England's Goalscoring Captains

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England's Goalscoring Captains
Chronological Order

England's Goalscoring Captains 1872-1914
Capt No.	Player Club	Goalscoring Date	Result - Opponent - Venue	Cmp/ Goals
3	Charles Alcock Wanderers	6 March 1875	2-2 vs. Scotland, Surrey Cricket Ground, The Oval, Kennington, London	Fr 1
6	Arthur Cursham Notts County	2 March 1878	2-7 vs. Scotland, Hampden Park, Hampden Terrace, Glasgow	Fr 1

Match 7. Newspaper reports conflict on who was the actual captain against Wales on 18 January 1879. Three reports, The Field, The Sportsman and Football Annual give the captaincy to goalscorer, Arthur Cursham, whilst The London Times, Athletic News and Bell's Life, gives it to Henry Wace. The fact that Charles Alcock's own Football Annual lists Cursham makes us want to favour the Notts County forward, but one can never be sure and we will not commit ourselves with any degree of certainty.

9	Francis Sparks Clapham Rovers	15 March 1880	3-2 vs. Wales, Racecourse Ground, Mold Road, Wrexham	Fr 2
12	Charlie Bambridge Swifts	18 February 1882	13-0 vs. Ireland, Knock Ground, Bloomfield, Belfast	Fr 1
11	Norman Bailey Clapham Rovers	17 March 1884	4-0 vs. Wales, Racecourse Ground, Mold Road, Wrexham	BC 1
12	Charlie Bambridge Swifts & Corinthians	5 February 1887	7-0 vs. Ireland, Bramall Lane, Sheffield	BC 1
15	Tinsley Lindley Cambridge Univ., Nottingham Forest & Corinthians	4 February 1888	5-1 vs. Wales, Nantwich Road, Crewe	BC 1
15		7 April 1888	5-1 vs. Ireland, Ulster Ground, Ballynafeigh Park, Belfast	BC 1
16	Jack Brodie Wolverhampton W.	2 March 1889	6-1 vs. Ireland, Anfield Road, Liverpool	BC 1
18	John Goodall Derby County	7 March 1891	4-1 vs. Wales, Newcastle Road, Sunderland	BC 1
15	Tinsley Lindley Nottingham Forest & Corinthians	7 March 1891	6-1 vs. Ireland, Molineux Ground, Wolverhampton	BC 2

Match 51. Various sources cannot decide who was captain for the match on 12 March 1894, probably Charles Wreford-Brown, but possibly goalscorer Cunliffe Gosling. Wreford-Brown was by far the oldest in an inexperienced team, but neither Sporting Life, Manchester Guardian, North Wales Guardian, The Times, The Field, The Sportsman, Sporting Chronicle, and Northern Whig make mention of a captain.

John Goodall
Derby County

7 April 1894

2-2 vs. Scotland, Parkhead, Glasgow

BC 1

Match 56. The captaincy on 7 March 1896 was probably given to George Raikes, at least according to Irish Saturday Night and The Irish Times. The London Times gives a first captaincy to goalscorer, Gilbert Smith, and Vaughan Lodge is also a possibility. Many other sources do not specify any captain.

Match 57. Football historian Cris Freddi, himself the author of a book on the England team, has done extensive research in the English and Welsh newspapers of the time and has not found a single contemporaneous record of England's captain for 16 March 1896. Possibly goalscorer Gilbert Smith.

25	GO Smith Old Carthusians & Corinthians	5 March 1898	3-2 vs. Ireland, Solitude Ground, Cliftonville, Belfast	BC 1
		28 March 1898	3-0 vs. Wales, Racecourse Ground, Mold Road, Wrexham	BC 1
		18 February 1899	13-2 vs. Ireland, Roker Park, Sunderland	BC 4
27	Ernest Needham Sheffield United	18 March 1901	6-0 vs. Wales, St. James' Park, Newcastle-upon-Tyne	BC 1
33	Stanley Harris Old Westminsters & Corinthians	17 February 1906	5-0 vs. Ireland, Solitude Ground, Cliftonville, Belfast	BC 1
34	Vivian Woodward Tottenham Hotspur	15 February 1908	3-1 vs. Ireland, Solitude Ground, Cliftonville, Belfast	BC 1
		16 March 1908	7-1 vs. Wales, Racecourse Ground, Mold Road, Wrexham	BC 3
		6 June 1908	6-1 vs. Austria, Cricketer Platz, Vienna	Fr 1
		8 June 1908	11-1 vs. Austria, Hohe Warte Stadion, Wien	Fr 4
		10 June 1908	7-0 vs. Hungary, Millenáris Sporttelep, Budapest	Fr 1
		13 February 1909	4-0 vs. Ireland, Park Avenue, Bradford	Fr 2
		29 May 1909	4-2 vs. Hungary, Millenáris Sporttelep, Budapest	Fr 2
		8 June 1909	8-2 vs. Hungary, Millenáris Sporttelep, Budapest	Fr 4
		10 June 1909	8-1 vs. Austria, Hohe Warte Stadion, Wien	Fr 3
		13 March 1911	3-0 vs. Wales, The Den, Millwall, London	BC 2

