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7 November 2022
 
 

Gilbert Smith

Oxford University AFC & Old Carthusians FC & Corinthians FC

20 appearances, 11 goals (1 on his debut)

P 20 W 13 D 4 L 3 F 71: A 23
75% successful

1893-1901

captain: 13-15
minutes played:
1755

Timeline

  Gilbert Oswald Smith MA
Birth Monday, 25 November 1872 in Croydon, Surrey [registered in Croydon, December 1872].
 

According to the 1881 census, Gilbert is the youngest of eight children to scotsman Robert and Margaret. Living at Chesham House in Croydon along with four four servants. His father is a retired Indian Merchant.

 

According to the 1891 census, Gilbert is a scholar at Charterhouse School, and is still living with five older siblings and now his widowed mother. With five servants also living at Kilcott, Holloway Vale in Godalming.

 

According to the 1901 census, Gilbert Oswald was an assistant schoolmaster, alongside William J. Oakley, both living at Trent Cottage at the Ludgrove Preparatory School.

 

According to the 1911 census, Gilbert is the headmaster at the Ludgrove Preparatory School, William Oakley is one of his assistants.

 

According to the 1921 census, Gilbert is still the head schoolmaster at the Ludgrove Preparatory School. He also lives at the school, William Oakley is still one of his assistants.

  According to the 1939 register, Gilbert O. is a single retired schoolmaster, living with two of his sisters, Evelyn and Katherine, and three servants, at Galdhurst in Lymington.
Death Monday, 6 December 1943 at his home, Pennington in Lymington, Hampshire, aged 71 years 11 days [registered in New Forest, December 1943].

Obituary

"A GREAT FORWARD—DEATH OF G. O. SMITH.
"Gilbert Oswald Smith, considered the greatest centre forward of all time, died yesterday at his home at Lymington, Hampshire, at the age of seventy-one. His passing recalls the era when amateurs held their own in Association football. From 1893 to 1901 he appeared for England and gained twenty appearances. He was an Oxford double Blue and played cricket occasionally for Surrey. 'G.O.' kept the ball under such wonderful control that swerve and balance enabled him to dribble past the best defenders. His passes produced perfect combination, and inside-forwards, notably Stephen Bloomer, were indebted to him for many goals. He invariably shot low with surprising power, and with such an effort he won the Sheriff of London Shield for Corinthians against Aston Villa at Crystal Palace in 1899. In 1898-99 he captained England in all three internationals, which were won—Ireland being beaten by 13-2. He helped Oxford to beat Cambridge in three out of four meetings and finished as captain in 1896, which proved his great year in cricket. In that season, at Lord's, where he was a last-minute choice, his superb 132 contributed mainly towards Oxford winning by four wickets. Smith was captain of both cricket and football at Charterhouse School." - The Liverpool Daily Post, Tuesday, 7 December 1943.

Probate "SMITH Gilbert Oswald of Yaldhurst Lymington Hampshire died 6 December 1943 Probate Winchester 15 February to Herbert Warren Nash solicitor and Miles Fletcher de Montgomency artist.
Effects £60314 3s. 9d." [2019 equivalent: £2,694,735]
Oxford University Alumni Smith, Gilbert Oswald, born at Croydon, Surrey, Nov., 1872; 3S. Robert, gent,
       KEBLE, matric. 15 Oct., 92, aged 19 from the Chartehouse.

Source

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

Biographies Smith, Gilbert Oswald (1872-1943) - Edward Grayson (Oxford University Press, 2004); - Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

Playing Career

Club(s) Attended and played football at Charterhouse School, making the football team in 1889, and captaining the team from 1890-92. Went on to attend Keble College at Oxford University, earning his blue between 1893 and 1896, being the captain in the final year. He became an Old Carthusian.
Corinthians Smith scored 113 goals in 141 matches between 1892-1903.
Club honours FA Amateur Cup runners-up 1894-95, winner 1896-97;
Individual honours None
Distinctions Also played cricket for Oxford University (1895-96), Surrey CC (three matches, 1896) and Hertfordshire CC.
Height/Weight 5' 9", 10st. 9lbs [1901].

Source

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

England Career

Player number One of seven who became the 199th players (204) to appear for England.
Position(s) Inside-right, Centre-forward
First match No. 47, 25 February 1893, England 6 Ireland 1, a British Championship match at Wellington Road Football Ground, Perry Barr, Handsworth, aged 20 years 92 days.
Last match No. 73, 30 March 1901, England 2 Scotland 2, a British Championship match at Sports Arena, Crystal Palace Park, Penge, London, aged 28 years 125 days. captain
Major tournaments British Championship 1892-93, 1893-94, 1894-95, 1895-96, 1896-97, 1897-98, 1898-99, 1899-1900, 1900-01;
Team honours British Championship winners 1892-93, 1894-95, 1897-98, 1898-99, 1900-01;
Individual honours England's Top Goalscorers (five 1899). His twenty appearances made him the record appearance holder from 1901 until 1905, briefly shared with Steve Bloomer in 1905, who would overtake him within four days.
Distinctions Cousin of Charles Smith.
most appearanced Englishman from the Corinthians team, as well at Old Carthusians and at Oxford University.

