Alf Common
Alfred Common ( born May 25, 1880 in Sunderland, † April 3, 1946 in Darlington ) was an English footballer.
Common reached national prominence when he joined the then-record transfer fee of £ 1,000 pounds from Sunderland to Middlesbrough in 1905.
Career
As a player
Common played for smaller club in North East England, before joining first division club Sunderland AFC in 1900. In the 1900/01 season he was with the club second in the First Division. At the beginning of the season 1901/ 02 he scored for Sunderland in four league games two goals, before moving to Sheffield United for £ 325 pounds. While Sunderland 1902 English champions, Common won with Sheffield in the same year with a 2-1 victory in the final replay against Southampton FC FA Cup. As part of the first final match, which was 1:1 assumed, Common scored the first goal of the match.
Common established himself as a regular player in Sheffield and completed on 29 February 1904, the first of his three caps for the English national team. In May of the same year, he turned down an extension offer from his contract, however. He reportedly wanted to return to Sunderland because he there " business interests " represented. So Common played from the summer of 1904, again for the AFC Sunderland.
Barely six months after his return joined Common again the club. This time, he was obliged for a then-record transfer fee of £ 1,000 pounds from Middlesbrough FC. The relegation- threatened Middlesbrough had won at this time for two years no more away game and hoped for by the record transfer to remain in the First Division. Common succeeded already in his debut on 25 February 1905 to end the curse Away by shooting in the 50th -minute penalty the 1-0 winning goal at his former club Sheffield United. At the end of the season 1905/ 06 he held with the association class. For the season 1906/ 07 undertook the club Steve Bloomer, whereupon Middlesbrough 1907 /08 reached the sixth rank to date best finish in club history. Total Common played 168 league appearances for Boro, scoring 58 goals.
For the season 1910/11 Common joined at the age of 30 years to Woolwich Arsenal. In the 1911/12 season he missed just two league matches and 17 goals was with the top scorer of the club. In contrast, the first half of the season 1912/13, he managed not a single hit. In December 1912, he was then for £ 250 pounds to Preston North End sold in the Second Division. While Arsenal relegation at the end of the season, Common succeeded with his new club 's return to the First Division. In the season 1913/14, he went with Preston North End, however, again.
In 1914, Common ended his career as a football player. He settled in Darlington and business in the city until 1943, some pubs. On April 3, 1946, he died at the age of 65.
Achievements
- FA Cup: 1902