England's Goalscoring Captains 1919-39
Capt No.	Player Club	Goalscoring Date	Result - Opponent - Venue	Cmp/ Goals
38	Charlie Buchan Sunderland	10 May 1923	4-1 vs. France, Stade Pershing, Paris	Fr 1
55	David Jack Arsenal	5 April 1930	5-2 vs. Scotland, Empire Stadium, Wembley, London	BC 1
55	David Jack Arsenal	10 May 1930	3-3 vs. Germany, Grunewald Stadion, Berlin	Fr 1

England's Goalscoring Captains 1946-2012
Capt No.	Player Club	Goalscoring Date	Result - Opponent - Venue	Cmp/ Goals
66	Billy Wright Wolverhampton Wanderers	22 May 1949	3-1 vs. France, Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes, Paris	Fr 1
		30 November 1949	2-0 vs. Italy, White Hart Lane, Tottenham, London	Fr 1
		7 October 1950	4-1 vs. Ireland, Windsor Park, Belfast	BC 1
69	Johnny Haynes Fulham	19 October 1960	9-0 vs. Luxembourg, Stade Municipal, Stad Lëtzebuerg	WCP 1
		23 November 1960	5-1 vs. Wales, Empire Stadium, Wembley, London	BC 1
		15 April 1961	9-3 vs. Scotland, Empire Stadium, Wembley, London	BC 1
71	Bobby Moore West Ham United	5 January 1966	1-1 vs. Poland, Goodison Park, Liverpool	Fr 1
71	Bobby Moore West Ham United	29 June 1966	6-1 vs. Norway, Ullevål Stadion, Oslo	Fr 1
73	Bobby Charlton Manchester United	21 April 1970	3-1 vs. Northern Ireland, Empire Stadium, Wembley, London	BC 1
79	Gerry Francis QPR	11 May 1976	4-0 vs. Northern Ireland, Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London	BC 1
81	Mick Channon Southampton	28 May 1976	3-2 vs. Italy, Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York City, USA	TC 2
80	Kevin Keegan Liverpool	30 March 1977	5-0 vs. Luxembourg, Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London	WCP 1
81	Mick Channon Southampton	28 May 1977	2-1 vs. Northern Ireland, Windsor Park, Belfast	BC 1
80	Kevin Keegan Hamburger	19 April 1978	1-1 vs. Brazil, Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London	Fr 1
		26 May 1979	3-1 vs. Scotland, Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London	BC 1
		13 June 1979	3-4 vs. Austria, Praterstadion, Wien	Fr 1
		12 September 1979	1-0 vs. Denmark, Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London	ECP 1
		6 February 1980	2-0 vs. Republic of Ireland, Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London	ECP 2
		13 May 1980	3-1 vs. Argentina, Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London	Fr 1
	Kevin Keegan Southampton	6 June 1981	3-1 vs. Hungary, Népstadion, Budapest	WCP 1
	Kevin Keegan Southampton	23 February 1982	4-0 vs. Northern Ireland, Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London	BC 1
90	Bryan Robson Manchester United	1 June 1983	2-0 vs. Scotland, Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London	BC 1
		16 November 1983	4-0 vs. Luxembourg, Stade Municipal, Stad Lêtzebuerg	ECP 2
		12 September 1984	1-0 vs. GDR, Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London	Fr 1
		17 October 1984	5-0 vs. Finland, Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London	WCP 1
		14 November 1984	8-0 vs. Turkey, Inönü Stadyumu İstanbul	WCP 3
89	Ray Wilkins Manchester United	27 February 1985	1-0 vs. Northern Ireland, Windsor Park, Belfast	WCP 1
90	Bryan Robson Manchester United	12 June 1985	3-0 vs. West Germany, Estadio Azteca, Santa Úrsula, ciudad de México, Mexico	TC 1
		16 October 1985	5-0 vs. Turkey, Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London	WCP 1
		26 February 1986	2-1 vs. Israel, Ramat-Gan Stadium, Tel Aviv	Fr 2
		1 April 1987	2-0 vs. Northern Ireland, Windsor Park, Belfast	ECP 1
