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Bob
Crompton |
Blackburn Rovers FC
41 appearances, 0 goals, 1 own goal
P 41 W 27 D 8 L 6 F
115:
A 39
76% successful
1901-14
captain: 21
minutes played: 3690 |
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 |
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Timeline |
| |
Robert Crompton |
|
Birth |
Friday, 26 September 1879
at 1 Harwood Street, Blackburn, Lancashire |
|
|
registered in Blackburn October-December 1879 |
|
Baptism |
Friday, 24 October 1879
at St. Mary the Virgin Church, Blackburn, by W. Scholes |
|
Education |
Moss Street Boarding
School and Moss Street Higher School. |
|
|
According to the 1881 census,
Robert is the third child of four sons to Robert and Alice (née Utley),
living at 1 Harwood Street. His father is licensed victualler. |
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|
According to the 1891 census,
Robert is still one of four children, and with their parents living at 148
Harwood Street, which is the Rose & Thistle Inn. Robert is an assistant
farmer. |
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|
According to the 1901 census,
Robert is now a plumber, still living at the Rose & Throstle Inn, with his
parents and his older brother and his wife and son. |
|
Marriage |
to Ada Ingham,
on Saturday, 27 July 1901, at St. John's Church
in Blackburn, Lancashire. A plumber, living at The Queen's Hotel in
Audley Range. |
|
"MOTOR CAR TRAGEDIES |
...Bob Crompton, the famous full back, and captain of Blackburn Rovers,
was married on Saturday to Miss Ada Ingham." - The
Yorkshire Evening Post, Monday, 29 July 1901 |
|
|
registered in Blackburn July-September 1901 |
|
Children |
Bob and Ada Crompton had five children together, Harry (b.9 March 1902),
Robert Ingham (b.21
October 1902), Thomas
(b.spring 1905), Alice
(b.13 January 1907), Wilfred (b.1 April 1908). |
|
"MOTOR CAR TRAGEDIES |
...Bob Crompton
had an unfortunate experience at Preston early yesterday morning. Whilst
motoring from Workington to Blackburn the steering gear of the car went
wrong in New Hall-lane. The car dashed into a lamp-post with such impact
that the post was completely torn off and the motor was wrecked.
Fortunately both of the occupants were not seriously injured, though
bruised and badly shaken, and they were able to walk home to Blackburn,
ten miles away." - The Umpire, Sunday, 24 June 1906 |
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|
Their third
child, Thomas, died on 25 September 1905, he was less that six months old.
According to the 1911 census,
Robert is a publican and is married to Ada with four children, Harry,
Robert, Alice, Wilfred (another child had died). They live at 185 Audley Range
in Blackburn.
His father died in the 1914 autumn. |
|
|
His mother died in early 1920.
According to the 1921 census,
Robert, now a self-employed motor engineer (for Crompton & Davis Motor
Engineers Ltd), is still married, and with his four children, they live at
12 Shear Brow in Blackburn. |
|
"DEATHS |
...Harry Crompton (25), a son or Mr. Robert Crompton, the ex-international
footballer and England captain, was found gassed at his home in Blackburn.
He had been in ill-health for years. His father was away at the time, and
the tragedy was discovered by his sister." - The
Aberdeen Journal, Saturday, 1
October 1927 |
|
|
According to the 1939 register, Robert remains married
to Ada living at 193 Holmfield Road, Blackpool. He is a football club
manager. |
|
Death |
Saturday, 15 March 1941 at 24
Eldon Road, Blackburn,
Lancashire |
|
aged
61 years 170 days |
registered in Blackburn January-March 1941 |
|
Obituary |
"Blackburn Chief Dies After Match
"AFTER watching his side win a North
regional match on Saturday afternoon, Mr. 'Bob' Crompton, the Blackburn
Rovers manager, collapsed and died immediately. Bob Crompton, 61 years of
age, was one of the greatest figures in Association Football in the last
generation. Crompton first played for the Rovers in 1896 and finished as a
player after two games following the last war. Subsequently he served the
club as a director and in recent years as manager.
