APRIL 9th 1881: FA CUP FINAL

 

Charterhouse School was built in 1872, on a valley side of the River Wey, overlooking the Surrey town of Godalming. The school had moved from its London city site near Smithfield Market that year. During its time in London, the Old Carthusian Football club (old boys of the school) had made its name as a successful amateur club, with one team and a large number of old boys wanting to play serious football in the south-east.

With the growing strength of The English Football Association, Charles Alcock introduced a Challenge Cup for associated teams, based on the inter boarding house competition, known as Cock House, at his school, Harrow.  Alcock captained the Wanderers side that won the first FA Cup Final in 1872. In that final, four members of the new cup committee were involved; Alcock, himself, Captain Francis Marindin of the Royal Engineers, the opposition, Betts the goal scorer and the referee Alfred Stair.

In 1871, fifteen teams entered the first Cup competition but by the time withdrawals had occurred, only twelve clubs and thirteen teams were involved. By the 21st century, thirteen rounds are played, originally regional and after about nine months, the seven hundred or so entrants are reduced to two finalists playing the final before a worldwide audience at Wembley. (Covid allowing of course).

FA CUP-FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

This first final, between the Wanderers and the Royal Engineers, on 16th March 1872 , was played at the Kennington Oval. The pitch had no cross bar, only a tape, no nets, no line markings for the half way line or centre circle and no free kicks or penalties were awarded, however such was the interest that 2,000 spectators turned up wearing their favours. Both teams adopted a 1-2-7 formation. There was no recognisable goalkeeper and the teams ran around as though they were children in a playground. Despite the Royal Engineers going a man down after 10 minutes due to a broken collar bone, the game surprisingly only ended up 1-0! In the 1872-3 competition, the Wanderers, as holders, were exempt from playing in any of the qualifying rounds and not only had byes through to the final but also were allowed to choose its venue.

From small beginnings, the competition has become the massive commercial concern that spans the globe.

The Old Carthusians did not enter the cup until 1879, the year of the club’s formation and at that time they were likely to be drawn against a team from the inaugural group that first played in the competition. The club report at the end of 1879/80 season said “The result of last year’s matches was most satisfactory from a social point of view, but if we are to keep up our football reputation, individuals must make greater efforts to play regularly.” In fact their first opponents was Acton in Round One and the OCs won that match away 4-0. In Round 2, they lost to the famous, amalgamation of the best amateur players in the south, The Wanderers, 1-0.

The first twelve years of the competition were dominated by the Wanderers, the Old Etonians, the Royal Engineers and Oxford University. The Wanderers poached players from other clubs and by the time the competition was getting serious, the club found its supply of players limited and the club eventually disbanded.

Charterhouse played teams such as Barnes, Civil Service, Clapham Rovers and the other entrants to the cup included Crystal Palace (not associated with the modern club), Hampstead Heathens, Harrow Chequers, Hitchin, Maidenhead, Marlow, Reigate Priory, Royal Engineers (Chatham), Upton Park, Queen's Park from Glasgow and Donington School near Spalding, in south Lincolnshire.  From this gathering some teams scratched; the Scots. For example, found the cost of travelling unviable and the Donington schoolboys withdrew before their first game having been drawn against Queen’s Park and although their headmaster was keen for his boys to take part in this competition, he could not justify travelling to Glasgow to play!! A hundred years later, for “old time sake”, the school did make the trip to Glasgow to play Queen’s Park and they lost.

It was an amateur game and the Old Carthusians played their part from 1879.

In the first year that the club entered, 54 teams started and the OCs met Acton away at Gunnersbury Lane, winning 4-0 and in round two they lost to the only goal scored by Wace for the Wanderers. Clapham Rovers won the trophy that year.

In 1880-81, sixty-three teams entered (30 or so ties), clubs such as Nottingham Forest, Notts County, Sheffield Wednesday, Queen’s Park (Scotland), were a few of the now recognisable clubs joining in the festivities.  The Carthusians, with an exceptional team, swept all before them, defeating Saffron Walden Town 7-0 (23/10/1880) in the first round at the Oval. The Times remarked that the only thing that Saffron Walden won, that day, was the toss. The next round match was against Dreadnought an East London team, with the OCs winning 5-1 (on 11/12/80).

