Bower AG Alfred “Baishe” Image 1 Corinthians 1921

Description

Bromley born left back AG Alfred “Baishe” Bower was educated at Charterhouse School; he only began to excel at football after leaving school and joining Old Carthusians. During the First World War, he served in the Army, initially as a second lieutenant in the 4th (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) before transferring to the 1st Battalion on 27th July 1915. Later in the War he was a temporary captain.

He played 180 matches for The Corinthians from 1920 to December 1930 and made his Football League debut (as an amateur) for Chelsea at West Bromwich Albion in March 1924, playing 3 First Division matches for Chelsea that March and a further 6 Second Division matches between August and October 1925. He also played for The Old Carthusians and The Casuals.

He had a sparkling international career winning 13 England amateur international caps between 1922 and 1927, captaining on 7 occasions, and winning 5 full international caps, making his full England debut against Ireland in Belfast in October 1923, captaining them twice in December 1924 and February 1925 against Belgium and Wales, and finally, again as captain, in an exciting 3-3 draw against Wales at Wrexham in February 1927. He was the last amateur to captain England.

He also captained The Amateurs in the 1923 FA Charity Shield match, lost 2-0 to The Professionals at Stamford Bridge in October 1923, and played in the same fixture in 1924, when The Amateurs were beaten 3-1 at Highbury.