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Page Last Updated
20 August 2020
 
 

Gilbert Smith

Oxford University AFC & Old Carthusians FC & Corinthians FC

13 to 15 captaincies, ten goals

P 13 W 8 D 2 L 3 F 43: A 16
75% successful

1896-1901

full appearances: twenty
minutes as captain:
1125-1305

Timeline

  Gilbert Oswald Smith MA
Birth Monday, 25 November 1872 in Croydon, Surrey [registered in Croydon, December 1872].
Death Monday, 6 December 1943 at his home, Pennington in Lymington, Hampshire, aged 71 years 11 days [registered in New Forest, December 1943].

Source

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

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

Captain number The 25th player to captain England.
Player number One of seven who became the 199th players (204) to appear for England.
Position(s) Centre-forward
First captaincy Possibly no. 56, 7 March 1896, Ireland 0 England 2, a British Championship match at Cliftonville Gardens, Cliftonville, Belfast, aged 23 years 104 days.
Then possibly no. 57, 16 March 1896, Wales 1 England 9, a British Championship match at Arms Park, Cardiff, aged 23 years 113 days.

Probably no. 58, 4 April 1896, Scotland 2 England 1, a British Championship match at Parkhead, Glasgow, aged 23 years 132 days.
Last captaincy 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.
Major tournaments British Championship 1895-96, 1896-97, 1897-98, 1898-99, 1899-1900, 1900-01;
Team honours British Championship winners 1897-98, 1898-99, 1900-01;
Individual honours England's Top Goalscorers (five 1899).
Distinctions Cousin of Charles Smith

Captain Record

13 8 2 3 43 16 +27 0 5 3.308 1.231 69.2 +5
Venue & Competition P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts % W/L
Home British Championship 7 5 1 1 32 7 +25 0 3 4.571 1.000 78.6 +4
Away 6 3 1 2 11 9 +2 0 2 1.833 1.500 58.3 +1

Captain Tournament Record

All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1895-96 1 0 0 1 1 2 -1 0 0 1.00 2.00 0.0 -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 13 8 2 3 43 16 +27 0 5 3.308 1.231 69.2 +5

All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 13 8 2 3 43 16 +27 0 5 3.308 1.231 69.2 +5
13 8 2 3 43 16 +27 0 5 3.308 1.231 69.2 +5

Captain History

 

F.A. International Select Committee - 13-15 captaincies (1125-1305), ten goalsx

 Clubs: Oxford University A.F.C., Old Carthusians A.F.C. & Corinthians F.C. - one to three captaincies (90-270 min), three goals
Age 23
? 56 7 March 1896 - Ireland 0 England 2, Cliftonville Gardens, Belfast BC AW fifth app
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.
? 57 16 March 1896 - Wales 1 England 9, Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff BC AW sixth app
15,43
cf
The captaincy is not known in this match, but it is probably Gilbert Smith.
1 58 4 April 1896 - Scotland 2 England 1, Celtic Park, Glasgow BC AL seventh app cf

 Clubs: Old Carthusians A.F.C. & Corinthians F.C. - twelve captaincies (1035 min), seven goals

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

Age 25
5 62 5 March 1898 - Ireland 2 England 3, Cliftonville Gardens, Belfast BC AW eleventh app 40 cf
6 63 28 March 1898 - Wales 0 England 3, The Racecourse, Wrexham BC AW twelfth app
88
cf
? 64 2 April 1898 - Scotland 1 England 3, Celtic Park, Glasgow BC AW thirteenth app cf
The London Times and Sporting Life say Gilbert Smith was captain, but the Northern Whig and the Ulster Football & Cycling News say Wreford-Brown, as does The Sportsman, Glasgow Herald, and Manchester Guardian. The Guardian sums it up: 'Wreford-Brown, the captain, was said to be the weak spot...but he justified his selection.'  The FA's own minutes, also confirm Wreford-Brown as captain.

Age 26
7 65 18 February 1899 - England 13 Ireland 2, Roker Park, Sunderland BC HW 14th app
32,59,60,63
cf
8 66 20 March 1899 - England 4 Wales 0, Ashton Gate, Bristol BC HW 15th app cf
9 67 6 April 1899 - England 2 Scotland 1, Aston Lower Grounds, Birmingham BC HW 16th app
25
cf

Age 27
10 68 17 March 1900 - Ireland 0 England 2, Lansdowne Road, Dublin BC AW 17th app cf
11 69 26 March 1900 - Wales 1 England 1, Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff BC AD 18th app cf
12 70 7 April 1900 - Scotland 4 England 1, Celtic Park, Glasgow BC AL 19th app cf
   

Age 28
13 73 30 March 1901 - England 2 Scotland 2, Sports Arena, Penge BC HD final app cf
   

Notes

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CG