In the third round there was a bye and due to bad weather the OCs had not played for two months, so they went to Chatham under prepared to play on the Great Lines ground against the Royal Engineers, an army side. The OCs beat them 2-0 (19/2/81), very much against the odds. Wynyard and Parry scored. This was a particularly impressive result because the Engineers had previously put six goals past Glasgow Rangers. A report said that “we must not forget to speak of the hospitality of the Royal Engineers which was abounded and thoroughly appreciated.” Clapham Rovers (the holders) fell next 3-1 (19/3/81), after extra time (1-1), at the Oval. “The weather was delightfully fine, a great number of spectators were present and great enthusiasm shown by the partisans of either side…….and only six minutes after the commencement of hostilities, Lloyd-Jones, from a corner kick by Weston gained the first event of the day.  Despite being 0-1 down, the Carthusians, who were decidedly quicker on their feet than their opponents, kept up a succession of attacks and but for Birkett, the Rover’s flag would have been lowered half mast on many occasions…….and eleven minutes only having passed away since the ends were reversed, when, from a neat throw in by Prinsep, Page made his shot and Birkett who tried all he knew to stop the ball, missed his opportunity and it went through equalising matters. And so the game carried on till time was called…..after brief consultation it was agreed according to the present law that they should continue for half an hour longer. Ogilvie again won the toss and as before took the western side of the ground. Page having kicked off, the Carthusians looked as fresh and as confident as when they commenced… only four minutes having elapsed Parry charging down the left side, made his effort, and succeeded in spite of Birkett’s strenuous attempts to prevent him….to add to the general satisfaction, after a splendid run by Hansell, Page was instrumental in gaining a third and thus ended one of the best matches of the season.”

In the semi-finals the OCS beat Darwen from Lancashire 4-1 (26/3/81) on The Oval (the only “near” professional side in their way to the final). The recent six part docu-film on Netflix, “The English Game”, covered the Lancastrian’s progress during that era.

Back to 1881, the original referee was to be Mr Pierce-Dix of Sheffield but he was unavailable, so the honour went to Major Marindin, a southerner! The umpires CH Wollaston (Wanderers) and EC Bambridge (Swifts) were also from the south. The FA turned down the protests and  “before the game, the referee entered our (OCs) dressing room and reported that the Darwen team were shod with boots covered in spikes and projecting studs, which could not be allowed”. However the Carthusians raised no objection, for new boots could not be procured in a moment, but “our feet and shins showed afterwards that the referee’s report was justified”. Later Darwen, who had donned new jerseys in blue and white stripes, objected to the Carthusian unpunctuality and lined up shouting “time” for some minutes before the game started. At last the defaulter, JFE Prinsep, the youngest OC player, turned up biting a large sandwich. Darwen scored the only goal of the first half and their supporters sent up clouds of carrier pigeons. Huge numbers of supporters back home in Lancashire were crowded around the local newspaper office celebrating their team’s lead.

After half time the Carthusians drew level in controversial circumstances when Hansell shot through the goal and the Darwen team protested that the ball had in fact passed between the upright and the guy rope. They also protested that the second goal, scored by Tod, had come after the ball had been out of play. Referee Marindin over ruled the protest and Darwen clearly lost their composure as the Carthusians went right away from them, obtaining two more goals by Wynyard and Vintcent. The crowd in Darwen slipped away never to see their team reach such heights again.

In the final the Old Etonians were beaten 3-0, on Saturday 9th April 1881, at the Oval, in front of 4,500 people. On the way to the final the Carthusians were given a bye in round three. The OEs had a similar run through the competition, if not easier, and even had a BYE in the semi-final!!

