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Players Index Page Last Updated
3 May 2024
 
 

Alf Spouncer

Nottingham Forest FC

 1 appearance, 0 goals

P 1 W 0 D 1 L 0 F 1: A 1
50% successful
1900

captain: none
minutes played: 90

Timeline
  William Alfred Spouncer
Birth Sunday, 1 July 1877 in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire
  registered in Gainsborough July-September 1877
Education Attended Gainsborough Grammar School
 

According to the 1881 census, William is the fourth of five children to Henry Thomas and Ellen (née Young). They live at Lindum Villa in Northdyke, Gainsborough, along with two servants. His father is a chemist.
 

According to the 1891 census, William is still the fourth of five children to their parents now living at 16 Silver Street in Gainsborough. His father is a chmist and druggier. They have one servant.
Marriage to Alma Wigmore, on 23 October 1899 at All Saints Church, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
  registered in Nottingham October-December 1899
Children Alf and Alma Spouncer had three children together. Leslie Duncan (b.7 January 1900) Muriel Alma (b.24 December 1903) and Eric Alfred (b.20 August 1913)
 

According to the 1901 census, professional footballer William A. is now married to Alma with one child, Leslie, and they live at 11 Forest Grove in Nottingham.
 The 1902 Wright's Directory of Nottingham places Spouncer at 11 Forest Grove in Colville Street. He is a traveller.

 

According to the 1911 census, William Alfred is a Commission Agent in the Turf business still married, with one more child, Muriel. They live at 4 Stratford Road in West Bridgford.
The 1912 Wright's Directory of Nottingham now places Spouncer at 4 Stratford Road. He is still a traveller.
According to passenger lists, Traveller W.A. Spouncer is bound for Canada, via New York on board the White Star liner SS Baltic, leaving Liverpool on 1 May 1913.
Baptismal records in 1913 state that at the time of Eric's birth, they are living at 48 Church Street in Clowne.
According to the British Army WW1 Pension Records, William Alfred appears as next of kin on his son, Leslie's, pension record. He is living at 66 Walgrove Road in Chesterfield, which is also mentioned in Canadian over-seas Expeditionary Force Attestation Paper on 3 February 1915.

 

(His mother died in 1917)
According to the 1921 census, William Alfred, now a miller's operator (for Mumford & Sons) is still married, but with his daughter, Muriel, he is visiting the home of his older sister, Nellie, and his father, living at 102 Southchurch Road in Southend-on-Sea.
(His father died 8 February 1928)
  According to the 1939 register, William and Alma are still married, living at 53 Warrior Square in Southend-on-Sea, with his younger sister, Mabel. They are at the home of the widowed Nellie Farrar. William is a salesman for flour millers.
"Helped Reds to Win the Cup in 1898 ...ONE of the two surviving members of Nottingham Forest's FA Cup winning side of 1898, Mr. Alf Spouncer, and his wife celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary today. Mr. Spouncer, who is 82, lives at 53 Warrior-square, Southend-on-Sea. Today the Forest secretary, Mr. G. Noel Watson, told the Evening News that he visited the Spouncers on 1 September last on behalf of the club and found Alf Spouncer in excellent health. The other surviving member of the 1898 Cup winners is Frank Forman. Mr. Watson added that prior to September he had not seen Alf Spouncer since 123, when they met in Barcelona. At that time Mr. Spouncer was coaching out there and Mr. Watson was the referee in charge of the match between Spain and Czecho-Slovakia. Congratulatory messages from the Forest club have been sent to the Spouncers." - Nottingham Evening News, Friday, 23 October 1959
Death Friday, 31 August 1962 in 53 Warrior Square, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
aged 85 years 61 days registered in Southend-on-Sea July-September 1962

Obituary
"Ex-Forest star dies at 85
 "The death has occurred of Mr. William Albert Spouncer at his home at 53 Warrior-square, Southend. He was the last surviving member of Nottingham Forest's FA Cup winning team of 1898. Mr. Spouncer was 85. He leaves a widow, three sons and a daughter. Mr. Spouncer—or Alf as he was known to supporters during his playing days—appeared at outside left in the 1898 final, when Forest beat Derby County 3-1. He had joined Forest from Gainsborough, where his father was a wholesale and retail chemist. Mr. Spouncer played with Forest for 12 seasons and gained an international cap in 1900 with the England team against Wales. When he finished playing he went to London in the flour business. He served in the First World War in the Black Watch." - The Nottingham Evening Post, Thursday, 6 September 1962
 The numerous local obituaries Spouncer was found in, they all gave him a middle name of Albert. They also all state that he had a third son, for which there is no evidence.
Probate "SPOUNCER William Alfred of 53 Warrior-square Southend Essex died 31 August 1962 Probate London 28 December to Alma Spouncer widow and Percy Ellis Willington retired bank official. Effects £2225 14s." [2024 equivalent: £32,994]
  His wife, Alma Spouncer died in early 1967
Source

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

Playing Career
Club(s) Attended and played for Gainsborough Grammar School, making the XI in 1889. Joined Gainsborough Trinity FC for the 1893-94 season. Joined Sheffield United FC in October 1895 and onto Nottingham Forest for £125 from May 1897 until 1910.

League honours
327 appearances 64 goals		 Gainsborough Trinity FC 1896-97 27 appearances, fifteen goals
debut (division two): 5 September 1896 Grimsby Town FC 1 Gainsborough Trinity FC 1.
Nottingham Forest FC 1897-1910 300 appearances, 49 goals
debut: 4 September 1897 Nottingham Forest FC 1 Notts County FC 1.
last: 3 January 1910 Bury FC 4 Nottingham Forest FC 1.
Club honours FA Cup winners 1897-98 (6ᵃ 1ᵍ);
Football League Division One fourth place 1900-01 (28ᵃ 6ᵍ); Divsion Two winners 1906-07 (21ᵃ 7ᵍ);
Individual honours None
Distinctions None
Height/Weight 5' 8", 10st. 7lbs [1903].

Source

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

England Career
Player number One of four who became the 252nd players (255) to appear for England.
Position(s) Outside-left
Only match No. 69, 26 March 1900, Wales 1 England 1, a British Championship match at Cardiff Arms Park, Westgate Street, Temperance, Cardiff, aged 22 years 268 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1899-1900;
Team honours None
Individual honours None
Distinctions None

Beyond England
Subsequently coached in Europe in the 1920's, including Barcelona CF. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.233.


The Numbers
parties Appearances comp. apps minutes captain
1 1 1 90 0 none
The minutes here given can only ever be a guideline and cannot therefore be accurate, only an approximation.
P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
1 0 1 0 1 1 =0 0 0 1 1 50 =0
His only match was played in the British Championship competition and at an away venue

Tournament Record

British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1899-1900 1 0 1 0 1 1 =0 0 0 1.00 1.00 50.0 =0
BC All 1 0 1 0 1 1 =0 0 0 1.00 1.00 50.0 =0

All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1 0 1 0 1 1 =0 0 0 1.00 1.00 50.0 =0
1 0 1 0 1 1 =0 0 0 1 1 50 =0

Match History

 Club: Nottingham Forest F.C. - one full appearance (90 min) F.A. International Select Committee - one full appearance (90 min)x

apps match match details comp res. rundown pos

Age 22
1 69 26 March 1900 - Wales 1 England 1
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff		 BC AD   ol
 

one of four who became the 252nd player (255) to appear for England
the thirteenth player from Nottingham Forest FC to represent England

     

 
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