Simpson George Image 2 Sheffield Wednesday 1908

Description

Jarrow, County Durham born winger George Simpson began his football career with hometown club Jarrow in 1901 before signing for First Division Sheffield Wednesday, for whom he made his Football League debut against Blackburn Rovers in March 1903, his only appearance of the season, in which Wednesday won the League Championship. But from the start of the new season he was in the first team as the preferred outside left, and although he missed most of December, January and February he scored 7 times in 25 League appearances as Wednesday won the League Championship back to back. He also played in Wednesday’s team that lost the FA Cup semi final to eventual winners Manchester City at Goodison Park.

In 1905 he was back in the FA Cup semi final with The Owls, but again they were beaten, this time by 1 goal to nil against Newcastle United at Hyde Road, Ardwick. He was also part of the team that beat The Corinthians 2-1 at The Crystal Palace in April 1905 to win The Sheriff of London Charity Shield. Nonetheless Cup glory would come for Simpson two years later, as Simpson scored a late winner in the 1907 FA Cup Final against Everton at The Crystal Palace, one of 3 goals in 8 cup ties he played in the campaign.

In autumn 1908 he lost his regular place in the Wednesday starting line up and in April 1909 he transferred to Second Division West Bromwich Albion after 39 goals in 162 appearances for Wednesday. However (whether through injury or competition for places) he struggled to establish himself in The Baggies’ first team, and indeed in their 1910-11 promotion season he didn’t make a single League appearance, featuring in a solitary FA Cup tie, a 2-0 defeat at Derby County in February 1911. Released after 6 goals in 24 appearances for Albion, he returned to the North East and joined non league North Shields in 1911, where he later finished his career.