George Parsonage (November 1880 – 22 May 1919) was an English professional footballer, most notable for his time as a half back and player-manager in the Southern League with Brentford. He was banned from football for life by the Football Association in 1909, but later returned to the game.
 Parsonage while a Brentford player | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | George Parsonage[1] | ||
| Date of birth | November 1880[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Darwen, England | ||
| Date of death | 22 May 1919 (aged 38) | ||
| Place of death | Darwen, England | ||
| Position(s) | Half back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1899–1900 | Oswaldtwistle Rovers | ||
| 1900–1901 | Blackburn Rovers | 0 | (0) |
| 1901–1903 | Accrington Stanley | ||
| 1903–1908 | Brentford | 176 | (12) |
| 1908–1909 | Fulham | 22 | (3) |
| 1910–1911 | Oldham Athletic | 0 | (0) |
| 1911 | Darwen | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| 1907–1908 | Brentford (player-manager) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Club career
editEarly years
editA half back, Parsonage began his senior career at local First Division club Blackburn Rovers in 1900, after joining from Oswaldtwistle Rovers.[1] He failed to make a league appearance for the club before dropping into the Lancashire Combination to sign for Accrington Stanley in 1901.[2]
Brentford
editParsonage moved to London to sign for Southern League First Division club Brentford in 1903.[3] He became captain of the club in the 1904–05 season and was a "tower of strength" for five seasons, before departing Griffin Park in 1908.[3][4] He made 194 appearances and scored 15 goals for the Bees.[5]
Fulham
editParsonage returned to league football with Second Division club Fulham in 1908.[1] He made 23 appearances and scored three goals during the 1908–09 season.[2]
"The Parsonage Affair"
editWhile a Fulham player, Parsonage was the subject of transfer interest from Second Division club Chesterfield in 1909.[3] Reportedly not keen on a move to Derbyshire,[6] Parsonage submitted a request for a £50 signing-on fee (equivalent to £6,600 in 2024), which was £40 higher than the Football League's maximum.[3] Chesterfield reported the request to the Football Association,[3] who banned Parsonage sine die from football.[7] A petition signed by thousands of fans failed to see the ban overturned.[4]
Later career
editParsonage returned to football with First Division club Oldham Athletic in September 1910.[2][8] He ended his career with hometown Lancashire Combination Second Division club Darwen,[1] whom he joined in March 1911.[8]
Managerial and coaching career
editParsonage had a spell as player-manager of Brentford during the 1907–08 season.[4] He later coached at Oldham Athletic.[9]
International career
editParsonage's form while at Brentford saw him called up for two England trial games.[3] He played for Amateurs versus Professionals on 16 January 1905 and for the South versus the North the following month, but was passed over in favour of Charlie Roberts.[4]
Career statistics
editPlayer
edit| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Brentford | 1903–04[5] | Southern League First Division | 34 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 39 | 5 |
| 1904–05[5] | 34 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 37 | 2 | ||
| 1905–06[5] | 33 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 37 | 2 | ||
| 1906–07[5] | 37 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 41 | 2 | ||
| 1907–08[5] | 38 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 4 | ||
| Total | 176 | 12 | 18 | 3 | 194 | 15 | ||
| Fulham | 1908–09[2] | Second Division | 22 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 3 |
| Career total | 198 | 15 | 19 | 3 | 217 | 18 | ||
Manager
edit| Team | From | To | Record | Ref | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| Brentford | January 1908 | April 1908 | 17 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 47.06 | [5] |
| Total | 17 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 47.06 | — | ||
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 225. ISBN 978-1905891610.
- ^ a b c d "Parsonage George Brentford 1905". Vintage Footballers. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopaedia. Yore Publications. p. 101. ISBN 1-874427-57-7.
- ^ a b c d Brentford's Official Matchday Magazine versus Luton Town. 24 August 1996. p. 24.
- ^ a b c d e f g White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. pp. 357–359. ISBN 0951526200.
- ^ "George Parsonage affair". Sky is Blue – Chesterfield FC history & statistics. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
- ^ Steen, Rob; Novick, Jed; Richards, Huw (4 July 2013). The Cambridge Companion to Football. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-107-01484-8.
- ^ a b "The Football Association – Season 1910–11 – Summary Of Professional Registrations". Sky is Blue – The Chesterfield FC history resource. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
- ^ TW8: Brentford Official Matchday Programme versus Notts County. Charlton, London. 24 February 2001. p. 14.
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