|
Players
Index
"That splendid
Herculean player..."
- JAH Cattan
|
Sam Widdowson
Profile |
|
Full
name |
Sam Weller
Widdowson [registered as 'Sam'] |
|
Popular name |
Sam Widdowson |
|
Born |
16 April 1851
in Hucknall Torkard, Nottinghamshire; |
|
Died |
9 May 1927 in
Beeston, age 76 years; |
|
Height/Weight |
5' 8˝", 11st
7lbs [1880] |
|
Club Career |
|
Club(s) |
Played his
Schoolboy and Junior football in Nottinghamshire, joined Nottingham Forest
FC in 1878 until 1885, being Captain for several seasons; often turned out
for Notts County FC. Chairman of Nottingham Forest 1879-84 |
|
Club honours |
None. |
| Individual
honours |
Played three times for Nottinghamshire CCC 1878-79; |
|
Distinctions |
Widdowson
invented and patentee of the shinguards;
Referee in the first match that included nets between the goalposts;
Introduced the 2-3-5 system when playing for Forest;
Widdowson also had a hand in introducing the whistle; |
|
Notes |
Widdowson was the first footballer to use cut-down cricket pads
strapped outside his socks as protection against ‘hacking’ – the deliberate
kicking of the shins.
Widdowson is also credited with the implementation of the first organised
player formation – two full-backs, three half-backs and five forwards.
A
formation initially introduced during the 1870s by Forest, enduring a life
span right into the early 1960s.
Widdowson's feedback
helped ensure another standard of the modern game which was introduced in
a game between Forest and Sheffield Norfolk. The referees had used a
flag system to signal before and after this point, it was in this game that the
whistle was first used by the umpire. - allegedly.
Widdowson also pioneered early floodlighting for night games by using gas
lamps. This idea was dropped due to the gas running out, and fears for
crowd safety, but when electricity was more readily available in 1909 he,
now retired, returned to the City Ground to attempt electric lighting. |
|
England Career |
|
Player
number |
One of
five who became the 70th players to appear
for England. |
|
Position(s) |
Forward; |
|
First match |
No. 10, 13
March 1880, Scotland 5 England 4, friendly match at
Hampden Park, Hampden Terrace, Glasgow.
Aged 28 years 331 days; |
|
Last match |
No. 10, 13
March 1880, Scotland 5 England 4, friendly match at
Hampden Park, Hampden Terrace, Glasgow.
Aged 28 years 331 days; |
|
Major
tournaments |
None. |
|
Team honours |
None. |
|
Individual
honours |
None. |
|
Distinctions |
None. |
|
Beyond
England |
|
A Lace
Warehouseman, according to the 1881 census. Twice served on the FA
Committee, 1888-92 and 1893-94. -
An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming
(1971). Hatton Press, p.2./FindMyPast.com |
|
Sam Widdowson - Career Statistics |
| Squads |
Apps |
Mins. |
Goals |
Gls Avg
min |
Capt. |
Disc. |
| 1 |
1 |
90 |
0 |
0 min |
0 |
None |
|
Sam Widdowson
- Match Record - All Matches |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS
|
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts
% |
W/L |
|
Away |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
-1 |
0 |
0 |
4.00 |
5.00 |
00.0 |
-1 |
|
All |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
-1 |
0 |
0 |
4.00 |
5.00 |
00.0 |
-1 |
|
Sam Widdowson
- Match Record - By Type of Match |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
| Friendly |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
-1 |
0 |
0 |
4.00 |
5.00 |
00.0 |
-1 |
| All |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
-1 |
0 |
0 |
4.00 |
5.00 |
00.0 |
-1 |
|
Sam Widdowson - Match History |
|
Club: Nottingham Forest F.C. - 1 cap |
|
Coach:
F.A. Committee - 1 cap |
|
App |
No. |
Opponent |
Date |
Venue |
Type |
F |
A |
Res. |
Details |
Shirt |
|
1 |
10 |
Scotland |
13-Mar-1880 |
Hampden Park, Hampden Terrace,
Glasgow |
F |
4 |
5 |
AL |
Start |
n/a |
Notes
[Biographical sketch to
come]
____________________
CG
|
England
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