MEN WHO HAVE MADE FOOTBALL HISTORY
— Alfred Gibson | 07/04/1913 —

We are all hero-worshippers. So long as there are heroes to worship there will be followers bowing at the shrine. And the world never lacks its heroes — the warrior, the statesman, the poet, the prophet, the man of affairs. Even in small things — although the world of sport is not reckoned "small" nowadays — there are always men who command attention. Nor is it only the small boy who puts his hero on a pedestal. Many a famous soldier and statesman would gladly have changed places with Dr W. G. Grace two decades ago; and even now he is remembered when nearly all politicians of his day are forgotten.

So it is and has been with the heroes of the football field — men who we say have "made history." In Scotland, yes, and in England, too, the name of Wattie Arnott will always be among the football heroes. "Wattie" of the auburn locks has earned for himself a place with the immortals. Not so many, in England at least, will remember Charles Campbell, a eiub mate of Arnott's, both being members of that famous amateur club, Queen's Park of Glasgow.

Now in what way did these men make history? Arnott was the first great back who made a study of "placing" the ball to his forwards, and thus turning defence into attack. Prior to Arnott the whole duty of a back was to defend. Arnott showed that this was only half his duty. It was not enough to defend one's own lines; it was necessary to threaten the lines of one's opponents, and this could only be done by dropping the ball at the toes, not of an opposing back, as one frequently sees to-day, but at the feet of one's own for- wards, and thus send them on the run. Perhaps the very best exponent of this game at the present day is James Sharp, of Chelsea, a player who makes up for lack of speed by a plentiful supply of brains.

Then Charles Campbell, tall and supple, was the first man to bring the "heading" of the ball to something like a science. It was not enough for Campbell to defend with his head. By his great skill he was able to pass the ball with surprising accuracy to one of his own team more favourably placed. Perhaps his legitimate successor in modern times is Sandy Turnbull, of Manchester United, a man who has scored more goals with his head than most forwards have done with their feet.

Of course, mention must also be made of the famous "Nick" Ross, who, along with his celebrated companions at Preston, laid the foundations of present-day football. Indeed, there are those who aver that no modern team quite comes up to the im- pressive play of the North End club when it won the League competition without losing a match, and the same year won the Association Cup without losing a goal. Nick Ross was with Everton the year Preston won the Cup and the League; but he more than anyone was the founder of that great team. As a full-back he was only equalled by Wattie Arnott, and perhaps — but now I am on dangerous ground — Robert Crompton of the Blackburn Rovers. Be that as it may, Ross senior made a profound impression on the game, not merely by his own matchless play at full-back, but also by his wonderful generalship. He was one of those whole-hearted players who seem to live for the game, and while on the field he had the power of inspiring others with his genius.

About the same time we had such great forwards as Archie Hunter and John Goodall, the latter of whom actually took part in a serious match in Wales this season. Archie Hunter made his name with Aston Villa — a mighty man, a great captain, and an enthusiast for the game he did so much to adorn. The secret of John Goodall was "science" as opposed to mere speed and physical energy, and it was due to his tuition that another great forward, Stephen Bloomer, was at so young an age to occupy such a big page in football history.

Archie Hunter, on the other hand, combined science and physical energy. The man with his innate skill played with all his heart and soul; and, while no one could lead his forwards better, ao man could emulate him in a single-handed dash for goal, finishing with a shot that paralysed most goalkeepers. W. N. Cobbold, of Cambridge University, was doubtless as great a dribbler, but he had not the same skill in organising an attack all along the forward line. Hunter was a great dribbler, a great shot, a great tactician, and a great captain.

A little later we come upon a wonderful wizard with the ball in the person of William Bassett, of West Bromwich Albion. This little player owed nothing to his physique. He had neither height nor weight, but he was all quality. His dodge of running outside the touch-line to gain a ball pushed forward inside the line nonplussed many a back, while his centres from the touch-line always meant danger to the opposing team. Bassett was one of the chief instruments of destruction when West Bromwich defeated Preston North End at Kennington Oval in a famous final for the Cup when the Prestonians were believed to be unbeatable.

At a little later period we run into a nest of great half-backs — men who all at once transformed their office from a defending line into an attacking line. Perhaps William Grooves, chiefly because he had been a very fine forward, was the first half-back to become a genuine attacker in conjunction with the forwards. Be that as it may, a whole heap of men suddenly blossomed out into attacking half-backs, and none of them with more success than Ernest Needham, of Sheffield United — a little man who may be said to have been born a footballer. He had more of the real genius of the game in him than any player excepting perhaps, Nick Ross and Archie Hunter. Others of his time almost if not quite equally great were Crabtree, Cowan, Reynolds, and all three played for Aston Villa. I do not forget the famous trio who played for Preston North End in stating that no club has ever at one time put in the field three such consummate half-backs as the three Aston Villa players. What makes the success of Crabtree so remarkable is that he was almost as great a full-back, and was a great player in any position on the field.

Contemporaneous with these giants of the past was Stephen Bloomer, a player still scoring goals galore for Derby County. Hardly less successful and with almost as long a service was Robert Walker, of the Hearts of Midlothian. Both Bloomer and Walker were inside forwards, but while Bloomer was much the more deadly of the two as a goal-scorer, Walker, in his way, was just as wonderful a player. With his "twinkling feet" he was always giving his comrades on either side of him glorious chances of scoring. Bloomer never did the donkey work of the usual inside-forward. He was always on the watch for a chance to break through and score. Walker was the typical fetcher and carrier for the outside man and centre, but he, too, has scored many a great goal in his day.

Amongst present-day players who have made, or who are making, history there, is if we except L. Richmond Roose, no great goalkeeper. This great daring and original footballer has for the moment dropped out of the game, soon, we hope, to return. The Football Association has to some extent clipped the wings of a goalkeeper like Roose by making it penal to handle the hall outside the penalty area. It seems a stupid rule, and, with nothing to commend it, keeps the goalkeeper chained to his post. Nor, with the exception of Crompton and Pennington, have we any wonderful backs. The former is the Grand Old Man of the game, and the latter a particularly clever and chivalrous player. Wedlock, of Bristol City, has been the most consistent half-back of the past decade, but heh as never quite reached the top notch of some of the heroes of the past. We have a greater uniformity, a higher average standard, with fewer players of outstanding merit. Perhaps Thomson, of Sunderland, a veteran in the service, has as much claim to immortality as any man now playing the gamr. Of great forwards we have Simpson, Meredith, and Mordue, all right-wing players, and each with his particular set of admirers. As inside men we have never had a greater than Buchan, of Sunderland, although Harold Fleming, on his day, is perhaps the more dangerous man, and the only forward of modern times who has introduced initiative and originality into his game.