"In his outstanding
playing career he gained more international caps than any other
footballer, and won every honour the game could give except the
Cup-winners' medal, but he was in charge of the Blackburn Rovers' team
which won the cup at Wembley in 1928. For many years he was captain of the
England team, and was the first professional footballer to lead an English
international side on which amateurs played." -
Daily Herald, Monday, 17 March 1941
"Death
of Bob Crompton, Great England Full-Back.
"BOB
CROMPTON, one of the greatest full-backs who ever kicked a ball for
England, passed away suddenly at his
home in Blackburn on Saturday night at the age of 61, just after watching
the League game between the Rovers and Burnley. Bob, of stalwart build and
ruddy complexion, served the Rovers from 1896 onwards as player, director
and, at the last, manager. He was England's right-back on 34 occasions, a
record number, and gained every football honour open to him except an F.A.
Cup-winners' medal. Although big, Bob was scrupulously fair and as good a
kicker of the ball as I have seen."
- Charlie Buchan, The Daily News, Monday, 17 March 1941
"SUDDEN DEATH OF A ONCE GREAT PLAYER.
"ASSOCIATION
FOOTBALL lost one of the game's outstanding figures by the sudden death,
on Saturday evening, of Mr. Robert Crompton, of 193, Holmfield-road,
Blackpool. He watched the Blackburn Rovers-Burnley match at Ewood Park,
and died after he had had tea at a home of a friend. As player, manager
and director, he was connected with the club of his native town for over
30 years. During bleak seasons he was the inspiration of the eleven, and
his reward came when the Rovers won the League Championship twice in three
years. He held the English record with 34 'caps,' taking part in 12 games
each against Scotland and Wales and 10 against Ireland. He also appeared
in many Inter-League and other representative matches. He was the first
professional to captain an all-England team of amateurs. He began his
career as an international in 1902 and on attaining his 25th international
appearance in 1911, the F.A. marked the occasion by presenting him with a
life-sized portrait. He had three benefit matches, and one of his sons,
Wilfred also figured in the Ewood eleven."
- The Lancashire Daily Post, Monday, 17 March 1941 |
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Funeral |
Tuesday, 18 March 1941 |
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Probate |
"CROMPTON
Robert of 193 Holmfield-road
Blackpool died 15
March 1941 at 24 Eldon-road Blackburn Probate
Lancaster 24 July to
Ada Crompton widow.
Effects £8871 6s. 7d."
[2024 equivalent: £376,202]. |
|
|
Ada Crompton died on 18 November 1952 in
Blackpool |
|
Source |
 Douglas Lammings' An
English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] & |
|
Biographies |
Rovers Till I Die: The Story of Bob Crompton, Blackburn's Most
Famous Son - Harry Berry (Pitch Publishing Ltd, 13 February 2023) |
|
Playing Career |
Club(s) |
Played schoolboy football
in Blackburn and played with Trinity FC, a Sunday School League team. He
signed for Blackburn Rovers FC initially as a centre half-back on 29
September 1896 and eventually moved to left-back and remained with them
beyond his retirement. This is despite him turning down a contract that
consisted of the maximum wage—£4pw—in order to join Everton FC in May 1901. |
|
"BOB CROMPTON TO RETIRE |
...The
football world was glad to see a fortnight ago that Bob Crompton had
returned to help the Blackburn Rovers Club; but that joy will turn to
regret when they learn that Bob Crompton has determined not to play again.
Business is the cause of the decision." - Manchester Evening
News, Saturday, 24 November 1917. |
|
"BOB CROMPTON RETIRING |
...Robert
Crompton is retiring from the game [after] missing from the Blackburn
Rovers' retained list." - Sheffield Daily Telegraph,
Saturday, 8 May 1920. |
League honours
530 appearances |
Blackburn Rovers
1897-1920 530 appearances, fourteen goals
debut: 10 April 1897 Stoke FC 1 Blackburn Rovers FC 0.
