10 Footballers who took part in the First World War

The first World War took place from 1914 to 1918. During this time, all competitive football was stopped in England with the Football league and Fifa Cup suspended. Most footballers joined the army and fought as soldiers leading to the formation of a Football battalion- a unit comprising sportsmen. Many lost their lives, some were wounded and some couldn’t play football again.On the 100 year anniversary of the first World War, let us take a look at the 10 Footballers who took part in it.

#1 Frank Charles Buckley

Frank Charles Buckley, commonly known as Major Frank Buckley, was an English Footballer who later on went on to become a manager.

He played for most of the major clubs from Aston villa to Brighton to Manchester United and then to Manchester City and finally Birmingham City where he found stability.

In 1994, after a 3-0 defeat by Ireland leading him to join Bradford City, though his stay at Yorkshire was cut short by the start of World War I.

#2 Vivian Woodward

Vivian Woodward was an English football player played for Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea.

He captained Great Britain to win the Gold Medal at the 1908 Olympics. His tally of 29 goals in 23 matches for England remained as a record for a long time from 1911 to 1958.

During the war, he joined 17th battalion of Middlesex regiment which was also known as footballer regiment which included members of Woodward’s team at Tottenham Hotspur.

He also reached the rank of captain in the army and was wounded in a battle in 1916.

#3 Jackie Sheldon

Jackie Sheldon played for Nuneaton and Manchester United and afterwards he was signed by Liverpool.

Though he was initially banned for life for a match-fixing plot by the Football League, the War saw the suspension of the organisation. Later on the ban was lifted and Sheldon returned to Liverpool and played all their matches, missing just seven of them.

Sheldon was one of the few surviving footballers from the first world war.

#4 William Booth & Tommy Lonsdale

William Booth, a forward English Footballer played for Manchester United and Edge Lane.

After transferring from Edge Lane F.C., Booth played twice for Manchester United. He transferred from Manchester United in June 1901.

Lonsdale played 87 games in 5 years at Gribsy town and then joined West Ham United in October 1913. He also kept goal for the “Hammers” side during Southern League Games in 1913-14. During the War, he was a part of the football battalion.

In the picture Goalkeeper Tommy Lonsdale, is fifth from the right of the back row. William Booth is 3rd from left on the back row.

#5 Tommy Barber

Another English Footballer who played in the football league for Aston Villa.

Barber scored the winning goal for Aston Villa in the 1913 FA Cup Final against Sunderland.

He suffered leg wounds on the war front and immediately was admitted in Aberdeen Infirmary.

He recovered later on from his injuries amidst fears of never playing again and played in England Vs Scotland game in the Haig Hospital fund international at Celtic Park.

#6 Oscar Linkson

Oscar Linkson started his football career with Barnet F.C. in 1907. He signed for Manchester United in 1908.

Linkson played in 55 league games and four FA cup games, and also helped the club win the 1909 FA Cup.

During the war, Linkson joined 1st Football Battalion of the Middlesex regiment. He met his fellow footballers such as Walter Lull, Evelyn Lintott and Vivian Woodworth.

Linkson met with a saddening death, with his body going missing in the battle and was never recovered.

#7 Joseph Bache

He was born in England and became a footballer who played for Aston villa and he also played in the England Team seven times and during the period scored four goals.

Bache was the one of Aston Villa’s best forwards of all time and helped them win an FA cup winners medal in both 1905 and 1913.He also played a similar role for Aston Villa when the team won the league championship in 1910.

Bache joined the Royal Garrison Artillery during the First World War and went on to serve the Western Front. He was involved in numerous battles and despite that he survived the war and returned back home to revive his career in 1918.

#8 Fred Keenor

Frederick Charles Keenor was a Welsh professional footballer and Wales international.

Keenor was well known for captaining the Cardiff City team and leading them to win the 1927 FA Cup Final.

When the war broke out in 1914, he joined-up with the 17th battalion of Middlesex regiment,who were nicknamed football battalion.

He suffered a leg injury from a shrapnel during the battle in world war and he was told that he would never be able to play football again.

#9 Joe Smith

Joseph Enoch Smith played as a half back played in the football league in Birmingham.

He joined Birmingham in 1912, and he moved to Chester field town where he spent the 1914-15 season with a Midland league club where he scored only once in 30 league matches.

He died during the War.