; Fred Geary, the greyhound; and Edgar Chadwick and Milward, the clever left wing combination.

The other members of the team were Moon, Old Westminsters; Albert Smith and Alf Shelton, Nottingham; Bassett, and John Goodall. Forrest himself thinks that Blackburn was not so well treated over this selection. Alluding to meetings of the Rovers with North End, Forrest had a vivid recollection of the scene at Blackburn when Mr. Jope dare not give his verdict on a shot sent in during the last minute until he reached the dressing room, the crowd, full of excitement, having surged on to the field. "Blackburnians" were fully convinced that the final shot went through, but in the tent the referee said 'No,' and North End won.

Forrest: Poor old Nick Ross did go for Lofthouse on one occasion. It was a wonder he didn't knock him clean out. 'What are you trying on?' said Joe, in mild protest. 'Go on,' said the full-back, grimly, 'This is no' a friendly!' Perhaps we never won a more creditable game over the Prestonians than on one occasion at Deepdale, when Jimmy Douglas got his nose broken in the first few minutes. Brandon was then in the heyday of his prowess, and played a tremendous game at back with Forbes for partner, and keeping the forward line full strength we had only two halves. But we won.

Leaving the past, we will deal with a matter which affects the present. No one is better qualified to speak of the points necessary in a half-back, and I persuaded Forrest to detail the same. 

Forrest: You require a specially strong fellow for half-back, because he has the hardest work on the field if he does his duty; he must attack and defend as well. Incidentally, I think there is no place on the field equal to centre half for providing the opportunity to show a player's powers; he is always on the ball. Your half-back should be speedy, and he must make up his mind at once; hesitancy is fatal. After tackling a player and getting the ball, I used at once to look up for an opening preparatory to making my pass. Then again, the halves should work on a system with the backs. For instance, the wing half should look after the inside forward on his wing; when the latter is advancing the half-back tackles him, while the full back lies wider ready to intercept any pass to the outside man. The centre-half should meantime look after the centre-forward, the other half after the opposite wing, while the remaining back would cover the goal.

Continuing to speak of football tactics, Forrest expressed the view that the game as played to-day was rather too open.

Forrest: Look at the lovely touches we used to see, say, between Jack Gordon and Jimmy Ross. I have played against them often enough, and I fancy we see few such touches nowadays. I am speaking specially of forwards at the present time, and I say the tendency to-day is to be too unselfish. Gara, who played for North End a year or two ago, was an instance to the contrary, but he was too selfish. We want a little more dribbling, a little more individualism. Mind, I am for the combination game, but still I think there are times when players might with advantage try a little dribble instead of parting at the first possible moment. They should hold on a little, and try to draw the defence. I have seen no finer forward of late than Morris, of Notts Forest. In him you have a footballer who does draw his opponent. If opportunity offers, he is equal to making a dashing dribble on his own — a qualification possessed by few — and while, as I have said, he draws opponents he does not stick to the ball when it is time to pass. We want more of this style of play. Few men may have all the ability of Morris, but at least forwards might make an effort to copy his methods.

— What do you think of Bloomer?

Forrest: On what I have seen, very little, for I scarcely remember him playing anything in the nature of a great game; yet his reputation convinces one that this is merely an accidental experience, in that I have happened to catch him off colour — or, at least, not at his best.

Seeking the famous veteran's opinion of the best forward of the Rovers, Arnold Whittaker, I found a sincere admiration for the little right winger's pluck and dashing runs down the wing, as well for his strong shots.

Forrest: But he lacks something in cleverness, in footwork.

A very favourable comment was made on the player who has forced himself into the position of England's outside right — the place which friends of Whittaker once hoped would fall to the sprightly Rover. I refer, of course, to Davis, of Sheffield Wednesday; but, on the other hand, Forrest was by no means enamoured of the policy of reintroducing the other Blade, Fred Spiksley, into representative football, apparently doubting the veteran's possession of  the requisite "devil" to carry him through a big match such as to-day's Inter-League with Scotland.

Goalkeepers, in the opinion of Forrest, are better than in the past; that is to say, there are more men who have attained to first-rate excellence, and Prestonians may be flattered by the fact that he regards McBride as the pick of a brilliant basket, the North Ender's only failing being a tendency to get a little bit careless. Of full backs playing today, he has not seen Molyneux, but he gives high praise to Crompton and Howard Spencer. 

Forrest:The former has improved his pace, and is a rare, robust back, while Spencer is almost an ideal player, a model of good judgment and polished defence, and scrupulously fair. The first time I saw Spencer, I remarked on his gentlemanly play. I never saw a fairer player, and though his knee kept him in the background for a season or two, he has come right to the front again. We have not heard much of Blackett lately, but I used to think his strong, strenuous style very valuable. 

Speaking of halves, I may say that Forrest observed that they do not get so many goals as those of the "eighties." Of prominent halves in the last few years he thought great things of Needham at his best, and has a good word for the Derby veteran, Archie Goodall, but he is not a specially ardent admirer of Frank Forman, despite the amount of work which he performs. Turning to Houlker, he remarks that selfishness occasionally marks the little man's play, but for dogging and worrying a forward he is a fine fellow — wonderful for his age. Tom Booth would be more consistently successful if his temperament was rather more equable. Incidentally Forrest recalled Hugh Wilson, who in his Sunderland days was one of the greatest halves the game had known — a player over whom Forrest waxed quite enthusiastic. 

Forrest has often been credited with a wonderful facility for converting penalty kicks, and rightly so, for he never missed one. He has also been complimented on the original style in which he was said to have taken the kick — a slow shot in the air going high and a little wide of the goalkeeper, who would be on the six yards line. As a matter of fact Forrest never adopted this style in matches, though in practice he could constantly bring it off. In serious football he always drove the ball in low just wide of the goalkeeper's left hand. He reckons there are about two yards on each side of the goalkeeper at which to shoot if the ball is to find the net. Upon the subject of players working as well as playing football Forrest is emphatically of opinion that the two may go together without any injury to the man's football. He worked for six or seven years in the mill while playing football, and was afterwards in the licensing trade, meantime keeping himself in condition by country walks in his evening or any other spare hours. The present constant training he believes to be unnecessary. Again comparing the present with the past, he thinks there is not the old spirit of thorough good-fellowship between present-day players. Not that there are actual differences, but rather that close comradeship has passed away; and this, he considers, is bound to affect a team's play.