		14 October 1987	8-0 vs. Turkey, Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London	ECP 1
		11 November 1987	4-1 vs. Yugoslavia, Stadion JNA, Beograde	ECP 1
		15 June 1988	1-3 vs. Netherlands, Rheinstadion, Düsseldorf, West Germany	ECF 1
		8 February 1989	2-1 vs. Greece, Olympiakó Stádio Spiros Louis, Athína	Fr 1
		8 March 1989	2-0 vs. Albania, Stadiumi Kombetar Qemal Stafa, Tiranë	WCP 1
		13 December 1989	2-1 vs. Yugoslavia, Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London	Fr 2
93	Gary Lineker Tottenham Hotspur	12 September 1990	1-0 vs. Hungary, Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London	Fr 1
		17 October 1990	2-0 vs. Poland, Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London	ECP 1
		25 May 1991	2-2 vs. Argentina, Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London	Fr 1
		3 June 1991	1-0 vs. New Zealand, Mount Smart Stadium, Penrose, Auckland	Fr 1
95	Stuart Pearce Nottingham Forest	8 June 1991	2-0 vs. New Zealand, Athletic Park, Wellington	Fr 1
93	Gary Lineker Tottenham Hotspur	12 June 1991	4-2 vs. Malaysia, Stadium Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur	Fr 4
		13 November 1991	1-1 vs. Poland, Stadion Lecha, Poznań	ECP 1
		29 April 1992	2-2 vs. CIS, Central V.I. Lenin Stadium, Moskva	Fr 1
95	Stuart Pearce Nottingham Forest	18 November 1992	4-0 vs. Turkey, Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London	WCP 1
96	David Platt Juventus	17 February 1993	6-0 vs. San Marino, Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London	WCP 4
		31 March 1993	2-0 vs. Turkey, Atatürk Stadyumu, İzmir	WCP 1
		28 April 1993	2-2 vs. Netherlands, Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London	WCP 1
	David Platt Sampdoria	16 November 1994	1-0 vs. Nigeria, Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London	Fr 1
		3 June 1995	2-1 vs. Japan, Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London	TC 1
		8 June 1995	3-3 vs. Sweden, Elland Road, Leeds	TC 1
	David Platt Arsenal	18 May 1996	3-0 vs. Hungary, Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London	Fr 1
99	Alan Shearer Newcastle United	1 September 1996	3-0 vs. Moldova, Stadionul Republican, Chişinău	WCP 1
		9 October 1996	2-1 vs. Poland, Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London	WCP 2
		30 April 1997	2-0 vs. Georgia, Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London	WCP 1
		31 May 1997	2-0 vs. Poland, Stadion Śląski, Chorzów	WCP 1
		7 June 1997	1-0 vs. France, Stade de la Mosson, Montpellier	TC 1
		22 April 1998	3-0 vs. Portugal, Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London	Fr 2
		15 June 1998	2-0 vs. Tunisia, Le Stade Vélodrome, Marseille, France	WCF 1
		30 June 1998	2-2 vs. Argentina, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne, France	WCF 1
		5 September 1998	1-2 vs. Sweden, Råsunda Fotbollstadion, Solna kommun, Stockholms län	ECP 1
		14 October 1998	3-0 vs. Luxembourg, Stade Josy Barthel, Stad Lëtzebuerg	ECP 1
		28 April 1999	1-1 vs. Hungary, Népstadion, Budapest	Fr 1
		9 June 1999	1-1 vs. Bulgaria, Stadion Balgarska Armia, Sofiya	ECP 1
		4 September 1999	6-0 vs. Luxembourg, Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London	ECP 3
		10 October 1999	2-1 vs. Belgium, Stadium of Light, Sunderland	Fr 1
		17 June 2000	0-1 vs. Germany, Stade Communal, Charleroi, Belgium	ECF 1
		20 June 2000	2-3 vs. Romania, Stade Communal, Charleroi, Belgium	ECF 1
103	David Beckham Manchester United	24 March 2001	2-1 vs. Finland, Anfield Road, Liverpool	WCP 1
		25 May 2001	4-0 vs. Mexico, Pride Park, Derby	Fr 1