Beyond England

A schoolmaster by profession. He was joint head of the Ludgrove preparatory school alongside Bill Oakley. The pair also shared the Corinthians' secretaryship (1898-1902) and the writing of a book Association Football. He is the main figure in Edward Grayson's admirable Corinthians and Cricketers (Naldrett Press, 1955). - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.226.


The Numbers
parties Appearances comp. apps minutes goals ave.min comp. goals captain
20 20 20 1755 11 160 min 11 13
poss. 15
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
20 13 4 3 71 23 +46 0 6 3.55 1.15 75.0 +10

Match Record

Venue & Competition P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts % W/L
Home British Championship 9 6 2 1 39 9 +30 0 3 4.333 1.00 77.8 +5
Away 11 7 2 2 32 14 +16 0 3 2.091 1.273 72.7 +5

Tournament Record

All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1892-93 1 1 0 0 6 1 +5 0 0 6.00 1.00 100.0 +1
BC 1893-94 2 1 1 0 7 3 +4 0 0 3.50 1.50 75.0 +1
BC 1894-95 1 0 1 0 1 1 =0 0 0 1.00 1.00 50.0 =0
BC 1895-96 3 2 0 1 12 3 +9 0 1 4.00 1.00 66.7 +1
BC 1896-97 3 2 0 1 11 2 +9 0 2 2.667 0.667 66.7 +1
BC 1897-98 3 3 0 0 9 3 +6 0 1 3.00 1.00 100.0 +3
BC 1898-99 3 3 0 0 19 3 +16 0 1 6.333 1.00 100.0 +3
BC 1899-1900 3 1 1 1 4 5 -1 0 1 1.333 1.667 50.0 =0
BC 1900-01 1 0 1 0 2 2 =0 0 0 2.00 2.00 50.0 =0
BC All 20 13 4 3 71 23 +46 0 6 3.55 1.15 75.0 +10

All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 20 13 4 3 71 23 +46 0 6 3.55 1.15 75.0 +10
20 13 4 3 71 23 +46 0 6 3.55 1.15 75.0 +10

Match History

 

F.A. International Select Committee - twenty full appearances (1755 min), 11 goals, 13-15 captainciesx

 Clubs: Oxford University A.F.C., Old Carthusians A.F.C. & Corinthians F.C. - seven full appearance (630 min), four goals, 1-3 captaincies
Age 20
1 47 25 February 1893 - England 6 Ireland 1, Wellington Road Ground, Handsworth BC HW Start 43 ir
   

Age 21
2 51 12 March 1894 - Wales 1 England 5, The Racecourse, Wrexham BC AW Start cf
3 52 7 April 1894 - Scotland 2 England 2, Celtic Park, Glasgow BC AD Start cf
   

Age 22
4 54 18 March 1895 - England 1 Wales 1, Recreation Ground, West Kensington BC HD Start cf
   

Age 23
5 56 7 March 1896 - Ireland 0 England 2, Cliftonville Gardens, Belfast BC AW captain?
40
cf
The captaincy was probably given to George Raikes, at least according to Irish Saturday Night and The Irish Times. However, the London Times gives a first captaincy to Gilbert Smith, yet, Vaughan Lodge is also a possibility.
6 57 16 March 1896 - Wales 1 England 9, Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff BC AW captain?
15,43
cf
The captaincy is not known in this match, but it is probably Gilbert Smith.
7 58 4 April 1896 - Scotland 2 England 1, Celtic Park, Glasgow BC AL captain cf

 Clubs: Old Carthusians A.F.C. & Corinthians F.C. - thirteen full appearances (1125 min), seven goals, 12 captaincies

Age 24
8 59 20 February 1897 - England 6 Ireland 0, Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, Nottingham BC HW captain cf
9 60 29 March 1897 - England 4 Wales 0, Bramall Lane, Sheffield BC HW captain inj. off 45 cf
10 61 3 April 1897 - England 1 Scotland 2, Sports Arena, Penge BC HL captain cf

Age 25
11 62 5 March 1898 - Ireland 2 England 3, Cliftonville Gardens, Belfast BC AW captain
40
cf
12 63 28 March 1898 - Wales 0 England 3, The Racecourse, Wrexham BC AW captain
88
cf
13 64 2 April 1898 - Scotland 1 England 3, Celtic Park, Glasgow BC AW Start cf

Age 26
14 65 18 February 1899 - England 13 Ireland 2, Roker Park, Sunderland BC HW captain
32,59,60,63
cf
15 66 20 March 1899 - England 4 Wales 0, Ashton Gate, Bristol BC HW captain cf
16 67 6 April 1899 - England 2 Scotland 1, Aston Lower Grounds, Birmingham BC HW captain
25
cf

Age 27
17 68 17 March 1900 - Ireland 0 England 2, Lansdowne Road, Dublin BC AW captain cf
18 69 26 March 1900 - Wales 1 England 1, Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff BC AD captain cf
19 70 7 April 1900 - Scotland 4 England 1, Celtic Park, Glasgow BC AL captain cf
   

Age 28
20 73 30 March 1901 - England 2 Scotland 2, Sports Arena, Penge BC HD captain cf
   

Notes

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CG