Samuel Meston
Encyclopedia
Samuel Meston was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a half-back
for Stoke and Southampton
. Whilst with Southampton, he appeared in two FA Cup Finals and won six Southern League
championship medals and was the only player ever to do so.
and started his career with his local team, Arbroath Victoria
before signing as a professional with Stoke in January 1894. At the end of the 1894–95 season, he joined Southampton, together with several other Stoke players and soon proved to be one of the most valuable players signed for the Saints in their Southern League
days. His trademark hard shots were nicknamed Long Toms
after a cannon used during the Boer War
and elsewhere.
He played in a variety of positions, although his favourite position was at right-half. Whilst at Southampton, he won a record six Southern League championship medals and appeared in the FA Cup
finals in 1900, defeating three First division clubs on the way, and 1902. He made a total of 288 appearances for the Saints, including 42 in the FA Cup (a total only exceeded by Terry Paine
and Nick Holmes
).
After 11 seasons with the Saints, he left in May 1906 to join Salisbury City
and also played for Croydon Common
and Eastleigh Athletic
.
After leaving full-time football, he worked as a brake-fitter at the Eastleigh railway depot
.
Two decades later his son, Sammy Meston
also played for Southampton, as well as for Everton
and Tranmere Rovers
.
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
for Stoke and Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
. Whilst with Southampton, he appeared in two FA Cup Finals and won six Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
championship medals and was the only player ever to do so.
Playing career
Meston was born in ArbroathArbroath
Arbroath or Aberbrothock is a former royal burgh and the largest town in the council area of Angus in Scotland, and has a population of 22,785...
and started his career with his local team, Arbroath Victoria
Arbroath Victoria F.C.
Arbroath Victoria are a Scottish Junior football club based in Arbroath. They are one of the oldest Junior clubs in Scotland, having been formed in 1882. The club gained their first honour in April of that year by beating a team called Sunrise 3–0 on Arbroath Common...
before signing as a professional with Stoke in January 1894. At the end of the 1894–95 season, he joined Southampton, together with several other Stoke players and soon proved to be one of the most valuable players signed for the Saints in their Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
days. His trademark hard shots were nicknamed Long Toms
155 mm Creusot Long Tom
The 155 mm Creusot Long Tom was a French field gun manufactured by Schneider et Cie in Le Creusot, France and used by the Boers in the Second Boer War.-Second Boer War:...
after a cannon used during the Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
and elsewhere.
He played in a variety of positions, although his favourite position was at right-half. Whilst at Southampton, he won a record six Southern League championship medals and appeared in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
finals in 1900, defeating three First division clubs on the way, and 1902. He made a total of 288 appearances for the Saints, including 42 in the FA Cup (a total only exceeded by Terry Paine
Terry Paine
Terence Lionel Paine MBE is a former English footballer.Paine made 713 football league appearances for Southampton F.C. and 111 for Hereford United F.C...
and Nick Holmes
Nick Holmes (footballer)
Nicholas Charles Holmes is a retired footballer, who won the FA Cup Final with Southampton in 1976 and, from July 2002 to July 2010, was general manager of Salisbury City.-Southampton:...
).
After 11 seasons with the Saints, he left in May 1906 to join Salisbury City
Salisbury City F.C.
Salisbury City Football Club is an English football club based in Salisbury, Wiltshire currently playing in the Conference South. They were formed in 1947 and play at The Raymond McEnhill Stadium...
and also played for Croydon Common
Croydon Common F.C.
Croydon Common Football Club were an amateur and then professional football club based in Croydon.-History:The team formed in 1897 as an amateur church team competing in local leagues. They turned professional in 1907, joining the Second Division of the Southern League...
and Eastleigh Athletic
Eastleigh Athletic F.C.
Eastleigh Athletic F.C. were a long running amateur football club, formed by local railway workers, who for many years were Eastleigh's leading football club.-History:...
.
After leaving full-time football, he worked as a brake-fitter at the Eastleigh railway depot
Eastleigh Works
Eastleigh Works is a locomotive, carriage and wagon building and repair facility in the town of Eastleigh in the county of Hampshire in England.-History under the LSWR:...
.
Two decades later his son, Sammy Meston
Sammy Meston
Samuel William Meston was a professional footballer who played as a winger for Tranmere Rovers as well as for Southampton, Gillingham and Everton.-Playing career:...
also played for Southampton, as well as for Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
and Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
.
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Stoke Stoke City F.C. Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts... |
1893–94 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1894–95 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 4 | |
| Total | 11 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 4 | |
| Southampton Southampton F.C. Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club... |
1895–96 | 18 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 23 | 1 |
| 1896–97 | 19 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 26 | 4 | |
| 1897–98 | 22 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 31 | 3 | |
| 1898–99 | 18 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 21 | 1 | |
| 1899–1900 | 27 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 33 | 3 | |
| 1900–01 | 28 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 2 | |
| 1901–02 | 26 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 34 | 4 | |
| 1902–03 | 24 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 1 | |
| 1903–04 | 24 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 26 | 1 | |
| 1904–05 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | |
| 1905–06 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | |
| Total | 246 | 18 | 42 | 2 | 288 | 20 | |
| Career Total | 257 | 20 | 44 | 4 | 301 | 24 | |
Honours
SouthamptonSouthampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
finalist: 1900 and 1902 - Southern LeagueSouthern Football LeagueThe Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
championships: 1896–97, 1897–98, 1898–99, 1900–01, 1902–03 and 1903–04