As far the final went, the winning team was described as “the finest combination seen up to that time to carry off the trophy. EG Colvin, JMF Prinsep, EH Parry, AH Tod, WR Page and the brilliant Captain Wynyard were not only players of the highest class, but they brought almost to perfection the system of combination. If one were asked to say which team deserved to rank as the first really scientific eleven that the football world knew, one must answer, the Old Carthusians.” (from Association Football-The Men who made it.)

Reports of the game mention that the OCs chose the Gasometer end and Macaulay of Eton kicked off at 3.45pm. The OCs were a young side averaging only 20 years and 310 days. W. Pierce Dix of the Sheffield FA refereed this final, with umpires of EH Bambridge (the Swifts) and CHR Wollaston (The Wanderers). EH Parry became the first overseas player to captain a winning team in the final and this was the only final to be contested by two Old Boys’ teams. The Carthusians were reported to be in the “pink of condition” whilst the Etonians clearly struggled in the second half. Wynyard scored after 25 minutes (1-0 at half time) and Parry (75) and Tod (80) put the final nails in the coffin as the Etonians tired.

The Sportsman describing the game reported that:-

“It was windy day. Play for a time was pretty even until the OCs got the leather well into the opponent’s half and after ten minutes Wynyard kicked a goal. Whitfield effected some fine runs down the left side of the ground but was well stopped by Richards. The Charterhouse defence proved equal to anything that the Etonians could throw at them and eventually with a well timed rush the ball went into touch about ten yards from the opponents’ lines. Prinsep took a throw in which he did so cleverly that Wynyard was able to send the ball between the posts.” Having changed ends, the wind was now at the Etonians’ backs.  At about 75 minutes gone in the game, shortly after a disallowed goal by Parry for offside, he scored a goal which was described by the Carthusian as “a combined run on the part of Page and Parry which ended in a goal being kicked by the later.” Five minutes later The Field said that “all hopes of Eton retrieving their losses seemed groundless and their misfortunes were compounded by a third disaster as Richards made a kick at goal, the ball glanced between the posts off Tod’s breast.” The Sporting Life reported this to be “off an Etonian’s body.” Whatever the outcome, it was Page’s telling run that opened up the Etonian defence. The teams lined up thus:

                                Old Carthusians                 Old Etonians

Goal                      LF Gillet                               JFP Rawlinson

Full backs             EG Colvin                             CW Foley

     WH Norris                             TH French

Half backs            J Vintcent                               Hon AF Kinnaird capt

    JFM Prinsep                            B Farrer

Right side            WE Hansell                            WJ Anderson

    LM Richards                          JBT Chevalier

Centres                WR Page                                RH Macaulay

    EG Wynyard                          HC Goodhart

Left side               EH Parry capt                        H Whitfield

    A.H Tod                                   PC Novelli

The OCs (1881 and 1893) and Wimbledon Football Club (1963 and 1988) are recorded as the only two clubs to have won both the FA Cup and the FA Amateur Cup. The OCs achieved this double first! Wimbledon beat Sutton United at Wembley in 1963 to win the Amateur Cup and then beat Liverpool in 1988 in the FA Cup. Records suggest that the Royal Engineers did the same in 1875 and 1908 but history cannot confirm, once and for all, that these two “Engineers” feats were achieved by teams from the same parent body. The team that won the 1908 Amateur Cup final was called the “Depot Battalion Royal Engineers”.

A number of the OCs played for their country of origin, which would have put them as individuals at the top end of the “ranking” of players indulging in the Cup. These are their pen pictures.

LEONARD FRANCIS GILLET (D -these were the players boarding house initials eg D = Daviesites) born in Derby 21st January 1861;  died at Austin’s Close, Habertonford near Totnes, Devon on the 23rd November 1915.  He was at Charterhouse 1874-9, went to Pembroke Oxford in 1879 and got his BA in 1882. As well as being in the Cup side at 20 years old only, he won a Blue in 1882. He was a “most sure goalkeeper, very sharp”. During his school days the school magazine said of him, “has been of infinite service to the XI.” He played for Notts County in 1882-3 losing in the semi-final of the Cup to the Old Etonians. By profession he became a civil and mining engineer and lived off his income in later years.

