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Vivian Woodward

Tottenham Hotspur FC, Chelsea FC

23 appearances, 28 goals
2 goals on his debut

P 23 W 18 D 4 L 1 F 86: A 18
87% successful

1903-14

captain: 14
minutes played:
2070

Timeline

  Major Vivian John Woodward
Birth Tuesday, 3 June 1879 at 10 Crown Villa, Kennington, Surrey
  registered in Lambeth July-September 1879 Lambeth was in the Surrey County Registration until 1889.
Baptism Thursday, 17 June 1880 at St. Mark's Church in Kennington.
Seven of the Woodward children were all baptised on the same day by H.H. Montgomery.
 

According to the 1881 census, Vivian J. is the youngest of six children to John Alexander James and Anne Margaret (née Stephens). Living at 10 Crown Villas in Kennington with one servant. His father is an architect and district surveyor.

 

According to the 1891 census, Vivian J. is the youngest of four siblings living together at 'Engelfield', Ellis Road in Great Clacton. Annie is the oldest, followed by Isabella Evangeline and Alexander. He is the seventh of eight children all together

 

His father died in Tendring on 20 January 1900.
According to the 1901 census, Vivian J. is one of four siblings living at 69 Kennington Road. The others being head of the house Alice, also Isabella and Egbert. They are all architects and surveyors.
His widowed mother is living with his sisters Annie and Ethel at Silver Cloud, Pier Avenue in Great Clacton.

 

According to the 1911 census, Vivian John, still an architect, is living with his sister, Ethel and her husband, William Frederick Davall (m.1902). They live at Moss Rose Villa, on St Osyth Road in Clacton-on-Sea.

"FOOTBALLER'S COMMISSION ...Vivian J. Woodward, the International footballer, has accepted a commission in the Footballers' Battalion now being raised by Mr. W. Joynson Hicks, M. P." - Yorkshire Telegraph and Star, Tuesday evening, 29 December 1914.
  "Temporary Lieutenant Vivian J. Woodward to be temporary captain, dated 19 October, 1915." - London Gazette, Wednesday, 29 March 1916
"FOOTBALLER WOUNDED IN  FRANCE
"We regret to learn from a private source that Captain V. J. Woodward, of the 17th Middlesex Regiment (Footballers' Battalion), has been wounded [by shrapnel in both legs, his thighs being severley pierced] in France. The communication states that the famous international
centre-forward met with his unfortunate mishap on Saturday, and that the injury is somewhat serious. It is understood that Captain Woodward is returning to England." - Birmingham Gazette [Sheffield Daily Telegraph], Thursday, 27 January 1916.
"
When war broke out Captain Woodward enlisted as a private in the London Rifles Brigade, and from there was a given a commission in the Footballers' Battalion" - Hampshire Telegraph and Post. Friday, 4 February 1916.
 

His mother died sometime in 1921
.
According to the 1921 census, Vivian John, now a farmer, is living with his older sister, Isabella (now a Sergant and widowed), who is a manager of her dairy farm in The Towers in Weeley, along with her four children and a servant.
The Essex 1922-25 editions of Kelly's Directory has Woodward as a farmer at The Welches farm in St. Osyth, and a Cowkeeper at 39 Connaught Avenue in Frinton.

  According to the London Electoral Registers, Vivian John was living at 61 Kennington Oval since at least 1930, until 1938, when he moved on to 30 Elm Grove.
The Essex edition of Kelly's Directory still identifies Woodward as a cowkeeper in 1933, still at 39 Connaught Avenue.
According to the 1939 register, Vivian J. is living at 30 Elm Grove in Camberwell. He is a retailer of farm produce.
The London Electoral Register places Vivian John at 30 Elm Grove in 1945-53.
"V. J. WOODWARD IN  HOSPITAL
"Described as 'the perfect gentleman of the soccer field,' Vivian John Woodward is lying ill in Lewisham Hospital with a form of paralysis. Yesterday (Thursday) Mr. Woodward was not on the danger list and was said to be quite comfortable. He was admitted to the hospital on July 13 from his home 30, Elm-grove, Peckham." - Sydenham, Forest Hill & Penge Gazette & Borough News, Friday, 23 July 1948
  "Vivian [Woodward] is now in King's College, Denmark Hill, where he is being well looked after. He became ill three years ago and is fighting a game fight to recover." - The Football Post, Saturday, 27 January 1951
Death Sunday night, 31 January 1954 at Castlebar Road Nursing Home in Ealing, Middlesex
aged 74 years 269 days registered in Ealing January-March 1954

