Alf Pugh

Allen "Alf" Pugh (1869 – 7 February 1942) was a Welsh amateur football goalkeeper who made one appearance for Wales in 1889. He was the first player to be replaced by a substitute in international football.

Alf Pugh
Personal information
Full name Allen Pugh
Date of birth 1869
Place of birth Esclusham, Wales
Date of death (1942-02-07)7 February 1942
Place of death Wrexham, Wales
Playing position(s) Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1884–1885 Rhostyllen Victoria
1885–1886 Wrexham Olympic
1886–1896 Rhostyllen Victoria
National team
1889 Wales 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Football career

Pugh was born in the Esclusham district, a few miles west of Wrexham.[1] His early football was played at the nearby village of Rhostyllen before joining Wrexham Olympic for a year in 1885. Described as a "competent goalkeeper", he represented Denbighshire twice: in January 1885, against Shropshire and in November, against Lancashire.[1] After losing his place at Wrexham to Sam Gillam, he returned to Rhostyllen, where he continued to play for a further ten years.[1]

On 15 April 1889, Wales were playing their British Home Championship match against Scotland at the Racecourse Ground. Wrexham; the regular goalkeeper, Jim Trainer, failed to turn up for the match, as Preston North End refused to release him.[2] The kick-off was delayed while a replacement was sought; eventually the match got underway with Pugh in goal, before Gillam arrived some twenty minutes into the match.[3] Neither 'keeper conceded a goal and the match ended 0–0;[4] this was the first time in 14 matches between the countries that the Scots had failed to defeat the Welsh,[5] and only the second international match in which neither team had managed to score, the first being the very first officially recognised international match, between Scotland and England on 30 November 1872.[6] This was also the first use of a substitute in international football.[7]

Later life

Pugh later kept the Union Vaults public house in Yorke Street, Wrexham.[1]

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References
  1. Davies, Gareth; Garland, Ian (1991). Who's Who of Welsh International Soccer Players. Bridge Books. p. 171. ISBN 1-872424-11-2.
  2. Davies, Gareth; Garland, Ian (1991). Who's Who of Welsh International Soccer Players. Bridge Books. pp. 67–68. ISBN 1-872424-11-2.
  3. "Scotland v. Wales (Match report)". www.londonhearts.com. 15 April 1889. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
  4. "Wales 0 – 0 Scotland". Welsh Football Data Archive. 15 April 1889. Archived from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
  5. "Scotland vs. Wales international results". www.londonhearts.com. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
  6. At this time, the only countries involved in international football were the British "home" nations; i.e. England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. For a list of England's match results, see the England all-time match list, for the Scotland equivalent see the list of Scotland results and for Wales see the index of Wales international matches Archived 2008-09-15 at the Wayback Machine
  7. "Wales 0 Scotland 0". www.londonhearts.com. 15 April 1889. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
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