Billy Mosforth
Encyclopedia
William Mosforth was an English
football player. He played for several Sheffield
clubs but in his later career played mainly for Sheffield Wednesday
before finally settling at United
. He was capped
for England
9 times between 1877 and 1882, which was a record
at the time, and scored 3 goals.
He is known as being the first player to play for both Sheffield Clubs and to score the first ever goal at Sheffiled United's ground Bramall Lane.
and made his debut at 14 but was famous for swapping sides and profiteering from his play. One anecdotal story says that when he ran on to the pitch in Hallam
colours someone in the crowd shouted "10 bob and free drinks, Billy, if you'll change your shirt". He promptly ran back to the dressing room and returned in a Wednesday shirt.
He first played for the Sheffield Football Association in 1876 at the age of 18. He was capped for England a year later in a match against Scotland. He went on to play regularly for both. He also played in the first floodlit
match that was played at Bramall Lane
.
In 1879 he played for The Zulus
a touring side created to aid families of casualties of the Zulu War
. The side became embroiled in controversy when it was revealed that the players were to make money themselves (a practice illegal at the time). He debuted for Wednesday on 18 December 1878.
Like many of the Wednesday players who were involved in the Zulu team, Mosforth was also one of the players who pushed them into becoming professional team. He played for the break-away team (Sheffield Rovers) that intended to become Sheffield's first professional side but returned to the Wednesday fold after professionalism was agreed upon. He went on to score the first goal at Olive Grove
.
He became a United player upon its creation in 1889 and alongside Jack Hudson
became the first player to play for both of Sheffield's major clubs. He spent one more year as a footballer with them and made 28 appearances, scoring 6 goals. The last appearance of his career was for Sheffield United against Staveley on 17 March 1890.
He was also a leading exponent of the "screw shot"
that allowed him to bend the ball in the air, a technique that was developed in Sheffield at the time and is now commonplace in the game. He was also well noted for his ability to cross the ball.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
football player. He played for several Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
clubs but in his later career played mainly for Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
before finally settling at United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
. He was capped
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
for England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
9 times between 1877 and 1882, which was a record
Progression of England association football caps record
This is a progressive list of association footballers who have held or co-held the record for international caps for the England national football team, beginning with Charles Chenery and Ernest Greenhalgh, the only England players to appear in both of the first two international games...
at the time, and scored 3 goals.
He is known as being the first player to play for both Sheffield Clubs and to score the first ever goal at Sheffiled United's ground Bramall Lane.
Early life and career
Mosforth was born in Sheffield in 1859. He grew to 5 foot 4 inches (163 cm) and became known as the 'Little Wonder'. His first club was Sheffield AlbionDefunct football clubs in Sheffield
There are a number of defunct clubs in Sheffield that made a significant contribution to football in the city. There were 15 teams playing in Sheffield by the early 1860s but only two of them remain in existence to the present day...
and made his debut at 14 but was famous for swapping sides and profiteering from his play. One anecdotal story says that when he ran on to the pitch in Hallam
Hallam F.C.
Hallam Football Club are a football club in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who currently play in the Northern Counties East League Division One...
colours someone in the crowd shouted "10 bob and free drinks, Billy, if you'll change your shirt". He promptly ran back to the dressing room and returned in a Wednesday shirt.
He first played for the Sheffield Football Association in 1876 at the age of 18. He was capped for England a year later in a match against Scotland. He went on to play regularly for both. He also played in the first floodlit
Floodlights (sport)
Floodlights are broad-beamed, high-intensity artificial lights often used to illuminate outdoor playing fields while an outdoor sports event is being held during low-light conditions....
match that was played at Bramall Lane
Bramall Lane
-Cricket at the Lane:Bramall Lane opened as a cricket ground in 1855, having been leased by Michael Ellison from the Duke of Norfolk at an annual rent of £70. The site was then away from the town's industrial area, and relatively free from smoke. It was built to host the matches of local cricket...
.
In 1879 he played for The Zulus
The Zulus
The Zulus were a short lived football team established in Sheffield, England that existed from 1879 to 1882. They were initially set up to raise funds for the wives and families of soldiers killed in the Zulu war...
a touring side created to aid families of casualties of the Zulu War
Anglo-Zulu War
The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom.Following the imperialist scheme by which Lord Carnarvon had successfully brought about federation in Canada, it was thought that a similar plan might succeed with the various African kingdoms, tribal areas and...
. The side became embroiled in controversy when it was revealed that the players were to make money themselves (a practice illegal at the time). He debuted for Wednesday on 18 December 1878.
Like many of the Wednesday players who were involved in the Zulu team, Mosforth was also one of the players who pushed them into becoming professional team. He played for the break-away team (Sheffield Rovers) that intended to become Sheffield's first professional side but returned to the Wednesday fold after professionalism was agreed upon. He went on to score the first goal at Olive Grove
Olive Grove
Olive Grove was Sheffield Wednesday F.C.'s first permanent football ground, home to the club for just over a decade at the end of the 19th century...
.
He became a United player upon its creation in 1889 and alongside Jack Hudson
John Hudson (footballer)
John "Jack" Hudson was an English international footballer who played as a half back.-Career:In the 1881 census, Hudson was described as a "German Silver Caster", and was living with his mother at 3 School Lane, Sheffield....
became the first player to play for both of Sheffield's major clubs. He spent one more year as a footballer with them and made 28 appearances, scoring 6 goals. The last appearance of his career was for Sheffield United against Staveley on 17 March 1890.
Playing style
Billy Mosforth was considered the best local player during his era. A major feature of his style was his outstanding ball control. He was known for long dribbles sometimes taking it the entire length of the pitch.He was also a leading exponent of the "screw shot"
Curl (football)
Curl, in football , is spin on the ball which will make it swerve, or bend, when kicked. This is imparted largely through almost slicing across the ball, and utilisation of either the inside foot or outside foot depending on which direction the ball should bend towards...
that allowed him to bend the ball in the air, a technique that was developed in Sheffield at the time and is now commonplace in the game. He was also well noted for his ability to cross the ball.