Association Football

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 57, 4 September 1937, Page 23

Association Football

DEATH OF SIR CHARLES CLEGG

ENGLISH ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT

In Sir John Charles Clegg, who died at his Sheffield home ra-

cently at the age of 87, the English Football Association lose theif strongest legislator—a man whose firm grip of the politics of the ' game gave him an unequalled influence in the council chamber and on commissions of inquiry. No one connected with Association football since it became a great professional sport has carried quite so much weight—not even the late Lord Kinnaird or the late Mr. C. W. Alcock. Chosen as a representative on the council in 1886, he was made a vice-president of the Association in 1889, and a year later he was selected by the council as president. He had occupied that position ever since. • .

When, many years ago, the council resolved that all local associations should admit to membership professional clubs within their areas, and the Middlesex and Surrey associations declined to change tneir strictly amateur status, Mr. Clegg. (as he was then) sent in his resignation. This.action on his part could be described as an astute stroke of policy. Taking the line he did,, it was essential that he should le^d a united party, end, apart from the amateur delegates, there was some doubt as to whether the policy of the council was assured of undivided support. . ■. Things turned out .exactly as might

have been expected. The council had no wish, at a crisis, to be deprived of ■so sage a leader. He was asked—the request being couched in the most flattering terms —to reconsider his decision, and this he consented to do. The ■council had as good as told him that he was indispensable, so he naturally found himself in a stronger position than ever. The secession of a large number of clubs resulted in the formation of the Amateur Football Association, i , PLAYERS'STRIKE THREAT. In the matter of the threatened strike of the professionals over the question of the Players' Union on the eve of the season of 1909-10, he enjoyed the. complete confidence of his .colleagues. Indeed, it was largely due to his tact and strength of will that the league competitions escaped the serious dislocation which must have ensued if the leading players had refused to fulfil their contracts.

At general meetings of the Football Association, no matter how intricate the questions brought forward, he was always clear in explanation and firm in opinion. Very rarely did the vote go against him. The high esteem felt for hh i found practical expression when he and the late Lord Kinhaird Were entertained at dinner by the council. At that memorable fathering of all the best-known people connected with the football Association Lord Kinnaird was presented with the second Foot-, ball. Association Challenge Cup-rthe first cup was stolen when.in possession of Aston Villa, and has never since been heard of—and Sir Charles was

given an album containing phot* graphs of all the councillors. . FIRST-CLASS FLAYER. In the early days of Association football, when no one dreamed of the tre» mendous popularity the game was de» stined to obtain, he was a first-rats player, making his name as a member of the Sheffield Club. He asiiated England in the first match against Scotland—played in 1872 at Glasgow. In the following year his brother, afterwards Sir William Clegg, was in th» England team. . r - ':. The game has changed so much in "character that it is difficult to compare the players of fifty years ago with those of the present day. Very fast and a clever dribbler, Sir Charles held his own among the best men of his generation. In addition to football, he went in for athletics, and, without being in the first rank of champions, wan a capital quarter-mile runner and a good sprinter. ;

Sir Charles received his knighthood in the Birthday Honours of 1927. Last year, to mark his fiftieth anniversary as a member of the F.A. Council, he was presented with a gold plaque by his colleagues.

He is survived by an only daughter. Lady Clegg, who was a daughter of Mr. J. W. Sayles, of Manchester, died in 1933 at the age of 83. She and Sir Charles had been married for nearly 61 years.