Obituary

"A GREAT ENGLAND CENTRE-FORWARD—Vivian Woodward dies in Ealing.
"After spending two years in an Ealing nursing home, Mr. Vivian J. Woodward, one of the greatest England centre-forwards of all time, died there at the age of 74 on Monday. He had been ill for some years. Woodward had a brilliant career with Tottenham Hotspur and then with Chelsea, and became a director at both clubs. He remained an amateur throughout his playing career and appeared in 66 England teams, gaining full caps as well as amateur caps. He scored six goals in an amateur international against Holland, and five in another against France. In the first world war, Woodward joined the famous Footballers' Battalion and rose to the rank of major. He did A.R.P. work in the last war. During his illness, which left him paralised down one side, he was cared for by a committee set up the Football Association. During his playing days Woodward was so true-blue an amateur that he even refused to accept money for expenses incurred in travelling to the ground of the club he was playing for."
- County Times and Gazette, Saturday, 6 February 1954
Probate "WOODWARD Vivian John of 30 Elm-grove Peckham London died 31 January 1954 at 63 Castlebar-road Ealing Middlesex Administration London 14 May to Egbert Gordon Woodward retired civil engineer. Effects £335 3s. 5d." [2024 equivalent £7,782]

Source

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

Biographies Vivian Woodward: Football's Gentleman - Norman Jacob (Tempus, 1 August 2005)

Playing Career


Club(s)
Attended and played for Ascham College XI in Clacton. He played with Clacton Town FC, of the North Essex League, and Harwich & Parkeston FC as well as representing Old Clactonians AFC. Woodward also featured for Chelmsford FC and at the same time, from 1901, played with and made his name for, Tottenham Hotspur FC, he initially retired from the game on 31 July 1909. However Woodward signed amateur forms with Chelsea FC on 22 November 1909 and although he broke his arm in a cup tie on 25 March 1911, he remained until the outbreak of war. Also captained the Footballers Battalion during war games. He retired during the hostilities, probably due to his wounding on 22 January 1916.

League honours
133 appearances 48 goals
Tottenham Hotspur FC 1908-09 27 appearances, eighteen goals
debut (div two): 1 Sept 1908 Tottenham Hotspur FC 3 Wolverhampton Wanderers FC 0.
Chelsea FC 1909-14 106 appearances, thirty goals
debut: 27 November 1909 The Wednesday FC 4 Chelsea FC 1.
last: 28 April 1915 Notts County FC 2 Chelsea FC 0.

Club honours
World Championship runners-up 1901-02;
Southern League
runners-up 1901-02, 1903-04;
The Sheriff of London's Charity Shield winners
1902; FA Charity Shield runners-up 1913;
Football League Division Two
runners-up 1908-09 (27ᵃ 18ᵍ), 1911-12 (14ᵃ 2ᵍ), third place (19ᵃ 6ᵍ);
FA Cup
semi-finalists 1910-11 (3ᵃ 3ᵍ), runners-up 1914-15 (0ᵃ); Woodward was given permission to play by the army. He arrived at Old Trafford but his team mate Bob Thomson who had been injured had recovered and Vivian who was renowned for his sportsmanship refused to take his place as he not played in any of the rounds and felt his team mate who had, deserved the place
Individual honours Essex FA
Football League
(three appearances)

Distinctions
Assisted Essex CCC Second XI in 1902-03;
Scored Tottenham Hotspur FC's first ever League goal, against Wolverhampton Wanderers FC
, 1 September 1908;
Height/Weight 5' 10½", 11st. 0lbs [1903 & 1914].

