1898-1903 CHARLES WREFORD-BROWN (CORINTHIANS) J. BAINES SHIELD ROOKIE
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YEAR: 1890's
ISSUE: J. BAINES LTD. FOOTBALL SHIELD
NUMBER: N/A
CONDITION: GOOD
STUNNING BAINES CARD OF A FOOTBALL PIONEER. CHARLES WREFORD-BROWN WAS ONE OF THE BEST-KNOWN PLAYERS FOR CORINTHIAN F.C., THE GREAT AMATEUR CLUB OF THE LATE 19TH CENTURY. THEY WERE HUGELY INFLUENTIAL THROUGH THEIR PROMOTION OF FAIR PLAY, SPORTSMANSHIP, AND PLAYING FOR HONOUR RATHER THAN MONEY — VALUES THAT DEFINED FOOTBALL’S EARLY ELITE CULTURE. WREFORD BROWN WAS SO CENTRAL TO THE CLUB THAT LATER HISTORIES CALL HIM “MR. CORINTHIAN.”
ISSUE: J. BAINES LTD. FOOTBALL SHIELD
NUMBER: N/A
CONDITION: GOOD
STUNNING BAINES CARD OF A FOOTBALL PIONEER. CHARLES WREFORD-BROWN WAS ONE OF THE BEST-KNOWN PLAYERS FOR CORINTHIAN F.C., THE GREAT AMATEUR CLUB OF THE LATE 19TH CENTURY. THEY WERE HUGELY INFLUENTIAL THROUGH THEIR PROMOTION OF FAIR PLAY, SPORTSMANSHIP, AND PLAYING FOR HONOUR RATHER THAN MONEY — VALUES THAT DEFINED FOOTBALL’S EARLY ELITE CULTURE. WREFORD BROWN WAS SO CENTRAL TO THE CLUB THAT LATER HISTORIES CALL HIM “MR. CORINTHIAN.”
HE CAPTAINED ENGLAND TWICE AGAINST WALES, IN 1894 AND 1895. AT THE TIME, THE ENGLAND TEAM WAS MADE UP ENTIRELY OF CORINTHIAN PLAYERS — A SIGN OF HOW DOMINANT ELITE AMATEUR FOOTBALL STILL WAS IN THAT PERIOD. WREFORD-BROWN BECAME ONE OF THE MOST VISIBLE DEFENDERS OF THE AMATEUR TRADITION AT A TIME WHEN EARLY FOOTBALL WAS SPLIT CULTURALLY BETWEEN PUBLIC-SCHOOL/OXBRIDGE AMATEUR IDEALS, AND THE RISING PROFESSIONAL CLUB GAME.
IN 1906 HE HELPED FOUND THE AMATEUR FOOTBALL ALLIANCE AS A REACTION AGAINST THE GROWING POWER OF PROFESSIONAL CLUBS. HE CONTINUED TO SERVE THE SPORT IN AN ADMINISTRATIVE CAPACITY, SERVING ON THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION COUNCIL FOR DECADES. HE LATER BECAME CHAIRMAN OF THE INTERNATIONAL SELECTION COMMITTEE FOR ENGLAND WITHIN THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION AND SERVED AS VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE FA FROM 1941 UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 1951.
ANOTHER INTERESTING FACT IS THAT HE'S WIDELY CREDITED WITH COINING THE WORD “SOCCER” AS AN ABBREVIATION FOR ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL IN THE OXFORD UNIVERSITY STYLE SLANG THAT ALSO PRODUCED THE TERM “RUGGER.” WREEFORD-BROWN WAS A KEEN SPORTSMAN AT THE UNIVERSITY, PLAYING FOR BOTH THEIR CRICKET AND FOOTBALL TEAMS. HIS CRICKET CAREER ALSO SAW HIM REPRESENT GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET CLUB BETWEEN 1886-1889.
IN 1906 HE HELPED FOUND THE AMATEUR FOOTBALL ALLIANCE AS A REACTION AGAINST THE GROWING POWER OF PROFESSIONAL CLUBS. HE CONTINUED TO SERVE THE SPORT IN AN ADMINISTRATIVE CAPACITY, SERVING ON THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION COUNCIL FOR DECADES. HE LATER BECAME CHAIRMAN OF THE INTERNATIONAL SELECTION COMMITTEE FOR ENGLAND WITHIN THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION AND SERVED AS VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE FA FROM 1941 UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 1951.
ANOTHER INTERESTING FACT IS THAT HE'S WIDELY CREDITED WITH COINING THE WORD “SOCCER” AS AN ABBREVIATION FOR ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL IN THE OXFORD UNIVERSITY STYLE SLANG THAT ALSO PRODUCED THE TERM “RUGGER.” WREEFORD-BROWN WAS A KEEN SPORTSMAN AT THE UNIVERSITY, PLAYING FOR BOTH THEIR CRICKET AND FOOTBALL TEAMS. HIS CRICKET CAREER ALSO SAW HIM REPRESENT GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET CLUB BETWEEN 1886-1889.