MR RINDER'S MEMORIES
— James Catton | 28/04/1924 —


In the course of our long conversation Mr. F. W. Rinder naturally dwelt upon the excellence of some of the famous players who have worn that distinctive jersey of claret and light blue — colours which have often reminded me of the "chocolate and blue" which in quarters was the combination of Notts County, in days of long ago, when Notts and the Villa had such heart-quickening struggles on the ground of the Notts Castle cricket club.

If Mr. Rinder had been shy on this fascinating subject it would not have been surprising, as he is not the elub chairman who has his favourites, and he does not believe in praising the past to the detriment of present-day players. As he said in the account of our interview last week the men of to-day "are eager to show that they are as good as those who have gone before them."

If Aston Villa has been blessed by loyal and artistic men in seasons now remote, that age has had no monopoly. The Agamemnons have their descendants; their sons in claret and blue. When they pull that jersey down on their shoulders they feel that the claret denotes the wine of success, with blue as the symbol in tone of the imperishable record of a great club.

"Gush," says the cynic. I plead guilty to the charge, but remember the inspiration of the past.

CRABTREE AND COWAN CONTRASTED.

Thinking of these old kings of football I asked Mr. Rinder if he could say who was the greatest player the club ever had — the purest footballer, regardless of the position with which he was identified. With meekness and in subdued voice I suggested the late James Crabtree.

Rinder: I am not so sure about that for although Crabtree was a player that no one could decry we must not forget James Cowan, of the Vale of Leven. Of course, Crabtree was endowed with all-round ability, with fine versatality, and many gifts, but James Cowan was one who could play either individual or combined football. He could always fall into the scheme of the moment, was dour, determined, speedy, clever and a craftsman.

» No doubt Cowan was not so pleasing to the eye of the average spectator, was not so stylish in movement, for Crabtree was a fine figure of a man, and Cowan was not so polished in all that he did with the ball, but he was quite as effective. Cowan came and captured the hearts of the people of Birmingham in his first match against Preston — for at the close, when the North End had been beaten by 5-3 and Cowan had scored the last goal, the people carried him shoulder high to the pavilion. 

» Still, Crabtree was very gifted. This Lancashire lad came to us from Burnley in 1895-96 when he had just received his first cap against Scotland on the Everton ground, in the match when Reynolds and Steve Smith were in the English eleven. When we got him Crabtree was chosen to play right half-back. That was an innovation, and it was left to me to tell him of the decision of the directors before the team sheet was put up in the dressing-room.

STORY OF CRABTREE'S" CONVERSION."

Rinder: I met Crabtree on the ground at Perry Bar and entered into conversation with him. After a few generalities I told him that he had been chosen to play right half-back in the coming match. Without beating about the bush he said, I shan't play there. I am a left full back and I want the position I am used to.

» Gently but firmly I asked him not to be hasty. I pointed out to him that everyone knew he was England's left back and that his reputation was established. If he was installed there his success would be taken for granted, but if he turned out as a half-back and did well his fame would be enhanced.

» He still declared that he would not play. But, said 1, the directors have chosen you for the half-back line. We feel that you have come to us to do your best for the Aston Villa club. We know you will do so. Now we want you to take this new berth because it needs strengthening, and you are the man to do it. We are convinced that you will be the man we need at half-back. Still Crabtree showed no sign of yielding, and I parted with the advice that he should think the matter over.

» Two days later Crabtree and I met again, and he still said that he did not like the change, and he considered that it was not fair to him to move him in that way. If he failed it was a serious blow. However, Crabtree consented to meet the wishes of the Board, was a tremendous success, and, as you know, he played right, centre, and left half-back for England, and also right and left back in his 13 international matches between 1895 and 1900.

» We always try to find the best position for every player. Take Blackburn of our team to-day. George Blackburn came to us as a centre-forward. He was an amateur player in London, but in an emergeny we put Blackburn in the intermediate line, and he has been there ever since. Blackburn was the first reserve against Scotland in the match at Wembley this month.

» Frank Moss, the captain of the team this season, has been in every position in the half-back line, but we came to the conclusion that he was at his best on the right. We have had similar experiences with other men. We watch carefully so as to get the best out of every player — both in his interest and ours.

NOT FINANCIAL SPECULATORS.

— It would be interesting if you would say how much the Villa paid Burnley for the transfer of Crabtree?

Rinder: Crabtree cost us £200, that is all. On this subject of transfer fees I should like to say that Aston Villa have not been in the habit of going abroad with unlimited cheques and buying players. The only man we have really bought, in the modern sense, and at latter day prices, was Frank Barson, for whom we paid about £2,800.

» This was stated at the time, or I would not disclose the figure, because such matters are not for the public, although I can quite understand their curiosity to learn all the financial secrets of a club — and especially a big club.

» The history of Aston Villa proves that we have never been financial speculators in football players. Whatever successes we may have had are not due to the use of money, as if it was the talisman to make a team. You may scatter gold over the land, but it does not follow that a good harvest will be gathered in.


» The fee for Barson is the highest the club has ever paid. No one else has cost us half as much money. Take the team in the Final this year. Only three members of the eleven have cost the Villa a penny piece, and the entire outlay in transfer fees is only about £2,100. The team that won the Cup in 1920, which of course included Barson, cost less than £5,000 — the price to-day, if you are prepared to pay it, of one player who is reputed to be an artist. He may be; I am not denying it.

CROESUS NOT ON THE BOARD.

Rinder: But Aston Villa have, so far as I know, no intention of acting as if King Croesus was on our Board.

» We have had a team which won the Cup and never cost a penny piece. That, of course, was the 1887 combination, the pioneers of many victories. Three parts of the joy of a Cup success rests in the fact that such football players have been gathered by the wayside, have been plucked like wild flowers, and then transformed by the cultivation of the florist or gardener.

» Story tells us how the wise men were drawn voluntarily to the court of King Croesus. Youths and men come to us. They offer their services and say that they want to play for the Villa. Many call upon us, but few are chosen. Fathers bring their sons to us.

» Old players of national repute bring their sons to us and ask us to sign these lads on, because they feel that then they are safe from the temptations that beset youngsters, because they know that we shall look after the boys, and that if these aspirants have any football in them they will have a training and a chance.

» We like to build up our players — local lads like Smart, Moss, York, Capewell, Walker, and Dorrell. We have succeeded by this policy, and we hope to continue to do so without lowering the standard of the club.

There are ideals and there is sentiment in these remarks. What would Sport be divested of such attributes?