Fred Rouse (footballer)

Fredrick William Rouse (28 November 1881 – December 1953) was an English professional footballer who played as a centre forward in the Football League for Chelsea, Everton, Grimsby Town, Stoke and West Bromwich Albion. He also represented the Football League XI.

Fred Rouse

Rouse while with Chelsea in 1907
Personal information
Full name	Fredrick William Rouse[1]
Date of birth	28 November 1881
Place of birth	Cranford, England[1]
Date of death	December 1953 (aged 72)[1]
Place of death	Windsor, England
Height	5 ft 10.5 in (179 cm)[2]
Position(s)	Centre forward
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1898–1900	Southall
1900–1902	Wycombe Wanderers	32	(20)
1902	Shepherd's Bush	2	(0)
1902–1903	Brentford	0	(0)
1903–1904	Grimsby Town	37	(15)
1904–1906	Stoke	69	(26)
1906–1907	Everton	9	(2)
1907–1909	Chelsea	38	(11)
1909–1910	West Bromwich Albion	5	(2)
1910–1911	Croydon Common	26	(11)
1911–1912	Brentford	15	(5)
	Slough
Total		158	(56)
National team
1905–1906	The Football League XI	2	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

A centre forward, Rouse was born in Cranford and played for London clubs Southall, Wycombe Wanderers, Brentford and Shepherds Bush, before moving north to join First Division club Grimsby Town in 1903.[1][2][3] Despite suffering relegation to the Second Division at the end of the 1902–03 season,[4] he impressed at the "Mariners" and earned a move to division rivals Stoke in April 1904.[2] Rouse top-scored for the team with 12 and 10 goals during the 1904–05 and 1905–06 seasons respectively.[1][2] In November 1906, financial concerns led to his sale to First Division club Everton for a £600 fee.[1] Rouse struggled to settle at Goodison Park and returned to London to join First Division club Chelsea for a £1000 fee.[5][6] After two seasons at Stamford Bridge, Rouse dropped down to the Second Division to play the 1909–10 season with West Bromwich Albion and later played for Croydon Common, Brentford and Slough.[2][7][8]

Representative career

Rouse represented the Football League XI in matches versus the Irish League XI in October 1905 and October 1906, scoring once a 6–0 victory in the latter match.[9]

Personal life

After his retirement from football, Rouse became publican of the Coach & Horses pub at Hayes Bridge.[2]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Wycombe Wanderers	1900–01[10]	Southern League Second Division	13	12	0	0	16	13
	1901–02[10]		19	8	0	0	30	15
	Total		32	20	0	0	46	28
Shepherd's Bush	1901–02[2]	Southern League Second Division	2	0	—		2	0
Grimsby Town	1902–03[11]	First Division	6	2	—		6	2
	1903–04[11]	Second Division	31	13	2	0	33	13
	Total		37	15	2	0	39	15
Stoke	1903–04[2]	First Division	1	0	—		1	0
	1904–05[2]	First Division	30	12	2	0	32	12
	1905–06[2]	First Division	28	10	2	0	30	10
	1906–07[2]	First Division	10	4	—		10	4
	Total		69	26	4	0	73	26
Everton	1906–07[6]	First Division	6	1	1	0	7	1
	1907–08[6]	First Division	3	1	—		3	1
	Total		9	2	1	0	10	2
Chelsea	1907–08[6]	First Division	20	6	1	0	21	6
	1908–09[6]	First Division	18	5	3	0	21	5
	Total		38	9	4	0	42	9
West Bromwich Albion	1909–10[7]	Second Division	5	2	0	0	5	2
Croydon Common	1910–11[2]	Southern League Second Division	11	6	1	0	12	6
Brentford	1911–12[8]	Southern League First Division	15	5	2	0	17	5
Career Total			203	82	12	0	229	90

Honours

Wycombe Wanderers

• Berks & Bucks Senior Cup: 1901–02[2]

References

1. Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
2. "Biographies – Fred Rouse" (PDF). Croydon Common Football Club. 10 September 2017.
3. "Rouse Fred Everton 1907". Vintage Footballers. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
4. Grimsby Town F.C. at the Football Club History Database
5. "Minute Book". evertoncollection.org.uk. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
6. "Frederick Rouse". 11v11.com. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
7. "Season Archive : Player Stats – 1909/10". Albion Till We Die – An Independent West Bromwich Albion Website. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
8. White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 361. ISBN 0951526200.
9. "Frederick William Rouse". 11v11.com. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
10. "Fred Rouse – Player File". Chairboys on the Net. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
11. Fred Rouse at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)