Source

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

England Career

Player number One of seven who became the 278th player (283) to appear for England.
Position(s) Centre-forward, inside-right/left
First match No. 77, 14 February 1903, England 4 Ireland 0, a British Championship match at Molineux, Waterloo Road North, St. Peter's, Wolverhampton, aged 23 years 256 days.
Last match No. 109, 13 March 1911, England 3 Wales 0, a British Championship match at The Den, Cold Blow Lane, New Cross, Londonᶜ, aged 31 years 271 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1902-03, 1903-04, 1904-05, 1906-07, 1907-08, 1908-09, 1909-100, 1910-11;
Team honours British Championship shared 1902-03, 1907-08, winners 1903-04, 1904-05, 1908-09, 1910-11;

Individual honours
The South (eight appearances, 3ᵍ 5ᶜ January 1903-; withdrew in January 1907)
The Amateurs (two appearances, 1ᶜ December 1906-October 1913)
The Stripes (one appearance, 1ᶜ January 1910)
England trial (two appearances, 1ᵍ 1ᶜ January 1913-January 1914)

England Amateur (43 appearances, 52ᵍ 34ᶜ November 1906-June 1914)
FA Tour of South Africa 1910 (23 appearances, 27ᵍ, including the three tests)
Olympic Gold Medal
October 1908, July 1912 (six appearances 6ᶜ);
Goalscoring honours England's Top Goalscorer (four 1903, two 1905, ten 1909ᶜ, two 1911ᶜ )
Distinctions Top Scorer for England (with Steve Bloomer) until 1956 (when Nat Lofthouse scored his 29th), but fourteen of his goals were against weak emergent amateur teams, namely Hungary and Austria. He scored just once against Scotland.
Only lost one of his 23 senior appearances, and that on his third outing.

Beyond England

An architect by trade. He was Director of Tottenham Hotspur FC 1908 until 31 July 1909. Accepted his commission to join the 17th Middlesex Regiment (The Footballers' Battalion) on 29 December 1914. Became a captain on 19 October 1915. Captain Woodward was wounded in France on 22 January 1916, a fragment of a rifle grenade hit him behind the right knee. Chelsea FC Director July 1922 until 1930. He was then part of the Royal Artillery during the Second World War, serving as an Air Warden. In his later life, he was a farmer at Weeley Heath and a diary seller in Frinton-on-Sea. In fact, he was fined  £1 15s. for selling preserved cream without adequate labelling, on 19 October 1925. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.276.


The Numbers
parties Apps comp. apps minutes goals ave.min comp. goals captain
27 23 16 2070 28 74 min 14 14
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
23 18 4 1 86 18 +68 0 8 3.739 0.783 86.9 +17

Venue Record

Venue P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Home 10 7 2 1 22 6 +16 0 5 2.20 0.60 80.0 +6
Away 13 11 2 0 64 12 +52 0 3 4.923 0.923 92.3 +11

Captain Record

Venue P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Home 3 3 0 0 9 0 +9 0 3 3.00 0.00 100.0 +3
Away 11 9 2 0 60 11 +49 0 2 5.455 1.00 90.9 +9
14 12 2 0 69 11 +58 0 5 4.929 0.786 92.9 +12

Competition Record

Competition P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
British Championship 16 11 4 1 38 11 +27 0 6 2.375 0.688 81.3 +10
Friendly 7 7 0 0 48 7 +41 0 2 6.857 1.00 100.0 +7

Tournament Record

British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1902-03 3 2 0 1 7 3 +4 0 1 2.333 1.00 66.7 +1
BC 1903-04 2 2 0 0 4 1 +3 0 1 2.00 0.50 100.0 +2
BC 1904-05 3 2 1 0 5 2 +3 0 1 1.667 0.667 83.3 +2
BC 1906-07 1 0 1 0 1 1 =0 0 0 1.00 1.00 50.0 =0
BC 1907-08 3 2 1 0 11 3 +8 0 0 2.667 1.00 83.3 +2
BC 1908-09 2 2 0 0 6 0 +6 0 2 3.00 0.00 100.0 +2
BC 1909-10 1 0 1 0 1 1 =0 0 0 1.00 1.00 50.0 =0
BC 1910-11 1 1 0 0 3 0 +3 0 1 3.00 0.00 100.0 +1
BC All 16 11 4 1 38 11 +27 0 6 2.375 0.688 81.3 +10

All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 16 11 4 1 38 11 +27 0 6 2.375 0.688 81.3 +10
16 11 4 1 38 11 +27 0 6 2.375 0.688 81.3 ++10

 Club: Tottenham Hotspur F.C. - 21 full appearances (1890 min) 26ᵍ 12ᶜ F.A. International Select Committee - 23 full appearances (2070 min) 28ᵍ 14ᶜx

