Farnfield Percy Image 1 Amateurs v Professionals International Trial XI 1906

Description

Centre half Percy Farnfield was an amateur footballer and one of three brothers, the others being Gilbert and Herbert, who were all on the books of Fulham in 1903-04 and who all played for Fulham in a Southern League match against West Ham United in April 1904. Herbert also played for Brentford.

Percy Farnfield was selected to represent the England Amateur XI in its first ever official match, scoring in a 15-0 victory over France at the Parc des Princes, Paris, in November 1906. The three Farnfield brothers all appeared for Isthmian League club The New Crusaders, an amateur club founded by the Farnfield family which won the London Senior Cup in 1906 with Percy Farnfield the club captain when they beat Dulwich Hamlet 3-1 in a replay after a 2-2 draw in the original match. The brothers also appeared together when they played a First Round FA Cup tie against Southern League club Plymouth Argyle in January 1906, losing 6-3 at Sidcup College, five days after Farnfield had represented The Amateurs v The Professionals in an England trial match at Craven Cottage.

He was also an accomplished cricketer and played one first class match for Worcestershire against Hampshire aged 44 in August 1925.

NB This photograph was taken on 8th January 1906 before an Amateurs v Professionals England trial match played at Craven Cottage, Fulham, which the Professionals XI won 1-0.

Amateurs (white shirts): Back Row – PH Farnfield, JG Witherington, CD McIver, HA Nulton

Middle Row – SH Day, Vivian Woodward, Herbert Smith, SS Harris (captain)

Front Row – EGD Wright, TS Rowlandson, GC Vassall

Professionals (striped shirts): Back Row – Jimmy Ashcroft, Joe Walton, Archie Cross, Peter Chambers

Middle Row – Walter Bull, Fred Blackburn, Riley, Fred Threlfall

Front Row – Arthur “Pat” Collins, Tim Coleman, Fred Harrison