Rogers Ehud “Tim” Image 1 Newcastle United 1937

Description

Chirk, Denbighshire born outside right Ehud “Tim” Rogers began his football career in Welsh junior football with Weston Rhyn in 1930, Llanerch Celts in 1931, Chirk in 1932 and Oswestry Town in 1933. He represented his country in an amateur international against Scotland in March 1934, and earned himself a reputation as “one of the finest Welsh amateur wingers playing [in the 1933-34] season”, before turning professional with Football League Third Division (North) Wrexham in May 1934, making his Football League debut at York City in October 1934.

He had scored 3 times in 14 appearances for Wrexham before he was signed by George Allison’s Arsenal in January 1935 believing him to have promise as a winger, and, with Joe Hulme and Alf Kirchen both injured, he played in the last five First Division matches of the 1934-35 season. He scored twice on his debut, in an 8-0 win at home to Middlesbrough, and two matches later, was a member of the team that won 1-0 in the reverse fixture to ensure Arsenal won the 1934-35 League Championship, their third title in a row. He played intermittently during the latter part of the following season, sometimes on the left wing rather than his more normal right, and took his total appearances to 16, all in League competition. He scored another three times, including both goals in a 2-0 home win against Middlesbrough, 4 of his 5 Arsenal goals coming against ‘Boro.

Rogers signed for Second Division Newcastle United by Newcastle manager Tom Mather in June 1936 for a £2,500 fee. Described as “on the small side, although this does not handicap his thrustfulness of purpose”, he played in 39 matches in his first season, scoring 8 goals, but appeared in only 14 in the following campaign and just 5 in 1938-39. He joined Swansea Town in May 1939, and made three appearances before the 1939-40 Football League season was abandoned when the Second World War broke out.

During the War, Rogers served in the Royal Air Force and made guest appearances for clubs including Everton and Lovells Athletic. He played twice for his country in Wartime internationals, both against England, in 1941 at Cardiff and in 1944 at Liverpool. He rejoined Wrexham between his two international appearances, and after the War played twice for them, once in the 1945-46 FA Cup competition and once in the first post-war Football League season against Barrow in September 1946, before returning to Oswestry Town in 1947 at the age of nearly 38. After retiring as a player, Rogers returned to his native Chirk and coached at his former club.