|
|
|
Syd
Puddefoot |
Blackburn Rovers FC
2 appearances, 0 goals
P 2 W 0 D
1 L 1 F 0: A 1
25% successful
1925-26
captain: none
minutes played: 180 |
|
 |
|
Timeline |
| |
Sydney Charles Puddefoot |
|
Birth |
Saturday, 17 October 1894 in Limehouse, London |
|
|
registered in Stepney October-December 1894 |
|
Education |
Attended Park School, West
Ham |
|
|
According to the 1901
census, Sydney is, on this census, the second of five children, the
youngest are five-month old twins, to Harry and Sarah Elizabeth (née
Sealey). His father is a cake and biscuit traveller. They live at 18 Aston
Street in Limehouse. |
|
|
According to the 1911
census, Sidney is still the second of five children, although only three
survive from 1901. In tragic fact, the census reveals that Sidney is one
of thirteen children, and an astonishing eight have died. Sidney is an
accounting clerk, his father is a foreman and horsekeeper. They all live
at 18 Leatherdale Street in Mile End Old Town.
According to his WWI
Service Records, Sidney was living at 69 Vicarage Road
in Stratfordon 10 December 1915. He joined the East Surrey Regiment
in August 1918 and demobilised in October 1919. During his time in the
army, he was based at Dover, Bridge of Allan and Clipstone Camp, near
Mansfield. |
|
|
According to the 1921 census, Sydney is now a professional
footballer (for West Ham United FC) and is the oldest of four sons still
at their home with their parents at 69 Vicarage Road in Straford.
According to Passenger Lists,
Sydney, now a football coach, and Lilian returned to London on 8 June
1934, from Turkey on board the Amarapoora. They were living at 13
Trafalgar Road in Blackpool |
|
Marriage |
to Lilian Frankland in summer 1931,
Blackpool |
|
|
registered in Fylde, July-September 1931 |
|
Children |
to Syd and Lily Puddefoot have one
daughter together. Susanne (b.1934) |
|
|
According to the 1939 register, Sydney C., a commission
agents manager, is married to Lillian, and living at 27 Marcoft Avenue in
Blackpool.
According to British Phone Books, in 1962,
Sydney was living at 12 Kimberly Avenue in Blackpool, Tel No. Blackpool
42802. From the early 1960's until 1972, Sydney was living at
22 Bewley Court in Whittingham Avenue in Southend, Tel No. 62026 (changed
to 67387 in 1972). |
|
Death |
Monday, 2 October 1972 at 22 Bewley Court,
Southend-on-Sea, Essex |
|
aged
75 years 350 days |
registered in Fylde, October-December 1972 |
|
Source |
 Douglas Lammings' An
English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] & |
|
Source |
Douglas Lammings' An
English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990], Peter Morris' Life & Times of Syd Puddefoot
& |
|
Biographies |
Puddy – The Life and Times of Syd Puddefoot
- Peter Morris
(Legend Publishing, November 2025) |
|
Playing Career |
Club(s) |
Played schoolboy football in East London, and
played his junior football with Condor Athletic FC and Limehouse Town FC.
Signed amateur forms with West Ham United FC in June 1912, and
professional forms in February 1913. During WW1, he was posted in
Scotland, and guested for Falkirk FC. He returned and starred for the
Hammers following the war. He returned to Falkirk FC on 7 February 1922 for a world
transfer fee record of £5000. After 113 Scottish League appearances
and 49 goals, on 3 February 1925, Blackburn Rovers FC,
inparticular, Bob Crompton, beat Newcastle United FC and Liverpool FC to
the signature of Puddefoot for a £3750 fee. |
"THE TRIAL
OF SYD
PUDDEFOOT.
"The first big 'trial' of a footballer
since the English Football Association rule relating to inquiries was
altered to permit a player to appear in person to answer any charges will
take place at Sheffield to-day, when a commission will deal with the case
of Syd Puddefoot, of Blackburn Rovers. Puddefoot was sent off the field by
the referee 30 seconds before the end of the match between Bolton
Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers at Bolton on October 19.
"Puddefoot, I
understand, will take advantage of the new ruling. He will have the right
to hear all the evidence given in support of any charge, to cross-examine
all witnesses, and to call evidence to refute the charge.
"Before the
rule was altered the accused's case was put in writing and forwarded to
the commission, and he was not permitted to attend.
"The sending off of
Puddefoot mystified the critics and spectators. There was a heavy mist
over the ground at the time. It was stated afterwards, however, that
Puddefoot was alleged to have kicked Nuttall, the Bolton half-back."
- Friday, 8 November 1929, The Courier and Advertiser |
| |
On 26 February 1932, he
returned to West Ham United FC for another four-figure sum,
scored another three goals in 22 league appearances, before being
placed on the open-to-transfer list on 21 April 1933. |
League honours
375 appearances, 146 goals
one red card |
West Ham United FC 1919-22 103 appearances, 64 goals
debut (division two): 30 August 1919 West Ham United FC 1 Lincoln City FC
1.
Blackburn Rovers FC
1925-32 250 appearances, 79 goals
debut: 7 February 1925 Blackburn
Rovers FC 1 The Arsenal FC 0.