last: 23
February 1920 Bradford FC 5 Blackburn Rovers FC 2. |
|
Club honours |
Football League
fourth place 1901-02 (31ᵃ), 1908-09 (31ᵃ 1ᵍ), third
place 1909-10 (25ᵃ), 1914-15 (34ᵃ 4ᵍ); Champions 1911-12 (33ᵃ), 1913-14(33ᵃ);
FA Cup semi-finalists 1910-11 (6ᵃ), 1911-12 (7ᵃ); |
|
Individual honours |
Football League
(seventeen appearances) |
|
Distinctions |
Father of Wilf Crompton (Blackburn Rovers FC, Burnley FC, Gillingham FC
& Luton Town FC 1929-36);
Brother-in-law to Sam McClure (Workington FC & Blackburn
Rovers FC) |
|
Height/Weight |
5' 9½", 12st 4lbs [1902]. 5'
10½", 13st.
10lbs [1907]. |
|
Source |
Douglas Lammings' An English
Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990]. |
|
Management
Career |
Club(s)
P 252 - W 110 - D 50 - L 92.
|
Became a club
director from 22 June 1921, granted FA approval a month later, until 1931, during which time he acted as
an honorary team manager between December 1926 and his resignation on 17 February 1931. |
"Blackburn Rovers' directors will to-day consider an astonishing round
robin from sixteen players, who allege a unhappy relationship existing
between them and Mr. Bob Crompton. The grievances mainly concern the style
of play which Mr. Crompton has encouraged. He has relinquished his duties
until a decision is reached." - Daily Mirror, Tuesday, 17
February 1931
"Sensational
results were forthcoming at the annual meeting of Blackburn Rovers which
was held last night. Three of the five retiring directors failed to secure
re-election. These were Mr Crompton, the famous ex-international fullback,
Mr. J. Eddleston, J.P., who had been ten years vice-president; and Mr
Cotton." - Dundee Evening Telegraph, Friday, 20 March 1931 |
| He appeared again in
the 'short-list' for the vacant management position at Manchester United
FC in February 1934. Unsuccessful, he returned with Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic FC from
19 June
1935 until his resignation on 4 February 1936. Having been brought in in an
honorary caretaker capacity on 30 March 1938,
he was appointed team
manager of Blackburn Rovers FC on 25 May, until his death in 1941. |
|
Club honours |
FA Cup winners
1927-28;
Football League Division Two winners
1938-39;
Football League War Cup
runners-up 1939-40; |
|
England Career |
|
Player number |
One of five who
became the 270th player (271) to appear
for England. |
|
Position(s) |
Right-back |
|
First match |
No. 74, 3 March 1902, Wales 0 England 0,
a British Championship match
at
The
Racecourse, Mold Road, Wrexham, aged
22 years
158 days. |
Last match
12 years 32 days
(new record) |
No. 119,
4 April 1914,
Scotland
3 England 1,
a British Championship match
at
Hampden Park, Mount Florida, Glasgow, aged
34 years 190 days. captain. |
|
Major tournaments |
British Championship 1901-02,
1902-03, 1903-04, 1905-06, 1906-07, 1907-08, 1908-09, 1909-10, 1910-11,
1911-12, 1912-13, 1913-14; |
|
Team honours |
British Championship shared
1902-03, 1905-06, 1907-08, 1911-12, winners 1903-04, 1908-09,
1910-11, 1912-13; |
|
Individual honours |
The Professionals
(one appearance, September 1901)
Record appearance
holder from his 23rd appearance in 1909 until 1952, when Billy Wright
overtook his appearance tally. |
|
Distinctions |
Unbeaten in his first
four appearances.
For the occasion of
becoming the first England player to make 25 Home International
appearances, the FA, on 15 June 1911,
Crompton was awarded an enlarged gold-framed
photograph....of himself!
Has been the most appearanced Englishman at Blackburn Rovers FC since 1907. |
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Beyond England |
|
A plumber by trade, and later
involved, alongside Tinker Davies, Wales International, in the motor
business, owning a garage in Blackburn. -
An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who.
Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.79/80. |
|
The Numbers |
| parties |
Appearances |
comp. apps |
minutes |
 |
captain |
|
42 |
41 |
34 |
3690 |
0 |
21 |
|
The minutes here given
can only ever be a guideline and cannot therefore be accurate, only an
approximation. |
|
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS
|
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
41 |
27 |
8 |
6 |
115 |
39 |
+76 |
3 |
16 |
2.805 |
0.951 |
75.6 |
+19 |
Venue Record
|
Venue |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS
|
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
Home |
15 |
9 |
4 |
2 |
27 |
15 |
+12 |
1 |
6 |
1.80 |
1.00 |
73.3 |
+7 |
|
Away |
26 |
18 |
4 |
4 |
88 |
24 |
+64 |
2 |
10 |
3.385 |
0.923 |
76.9 |
+14 |
Captain Record
|
Venue |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS
|
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
Home |
10 |
5 |
3 |
2 |
14 |
12 |
+2 |
1 |
3 |
1.40 |
1.20 |
65.0 |
+3 |
|
Away |
11 |
6 |
2 |
3 |
20 |
12 |
+8 |
1 |
4 |
1.818 |
1.091 |
63.6 |
+3 |
|
21 |
11 |
5 |
5 |
34 |
24 |
+10 |
2 |
7 |
1.619 |
1.143 |
64.3 |
+6 |
Competition Record
|
Competition |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
British Championship |
34 |
20 |
8 |
6 |
67 |
32 |
+35 |
3 |
14 |
1.971 |
0.941 |
70.6 |
+14 |
| Friendly |
7 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
48 |
7 |
+41 |
0 |
2 |
6.857 |
1.00 |
100.0 |
+7 |
Tournament Record
|
British Championship Competition |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
BC
1901-02 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
+1 |
1 |
2 |
1.00 |
0.667 |
66.7 |
+1 |
|
BC
1902-03 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
=0 |
0 |
0 |
1.50 |
1.50 |
50.0 |
=0 |
|
BC
1903-04 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
3 |
+3 |
0 |
1 |
2.00 |
1.00 |
83.3 |
+2 |
|
BC
1905-06 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
7 |
2 |
+5 |
0 |
2 |
2.333 |
0.667 |
66.7 |
+1 |
|
BC
1906-07 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
+1 |
0 |
1 |
1.00 |
0.667 |
66.7 |
+1 |
|
BC
1907-08 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
11 |
3 |
+8 |
0 |
0 |
2.667 |
1.00 |
83.3 |
+2 |
|
BC
1908-09 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
0 |
+8 |
0 |
3 |
2.667 |
0.00 |
100.0 |
+3 |
|
BC
1909-10 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
=0 |
1 |
1 |
1.00 |
1.00 |
50.0 |
=0 |
|
BC 1910-11 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
2 |
+4 |
0 |
1 |
2.00 |
0.667 |
83.3 |
+2 |
|
BC 1911-12 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
9 |
2 |
+7 |
0 |
1 |
3.00 |
0.667 |
83.3 |
+2 |
|
BC 1912-13 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
5 |
+1 |
0 |
1 |
2.00 |
1.667 |
66.7 |
+1 |
|
BC 1913-14 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
6 |
-3 |
1 |
1 |
1.00 |
2.00 |
33.3 |
-1 |
|
BC All |
34 |
20 |
8 |
6 |
67 |
32 |
+35 |
3 |
14 |
1.971 |
0.941 |
70.6 |
+14 |
|
All Competition |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
BC |
34 |
20 |
8 |
6 |
67 |
32 |
+35 |
3 |
14 |
1.971 |
0.941 |
70.6 |
+14 |
|
34 |
20 |
8 |
6 |
67 |
32 |
+35 |
3 |
14 |
1.971 |
0.941 |
70.6 |
+14 |
Match History
|
apps |
match |
match details |
comp |
res. |
rundown |
pos |
|
"Bob Crompton is the possessor of the 'Olympic' football which
was actually used in the International match (England v. Wales) played
at New Cross. Crompton has kindly lent his memento of a memorable match
to Messrs. Willis and Co., Oldham, who are exhibiting it in their
windows" - The Athletic News, Monday, 31 July 1911 |
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