England Players - 53. Norman Bailey

England Football Online
Players Index Captains Index	Page Last Updated 19 October 2022

Norman Bailey	Old Westminsters AFC, Clapham Rovers FC, Corinthians FC 19 appearances, 1 goal P 19 W 8 D 3 L 8 F 53: A 45 50% successful 1877-87 captain: 15 (one goal) minutes played: 1680

Timeline
	Norman Coles Bailey
Birth	Thursday, 23 July 1857 on Springfield, Leigham Court Road in Streatham, Surrey.
	registered in Wandsworth July-September 1857 Streatham was in Surrey Registration County up until 1889 St. Julian Road and Leigham Court Road are the same!
"BAILEY.―On the 23rd inst., at Leigham-court-road, Streatham, the wife of Edward Bailey, Esq., of a son" - London Morning Post, Saturday, 25 July 1857.
Baptism	23 August 1857 at Streatham Common Immanuel Church, Streatham
	According to the 1861 census, Norman C. is living with six older siblings and one younger sister, all to their parents, Edward and Maria (née Coles). Amongst the household in Springfield on St. Julian Road in Streatham are seven servants. His father was a solicitor,
	According to the 1871 census, Norman Coles is now one of eleven children. His father, still a solicitor, is joined by the eldest son, Edward, as a solicitor. All in the same abode.
	According to the 1881 census, the Bailey's remain at Springfield, only five of the eleven children are on the census record including Norman, he is now also a solicitor.
Marriage	to Sarah Alice Grierson, on 20 April 1887. at St Barnabas Church, Kensington.
	registered in Kensington April-June 1887
"BAILEY―GRIERSON―On the 20th inst., at St. Barnabas', Kensington, Norman Coles Bailey, Esq., son of Edward Coles Bailey, Esq., of Streatham, Surrey, to Sally Alice Grierson, daughter of James Grierson, Esq., of Holland-villas-road, Kensington." - The Globe, Thursday, 21 April 1887
Children	Norman and Sarah Bailey had four children. Iris Grierson (b.1888), Kenneth Norman Grierson (b.19 April 1891), Brian Grierson (b.17 July 1894) and Geoffrey Grierson (b.1899).
	(His father died on 21 August 1888) According to the 1891 census, Norman C. is now married to Sarah, with a daughter, Iris. Now a solicitor, living at Bernina (four doors down from his family home), on the St. Julian Road. They have three servants.
"BIRTHS	...BAILEY.―April 19, at Bernina, Leigham-court-road, Streatham, the wife of Norman Coles Bailey, of a son" - London Evening Standard, Wednesday, 22 April 1891. "On the 17th inst., at Bernina, Leigham Court-road, Streatham, the wife of Norman Coles Bailey, of a son" - South London Press, Saturday, 21 July 1894.
	According to the 1901 census, Norman was visiting a surgeon friend, Cecil Leaf, on the night of the census (31 March). At 75 Wimpole Street, Marylebone. His wife, and his four children, and five servants, were at 10 The Esplanade, in Seaford, Eastbourne. (His eldest child, Iris died in 1904, aged only sixteen years old).
	According to the 1911 census, Norman and his son, Kenneth are staying at The Porthminster Hotel in St Ives, Cornwall. However, his wife, Sarah, is living at 7 High Street in Watford. Her occupation is stated as 'Wife of Norman C. Bailey'. With one of the children, Geoffrey. Also with four servants. (Sarah Bailey died on 9 June 1912)
	According to the 1921 census, Norman and two of his sons, Kenneth and Geoffrey, are living at The Beeches in Cowley. Also with two servants. One of his other sons, Brian, is visiting with his wife and their first baby son.
Death	Saturday, 13 January 1923 at The Beeches, Cowley, Middlesex following a short illness.
aged 65 years 174 days	registered in Uxbridge January-March 1923
Obituary
"The death is announced of Mr. Norman Coles Bailey, who was famous as a half back in Association football in his younger days. He was a member of the Clapham Rovers team that won the F.A. cup in 1879, and later played for the Corinthians, Swifts, Old Westminsters, and Surrey. Gaining his first international cap in 1878, for ten successive seasons he turned out against Scotland and acted in the capacity of captain in the last seven occasions. He took part in the first England v. Wales match played at the Oval, in January, 1879, and in all played seven times against the Principality, and twice against Ireland. Mr. Bailey was also a cricketer of merit and a member of the Streatham C.C." - Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer, Wednesday, 17 January 1923. "Death of a Great Player. "The lovers of Association football able to carry their memory back to the era when 'the Old Boys' were paramount will learn with regret of the death of N. C. Bailey, one of the best centre half-backs who ever played for England. In his day, when there were many fine half-backs, he stood alone. "Norman Coles Bailey, who was born at Streatham on July 23, 1857, was educated at the Westminster School, between 1866 and 1874, and there became a footballer and