West Ham United FC 1932-33 22 appearances,
three goals
debut: 2 March 1932 West Ham United FC 1 Manchester City FC
1.
last
(division two): 6 March 1933 West Ham United FC 1
Preston North End FC 1. |
|
Club honours |
London Combination
Champion 1916-17;
Scottish FA Cup
semi-finalist 1923-24;
FA Cup
semi-finalist 1924-25 (4ᵃ 2ᵍ),
winners 1927-28 (7ᵃ 4ᵍ);
FA Charity Shield runners-up 1928;
Football League
Division One best sixth 1929-30 (37ᵃ 12ᵍ); |
|
Individual honours |
Football League (two appearances);
Southern League (one appearance) |
|
Distinctions |
Also played first class cricket with Essex CCC
(1922-23). |
|
Height/Weight |
5' 10½",
12st.
0lbs [1926]. |
|
Source |
Douglas Lammings' An English
Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990]. |
|
Management
Career |
|
Club(s) |
After failing to become the manager at
Blackpool FC, where he had settled with his wife, he was appointed the
player-manager in Turkey with Galatasaray, from June 1933 for the season.
Returned to England in the
1934 summer. |
"SYD
PUDDEFOOT MAULED.
"Syd Puddefoot, the famous
international footballer and former centre-forward of West Ham United,
Blackburn Rovers, and Falkirk F.C., received a mauling when trying to
restore order in a game between the Galata Saray Club - described as the
'Arsenal' of Turkish soccer, and trained by Puddefoot - and the Fener
Bagtche Club.
"A quarrel arose during the game at
İstanbul, and play had to be suspended. Police were called in when the
spectators invaded the pitch, and several players and spectators were
injured in the scrimmage.
"The Turkish Football
Association have opened an inquiry into the incident. Puddefoot was
appointed coach to the Galata Saray Club about seven months ago on a
year's contract." - Wednesday, 28 February 1934, The Falkirk
Herald.
"17 PLAYERS SUSPENDED
"As a sequel to the
incident at a football match at İstanbul last week, in which Sidney
Puddefoot was assaulted, the Turkish Football Association has suspended 17
of the 22 players who took part in the match.
"One player has been
suspended for life, and others for periods varying from seven to two
months.
"The match was between two old rivals, the Galata Saray and the
Fener Bagtche Club, and whenever they meet excitement is at fever heat,
both among spectators and players.
"On this occasion a free fight took
place, and the referee was powerless. He repeatedly blew his whistle, but
no one paid any attention, and the game had to be cancelled. Players came
to blows, and one of them assaulted Puddefoot, who trains the Galata Saray
Club.
"This action led to reprisals, in which spectators and players
took part. One player fainted; others were injured and had to be taken to
hospital. Police were called in and only restored order with difficulty."
- Monday, 5 March 1934, The Courier and Advertiser. |
| |
Appointment as manager at Northampton Town FC on 8 March 1935
(Town were in fifteenth position),
until his resignation on 10 March 1937 following a disagreement over club
policy (leaving Town were in tenth position). |
League honours
P 85 - W 39 - D 14 - L 32 |
Northampton Town FC 1935-37
Football League Division Three (South) best:
seventh 1934-35, 1936-37. |
|
England Career |
|
Player number |
One
of five who became the 495th
players (498) to appear for England. |
|
Position(s) |
Inside-right |
|
First match |
No. 147, 24 October 1925, Ireland 0
England 0, a British Championship match at Windsor Park, Donegall Avenue, Belfast, aged
31 years
7 days. |
|
Last match |
No. 149, 17 April 1926, England 0
Scotland 1, a British Championship match at Old Trafford, Stretford, Manchester, aged
31 years 182 days. |
|
Major tournaments |
British Championship 1925-26; |
|
Team honours |
None |
|
Individual honours |
England victory (two
appearances, 1919-20) |
|
Distinctions |
Died one week after Bill Rawlings |
|
Beyond England |
|
Appointed as an FA instructor to Kent
Secondary Schoolboys in 1935, replacing Wally Hardinge. He was
replaced by Len Graham, to become Northampton Town manager. Later a civil
servant, initially serving as a police war reserve, in Blackpool, he
retired in 1963, then had a spell on Southend United FC's staff. -
An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who.
Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.200. |
|
The Numbers |
|
Squads |
Appearances |
comp. apps |
minutes |
|
captain |
|
2 |
2 |
2 |
180 |
0 |
none |
|
minutes are an approximation, due to the fact that many matches rarely stick 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 |
|
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
-1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0.5 |
25 |
-1 |
|
Both of his matches were played in the British Championship
competition |
Venue Record
|
Venue &
Opposition |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS
|
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
Home ~ Scotland |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
-1 |
1 |
0 |
0.00 |
1.00 |
0.00 |
-1 |
|
Away ~ Ireland |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
=0 |
1 |
1 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
50.0 |
=0 |
Tournament Record
|
British Championship Competition |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
BC 1925-26 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
-1 |
2 |
1 |
0.00 |
0.50 |
25.0 |
-1 |
|
BC
All |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
-1 |
2 |
1 |
0.00 |
0.50 |
25.0 |
-1 |
|
All Competition |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
BC |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
-1 |
2 |
1 |
0.00 |
0.50 |
25.0 |
-1 |
|
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
-1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0.5 |
25 |
-1 |
Match History
|
apps |
match |
match details |
comp |
res. |
rundown |
pos |
|
|
England
Football Online