James Smith (footballer, born 1844)

James Smith (summer 1844 – 20 September 1876)[1] was a Scottish footballer who played for Scotland against England in the first official international match in 1872. He was a member of the Queen's Park and South Norwood clubs, and was prominent in the early history of Queen's Park.

James Smith
Personal information
Full name James Smith
Date of birth Summer 1844
Place of birth Aberdeen, Scotland
Date of death 20 September 1876(1876-09-20) (aged 32)
Place of death Urquhart, Moray, Scotland
Playing position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1867–18?? Queen's Park
1870–1876 South Norwood
National team
1872 Scotland 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Early life

Smith was born in Aberdeen in summer 1844,[2] the son of Robert Smith and Barbara Abercrombie. His father was the gardener to the Earl of Fife, who was then based at Mar Lodge on Royal Deeside. His father was later the head gardener on the Duke's estate at Innes House, near Elgin. James Smith then attended Fordyce Academy.[1][3]

Football career

Smith was one of the founder members of the Queen's Park club, based in Glasgow.[4]

In his "Scottish Football Reminiscences and Sketches" written in 1890, David Bone describes Smith thus:

The least known, perhaps, of the original international men, but one whose name will ever be honoured by many of the older school of players, and locally Queen's Park members, is Mr. James Smith, who died some years ago in London. Mr. Smith was, in conjunction with his brother Robert, early associated with the game in Scotland, and was an original member of the Queen's Park. Mr. Archibald Rae, the first secretary of the Scottish Football Association, and at one time an active member of the Queen's Park (and a beautiful dribbler in his day), tells an amusing anecdote of Smith, while playing against the Hamilton Club, leaping on the top of a hedge to win a touch-down, which in those days counted a point in the game. This entirely coincided with poor Smith's play, as he was sometimes very impetuous.[5]

By November 1870, Smith had moved to London and, although he retained his membership of Queen's Park, was also a member of South Norwood, for whom he played in the FA Cup.[6] Smith, along with his elder brother Robert, was named amongst 16 selected players in the publicity for the unofficial international match played on 24 February 1872, but neither actually played.[7]

In November 1872, the first officially recognised football international was arranged between Scotland and England; unlike the earlier representative matches, all of which had been played at the Kennington Oval in London, this match was played at West of Scotland Cricket Club's ground at Hamilton Crescent in Partick, Glasgow. The match was organised by the Queen's Park club (the Scottish Football Association was not founded until the following year), who decided that only Queen's Park members should be selected.[8] Smith started the match as a half-back.[9][10]

Smith's brother, Robert, played in the match on 30 November 1872 as one of six forwards; thus, he and Robert were the first pair of brothers to play together at international level.[10][11] Scotland played a 2–2–6 formation (with two backs and two half-backs) while England favoured a more attacking 1–1–8 formation with only two defenders;[12] despite this, the match ended in a 0–0 draw.[13]

Life after football

By profession, Smith was a salesman for artists' supplies.[1]

He died, aged 32, at his parents' home at Urquhart in Morayshire on 20 September 1876 from a stroke, after a long illness.[1]

Notes
A.^ The match between Scotland and England on 30 November 1872 was the first officially recognised international football match.[14] Apart from James and Robert Smith, none of the other players were brothers. Thus they were the first pair of brothers to play international football.
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References
  1. Mitchell, Andy (2012). First Elevens: The Birth of International Football. Andy Mitchell Media. pp. 61, 131. ISBN 978-1475206845.
  2. "Scotland squad for the match against England November 1872". www.englandfootballonline.com. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  3. Mitchell, Andy (2 July 2013). "Football's founders from Fordyce". Scottish Sport History. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  4. Robinson, Richard (1920). "Chapter XV. – Recruiting". History of the Queen's Park Football Club 1867–1917. www.electricscotland.com. Retrieved 5 October 2011.
  5. Bone, David Drummond (1890). "Famous Association Players—Past and Present". Scottish Football Reminiscences and Sketches. Retrieved 5 October 2011.
  6. Mitchell, Andy. "Robert and James Smith, 1872 first international". www.scottishleague.net. Retrieved 5 October 2011.
  7. Bell's Life in London and Sporting Chronicle, Saturday 17 February 1872
  8. Mitchell, Andy (2011). Arthur Kinnaird: First Lord of Football. Andy Mitchell. p. 58. ISBN 1-4636-2111-6.
  9. "Scotland 0 England 0 (Match report)". www.londonhearts.com. 30 November 1872. Retrieved 5 October 2011.
  10. "Scotland 0 England 0". England Match No. 1. www.englandfootballonline.com. 30 November 1872. Retrieved 5 October 2011.
  11. "Keeping it in the Family". Getting Personal. Goalkeepers are different. Retrieved 5 October 2011.
  12. "Scotland v England 1872". Interesting and curious facts about full internationals and national players (1872–1900). IFFHS. Archived from the original on 4 December 2010. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
  13. "Scotland – England 0–0". Scotland –International matches 1872–1880. RSSSF. 30 November 1872. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
  14. Mitchell, Paul (November 2005). "The first international football match". A Sporting Nation. BBC. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
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