Sam Weller Widdowson

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Sam Weller Widdowson
Sam Weller Widdowson

Samuel "Sam" Weller Widdowson (born Hucknall Torkard, 16 April 1851,[1] died Beeston, May 9, 1927[2]) was an English sportsman of the Victorian era. He played cricket for Nottinghamshire[3] and association football for Nottingham Forest and also played once for the England national football team, against Scotland in 1880.[1] Widdowson is also credited with inventing football shin pads in 1874 when he cut down a pair of cricket pads and strapped them outside his stockings. Initially the concept was ridiculed but it soon caught on with other players,[3] and shin pads are now required by the Laws of the Game.[4] He later became a football referee and was in charge of the first ever match in which goal nets were used.[3] He was Nottingham Forest chairman from 1879 to 1884.[5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Sam Widdowson. EnglandStats.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-18.
  2. ^ Sam Widdowson. cricinfo. Retrieved on 2008-01-18.
  3. ^ a b c Hucknall Cricketers. Ashfield District Council. Retrieved on 2008-01-18.
  4. ^ Law 4 - The Players Equipment. The FA. Retrieved on 2008-01-18.
  5. ^ Graham Betts (2006). England: Player by player. Green Umbrella Publishing, p.258. ISBN 1-905009-63-1. 
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