Below is one of the first interviews of a Leicester Fosse footballer ever published …..
THE CAPTAIN OF LEICESTER FOSSE
GEORGE SWIFT’S CAREER
Wellington St George’s, Shropshire, is not marked very red on the map of England, but it has done Leicester good service, in that in George Swift it has produced one of the most reliable professionals ever associated with the Fosse FC. St George’s is a small colliery centre, with a scattered population, and its natives – especially those who play football, like Swift did, on the Vicarage field, and are known as the Dragons – are full of hard-bitten energy, and never know when they are beaten. The club there, known as Wellington St George’s, is one of the pluckiest you will come across in a das march. If a team licked them five seasons running, they would come up smiling at the sixth, and then they would probably win; if they did not, they would say: “Wait until next season.” And then they would cheerfully tackle that team, stepping on the field with pure, unadulterated Saxon courage worth a couple of goals to begin with. I well remember few years a specimen of their handiwork. One Monday another Shropshire club with whom I happened to be playing, beat St George’s on neutral ground by 2-1 in the semi-final of the Wednesbury Charity Cup; on the very next Saturday, in an early round of the Shropshire Charity Cup – very dear to the Dragon’s hearts – they soundly licked us, and on our own ground this time, by about 4-1. That day the Dragon brought half the population of their neighbourhood with them, and their supporters could murmur!
From this little preamble, it is intended to show that Wellington St George’s, where Swift was born and bred, is a place where the natives have plenty of grit in their constitution. The Fosse captain is a typical and refined specimen of the men they turn out. Up in Shropshire they thought – and still think -a lot of him, and, in 1893 when Wolverhampton Wanderers, for whom Swift was then playing, won the English Cup at Fallowfield, the St George’s people were well-nigh pleased as if their own club had secured the trophy. It was because one of their own clan was in victorious ranks, and they were proud men that day.
If every professional footballer in England had led such a steady, careful life as Swift, professionalism would have probably escaped many a hard thing said about it. It is just such professionals of Swift’s stamp who enlist your respect for them individually and command your sympathy with their calling.
Swift is a sound and hardworking, rather than an elegant back. He loves the game, and he always plays for all he is worth. He never gives up. He is a well-built fellow, of the hard and sturdy type, but rough, brutish play is altogether foreign to his disposition. In a word, he has all the instincts of a gentleman, and these are as apparent on the field as well as off. He is both modest and unostentatious, and a model of straightforwardness. You will always see Swift looking neat and tidy, meet him where you will, and he is just the same as in his football attire.
One of his most effective kicks is that huge volley of his, which lands the ball half-way up the field, without being sky-rocketed. Curiously, Swift is not particularly fond of the volley, but at any rate he has mastered the knack of it. Then, he is a sound tackler; if he meets a man face to face, it is very rare that the forward wins. And Swift can shift the leather! He is, too, an adept at heading, and his always adds to a full-back’s resource. A sure kick he also has, although just now and again he misses, and when he does – which is seldom – it is a clean, whole-hearted affair, no half measures about it. But the full back who never makes a mistake has not yet been invented. It is a s true in football as in other walks of life, that the man who never makes a mistake never makes anything.
Thus, Swift is a real, effective full-back, one who will always do his side good service. Here is just one feature, however, where he would suffer by comparison with a first-class back (say Oakley, the international Corinthian), and that is in the art of placing to his forwards. Some footballers submit that the full backs’ duty is to clear at any cost, and thus is the policy which Swift, as a rule adopts, though he is by no means injudicious, and he almost invariably keeps the ball well win play. But the complete work of a full-back consists really of more than “clearing at any cost,” all important though that be back like Oakley, not only clears, but he has cultivated to something like perfection the art of “placing” to his own men. I watched Oakley carefully when the Corinthians were at Leicester last Boxing Day (Dorrell’s benefit), and nine times out of ten when Oakley had the ball, he planted it at the foot of one of his own men. Swift has played in an International League competition, and he had been as successful as an Oakley in the art just named, he would probably have gained his International cap in some of the great contests.
The Fosse captain has now been honourably connected with professional football for some years, and he still has plenty of sound and good football in him. He has a marked influence upon the field of play with his colleagues, who willingly obey his ruling.
SWIFT’S REMINISCENCES
In reply to a request the other day, Swift kindly narrated to me the principle features of his football career.
