Spilsbury, Benjamin Ward - England man scored first Derby County goal

Benjamin Ward Spilsbury pictured in 1884, the year in which he scored the first ever goal for Derby County Football Club

BENJAMIN WARD SPILSBURY is one of the select group of men born in Derbyshire who have played association football for England. An inside-right, Spilsbury made three appearances for his country in 1885-86. During that same season he also played for Derby County and was the club's first international player.

Benjamin Spilsbury was born in Findern, Derbyshire, on 1 August 1864, the son of the village rector. He was educated at Repton School where he played football and cricket for the First Eleven and won the long jump four years in succession, breaking the school record in 1882.

Spilsbury went to Jesus College, Cambridge, in October 1883, where he won his soccer Blue, captained the university team and also gained an athletics Blue. He was a talented goalscorer, netting five in all for England, including four against Ireland in March 1886.

While still a student at Cambridge he also played football for the famous amateur side Corinthians FC, but it was his Derbyshire roots and his consequent association with Derby County during that same time that earned him an unassailable place in the Rams record books.

Spilsbury turned out for Derby County from 1884 to 1889 - predominantly their pre-Football League days - and has the honour of scoring the club's first ever goal. His historic strike came in the Rams' second match, against Blackburn Olympic at the County Ground on 27 September 1884. Spilsbury, then aged 20, was said to have played 'a fine game' although Derby were defeated by four goals to three. He is recorded as having played one League game for the Rams, scoring on the occasion, and in the FA Cup he scored a remarkable 7 goals in 8 games.

Despite his seminal position in the club's history, he has been rather forgotten, perhaps because in 1889, soon after his last game, he emigrated to Canada, where he became a land agent after gaining a degree.

Benjamin Spilsbury died in Vancouver, aged 74, on 15 August 1938, and is buried there. Few who attended his funeral could have known of his unique place in Derby County folklore.

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Three Lions On Their Shirt - England Footballers Born In Derbyshire

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