Alf Underwood

Alfred Underwood (1869 – 8 October 1928[2]) was an English footballer who played 130 times for Stoke in the 1880s and 1890s.[1]

Alf Underwood
Personal information
Full name Alfred Underwood[1]
Date of birth 1869[1]
Place of birth Hanley, England[1]
Date of death 8 October 1928[1]
Place of death Stoke-on-Trent, England[1]
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Position(s) Full back
Youth career
1884–1885 Hanley Tabernacle
1885–1887 Etruria
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1887–1893 Stoke 115 (0)
National team
1891–1892 England 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Football Career

Underwood was born in Hanley, Staffordshire and in his youth played in the local church league for Hanley Tabernacle and Etruria along with Bill Rowley. He and Rowley joined Stoke in 1887 in time for the first season of the Football League.[1] Underwood made his league debut on 8 September 1888, at full-back for Stoke in a 2–0 defeat by West Bromwich Albion at the Victoria Ground. He played all of Stoke's 22 Football League matches in 1888–89.[3] Underwood played at left-back in Stoke's first season in the Football League and missed only one match in the next three seasons (at Walsall in 1891). He retired in 1893 when he was only 24 after he cut his knee and the wound became infected, although he was still called up to play occasionally afterwards. Underwood then worked in the local pot banks but suffered many health problems which led to his death in 1928.[1]

Professional Baseball

In 1890 Underwood played professional baseball for Stoke in the National League of Baseball of Great Britain.

International career

He went on to win two full England caps, appearing alongside fellow Stoke teammates Bill Rowley and Tommy Clare.[1]

Style of play

Underwood stood at 6 ft tall and weighed 13 st and along with Tommy Clare, formed an imposing barricade and were often referred to as a pair rather than an individual. Underwood's balding head and sunken eyes gave him a demonic appearance.[1]

His main assets were his heavy tackles and his long clearances. Members of the local press often criticised him for being too impetuous and rash. He occasionally mis-kicked his clearances and on one occasion against Accrington in September 1888, he hoofed the ball vertically in the air which resulted in Accrington scoring an easy goal. This led to The Sentinel claiming that Underwood should stop trying to break windows.[1]

Career statistics

Club
Club Season League FA Cup Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Stoke[1] 1887–88 – –4040
1888–89 Football League 22000220
1889–90 Football League 22040260
1890–91 Football Alliance 21030240
1891–92 Football League 22050270
1892–93 First Division 26010270
1893–94 First Division 100010
1894–95 First Division 100010
Career total 11501701320

International

Source:[4]

National teamYearAppsGoals
England 189110
189210
Total20

Honours

References
  1. Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
  2. Betts, Graham (2006). England: Player by player. Green Umbrella Publishing. p. 245. ISBN 1-905009-63-1.
  3. "English National Football Archive". Retrieved 21 March 2018. (registration & fee required)
  4. "Underwood, Alf". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
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