The late Captain of the English Football Team.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 3016, 29 September 1888, Page 3

The late Captain of the English Football Team.

Mr 8, H. Wiokerson, Secretary of • tho Wairarapa Rugby Football Union has received from the English Football team a memorial card of their late Captain—Mr Robert L, Seddon —who was drowned in the Hunter River, Maitland, New South Wales, on the afternoon of August 15th, whilst out rowing iii an outrigger, ■': MrE, L, Seddon was in his 28th year when he mot his death. He was ;" about the best forward in the team, . and ono of the four who could claim ; , the honour of being an International. •• He waa a native of Brougliton, Lan- - ' cashire, England, and played formerly *with the Broughton Rangers, but last season he cast in his lot with the famous Swinton Club. He thoroughly understood the game, being well up in the finer points, and was unquestionably one of the very finest , players in tlio north of England, He represented his county, Lancashire, for the past six years, and for three . seasons had been picked to represent the North of England in their annual , matches with tho South-the next •' highest honor in English football to , being an International; but Mr Seddon obtained this honor also, boing .' picked to represent England in tho three International matches of 1886J against Wales, Ireland, and Scotland, Last year no International matches were played by England, but an ' International team was picked, and ■ Mr Seddon again had the honor of winning his cap. Mr Seddon was a loyal and enthu« : elastic supporter of Rugby Football, ■ and contended tbatmany years would ' ■ elapse before any radical change was Jffeoted in the game. Replying to a uestibn as to tho merits of tho Vicbrian game, when interviewed on his eturn to Sydney lately, Mr Soddon «marked:—" Plainly speaking, now o know it, we do not like it like ,'■ Hugby,and never would, Mind this; may be prejudiced by having f' teen brought up from childhood to ~; the Rugby rules, Tho main feature of the gamo, tho marking, is a thing no Rugbeian would over like, beoause of the waiting, man playingforman; thalis, instead of looking ate the man, all but fivo aside, '. are looking after ono another," •: ' His comrades in the English team , now touring the colonies had. no 'hesitation about selecting ,him as :" captain, and wo aio not exaggerating ..':' when we say ho was. as if made by : nature for tho post of captain to a 1 ..• football team. He stood sft lliin high, and weighod twelve stone, being : splendidly built, and physically a ; f Jtfnetypoof English manhood. In ' 'Banner he was exactly suited for . "aptain, as ho would stand no humbugging, firm and decisive, there was no going back on anything he said, •LVfhen he said a thing had to be done «t was done, and if he said to the Contrary then none. of.his men cared to Bay him nay. This was on the football field. Off it ho made him- , . self respected by everyono, and his comrades all joined in saying that in , addition to being a good, captain and ; a thorough footballer, he was a jolly good fellow. . '