SIR ELLIOT GRAHAM COLVIN (PS) born Almora (150 miles NE Delhi) India on18th July 1861; died in Gang Bridge, St Mary Bourne, Andover, Hampshire on 2nd August 1940.  He was at Charterhouse between 1875-78, matriculating at King’s College, Cambridge 1880. He played 1st XI football in 1878 got a Blue in 1881, when he also played in the Cup Final at the age of 19 and he then gained another Blue in 1882 and also played for the South XI. He was “a good full back, difficult to pass, as he has plenty of pace and always sticks to his man. At different times he filled both posts of back and half-back, and always satisfactorily.” He was also said to be a “first class back; fast, clever, and a powerful kick.” He played in the school cricket XI (1876-8) played for Norfolk  from 1878 and was a member of the MCC. He moved to India after his Cup Final appearance. He following his father’s footsteps joining the Indian Civil service in 1882, filling a number of posts for 36 years in local government. He retired in 1918. He was then appointed British delegate on the Inter-Allied Commission for War reparations in Sofia, Bulgaria and then on to other commissions which led to him being made a CSI in 1906 and his knighthood of that order in 1911.

WALTER HARRY NORRIS (g)  He was born at Ashley House, Epsom on 8th April 1863 and died at Steane Park, Brackley, Northants 14th May 1931. Walter was at school from 1877 until 1880, playing in the XI in 1880. He was with the OCs in 1881 and represented the Surrey FA. He was a full back who reached the “top” very quickly. He was a “capital back, cool and with strong kick.” He was brewer by trade and was a director of the Brackley and Banbury Brewery.

SIR JOSEPH VINTCENT (W) was born in Mossel Bay, Cape Colony, South Africa on 12th November 1861 and died in Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia on 14th  August 1914. He attended the Diocesan College, Rondebosch then Charterhouse between 1877-80 playing in the XI in 1879. He went up to Trinity Hall, Cambridge, matriculating in 1880 with a BA, he gained his MA in 1884 and LL.B. He was a Cambridge Blue in 1883, playing also for Barnes, the Corinthians and the London FA. Vintcent was a half back, whose heading skills were noticed in this comment: “A very safe half back, plays well to forwards, can place the ball almost where he likes, nearly as good with his head as his legs.” He was described as “one of the best half backs in England, kicks well to forwards and rarely makes a mistake.” He returned to South Africa in 1885, the year he played twice for the Corinthians. He played in the school cricket team in 1879 and was the brother of the South African test cricketer Charles Henry Vintcent. Joseph was a barrister who was called to the Bar on 26th January 1885. He returned to his home to be an advocate. Then he became a Crown Prosecutor in British Bechuanaland 1886-94, Judge of the High Court, Matebeleland 1894-98. He was Senior Judge of the High Court in Southern Rhodesia 1898-1914 and also in North west Rhodesia in 1906. He was knighted in 1910.

Do not confuse him with James Edmund Vincent of Winchester and an Oxford Blue who opposed Joseph in the fifth round Cup tie between the OCs and Clapham Rovers in 1882-3.

Joseph’s brother CH Vintcent (W) was the 4th son and was born 2.9.1866. He eventually worked back in the Transvaal captaining the Transvaal Football XI in 1890, the rugby team and winning the 100 yards championship all in the same year.

