Seth Powell Explained

Seth Powell
Fullname:Seth Powell
Birth Place:Cerney, Wrexham, Wales
Death Place:Oswestry, England
Position:Full-back
Youthclubs1:Summerhill, Wrexham
Years1:1884–1885
Clubs1:Oswestry White Stars
Years2:1885–1890
Clubs2:Oswestry Town
Years3:1890–1892
Clubs3:West Bromwich Albion
Caps3:30
Goals3:0
Years4:1892–1893
Clubs4:Burton Albion
Caps4:0
Goals4:0
Clubs5:Chester
Clubs6:Oswestry United
Nationalyears1:1885–1892
Nationalteam1:Wales
Nationalcaps1:7
Nationalgoals1:0

Seth Powell (1862 – 3 February 1945) was a Welsh footballer who played at full-back for West Bromwich Albion in the English Football League. He made seven appearances for Wales in the 1880s and 1890s.

Football career

Powell was born in Cerney, near Wrexham, and played his early football in the nearby village of Summerhill.[1] In 1883, he moved just over the border into England to become assistant schoolmaster at the Oswestry Board School.[1]

He played for two Oswestry based football clubs; firstly with Oswestry White Stars with whom he won the Welsh Cup in 1884[2] and reached the final the following year.[3] He then joined Oswestry Town where he remained until 1890.[1]

His first international cap came on 23 March 1885 at the Racecourse Ground in Wrexham when the Welsh suffered an 8–1 defeat at the hands of Scotland,[4] with Joseph Lindsay scoring a hat-trick. He was recalled to the side the following year for matches against Ireland and England.

Towards the end of the 1889–90 season, Powell joined West Bromwich Albion of the Football League on a wage of £2 per game plus expenses.[1] He remained with Albion for two years during which they finished each season at or near the foot of the table. Whilst with Albion, he made a further four appearances for Wales, all of which ended in defeats.

Powell then spent a season with Burton Swifts without making any League appearances before moving to Chester, then playing in The Combination, before returning to Oswestry United.[1]

Later career

From 1900 until his retirement in 1930, Powell was the district relieving officer for the Oswestry Board of Guardians. He also served Oswestry F.C. as secretary and spent twenty years in the 2nd Volunteer Battalion of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry.[1]

International appearances

Powell made seven appearances for Wales as follows:[5]

Date Venue Opponent Result[6] GoalsCompetition
23 March 1885 1–8 0 Friendly
27 February 1886 Racecourse Ground, Wrexham 5–0 0 British Home Championship
29 March 1886 Racecourse Ground, Wrexham 1–3 0 British Home Championship
7 March 1891 1–4 0 British Home Championship
21 March 1891Racecourse Ground, Wrexham 3–4 0 British Home Championship
5 March 1892Racecourse Ground, Wrexham 0–2 0 British Home Championship
26 March 1892 Tynecastle Park, Edinburgh 1–6 0 British Home Championship
Powell also played in the first match against a touring Canadian XI in September 1891.[7]

Honours

Oswestry White Stars

Notes and References

  1. Book: Who's Who of Welsh International Soccer Players . Davies . Gareth . Garland . Ian . 1991 . Bridge Books . 1-872424-11-2. 167.
  2. Web site: Welsh Cup Final (14 April 1884). Welsh Football Data Archive. 16 February 2010.
  3. Web site: Welsh Cup Final (March 1885). Welsh Football Data Archive. 16 February 2010.
  4. Web site: Wales 1 Scotland 8 (23 March 1885). Welsh Football Data Archive. 16 February 2010.
  5. Book: Samuel, Bill . The Complete Wales FC 1876–2008 . 2009 . Soccer Books . 978-1-86223-176-4. 8–11.
  6. Wales score first
  7. Book: Who's Who of Welsh International Soccer Players . 224.