Edgar Field (29 July 1854 – 11 January 1934) was an English

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who helped

Clapham Rovers Clapham Rovers was from its foundation in 1869 a leading English sports organisation in the two dominant codes of football, association football and rugby union. It was a prominent club in the late 19th century but is now defunct. The club play ...

win the

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. He made two appearances for

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

as a full back.

Career

Field was born in Wallingford, then in

Berkshire Berkshire ( ; abbreviated ), officially the Royal County of Berkshire, is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Oxfordshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the north-east, Greater London ...

, and attended

Lancing College Lancing College is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English Private schools in the United Kingdom, private boarding school, boarding and day school) for pupils aged 13–18 in southern England, UK. The school is located in West S ...

where he played in the school team, before leaving to play for

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during the mid-1870s. He later joined Clapham Rovers before his first international match; he also represented

and

Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (, abbreviated ''Bucks'') is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-east, Hertfordshir ...

. He made his international debut against

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Hamilton Crescent Hamilton Crescent is a cricket ground in the Partick area of Glasgow, Scotland, which is the home of the West of Scotland Cricket Club. It was previously also used for association football and hosted the first international football match in ...

Partick Partick (, Scottish Gaelic: ''Partaig'') is an area of Glasgow on the north bank of the River Clyde, just across from Govan. To the west lies Whiteinch, to the east Yorkhill and Kelvingrove Park (across the River Kelvin), and to the north Broo ...

on 4 March 1876. According to Philip Gibbons, "the England side tended to be chosen on availability rather than skill alone." England struggled throughout the game, which saw the home team run out winners by three goals to nil. He was a member of the

team that reached the

final twice, losing 1–0 to

Old Etonians This is a list of notable former pupils of Eton College, a 13–18 public fee-charging and boarding secondary school for boys in Eton, Berkshire, England. Former pupils of the school are known as Old Etonians. Former pupils Politics *Robert ...

1879 Events January * January 1 ** The Specie Resumption Act takes effect. The United States Note is valued the same as gold, for the first time since the American Civil War. ** Brahms' Violin Concerto is premiered in Leipzig with Joseph Joachim ...

, and going on to win the cup in

with a 1–0 win over

Oxford University The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest continuously operating u ...

at The Kennington Oval. His second and final cap came five years after his first, also against

on 12 March 1881. Although most reports credit John Smith with a hat-trick, at least two sources say Field scored an own goal. If he did, he was the first player to do so in an England match. England went down to a "humiliating" 6–1 defeat.

Career outside football

Field was described as a wine merchant in Wallingford at the 1891 Census, but he was a Chartered Accountant by profession. He practised initially in London, ultimately moving to

Derby Derby ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area on the River Derwent, Derbyshire, River Derwent in Derbyshire, England. Derbyshire is named after Derby, which was its original co ...

in 1913 just prior to the

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. He joined the land agents Messrs Shaw and Fuller of College Place, Derby, where one of the partners Mr. Fuller was his brother-in-law. Field died at his home in Derby on 11 January 1934, aged 79. In May 2008, a photograph of the 1876 England team was discovered in the archives of the

Derby City Council Derby City Council is the Local government in England, local authority for the City status in the United Kingdom, city of Derby, in the ceremonial county of Derbyshire in the East Midlands region of England. Derby has had a council from medieval ...

Local Studies Library. Field had sent the photograph to the ''Derbyshire Football Express'', and the picture was used in an article published on the 50th anniversary of the match. This is believed to be the earliest known picture of an England football team.

Honours

Clapham Rovers *

winner:

finalist:

References

External links

* *
Feature on "You and Yesterday"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Field, Edgar 1854 births People from Wallingford, Oxfordshire 1934 deaths People educated at Lancing College English men's footballers England men's international footballers Clapham Rovers F.C. players Reading F.C. players Wanderers F.C. players Men's association football fullbacks