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20 October 2022
 
 

George Holden

Wednesbury Old Athletic FC

 4 appearances, 1 goal

P 4 W 2 D 0 L 2 F 13: A 8
50% successful
1881-84

captain: none
minutes played: 360

Timeline
Other than his playing days, there are limited reports on Holden in the newspapers. George Henry Holden
Birth Thursday, 6 October 1859 in Dartmouth Street, West Bromwich, Staffordshire
registered in West Bromwich January-March 1860
 

According to the 1861 census, George is the youngest of four, all sons, to Richard and Mercy (née Thomas). His father is a forgeman and they live at Dartmouth Street in West Bromwich.

 

According to the 1871 census, George, still the youngest, lives with two older brothers, Richard and John, and his parents, and one servant, at Holyhead Road in Wednesbury. His father is an iron roller.
 

According to the 1881 census, George and John remain with their parents at 2 Portway Road in Wednesbury. His father and older brother are Iron workers. George himself is an axle turner.
(His mother died at the end of 1885 and his father three years later)
 

According to the 1891 census, George H. and John have moved on and are now boarding with Frederick and Emma Roberts at 128 West Gate in Rotherham. George remains an axle turner.

Marriage to a Margaret S., sometime in 1899.
no registration found
Children George and Margaret had one son together. George Henry (b.1900)
 

According to the 1901 census, G.H. is now married to Magt (Margaret) and they have one son, G.H. (George Henry). George is a wood turner and they live at 157 College Road in Aston.
 

According to the 1911 census, George remains married with his one son. He is an axle-turner on the railways. They live at 149 Hob Moor Road in Aston.
 

According to the 1921 census, George Henry remains married to Margaret and still with his one son. He is an out of work axle-turner on the railways (last employed by the Midland Railway Company). They live at 10 Victoria Road in Stechford.
Death Doug Lamming states sometime in the 1920's, but evidence is to the contrary.  He was definitely alive and possibly well, living with his son in Openshaw in January 1941.
"A letter came to me a few days ago from an old football friend who recently moved from Birmingham to Stockport. As a youth he attended regularly the matches of Aston Villa, St. George, Aston Unity, and Excelsior, and can recall many stirring games at The Basin in Fentham Road, as the St. George's ground was called, and elsewhere. In this letter he said: 'I met a Wednesbury man here this week, and he told me that George Holden, of Wednesbury Old Athletic, is alive and is living with a son at Openshaw near here." - The Birmingham Mail, Saturday, 11 January 1941.

Playing Career
Club(s) Attended St. John's School in Wednesbury. Began his career with Old Park FC in Wednesbury in 1876 and joined Wednesbury St. James FC in 1877, and from there, Holden joined Wednesbury Old Athletic FC in 1878, and then onto West Bromwich Albion FC in May 1886. He rejoined Wednesbury Old Athletic FC for a final time between 1887 and 1888, before finishing with Derby Midland FC from the end of September 1888;
Club honours None
Individual honours Birmingham FA & Staffordshire FA
Height/Weight not known

Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990].

England Career
Player number One of two who became the 88th players (88) to appear for England.
Position(s) Outside-right;
First match No. 13, 12 March 1881, England 1 Scotland 6, a friendly match at The Surrey Cricket Ground, The Oval, Kennington, London, aged 21 years 157 days.
Last match No. 22, 17 March 1884, Wales 0 England 4, a British Championship match at The  Racecourse, Mold Road, Wrexham, aged 24 years 163 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1883-84;
Individual Honours England trial (one appearance, March 1881)
The North (one appearance, January 1883, withdrew in January 1884)

Beyond England
An axle-turner by trade, George appears to have carried on his trade on the railways in Birmingham area. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.134./FindMyPast.com


The Numbers
parties Apps withdrew comp. apps minutes Goals ave.min comp. goals captain
5 4 one 3 360 1 360 min 1 none
minutes are approximation, due to the fact that many matches rarely stuck to exactly ninety minutes long, allowing time for injuries and errors.
P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
4 2 0 2 13 8 +5 1 1 3.25 2 50 =0

Match Record

Venue & Competition P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Home venue
 Friendly match		 1 0 0 1 1 6 -5 0 0 1.00 6.00 0.00 -1
Away venue
 British Championship		 3 2 0 1 12 2 +10 1 1 4.00 0.667 66.7 +1

Tournament Record

British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1883-84 3 2 0 1 12 2 +10 1 1 4.00 0.667 66.7 +1
BC All 3 2 0 1 12 2 +10 1 1 4.00 0.667 66.7 +1

All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 3 2 0 1 12 2 +10 1 1 4.00 0.667 66.7 +1
3 2 0 1 12 2 +10 1 1 4 0.667 66.7 +1

Match History

 Club: Wednesbury Old Athletic F.C. - four full appearances (360 min) 1ᵍ F.A. Committee (Charles Alcock) - four full appearances (360 min) 1ᵍ

Age 21 trial  
one appearance - Birmingham & District vs. England, 5 March 1881

apps match match details comp res rundown pos

1 13 12 March 1881 - England 1 Scotland 6
The Surrey Cricket Ground, Kennington		 Fr HL   or

one of two who became the 88th (88) players to appear for England
the only player from Wednesbury Old Athletic to represent England

Age 22
14 18 February 1882 - Ireland 0 England 13, Knock Ground, Belfast Fr AW withdrew injured
   

Age 23 trial  
one appearance - The North vs. The South, January 1883.
Age 24    
withdrew - The South vs. The North, January 1884.

2 20 23 February 1884 - Ireland 1 England 8
Ulster Cricket Ground, Belfast		 BC AW 2nd half (7th) or
3 21 15 March 1884 - Scotland 1 England 0
Cathkin Park, Glasgow		 BC AL   or
4 22 17 March 1884 - Wales 0 England 4
The Racecourse, Wrexham		 AW or
   


   

 
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