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Players Index Page Last Updated
30 December 2022
 
 

Dick Pym

Bolton Wanderers FC

 3 appearances, 6 goals against

P 3 W 1 D 0 L 2 F 3: A 6
33% successful
1925-26

captain: none
minutes played: 270

Timeline
  Sergeant Richard Henry Pym
Birth 2 February 1893 at 2 Ferry Road, Topsham, Exeter, Devon [registered in St. Thomas, March 1893].
Attended Topsham First School
 

According to his school admission records, Richard began Topsham First School on 24 February 1896, living in Fore Street.
According to the 1901 census, Richard is the fourth of seven children to Richard Henry and Emily (née Wannell). They live in Fore Street in Topsham. His father is a merchant seaman away at sea.
 

According to the 1911 census, Richard is a fisherman, he is one of five children living at home with his parents, one of nine children in total. They remain at Fore Street.
According to Passenger Lists, R Pym was part of a set of footballers leaving Southampton bound for Buenos Aires on board the Andes, on 23 May 1914. 

Marriage to Elsie May Murphy, 16 April 1916 at St. Nicholas Chapel in Topsham [registered in St. Thomas, June 1916].
  According to the 1921 census, Richard, still a fisherman, is now married to Elsie, and they have one son, Ronald, living at 16 Monmouth Hill in Topsham.
  According to the 1939 register, Richard H, a fashion outfitter as well as a footballer trainer, is married to Elsie M., a shop worker, still living at 11 Fore Street in Topsham. Richard is also a special constable.
Death 16 September 1988, aged 95 years 227 days [registered in Exeter, September 1988].

Source

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

Playing Career
Club(s) Began his junior career in Topsham. From 1908 he was playing in the East Devon League for Topsham St Margaret's FC, before signing amateur forms with Exeter City FC in February 1911, later turning professional and later still, becoming club captain. Spent the war years with the East Surrey Regiment. Bolton Wanderers FC then paid a £2,000 transfer fee for Pym on 27 June 1921, the climax to a six-week negotiating affair. He applied to be placed on the transfer list in October 1929 after being dropped, which was aceded too. However, he was retained, but after ten years, after 301 league appearances, he joined Yeovil & Petters United FC on 21 May 1931. In January 1933, Pym was coach to the Topsham FC players, occasionally turning out for them.
Club honours FA Cup winners 1922-23, 1925-26, 1928-29;
Individual honours None
Distinctions Exeter Town Council named a street Dick Pym Close in Birchy Barton in 1988 in his honour.
Height/Weight 5' 11½", 12st. 0lbs [1926].

Source

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

England Career
Player number One of four who became the 485th players (485) to appear for England.
Position(s) Goalkeeper
First match No. 144, 28 February 1925, Wales 1 England 2, a British Championship match at Vetch Field, Glamorgan Street, Swansea, aged 32 years 26 days.
Last match No. 148, 1 March 1926, England 1 Wales 3, a British Championship match at Selhurst Park, South Norwood, London, aged 33 years 27 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1924-25, 1925-26;
Team honours None
Individual honours None
Distinctions Only the third Devonshire-born player to represent England.
At the time of his death, Pym lived sixteen days longer than Howard Baker to become the longest living ex-England player.

Beyond England
Left school and went to work for Pyne's Nurseries in Denver Road as the houseboy, cleaning the knives and forks and shoes for Maria Pyne. Becoming a deep sea fisherman when he left school. In 1926, Pym fronted an advertising campaign for Sunripe cigarettes (right). After retiring from playing, in 1931, owned a Sports and Outfitters Shop in Topsham, which he was still running up until the outbreak of war. Had a spell as Exeter City FC's assistant trainer from August 1937. Worked during WWII in a parachute factory and stayed there in charge of the section until 1953. During which time he spent scouting for Bolton Wanderers FC. Returned to being a salmon fisher between 1953 and 1976. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.201./Ancestry

 

Dick Pym - Career Statistics
Squads Apps Comp
Apps		 Mins. GA GA Av.
min		 Comp GA Clean
Sheets		 Cln
Sht Av		 Capt. Disc.
3 3 3 270 6 45 min 6 0 0 none 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.

 

Dick Pym - Match Record - All Matches - By Type of Match
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Home 1 0 0 1 1 3 -2 0 0 1.00 3.00 0.00 -1
Away 2 1 0 1 2 3 -1 1 0 1.00 1.50 50.0 =0
All - British Championship 3 1 0 2 3 6 -3 1 0 1.00 2.00 33.3 -1

 

Dick Pym - Match Record - Tournament Matches
British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1924-25 2 1 0 1 2 3 -1 1 0 1.00 1.50 50.0 =0
BC 1925-26 1 0 0 1 1 3 -2 0 0 1.00 3.00 0.00 -1
BC All 3 1 0 2 3 6 -3 1 0 1.00 2.00 33.3 -1
All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 3 1 0 2 3 6 -3 1 0 1.00 2.00 33.3 -1
All 3 1 0 2 3 6 -3 1 0 1.00 2.00 33.3 -1

 

Dick Pym - Match History
 Club: Bolton Wanderers F.C. - 3 full appearances

F.A. International Select Committee - 3 full capsx

Age 32
1 144 28 February 1925 - Wales 1 England 2, Vetch Field, Swansea BC AW Start gk
2 145 4 April 1925 - Scotland 2 England 0, Hampden Park, Glasgow AL Start gk
Age 33
3 148 1 March 1926 - England 1 Wales 3, Selhurst Park, South Norwood BC HL Start gk

Notes

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