JAMES FM PRINSEP (RW) was born in India 27 July 1861 and died at Nairn, Scotland 22 November 1895. He was at school between 1874-8 and played in the school XI 1876-7. He then went to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst from 1878. He was a runner-up in the FA Cup with Clapham Rovers in 1879, being the youngest player to play in a Cup Final at 17 years and 245 days on 29th March 1879. Clapham lost to the Old Etonians 1-0. This record was eventually broken by Curtis Weston (17 years 119 days) of Millwall FC in 2004, an occasion that brought Prinsep’s name into the national press. On their way to the final Clapham beat Forest School 10-1 on 7th December 1878. OCs, EF Growse and CE Keith-Falconer also played for Clapham. He was also the youngest to play for England (17 years 252 days) until Rooney broke the record in 2003. Prinsep played for the  RMC Sandhurst, Clapham Rovers, Surrey FA, London FA, The South, The Rest v England and for England. (see chapter 9) He was an half back “A fine half back, always cool, very strong in the legs and combining plenty of strength with great accuracy; kicks splendidly and with judgement; seldom makes a mistake; can kick the ball in any position and passes it admirably to his forward”. W Unite Jones wrote that he was “One of the prettiest half-backs that ever did duty for England, he was one of the most stylish players of his time.” He played good club cricket, he was a member of the Free Foresters and the Grey Friars, a club for OCs. He played school cricket in 1877. He was a soldier with the Essex regiment 1882-5 and was at Khartoum in a vain attempt to save the besieged General Gordon. He joined the Egyptian Army in 1885-90, became a major and then came under British rule. He joined the Egyptian Coastguard service from 1890 until his death. He was living between Alexandria and 46, Thurloe Square in Middlesex at the time of his death. He was in Nairn, playing golf when he got pneumonia. This led to blood poisoning and kidney failure. He received two Royal Humane Society awards for rescuing men from the Nile. He saved two men, an English soldier and a Sudanese soldier, who had found themselves in difficulties a year apart on virtually the same date 1884 and 1885. E.G. Wynyard also won this award.

WALTER EDWARD HANSELL (WV) was born in Norwich on 15th November 1860 and died at Heigham Hall, Norwich on 25th May 1938 .

He was at school during 1873-8 appearing in the XI in his final year. He was an outside right and perhaps inconsistent as the pen picture reveals. “He was a fast wing, who shows some very good play but uncertain, and sometimes appears to get nervous in matches” although later he was “very fast and clever on the wing”. He served on the FA Council between 1897-1900 for Norfolk County, helping to establish the county association. He was a good cricketer, playing for the county in 1889 and was a member of the MCC. He was a solicitor and Notary Public in Norfolk from 1886, partner in Hansell and Hales of Norwich and later Under-sheriff of Norfolk. He joined the Norfolk Infantry Volunteer battalion 1879 reaching captain in the 3rd battalion in 1899. He died at his home in Pegg’s Close, Sheringham.

LEWIS MATTHEW  RICHARDS (UV) born Swansea 14th September 1861;  died 16, Sloane Gardens, London 30th November 1918. He was in the school XI in 1879 and 1880, Trinity College Cambridge matriculation 1880, LL.B 1884. Played in the Cup winning team at the young age of 19.  He gained a Cambridge Blue 1882. He played at inside right and was “a most useful forward, a splendid dribbler and sticks well to the ball.” A useful cricketer he played at club level and was a member of the Free Foresters. He became a barrister, called to the bar at the Inner Temple on 17th November 1884. Practised as a Special Pleader on the South Wales circuit, he had a property in Swansea at Westcross House and was a Glamorgan JP. His wife was a judge.

WILLIAM ROBERT PAGE (VGg) was born at 11 Queen Street Mayfair Westminster 12th December 1858 and died at 27 Westbourne Park Paddington, on  30th  June 1884. He was at Charterhouse between 1869-77, played 1st XI football in 1874-76 and was eventually captain. He matriculated at Queen’s College, Oxford 1877, gained his Blue in 1878-9. Page also played for Berkshire, London FA, the South and for The Rest v England. He was a centre forward, renowned for dribbling, having “considerable pace and sticking to the ball in a wonderful manner.” He “is small but has done great service by his dodgy dribbling.” He was “one of the finest of his day, but should play more for his side and is rather accustomed to be played for.” Page was regarded to be Cobbold's superior but he passed away before his time. He joined the Royal Irish Constabulary as a sub-inspector 1884 but tragically died at 25 years old from meningitis and rheumatic fever. His father was a doctor.