Age 23 trial  
one appearance - The South vs. The North, January 1903;

apps match match details comp res. rundown pos

1 77 14 February 1903 - England 4 Ireland 0
Molineux, Wolverhampton
BC HW 19
52
cf

one of seven who became the 278th player (283) to appear for England
the first Tottenham Hotspur FC player to represent England
the FIFTIETH player to score on his England debut - the 34th competitive
the scorer of the FIFTIETH brace for England
the TWENTIETH player to score a brace on his England debut

2 78 2 March 1903 - England 2 Wales 1
Fratton Park, Portsmouth
BC HW 78 cf
3 79 4 April 1903 - England 1 Scotland 2
Bramall Lane, Sheffield
BC HL 10 cf
 

his four goals in 1903 makes him top goalscorer for the year/season

Age 24 trial  
one appearance - The Southᶜ vs. The North, January 1904;

4 81 12 March 1904 - Ireland 1 England 3
Cliftonville Gardens, Belfast
BC AW   cf
5 82 9 April 1904 - Scotland 0 England 1
Celtic Park, Glasgow
BC AW   cf

Age 25 trial  
one appearance - The South vs. The North, February 1905;

6 83 25 February 1905 - England 1 Ireland 1
Ayresome Park, Middlesbrough
BC HD   cf
7 84 27 March 1905 - England 3 Wales 1
Anfield Road, Liverpool
BC HW 55
88
cf

the scorer of the 52nd brace for England

8 85 1 April 1905 - England 1 Scotland 0
Sports Arena, Crystal Palace
BC HW   cf

his two goals in 1905 makes him top goalscorer for the year/season

Age 26 trial  
one appearance - The North vs. The South, January 1906;

86 17 February 1906 - Ireland 0 England 5, Solitude Ground, Belfast BC AW withdrawn
 

Age 27 amateur  
one appearance - France, November 1906;
trial  
one appearance - The Professionals vs. The Amateurs, 3 December 1906;
amateur  
one appearance - Irelandᶜ, 15 December 1906;
trial  
withdrew - The South vs. The North, January 1907

90 18 March 1907 - England 1 Wales 1, Craven Cottage, Fulham BC HD reserve

amateur  
one appearance - Netherlands 1 April 1907;

9 91 6 April 1907 - England 1 Scotland 1
St. Jame
s' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne
BC HD   cf

Age 28 amateur  
two appearances - Ireland 7 December &  Netherlandsᶜ 15 December 1907;
trial  
one appearance - The North vs. The Southᶜ, January 1908;

10 92 15 February 1908 - Ireland 1 England 3
Solitude Ground, Belfast
BC AW 80 ᶜir

the 34th player to captain England

amateur  
one appearance - Walesᶜ 22 February 1908;

11 93 16 March 1908 - Wales 1 England 7
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
BC AW 18
80
85
ᶜir

the scorer of the 56th brace for England
the scorer of the 21st hattrick for England ~ oldest so far

amateur  
one appearance - Franceᶜ 23 March 1908;

12 94 4 April 1908 - Scotland 1 England 1
Hampden Park, Glasgow
BC AD   ᶜir

amateur  
two appearancesᶜ - Belgium 18 April & Germany 20 April 1908;

Age 29
13 95 6 June 1908 - Austria 1 England 6
Cricketer Platz, Wien

tour
AW 40 ᶜir
14 96 8 June 1908 - Austria 1 England 11
Hohe Warte Stadion, Wien
AW 4
41
55
84
ᶜir

the scorer of the 59th brace for England
tthe scorer of the 22nd hattrick for England ~ oldest so far ~ first captain to score two
the seventh player to score four goals for England in one match ~ oldest so far

15 97 10 June 1908 - Hungary 0 England 7
Millenáris Sportpálya, Buda-Pesth
  AW 13 ᶜir
16 98 13 June 1908 - Bohemia 0 England 4
Stadión Letná, Praha
AW   ᶜir

olympic  
three appearances for Great Britainᶜ - Sweden, Netherlands & Denmark October 1908;
amateur  
one appearance - Irelandᶜ November 1908;
trial  
one appearance - The Southᶜ vs. The North, January 1909;