		6 June 2001	2-0 vs. Greece, Olympiakó Stádio Spiros Louis, Athína	WCP 1
		6 October 2001	2-2 vs. Greece, Old Trafford, Manchester	WCP 1
		10 November 2001	1-1 vs. Sweden, Old Trafford, Manchester	Fr 1
104	Michael Owen Liverpool	17 April 2002	4-0 vs. Paraguay, Anfield Road, Liverpool	Fr 1
104	Michael Owen Liverpool	21 May 2002	1-1 vs. Korea Republic, Jeju World Cup Stadium, Seogwipo-si	Fr 1
103	David Beckham Manchester United	7 June 2002	1-0 vs. Argentina, Sapporo Dōmu, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo-shi, Japan	WCF 1
		12 October 2002	2-1 vs. Slovakia, Štadión Tehelné pole, Bratislava	ECP 1
		16 October 2002	2-2 vs. FYR Macedonia, The Friends Provident St Mary's Stadium, Southampton	ECP 1
		29 March 2003	2-0 vs. Liechtenstein, Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz	ECP 1
		2 April 2003	2-0 vs. Turkey, Stadium of Light, Sunderland	ECP 1
104	Michael Owen Liverpool	11 June 2003	2-1 vs. Slovakia, The Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough	ECP 2
103	David Beckham Real Madrid	20 August 2003	3-1 vs. Croatia, Portman Road, Ipswich	Fr 1
		6 September 2003	2-1 vs. FYR Macedonia, Gradski Stadion, Skopje	ECP 1
		18 August 2004	3-0 vs. Ukraine, St James' Park, Newcastle-upon-Tyne	Fr 1
		9 October 2004	2-0 vs. Wales, Old Trafford, Manchester	WCP 1
104	Michael Owen Real Madrid	13 October 2004	1-0 vs. Azerbaijan, Tofig Bakhramov Stadium, Baku	WCP 1
103	David Beckham Real Madrid	30 March 2005	2-0 vs. Azerbaijan, St James' Park, Newcastle-upon-Tyne	WCP 1
104	Michael Owen Newcastle United	12 October 2005	2-1 vs. Poland, Old Trafford, Manchester	WCP 1
103	David Beckham Real Madrid	25 June 2006	1-0 vs. Ecuador, Gottlieb Daimler Stadion, Stuttgart, Germany	WCF 1
106	John Terry Chelsea	16 August 2006	4-0 vs. Greece, Old Trafford, Manchester	Fr 1
		1 June 2007	1-1 vs. Brazil, The National Stadium, Wembley, London	Fr 1
		28 May 2008	2-0 vs. USA, The National Stadium, Wembley, London	Fr 1
107	Rio Ferdinand Manchester United	11 October 2008	5-1 vs. Kazakhstan, The National Stadium, Wembley, London	WCP 1
106	John Terry Chelsea	19 November 2008	2-1 vs. Germany, Olympiastadion, Berlin	Fr 1
106	John Terry Chelsea	1 April 2009	2-1 vs. Ukraine, The National Stadium, Wembley, London	WCP 1
105	Steven Gerrard Liverpool	12 June 2010	1-1 vs. USA, Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg	WCF 1
105	Steven Gerrard Liverpool	11 August 2010	2-1 vs. Hungary, The National Stadium, Wembley, London	Fr 2
109	Frank Lampard Chelsea	12 November 2011	1-0 vs. Spain, The National Stadium, Wembley, London	Fr 1
108	Wayne Rooney Manchester United	12 October 2012	5-0 vs. San Marino, The National Stadium, Wembley, London	WCP 2
109	Frank Lampard Chelsea	22 March 2013	8-0 vs. San Marino, Stadio Olimpico, Serravalle	WCP 1

England's Top Goalscoring Captains since 1872
23	Vivian Woodward
20	Bryan Robson, Alan Shearer
16	David Beckham
10	Gary Lineker, Kevin Keegan, David Platt
8	GO Smith (8 possibly 6, see notes)
6	Michael Owen
5	John Terry
4	Johnny Haynes, Tinsley Lindley
3	Mick Channon, Steven Gerrard, Billy Wright
2	John Goodall, David Jack, Frank Lampard, Bobby Moore, Stuart Pearce, Wayne Rooney, Francis Sparks
1	Charles Alcock, Norman Bailey, Charlie Bambridge, Jack Brodie, Charlie Buchan, Bobby Charlton, Arthur Cursham, Rio Ferdinand, Gerry Francis, Cunliffe Gosling (1 possibly 0, see notes), Stanley Harris, Ernest Needham, Ray Wilkins

Trivia: Of the 661 British Championship goals, England Captain's were responsible for scoring 31 of them, possibly even as much as 34 goals, depending on the source.