MAJOR EDWARD GEORGE WYNYARD (Dg): born in Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh) India 1st April 1861; died at The Red House Knotty Green, Beaconsfield, Bucks, 30th October 1936 and was buried at Penn Church, Bucks. His education began at Woodcote House, Windlesham.  Then he joined Charterhouse 1874-77, playing for the School XI 1876 but moved to St Edward’s School, Oxford 1877-79. He played for the London FA, Corinthians and St Edward’s Rugby XV. He was a centre forward who scored in the FA Cup final. He was a “heavy forward, charging and dribbling well, always middles splendidly, with plenty of dash, making himself obnoxious to opposing backs.” He kept playing into his thirties, playing twice for the Corinthians in 1893 and scoring five goals. He was president of the OC cricket and football club 1913-19. As a rugby player he was a “glorious three-quarter” and had he not gone into the army, he would have reached the top in rugby”. As a cricketer he was a leader and he played in three test matches against Australia in 1896 and two against South Africa in 1905-06. He had to decline the invitation to tour Australia in 1897-98 due to army commitments and when he was invited to captain a tour to Australia in 1907-8, he could not accept because of family reasons. He did captain the MCC tour to New Zealand in 1906-7 and on other tours to the West Indies in 1904-5, when he topped the batting averages with 562 runs at 40.14. He also toured North America 1907, Egypt 1909, South Africa 1909-10, USA 1920 and Canada 1923 at the ripe old age of 62 when he topped the bowling averages with underarm lobs.

He played for Hampshire between 1878-1908 (not first class 1886-94) and was county captain 1896-99. His final first class match was against the MCC in 1912 and in all he scored 8,318 first class runs at 33.00 with 13 centuries. His highest score of 268 was against Yorkshire. In 1896 he averaged 49.42 from 1,038 runs coming second in the national averages. In 1915 he scored 1,281 runs at 41.32 coming 15th. He was a member of the MCC, Free Foresters,  MCC committee and represented the South African Cricket Association in England in 1908. He won the European Tobogganing championship at Davos in 1894, played county hockey for Hampshire, formed his own golf club called the “Jokers” made up from famous cricketing friends. He belonged to the Wimbledon GC (becoming an honorary life member in 1930) and the Oxford Graduates’ Golf Society (hon. life member 1931). He joined the Army in 1881 as a lieutenant in the Warwick Militia. He was with the King’s Liverpool regiment in active service in Burma 1885-7 (medal with clasp, DSO 1887, mentioned in dispatches twice). He became a captain in the Welsh regiment 1890, adjutant Oxford University Volunteers 1899-1900, an instructor at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst 1900-3, when he retired. He was recalled for the Great War in September 1914 as a major with the King’s Liverpool Rgt, then he was attached to the Army Ordnance Corps in May 1915. Middlesex Rgt November 1916, Commandant Thornhill Labour Camp 1916-19. He finally retired in April 1919 with an OBE. In 1895 he was awarded the Royal Humane Society medal for attempting to save a Swiss peasant from drowning in a lake in Davos, Switzerland. With a great sense of humour, Wynyard was annoyed that W.G.Grace withdrew from his XI to play against the RMC at Sandhurst in 1901. Wynyard dressed up as WG and batted for a few runs before being purposely hit of the head and retiring hurt. At lunch he appeared in half the disguise revealing himself not to be the great doctor.

