|
Bobby
McNeal |
West Bromwich
Albion FC
2 appearances, 0 goals
P 2 W 1 D
0 L 1 F 3: A 3
50% successful
1914
captain: none
minutes played: 180 |
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Timeline |
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Robert McNeal |
|
Birth |
Thursday, 15 January 1891 at 11 Hobson
Colliery in Hobson, County Durham |
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registered in Lanchester January-March 1891 |
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Baptism |
Sunday, 15 February 1891 in Burnopfield |
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According to the
1891 census, Three-month old Robert is the only child of John and Hannah
Elizabeth (née) Bell. They live with her widowed mother, Elizabeth Bell, at an
unnamed street in Hobson. His father is a coal miner. |
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|
According to the 1901
census, Robert is the eldest of three children now living at 9 Bowes
Street in Burnopfield Colliery. His father is still working in the coal
mines. |
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|
According to the 1911
census, Robert is now a professional footballer boarding with the Rhodes
family at 23 Alfred Street in West Bromwich. He is one of three Albion
footballers, alongside Bob Pailor and John Marshall. |
|
Marriage |
to Emily Elizabeth Howell, on
Tuesday afternoon, 25 February 1913, at Christ Church in West Bromwich,
Staffordshire, living at 33 High Street in Smethwick |
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registered in West Bromwich January-March 1913 |
"R.
MCNEAL
MARRIED.
"Yesterday afternoon R.
McNeal, the famous left half-back of West Bromwich Albion was married at
Christ Church, West Bromwich, to Miss Lizzie Howell, of West Bromwich.
McNeal and his bride drove to church in a motor-car, and although the
wedding was a very quiet one the Albion players mustered in strong force
to witness the ceremony."
- Daily News, Wednesday,
26 February 1913 |
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Children |
Bobby and Lizzie McNeal have at least two
daughters together. Rita Marion (b.1914) and Jeanne Lily (b.5
August 1921). |
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|
According to the
1921 census, Robert, a professional footballer (for West Bromwich Albion
FC), is now married to Emily Elizabeth and they have one daughter, Rita. They live at 115 Brompton Lane in West Bromwich. |
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"DEATHS. |
McNEAL.—Hobson Colliery, 12, Mason
Terrace, 4th inst., aged 58 years, John, husband of Hannah Elizabeth
McNeal." -
The Consett Guardian,
Friday, 11 December 1925 |
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According to the 1939 register, Robert, a beer house keeper and manager,
and Emily E. are still married, living at 15 Dudley Street in West
Bromwich, along with their daughter, Jeanne.
Their daughter, Rita,
died at the end of 1940. His mother died in the spring of 1953. |
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Death |
Tuesday, 15 May 1956 at his home at 2 Dagger Lane in West Bromwich,
Staffordshire, of congestive cardiac failure, hypertension and
arteriosclerosis. |
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aged
65 years 121 days |
registered in West Bromwich April-June 1956 |
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Obituary |
"Mr. Robert
McNeal
"Former West Bromwich
Albion and England wing half-back, Mr. Robert (Bobby) McNeal, of 2, Dagger
Lane, West Bromwich, died yesterday aged 65. He leaves a widow.
"Born
in Durham, Mr. McNeal was with Albion from about 1910 until 1925, playing
mainly at left half-back. He was a regular member of the side which won
the championship of the Second Division in 1910-11 and appeared in the
team which was defeated 1-0 by Barnsley in the Cup Final the following
season. He was capped in 1914, playing against both Scotland and Wales. He
was a member of the Albion team which established a record in season
1919-20 by winning the First Division championship with 104 goals and 60
points. It was also the first time that the club has won the championship.
Mr. McNeal maintained his interest in Albion and attended matches at The
Hawthorns last season..." - |
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Funeral |
Saturday, 20 May 1956 at All Saints' Church, and then Perry Barr
Crematorium.
"...Players are to attend
the funeral at All Saints', Saturday, which is to be followed by cremation
at Perry Barr." - The
Birmingham Post, Wednesday, 16 May 1956 |
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His wife, Lizzie, died in Great Barr, 19 June 1978 |
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Source |
 Douglas Lammings' An
English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] & |
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Playing Career |
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Club(s) |
Played for Hobson
Wanderers FC (Chester-le-Street League) for two and a half seasons, during
which time he signed amateur froms with West Stanley FC, but never played
for them. He was picked up by West Bromwich Albion FC for a month's trial,
and then signed in June
1910. He guested for Everton FC in 1915-16. then Port Vale FC from 1916 and Middlesbrough FC during the war
period. Eventually retired through injury in May 1926. |
League honours
370 appearances, 9 goals |
West Bromwich Albion FC 1910-24 370 appearances,
nine
goals
debut (division two): 8 October 1910 West Bromwich Albion FC 2
Leeds City AFC 0.
last:
27 December 1924 Notts County FC 0 West Bromwich Albion FC 2. |
Club honours |
Football League
Division Two winners 1910-11 (29ᵃ 1ᵍ);
Division One Champions
1919-20 (42ᵃ 2ᵍ), runners-up
1924-25 (12ᵃ);
FA Cup
runners-up 1911-12 (8ᵃ);
FA Charity Shield winners
1920; |
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Individual honours |
Football League
(five appearances) |
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Distinctions |
None |
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Height/Weight |
5'
6", 10st.
10lbs [1912]. 5' 6½" [1913]. |
|
Source |
Douglas Lammings' An English
Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990]. |
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England Career |
|
Player number |
One of three who became the 379th
players (380) to appear for England. |
|
Position(s) |
Left-half |
|
First match |
No. 118, 16 March 1914, Wales 0 England 2, a British Championship
match at Ninian Park, Sloper Road, Cardiff, aged
23 years
60 days. |
Last match
19 days |
No. 119,
4 April 1914, Scotland 3 England 1, a British
Championship match at Hampden Park,
Mount Florida, Glasgow, aged 23 years 79 days. |
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Major tournaments |
British Championship 1913-14 |
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Team honours |
None |
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Individual honours |
None |
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Distinctions |
None |
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Beyond England |
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After retiring from playing, McNeal
coached West Bromwich Albion FC for a spell. Afterwards, he became a West
Bromwich licensee. -
An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who.
Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.165. |
England
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