Vivian Woodward - recalling a Spurs great, the Harry Kane of the 1900s...
Sun 26 March 2023, 10:00|
Tottenham Hotspur
Before Harry Kane's wonderful double achievement of becoming England and Spurs' all-time record goalscorer, before Jimmy Greaves, there was Vivian Woodward.
Arguably football's first 'superstar' and one of the club's all-time greats, Vivian shone for Spurs between 1901-1909, including scoring our first goal in the Football League in 1908. He was also appointed to our Board of Directors in 1908.
On the international stage, he scored 29 goals in 23 caps for England (1903-1911), plus another 57 in 44 amateur internationals. As Harry now tops England's all-time goalscoring chart with 54 goals in 81 caps, Vivian remains in the top 10, just over 120 years after his first goal against Ireland in 1903. His 29 goals stood as England's best for 47 years before being overtaken by Tom Finney in 1958. His strike rate - 1.26 per game - remains the best in Three Lions' history.
But we're only scratching the surface.
An architect by trade - he designed a stand at Royal Beerschot's stadium in Belgium, where we played a match in 1957 - Vivian remained an amatuer throughout his glorious career.
He captained England 13 times and led the Great Britian team to gold medals at both the 1908 and 1912 Olympic Games. He played cricket to a high standard, representing Essex 2nd XI, and was a talented tennis player. Led by the virtues of fair play, Vivian was so respected, even match officials would address him as 'Sir'.
During the First World War he signed up for the London Rifle Range in September, 1914 and later served as Captain of the 17th (1st Football Battalion) Middlesex Regiment. Wounded at Festubert, France in January, 1916, he later rose to the rank of Major.
On retiring from football in 1920 he took up a farm at Chisbon Heath, near Clacton. Vivan passed away at a nursing home in Ealing aged 74 in January, 1954.
Read more...
Former Press Officer and Club Historian John Fennelly's feature on 'Sir' Vivian from 2015 - read here...
A two-page special on Vivian from the Tottenham Hotspur Opus, 2008 - read here...
England's all-time top goalscorers...
54 - Harry Kane (81 caps, 2015-)
53 - Wayne Rooney (120, 2003-2018)
49 - Bobby Charlton (106, 1958-1970)
48 - Gary Lineker (80, 1984-1992)
44 - Jimmy Greaves (57, 1959-1967)
40 - Michael Owen (89, 1998-2008)
30 - Nat Lofthouse (33, 1950-1958)
30 - Alan Shearer (63, 1992-2000)
30 - Tom Finney (76, 1946-1958)
29 - Vivian Woodward (23, 1903-1911)
29 - Frank Lampard (106, 1999-2014)
