William Cropper

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William Cropper was born in Brimington, Derbyshire, on 27 December 1862.

Cropper was talented in both cricket and football. Between 1882 and 1888, he played cricket for Derbyshire CCC and played football once for Derby County in 1886. From 1888 he played football for the Derbyshire side of Staveley FC.

While playing for Staveley on 12 January 1889 against Grimsby Town at Clee Park, Cropper collided with Dan Doyle, the Grimsby rightback, after fifteen minutes. He was badly injured by Doyle's knee in his abdomen and left the field in obvious distress. The collision resulted in a ruptured bowel and he died in Grimsby on 13 January 1889.

Cropper was buried in Brimington churchyard and a fine memorial stone was erected from the proceeds of a subscription fund raised by his family and friends which can still be seen today.

His grave is listed on the Grave Matters page which is a project which aims to record unusual or 'celebrity' graves located in Derbyshire.^[1]

He came a cropper!