Footballer excess nothing new says historian

High profile football seems to have been haunted recently by tales of heavy-drinking, high wages and easy sex - but such accusations are nothing new, according to a University historian who's been researching an Irish soccer star of the 1890s.

Dr Neal Garnham, a senior lecturer in the Academy for Irish Cultural Heritages, says the antics of international Jack Reynolds rank with alleged excesses that have been levelled against some of today’s top stars in English football.

Reynolds played for both Ireland and England, won a clutch of medals with clubs such as West Bromwich Albion and Glasgow Celtic and was an integral part of the League and Cup double winning side at Aston Villa in 1897.

But away from the pitch, he was on the road to ruin. One of the most highly paid players of his day, he spent much of his money on drink and a lot of time in female company. At one stage he disappeared on a drinking binge for a week. He fathered at least one illegitimate child. His heavy drinking eventually blighted his career and he died alone in a boarding house at the age of 48. He spent his later years working as a miner in Sheffield.

Dr Garnham says much of Reynolds’ trouble lay in the fact that players of the time were required to do comparatively little training and consequently had a great deal of time on their hands.

"The problem in the 1890s was possibly much the same as today," Dr Garnham said. "Young men were paid comparatively high wages and had a great deal of time to spend them. Also many, including Reynolds, were real celebrities. As such their company was much sought after, not least by pub landlords looking to attract customers."

Dr Garnham will be talking about Reynolds and discussing his own current work in a lecture to the Ulster Society for Irish Historical Studies, in the School of History at Queen’s University, Belfast on Thursday at 7pm.

(MB)