a cricketer. Later he assisted such clubs as Clapham Rovers, the Old Westminsters, the Swifts, and the Corinthians. The centre half-back of Clapham Rovers when they won the Association Cup in 1880, he played for England on 19 occasions, and for ten years, 1878 to 1887, against Scotland, being captain in the last seven matches. In 30 matches he was one of the representatives of London. With such a record it seems superfluous to say that he was a fine player. Sturdily built, he was yet very supple in joints, and while running could kick a ball behind him. But he was not a mere trickster, for judgment characterised his every move and touch. His interception of passes and his bestowal of the ball caused him to be called 'the prince of halves.' "He attended the formation meeting of the Corinthians, was on the committee of the Football Association, and succeeded Mr. J. H. Clark, of Maidenhead, as a vice-president of that body in 1887. Although the late N. C. Bailey was an amateur to the core we should like to recall that at the annual meeting of the F.A. at the end of February in 1884 he seconded the motion of Mr. C. W. Alcock that professionalism should be legalised. Norman Bailey was too big a man to harbour narrow views. He had the broad mind of the true sportsman, and to the end he was very popular with all who knew him." - Athletic News, Monday, 22 January 1923,
Probate	"FOOTBALLER'S WILL "Mr. Norman Coles Bailey, of 5, Berners-street, London, W., one of the greatest centre half-backs of Association football, playing for Corinthians, Clapham Rovers (winners of the Football Association Cup, 1880), Swifts, Old Westminsters and Surrey, and for 10 years for England, captain of the English International teams 1879-87, left estate of the gross value of £5704, with net personalty £2,802." - Birmingham Daily Gazette, Saturday, 3 March 1923.
	"BAILEY Norman Coles of 5 Berners-street Middlesex died 13 January 1923 at the Beeches Cowley Middlesex Probate London 24 February to Kenneth Norman Grierson Bailey esquire Brian Grierson Bailey solicitor and Geoffrey Grierson Bailey esquire. Effects £5704 11s. 5d." [2019 equivalent: £347,517]
Source	Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] &
Playing Career
Club(s)	Educated at Westminster School, where he played his football. Also with the Old Westminsters AFC and Clapham Rovers FC, Wanderers FC, Swifts FC.
Corinthians	1885-89, sixteen appearances.
Club honours	FA Cup runners-up 1878-79, winners 1879-80;
Individual honours	Surrey FA and London FA.
Height/Weight	not known
Source	Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990].
England Career
Player number	One of seven who became the fiftieth players (53) to appear for England.
Position(s)	Half-back
First match	No. 7, 2 March 1878, Scotland 7 England 2, a friendly match at Hampden Park, Hampden Terrace, Glasgow, aged 20 years 222 days.
Last match	No. 31, 19 March 1887, England 2 Scotland 3, a British Championship match at Leamington Street, Wagtail, Blackburn, aged 29 years 239 days.^c
Major tournaments	British Championship 1883-84, 1884-85, 1885-86, 1886-87;
Team honours	British Championship 1885-86 (shared);
Individual honours	The Probables (three appearances, February 1878, February 1879, March 1882ᶜ ); The South (six appearancesᶜ , one goal, 1882-87, pp'd Jan. 1879, withdrew March 1880); The Whites (one appearance, February 1879); The Gentlemen (three appearancesᶜ , 1886).
Records	Record England appearances 1883-1901, shared with Gilbert Smith in 1900-01 who overtook his tally in April 1901. Most captaincies record until 1912.
Distinctions	His five appearances at the time of his first captaincy in 1881, made him the most experienced player to receive the honour. most appearanced Englishman with Clapham Rovers FC.
Beyond England
Solicitor by profession, qualifying in 1880, served on the FA Committee 1882 to 1884, becoming FA vice-president from 1887-90. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.18.

The Numbers
parties	Apps	withdrew	comp. apps	minutes		Goals ave. min	comp. goals	captain
23	19	three	10	1680	1	1680 min	1	fifteen
The minutes here given can only ever be a guideline and cannot therefore be accurate, only an approximation.

FTS

FAv

AAv

Pts%

W/L

2.789

2.368

Venue Record

Venue	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	FTS	CS	FAv	AAv	Pts%	W/L
Home	10	5	2	3	27	19	+8	0	3	2.70	1.90	60.0	+2
Away	9	3	1	5	26	26	=0	1	1	2.889	2.889	38.9	-2

Captain Record

Venue P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L

Home 8 3 2 3 20 14 +6 0 3 2.50 1.75 50.0 =0

Away 7 3 1 3 20 14 +6 1 1 1.857 2.00 50.0 =0

15 6 3 6 40 28 +12 1 4 2.667 1.867 50 =0

Competition Record

Competition	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	FTS	CS	FAv	AAv	Pts%	W/L
British Championship	10	5	3	2	28	9	+19	1	3	2.80	0.90	65.0	+3
Friendly	9	3	0	6	25	36	-11	0	1	2.778	4.00	33.3	-3

Tournament Record