SIR STANLEY ROUS Part 2

Sir Stanley Rous, a former amateur footballer and then top referee, became FA Secretary on August 4th 1934. The HQ was in Lancaster Gate and very much a "backwater", so he had no problem parking his car in his daily routine.

Rous became a "father figure" at the FA and stayed until 1962, then became President of FIFA, the most powerful man in world football.

At 22, Lancaster Gate ,when he arrived there were only 5 members of staff. It was originally the Eden Court Hotel, home of the Association of British Launderers and Cleaners. So, no dirty business at number 22!

With football being a game where "assault" was a common and accepted feature in the professional game, there were very few disciplinary cases, no more than 5 or 6 a year and therefore very few personal hearings. 

After World War 2, the FA eventually allowed the national team to play in the World Cup and in July 1946, the astute and genial Walter Winterbottom was made manager of the England team. Media interest was minimal and therefore little pressure on individuals.

In his new post, Winterbottom had to accept that the FA formed a committee to select his national team. This committee consisted of men who were not active in the professional game and it was chaired by Grimsby fish merchant, Arthur Drewry. He was responsible for picking the squad and then the team for the World Cup Finals in Brazil, who were hosting the finals. 

Winterbottom had to deal with an FA "Goodwill Tour" of Canada which interfered with his preparations and Manchester Unitjed withdrawing their players from the North American tour squad as well. Stanley Matthews, arguably the best player in the country was not available for the World Cup squad, he was travelling to North America on tour. 

Matthews' absence caused an uproar and he was called for from the USA to play in England's second match against the USA. Matthews flew south, but Drewry refused to change a winning team that had beaten Chile 2-0, four days before. Matthews stood on the touchline, no subs allowed, and watched England humiliated to a defeat of 0-1. This will have been reported in a previous blog.

Also absent from the England 1950 World Cup team was Neil Franklin (below), a ball playing centre-half, who was at Stoke City and who had played 27 times for England. Franklin had taken himself off to Colombia to play in their national league, enticed by money. It was a remarkable decision at the time and there were no other notable defections from English football! He never played for his country again.

England's last game was against Spain and this was lost 0-1, so no qualification.

He would not be replaced until Bobby Moore made his entry into the English national side.