EDWARD HAGARTY PARRY (G) captained the OC XI in the 1881 FA Cup Final. Parry was a Gownboy, who was born in Toronto, Canada 24 April 1855 and he died at 12 Dovedale Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham on 19 July 1931. He was at Charterhouse between 1868-74 and in the 1st XI 1870-3 and captain in 1872-3. He then went to Exeter College, Oxford matriculating 1874 with a BA in 1878 and an MA 1882. He played for Oxford University in the 1877 FA Cup Final, as captain, gaining Blues 1875-77. He also played for The Swifts, the Remnants, London FA, Bucks FA, the Rest v England, The South, Stoke Poges, Windsor and for Berks and Bucks. He played in full internationals v Wales 1879, 1882 and v Scotland 1882. He played inside left and was “a fast dribbler, and useful on the wing but is rather light and does not stand a charge”. He scored goals consistently, “so that it did not seem to matter much”. He played for the OCs that beat the South of England XI 3-1 in the FA Charity festival on March 16th 1889, scoring one of the goals. He scored five against Reading Minster in a first round cup match in 1883-4, four goals in beating Saffron Walden 7-0 in the cup first round in 1880-1 and three versus the Pilgrims in a 6-0 win in a first round match in 1882-3. Another hat trick followed in that season’s fourth round against the Royal Engineers (6-2) and his first hat trick was in 1874-5 for Oxford University beating Brondesbury 6-0 in the FA Cup first round. Parry was a member of the FA Council in 1881. He was a decent cricketer playing in the school XI in 1872-4 and for the MCC. In 1874 he was joint winner of the Athletic Challenge Cup at school. In a soccer match, he once quietened a bumptious cadet from Sandhurst who had a disagreement with him on the field of play. The cadet soon realised who was talking to him when he asked Parry what he knew about the game and asked what club he has represented. He soon apologised when Parry told him of his success with the England team.

Parry became a schoolmaster at Felsted 1879-80 before settling at Stoke House School, Stoke Poges, near Slough 1881-1918, where he was headmaster from 1892. In 1907 he was chairman of the Private Schools’ Association and sat on the council for many years. He helped run the Officers’ Fund for sons of officers killed in the war. He suffered from ill health in his later years suffering progressive blindness and physical weakness. He was buried at Plumtree Church, West Bridgford, Nottingham. In 1881 the FA Cup went on display in the school and Parry wrote to Haig Brown’s wife on May 12th saying, “I send to you the Association Challenge Cup which I hope you will allow us to put into your charge for the year, as Charterhouse is now its natural resting place.”

ALEXANDER HAY TOD (G) was born at sea on 25th March 1857 and died in the Prince’s Buildings, Clifton, Bristol on 22nd January 1942.

Tod entered Charterhouse as a Prize Scholar (Gownboys) in 1869 at the age of 12 and left in 1876. He was in the school XI in 1875-6. From Charterhouse he went to Oxford University, to Trinity College, matriculating in 1876 and gaining a BA in 1880 and an MA in 1883. He did not get a football Blue but was “an energetic forward, of great use in the proximity of the goal.” Tod returned to the school in 1880 to teach and he captained the Cadet Corps from 1881 until 1905 and became the Housemaster of Verites in 1906. He was joint editor of the Register and author of “Charterhouse, a history” published by Bell’s in a series on the Great Public Schools in 1900 and revised in 1919. In his history of the game, he wrote that “in Old Carthusian football to Wreford-Brown, a Wreford-Brown succeeds”; a comment on the famous Carthusian family and the influence that the Wreford-Brown family had on the development of the game. Tod was regarded as the first organiser, secretary and historian of the club. He retired in 1920 and remained the treasurer of the War Memorial Fund from that time.

(Do not confuse this Tod with Arthur Horatio who also played for Oxford and played in the 1877 final.)

Tod also refereed many of the school matches and started to give guidance after matches had been played. Coaching was given to the boys in Club games which were arranged by joining Houses together.

The Carthusian reported that “most of the school came up to see the final, all Brooke Hall and Mrs Haig-Brown in a pink dress and beneath a pink parasol cheered all the players. It was a pleasant game won rather easily. In the evening both elevens were entertained by the Old Etonian club. Perhaps the main feature of the game was the formidable charging of Lord Kinnaird, yet all in fair play, with both elbows over the chest and kicking furiously. EH Parry was certainly the star.” They won through to the semi-final in 1887 beaten by the very professional Preston North End after a replay.

In 1892 this was the last time the OCs entered the “professional” FA Cup, taking part, after that, in the FA Amateur Cup, winning the first competition in 1893-4. Then they lost the 1895 Final to Middlesbrough and won the 1896-7 Final. After that it was the Arthur Dunn Cup (an "old boys' cup play for by the Public Schools) that attracted the OCs.