George Parsonage

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George Parsonage
Parsonage while a Brentford player
Personal information
Full name George Parsonage[1]
Date of birth November 1880[1]
Place of birth Darwen, England
Date of death 22 May 1919(1919-05-22) (aged 38)
Place of death Darwen, England
Position(s) Half back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1899–1900 Oswaldtwistle Rovers
1900–1901 Blackburn Rovers 0 (0)
1901–1903 Accrington Stanley
1903–1908 Brentford 176 (12)
1908–1909 Fulham 22 (3)
1910–1911 Oldham Athletic 0 (0)
1911 Darwen
Managerial career
1907–1908 Brentford (player-manager)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

George Parsonage (November 1880 – 22 May 1919) was an English professional footballer, most notable for his time as a half back and player-manager in the Southern League with Brentford. He was banned from football for life by the Football Association in 1909, but later returned to the game.

Club career[edit]

Early years[edit]

A half back, Parsonage began his senior career at local First Division club Blackburn Rovers in 1900, after joining from Oswaldtwistle Rovers.[1] He failed to make a league appearance for the club before dropping into the Lancashire Combination to sign for Accrington Stanley in 1901.[2]

Brentford[edit]

Parsonage moved to London to sign for Southern League First Division club Brentford in 1903.[3] He became captain of the club in the 1904–05 season and was a "tower of strength" for five seasons, before departing Griffin Park in 1908.[3][4] He made 194 appearances and scored 15 goals for the Bees.[5]

Fulham[edit]

Parsonage returned to league football with Second Division club Fulham in 1908.[1] He made 23 appearances and scored three goals during the 1908–09 season.[2]

"The Parsonage Affair"[edit]

While a Fulham player, Parsonage was the subject of transfer interest from Second Division club Chesterfield in 1909.[3] Reportedly not keen on a move to Derbyshire,[6] Parsonage submitted a request for a £50 signing-on fee (equivalent to £5,500 in 2024), which was £40 higher than the Football League's maximum.[3] Chesterfield reported the request to the Football Association,[3] who banned Parsonage sine die from football.[7] A petition signed by thousands of fans failed to see the ban overturned.[4]

Later career[edit]

Parsonage returned to football with First Division club Oldham Athletic in September 1910.[2][8] He ended his career with hometown Lancashire Combination Second Division club Darwen,[1] whom he joined in March 1911.[8]

Managerial and coaching career[edit]

Parsonage had a spell as player-manager of Brentford during the 1907–08 season.[4] He later coached at Oldham Athletic.[9]

International career[edit]

Parsonage's form while at Brentford saw him called up for two England trial games.[3] He played for Amateurs versus Professionals on 16 January 1905 and for the South versus the North the following month, but was passed over in favour of Charlie Roberts.[4]

Career statistics[edit]

Player[edit]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Brentford 1903–04[5] Southern League First Division 34 3 5 2 39 5
1904–05[5] 34 2 3 0 37 2
1905–06[5] 33 1 4 1 37 2
1906–07[5] 37 2 4 0 41 2
1907–08[5] 38 4 2 0 40 4
Total 176 12 18 3 194 15
Fulham 1908–09[2] Second Division 22 3 1 0 23 3
Career total 198 15 19 3 217 18

Manager[edit]

Team From To Record Ref
G W D L Win %
Brentford January 1908 April 1908 17 8 3 6 047.06 [5]
Total 17 8 3 6 047.06 —

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 225. ISBN 978-1905891610.
  2. ^ a b c d "Parsonage George Brentford 1905". Vintage Footballers. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopaedia. Yore Publications. p. 101. ISBN 1-874427-57-7.
  4. ^ a b c d Brentford's Official Matchday Magazine versus Luton Town. 24 August 1996. p. 24.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. pp. 357–359. ISBN 0951526200.
  6. ^ "George Parsonage affair". Sky is Blue – Chesterfield FC history & statistics. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  7. ^ Steen, Rob; Novick, Jed; Richards, Huw (4 July 2013). The Cambridge Companion to Football. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-107-01484-8.
  8. ^ a b "The Football Association – Season 1910–11 – Summary Of Professional Registrations". Sky is Blue – The Chesterfield FC history resource. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  9. ^ TW8: Brentford Official Matchday Programme versus Notts County. Charlton, London. 24 February 2001. p. 14.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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