Clyde Purnell Explained

Clyde Purnell
Fullname:Clyde Honeysett Purnell
Birth Date:14 May 1877
Birth Place:Ryde, Isle of Wight, England
Death Place:Westenhanger, Kent
Position:Forward
Years1:1902
Clubs1:Ryde FC
Years2:1907–1909
Nationalyears1:1907–1908
Nationalteam1:England Amateurs
Nationalcaps1:6
Nationalgoals1:9

Clyde Honeysett Purnell (14 May 1877 – 14 August 1934) was an English amateur footballer who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics.[1]

Club career

Purnell was born on 14 May 1877 in Ryde, Isle of Wight, the son of John and Emily Purnell. He was an avid sportsman being involved in cycling, cricket, tobogganing, and billiards. He became the captain of the Olympic Sporting Club at the age of 18 (1895). From 1897 to 1902 he was on the winning team in the Lawn Tennis Shield competition. In 1905 he picked up the runners-up medal at Shepherd's Bush in the FA Amateur Cup, but two years later he got gold with Clapton F.C., scoring once in the final in a 6–0 win over Eston United.[1]

International career

Purnell played six matches and netted eight goals for the England amateur team in 1907 and 1908. He was a member of the English amateur team that represented Great Britain at the 1908 Summer Olympics, winning the gold medal in the football tournament. He scored four goals in the first-round match, a 12–1 drubbing of Sweden, which still is Sweden's highest defeat of its history.[2] He also appeared in the final against Denmark, helping his side with a 2-0 win.[3] Purnell scored a further two goals for the amateur side in an unofficial match against Ireland on 7 December 1907 to help his side with a 6–1 win, thus bringing his goal tally to 10 goals.[4]

He was later a Commercial Traveller and died on 19 August 1934 at Folkestone Racecourse leaving a widow and son.[5]

International goals

England Amateurs score listed first, score column indicates score after each Purnell goal.

List of international goals scored by Clyde Purnell
scope=col No.scope=col Capscope=col Date scope=col Venue scope=col Opponent scope=col Score scope=col Resultscope=col Competitionscope=col class=unsortable
scope=row11 18 April 1908 Sukkelweg, Bruxelles, Belgium 8–2
scope=row2
scope=row32 20 April 1908 Viktoria field, Berlin-Mariendorf, Germany 5–1
scope=row43 8 September 1908 Valhalla, Gothenburg, Sweden 6–1
scope=row54 20 October 1908 White City, London, England 12–1
scope=row6
scope=row7
scope=row8

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Clyde Purnell . Olympedia . 26 March 2021.
  2. Web site: Clyde Honeysett Purnell Footballer Great Britain Olympic Team 1908 Clapton FC . www.claptonfc.info . 12 December 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161220090510/http://www.claptonfc.info/feat/plrs/purnell.htm . 20 December 2016 . dead.
  3. Web site: Clyde Honeysett Purnell – Olympic Gold Medallist . FC . Clapton . 29 October 2015 . Clapton Football Club . 12 December 2016.
  4. Web site: England Matches - The Amateurs 1906-1939 . englandfootballonline.com . 30 July 2022 . 28 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220328123742/http://englandfootballonline.com/MatchRsl/MatchRslAm.html . live .
  5. Death of Mr. Clyde Purnell, Portsmouth Evening News, 15 August 1934.