Ryder George Image 2 Corinthians 1903

Description

Newcastle born inside forward George Ryder began his football career with Darnell United and Morpeth Harriers  and studied law at Oxford University. He played in The Corinthians’ 1901 Sheriff of London Shield match against League Champions Aston Villa, which ended in a 1-0 defeat and their 1903 Sheriff of London Shield match against League Champions Sunderland, which was lost 3-0 at White Hart Lane, before he joined Southern League Queen’s Park Rangers in December 1903, spending three years at Loftus Road, scoring 21 goals in 73 appearances, top scoring for Rangers in the 1905-06 season with 15 goals,

He joined First Division Bolton Wanderers in February 1907, for whom he made his Football League debut at Bristol City in April 1907. He managed only 4 appearances over his spell at Burnden Park, returning to the Southern League to join Leyton in June 1908. He was a consistent goalscorer during his 3 seasons in East London, scoring 40 goals in 101 Southern League games, before moving to Irish League club Belfast Distillery in May 1911.

He returned to Leyton in March 1912 scoring twice more in 8 further Southern League games, before returning to the Irish League to play for Linfield in the 1912 close season. In June 1913 he returned to his native north east to join Blyth Spartans, however he returned to London exactly a year later signing for Southern League Croydon Common, for whom he scored 3 goals in 22 appearances in the final peacetime season before World War One forced the suspension of normal football and ended his football career.

NB the photograph states a game against Sunderland at The Queen’s Club in 1902, however it is more likely the above 1903 Shield match.