I was born (he said) at St George’s, and I began my football at school there. The St George’s School was reckoned the champion team of its class in the county, and I remember we beat Dudley-road School, Birmingham, by 16-0, and they had not been previously beaten. I was about 13 years old at the time. When I left school, I played for St George’s Swifts, and in the same season I assisted Wellington Town in one match. The next season (1886-87) I played regularly with St George’s.
In what position on the field did you first play? Why, outside left; but at Christmas, 1886, our left full back was hurt, and I was put in his place. That was how I took to full-back. Towards the end of the 1886-87 season I had a taste of better class football. A representative of the Stoke club had seen our team playing in one of the rounds of the Shropshire Cup, at St George’s, and he asked me to have a game with the Pottery club. I accepted the invitation, and played at Stoke against Chirk, a clever little Welsh team in a friendly. I, however, went back to St George’s, and played, at the end of the 1886-87 season: in the final of the Shropshire Charity Cup. Oswestry were our opponents, and they beat us 6-1; they had some good men against us. Seth Powell, who afterwards went to West Bromwich Abion, as playing for Oswestry that day, so was Di Jones, the old Blton Wanderers’ man, and now of Manchester City; and also R Topham, the well-known old Wolverhampton Wanderers centre. I also played for St George’s the next season, 1887-88, and went to Crew Alexandra.
How did you come under the club’s notice? Through playing in the final of the Shropshire Charity Cup for St George’s v Shrewsbury. We had won by 2-1, and representatives of the Alexandra club came and spoke to me about going to Crew. The same season that Alexandra also engaged Mose Saunders of Preston Nort End, who, curiously enough is down to play today for Woolwich Arsenal against Fosse and Sammy Dobson, who afterwards went to Preston North End and Sheffield United; Dobson however, got hurt and retired, and is now trainer for New Brighton.
How did you get on with Crewe Alexandra?- Well, the first two matches against Nantwich and Walsall. I was dead out of form; but in the third match against Long Eaton Rangers I did better and then began to settle down to the improved football. Crew were then in the Alliance, and I often played back with Dr A O Davies of London Swifts and Welsh team. The best thing that the Alexandra did in 1888-89 was to defeat Notts Forest at Nottingham, by 5-0. It was an Alliance match.
And how long were you at Crewe? Oh, I had two more seasons here.
And then you joined Wolves? – Yes. The first season (1891-92) I played with the Reserves as also then did Harry Wood, now of Southampton. Once or twice, I was picked for the Wolves’ first team. The next season, 1892-93 we won the English Cup, and there was some gay old times at ‘Hampton that week. It was poor Harry Allen who scored the solitary goal by which we won – a high shot 40 yards from home. Sir Alfred Hickaman presented each of us with a miniature cup, and the supporters of the club gave us a cup each to commemorate the victory. The same season we also won the Birmingham Cup. I stayed another season at Wolverhampton. The Villa then beat us in the first round of the English Cup by 4-2. The match was at Perry Bar, and in a gale of wind. In the Birmingham Cup final we drew with the Throstle and were joint holders.
And then you went to Loughborough? – Yes; not being able to come to terms, several of us left the Wolves and went to Loughborough. That was the 1894-95 season, and we were champions of the Midland League. I remember once, for a match at Gainsborough, we somehow or other mustered only seven men, but we managed to make a draw of it. I stayed another season at Loughborough, and then, in 1896-97, I joined Leicester Fosse and have been with them since.
A CHAT ABOUT FOSSE
What about your prospects of us getting into the First Leage? – well, I think it would be a very good thing if we were in the First Division. It would mean better football, and I think that after a while we should hold our own. The town is certainly big enough to support a First division club.
Do you think that Fosse will have a stronger team than last season? – yes, I do. I am sorry that Jack Walker is unable to turn out yet awhile; he is one of the hardest working backs, with whom I have never played. It is at half-back and forward that we are stronger than last season. Dainty, I think, is a good half, and Brown gives promise of making a useful centre forward; and “Rab” King is shaping well at left outside, which is his old position.
What about the Woolwich Arsenal match? – Well it is of course difficult to say what will be the result; but I think it will be a close game. Anyhow, we can hope to do better than we did last year.
There is a good feeling amongst the Fosse all round now, isn’t there? – Yes; it could not be better and is due in the first place to the straightforward way in which players are dealt with by the directors and secretary; and we have a trainer in Dunmore whom we all respect. A good trainer is a most important man to any football club.
In conclusion, Swift said: Last season was the best Fosse have had since I joined them, and I hope that this season will be still even more successful; anyhow, the players, one and all, are going to have a good try to make it so.
Leicester Daily Post – Saturday 02 September 1899