Robert Edwin Smalley (1867–1947) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...

who played in

the Football League The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, it is the oldest football league in the world, and was the top-level football league in England from ...

for Everton.

Early career

Robert Smalley was signed by Preston North End in 1886. In the following year, May 1887, he moved to Everton and took over as No: 1 Goalkeeper from Charles Jolliffe and his Everton debut was made in October 1887 against

Notts County Notts County Football Club is a professional association football, football club in Nottingham, England, which competes in EFL League Two, the fourth tier of Football in England, English football, following promotion and relegation, promotion ...

. He played 30 matches before the Football League started in September 1888. He was described as an agile goalkeeper and was Everton' No: 1 for the next two seasons.

1888–89 season

Robert Smalley made his League Debut on 8 September 1888, playing as goalkeeper, at

Anfield Anfield is a Association football, football stadium in the area of Anfield (suburb), Anfield, Liverpool, England, which has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since its formation in 1892. The stadium has a seating capacity of 61,276, making it the ...

, then home of Everton. The home team defeated the visitors,

Accrington Accrington is a town in the Hyndburn borough of Lancashire, England. It lies about east of Blackburn, west of Burnley, east of Preston, north of Manchester and is situated on the culverted River Hyndburn. Commonly abbreviated by locals to ...

2–1. Robert Smalley appeared in 18 of the 22 League games played by Everton in season 1888–89. As a goalkeeper (18 appearances) he played in an Everton defence that kept two clean sheets and restricted the opposition to one–League–goal–in–a–match on five separate occasions. (registration & fee required)

1889 onwards

Smalley was retained for 1889–90 and played 17 matches. His last season, 1890–91 he only played once. After football he became an accountant and went back to Preston.

References

1867 births 1947 deaths English men's footballers Everton F.C. players English Football League players Men's association football goalkeepers Footballers from Darwen {{England-footy-goalkeeper-stub