The Corinthians
John Williamson | 31/10/1932

The Corinthians Club, which the day before yesterday celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, was founded in 1882 by Mr. Lane Jackson, an amateur sportsman, who became its first secretary.

The papa Jackson, as he is known, still lives; he is now 83 years old, in excellent health and chaired the general meeting the day before yesterday.

The Corinthians golden book is filled with the facts of England's most famous football players.

The Corinthians have had as members the unforgettable G. O. Smith, the best centre-forward that ever existed and will ever exist, W. Cobbald, the Walters brothers, "Tip" Forster, Satumy Day, the Reverend Hunt, Arthur Knight, AG Bower, and many others.

Today, the Corinthians are no longer what they once were, at least as far as their strength is concerned; they had, in fact, to give way to the big professional clubs; however, from the social point of view, they still occupy the first rank.

Corinthians were at the height of their glory during the decade from 1895 to 1905. During the 1904-05 season they again beat opponents such as Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Manchester United, Wolwich Arsenal (the former name of Arsenal F.C.) and Tottenham Hotspur. During the years 1894 and 1895, the England team was made up entirely of Corinthians players; and no Englishman of those days will forget the Homeric battles they fought during those years against Preston North End, then considered invincible.

Corinthians have been in the FA Cup since 1923; they have an insane misfortune and are generally eliminated from the start of the event; however, when they play a Cup match, a large audience comes to see them play.

What made the Corinthians famous above all was their style. It is obviously not comparable in accuracy and speed to that of the big professional clubs, but it has remained unchanged. It consists of short and fast passes, advance of the entire forward line, with the opposing goal being the objective. No tinkering or complicated maneuvers and, above all, extreme correction, as it suits gentlemen of football, what its players seek on every occasion to be. And those of today, are the worthy emulators of the Corinthians of yesteryear.

What they miss today are more frequent matches against professional teams and more fire in the forward line. This line used to consist only of men weighing at least 80 kilos, who smashed everything in front of them.

While their performances today are no longer top-notch, Corinthians have kept their reputation intact, and their jubilee has been considered a celebratory turn by all of English football.