What is a representative cap in football/soccer?

[andarah]

I got a response from Pollack and the man who answered me thinks that William played for them 1918-1921.  He said that one of the history buffs would contact me and they would do what they can to tell me about the cap.

I think I am onto something!

Thank you all so much!

[J.J.]

another William Bradley?  ...this one seems to be the "other' one with different birthdate...
http://www.answers.com/topic/william-bradley-footballer

[Gadget]

 Hi JJ

That's the birthdate in my book but everything else in the biog relates to andarah's William - clubs, etc.

[andarah]

I don't think that's him, but 2 of them?

He didn't stay with one team.  He moved around.

I was told by QOS that he played midfield and Gadget's book says inside right.  Not goal.

I would love for it to be him because it would give me a direction to go in for locating him growing up.

QOS has his birthdate as March 1, 1896, which is deifintely not his birthdate, but March 1, 1893 would only be a slip of one digit.  I wonder if he lied about his age to play `under 21' or some such league like that.  So, the birthdate would support this being him. 

I have him being born in Glasgow, but he was gone from Glasgow very quickly with family since his parents were both dead, so....  I have heard that he spent time in Darlington, England.  That would lean towards someone considering him English.

Don't you ever wish you could transport back in time and spend an afternoon having a cup of tea with some of these people?

[Gadget]

Have you got his birth cert, andarah - there's a possible on Scotlands People for 1895, Glasgow but, because my book said 1st March 1893, I didn't investigate further

Also, did he die in Scotland and, if so, where?

[andarah]

I have his birth and death extracts.

He was born Jan 24, 1895 in Glasgow and he died 16 Aug 1948 in Glasgow.  From that, it would appear as though he stayed put! But, he didn't. 

I also have his mother's death extract and she died March 16, 1895, so I know that there isn't a mistake on the birth - she wouldn't have been alive to have him.

However, she was living with the father prior to the baby.  Maybe they lied on the birth to make sure they were married?  They were married in Dec 24, 1894.  A 21 month old child is hard to hide though.

After soccer he was pensioned by the football team/league to a whiskey warehouse (I know it was alcohol and I think it was whiskey).  My Dad says it was common for football players to be `pensioned' into soft/easy jobs.

[Gadget]

Not sure about 'soft, easy jobs'. My Dad did his knees playing in the 1930s  and then had to work as a coal miner until he retired in the late 1960s.

Again, another relative, Billy Meredith, ran a hotel/pub in Manchester but had very little money when he died in ?1958.


Gadget

[NEILKE]

could it be a cap for playing a rep game for a regional or school team.
neil

[andarah]

Thanks everyone for the guidance!

I just got an email back from Pollack, and they said he competed in an Irish League vs Glasgow League game on Dec 31, 1920 at Shawfield (Clyde).  The score was 1-1.  There's a photo of the team in the Daily Record the next day, so now I have to find the archives for that.  It's great to have the actual history of the cap and possibly a photo/article from the game.

I wasn't expecting to get this far when I posted this thread.  Thanks so much!!!!