17 99 13 February 1909 - England 4 Ireland 0
Horton Park Avenue, Bradford
BC HW 60
880
ᶜir

the scorer of the 63rd brace for England ~ his fifth brace ~ first captain to score three

18 100 15 March 1909 - England 2 Wales 0
City Ground, Nottingham
BC HW   ᶜir
101 3 April 1909 - England 2 Scotland 0, Sports Arena, Crystal Palace BC HW withdrawn captain

amateur  
three appearancesᶜ - Belgium 19 April; Switzerland 20 May & France 22 May 1909;

19 102 29 May 1909 - Hungary 2 England 4
Millenáris Sportpálya, Buda-Pesth

tour
AW ᶜir
Weinber OG often credited as Woodward's second
20 103 31 May 1909 - Hungary 2 England 8
Millenáris Sportpálya, Buda-Pesth
  AW
ᶜir

the scorer of the 66th brace for England ~ his sixth brace ~ first captain to score four
the scorer of the 25th hattrick for England ~ oldest so far ~ first captain to score three
the ninth player to score four goals for England in one match ~ his record-equalling second ~ oldest so far ~ first captain to score two

21 104 1 June 1909 - Austria 1 England 8
Hohe Warte Stadion, Wien
  AW
ᶜir

the scorer of the 69th brace for England ~ his record-equalling seventh brace ~ first captain to score five
the scorer of the 26th hattrick for England ~ oldest so far ~ first captain to score four
his ten goals in 1909 makes him top goalscorer for the year/season

Age 30 amateur  
two appearancesᶜ - Sweden 6 November & Ireland 20 November 1909;

 Club: Chelsea F.C. - two full appearances (180 min) 2ᵍ 2ᶜ  

one appearance - Netherlandsᶜ December 1909;
  trial  
one appearance - The Whites vs. The Stripesᶜ, January 1910;

22 105 12 February 1910 - Ireland 1 England 1
Solitude Ground, Belfast
BC AD   ᶜir
 

the fourth Chelsea FC player to represent England

amateur  
one appearance - Walesᶜ 19 February 1910;

Age 31

FA Tour of South Africa
29 June 1910 - South Africa 0 England 3, Durban
tour
AW   ᶜir
23 July 1910 - South Africa 2 England 6, Wanderers Ground, Johannesburg AW 35
70
ᶜcf
30 July 1910 - South Africa 3 England 6, Cape Town AW 46
660
ᶜcf

amateur  
two appearancesᶜ - Wales 18 February & Belgium 4 March 1911;

23 109 13 March 1911 - England 3 Wales 0
The Den, New Cross
BC HW 64
82
il
 

the scorer of the 72nd brace for England ~ his record-breaking eighth brace ~ first captain to score six
his 28th goal is equal with Steve Bloomer's goalscoring record
his two goals in 1911 makes him top goalscorer for the year/season

amateur  
two appearancesᶜ - Netherlands April 1911 & Switzerland May 1911;

Age 32    
four appearancesᶜ - Denmark October; Ireland November 1911; Wales February; Netherlands March 1912;
unofficial appearance - Brugeᶜ 6 April 1912;
one appearance - Belgiumᶜ 8 April 1912;

Age 33 olympic  
three appearances for Great Britainᶜ - Hungary, Finland & Denmark June/July 1912;
amateur  
two appearancesᶜ - Ireland October; Belgium 9 November 1912;
trial  
two appearances - The Southᶜ vs. England, 25 November 1912; The North vs. England, January 1913;
amateur  
three appearancesᶜ - Wales February; Germany & Netherlands March 1913;

Age 34 trial  
one appearance - The Professionals vs. The Amateursᶜ, October 1913;
amateur  
two appearancesᶜ - Ireland 8 November & Netherlands 15 November 1913;
trial  
two appearances - The Southᶜ vs. England, 24 November 1913; The North vs. Englandᶜ, January 1914;
amateur  
two appearancesᶜ - Wales & Belgium February 1914;

119 4 April 1914 - Scotland 3 England 1, Hampden Park, Glasgow BC AL reserve
 

will remain as England's equal-record goalscorer until Nat Lofthouse took the record in 1956

Age 35 amateur  
three appearancesᶜ - Denmark & Sweden twice (first, second) June 1914;

  

 
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