Alf Quill Explained

Alf Quill
Fullname:Alfred Quill
Birth Date:1910
Birth Place:Sydney, Australia
Position:Forward
Years1:1927–1928
Clubs1:Pyrmont
Goals1:18
Years2:1929–1930
Clubs2:Leichhardt-Annandale
Goals2:63
Years3:1931–1933
Clubs3:Wallsend
Caps3:24+
Goals3:67
Years4:1934–1936
Clubs4:Goodyear
Caps4:40+
Goals4:119
Years5:1937–1943
Clubs5:Wallsend
Caps5:108+
Goals5:229
Years6:1943
Clubs6:Lake Macquarie
Goals6:3
Years7:1943–1949
Clubs7:Wallsend
Caps7:65+
Goals7:120
Totalcaps:237+
Totalgoals:619
Nationalyears1:1938
Nationalteam1:Australia
Nationalcaps1:2
Nationalgoals1:2

Alfred Quill (born 1910, in Sydney) was an Australian soccer player and played for the Australia national team. Often considered one of the best soccer players in New South Wales, he scored 868 goals in all NSW competitions in his 24-year senior career.[1]

Early career

Alf first showed his signs as a footballer, whilst attending Globe Public School. At the age of 12, Alf represented New South Wales as a schoolboy against Victoria, South Australia and Queensland. For 3 seasons Alf played for Wentworth Juniors before joining the senior side of Pyrmont.[2]

Club career

Beginning in his teens, Quill played 24 seasons.

Pyrmont

He began his career with Pyrmont at age 17 in the New South Wales State League in 1927.[3]

Leichhardt-Annandale

While contracted at Leichhardt-Annandale, English club Bolton Wanderers wanted to sign Quill on 25 April 1931, which was rejected.[4]

Wallsend

He made a return to Wallsend on a three-year contract on 6 January 1937.[5] Quill did not have any intentions on leaving Wallsend at the end of the 1939 season, as he signed a form to stay with Wallsend.[6] At the start of the 1943 season, he left Wallsend top play for Lake Macquarie, and returned to Wallsend on 22 May 1943 to play the remainder of the season.[7] In the 1937 season, he scored a record 78 goals for Wallsend as a state record for most goals in a season.[8]

He proposed a retirement from football at the end of the 1945 season,[9] but he came back to Wallsend's squad in April 1946 to play a home match against Lysaght's-Orb the next week.[10] Over his career he scored 802 goals in 477 league and cup matches,[11] but some sources state that he retired in 1949 with 1,002 goals in total, although these numbers probably include goals in friendlies and unofficial matches.[12]

International career

Quill played twice in full international matches for Australia, both against India in September 1938,[13] [14] scoring twice in the former to help his side to a 5–3 win.[15]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season, and competition. Only official games are included in this table.[16] [17]
ClubSeasonLeagueState PremiershipSheahan CupState League CupOtherTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Pyrmont19271200120024
19289160036001222
Leichhardt192919270032002229
193023360048002744
Wallsend193112180012001320
193210181413431628
193315311134112037
Goodyear1934173500365112552
193522390049102748
193620451310102348
Wallsend193722634337353278
193822392437222952
193919231422102329
194022321010352737
194119412433352753
194210313547372050
Lake Macquarie19431300000013
Wallsend
1943133010116102141
194420220046222630
194513242111432029
194612100042432015
194712130025231721
194813130025001518
19491090035001314
Total356620192957934560477802

International

List of international goals scored by Alf Quill
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1Royal Agricultural Showground, Sydney, Australia1–0Friendly[18]
24–2

Coaching career

After finishing playing he coached Wallsend before a stint as coach of Australia.

Honours

Individual

Notes and References

  1. Book: Grant, Sid. Jack Pollard's Soccer Records. Jack Pollard Pty Ltd. 1974. 0909950741. North Sydney. 123.
  2. Web site: Soccer Sidelights - the Cessnock Eagle and South Maitland Recorder (NSW : 1913 - 1954) - 21 Jun 1929 . Cessnock Eagle and South Maitland Recorder . 21 June 1929 .
  3. Web site: Alf Quill. 4 February 2021. 27 March 2021. Football Australia.
  4. News: ENGLISH SOCCER CLUB WANTS ALF QUILL . . 2306 . New South Wales, Australia . 25 April 1931 . 27 March 2021 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  5. News: SOCCER PLAYERS SIGN ON . . 5948 . New South Wales, Australia . 6 January 1937 . 27 March 2021 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
  6. News: A. Quill Will Remain With Wallsend . . 19,718 . New South Wales, Australia . 21 December 1939 . 27 March 2021 . 15 . National Library of Australia.
  7. News: QUILL BACK TO WALLSEND . . VIII . 53 . New South Wales, Australia . 22 May 1943 . 27 March 2021 . 12 . National Library of Australia.
  8. News: QUILL STILL HOLDS SOCCER RECORD . . 9311 . New South Wales, Australia . 3 November 1947 . 27 March 2021 . 16 . National Library of Australia.
  9. News: Quill To Retire From Soccer . . 8639 . New South Wales, Australia . 5 September 1945 . 27 March 2021 . 11 . National Library of Australia.
  10. News: Quill To Carry On In Soccer Until Replacement Found . . 8833 . New South Wales, Australia . 22 April 1946 . 27 March 2021 . 11 . National Library of Australia.
  11. Web site: Quill, Alfred . OzFootball . Australian Player Database . 10 July 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110615001755/http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Players/Q/Q.html . 15 June 2011 . live.
  12. Web site: Who scored the most goals in history? . 90soccer.com . 31 October 2021 . 31 January 2024 . 14 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230714202906/https://90soccer.com/the-soccer-players-who-scored-the-most-goals-in-the-history-of-the-sport-since-the-19th-century/ . live .
  13. Book: The Australian National Men's Football Team: Caps And Captains . Football Federation Australia . https://web.archive.org/web/20110527210520/http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/site/_content/document/00000632-source.pdf . 27 May 2011 . dead . 26 December 2012 .
  14. Web site: Sporting Person: QUILL, ALFRED, Soccer . Newcastle City Council . 10 July 2011.
  15. News: CLOSE SOCCER GAME . . 8943 . New South Wales, Australia . 3 September 1938 . 23 December 2022 . 9 (LAST FINAL EXTRA) . National Library of Australia.
  16. Web site: Trove. trove.nla.gov.au.
  17. Book: Jack Pollard's Soccer Records - Sid Grant. 1974. 226. en.
  18. News: CLOSE SOCCER GAME . . 8943 . New South Wales, Australia . 3 September 1938 . 23 December 2022 . 9 (LAST FINAL EXTRA) . National Library of Australia.
  19. Web site: NSW Champions. 16 April 2023. socceraust.co.uk.
  20. Book: Jack Pollard's Soccer Records - Sid Grant. 1974. 116.