Woolwich Arsenal medal awarded to goalkeeper Jimmy Ashcroft to commemorate the club's promotion to the Division One of the Football League in season 1

Woolwich Arsenal medal awarded to goalkeeper Jimmy Ashcroft to commemorate the club's promotion to the Division One of the Football League in season 1903-04 during which Ashcroft kept a club record 20 clean sheets, 9ct. gold, inscribed WOOLWICH ARSENAL CRICKET CLUB, TO COMMEMORATE PROMOTION TO FIRST LEAGUE, PRESENTED TO J. ASHCROFT, 1903-4 Jimmy Ashcroft (Arsenal's first England international footballer) Lots 906 to 909 James (Jimmy) Ashcroft (British, 1878 - 1943), an English football goalkeeper, signing for Everton as an amateur in 1897, then to Gravesend United in 1899. He signed as a professional footballer in June 1900 for Woolwich Arsenal, making his debut on 15th September 1900 against Burton Swifts, losing 1 - 0 on the day. Through his career with Woolwich Arsenal he made 303 appearances in eight seasons until 1908, of which 273 appearances were in the league. He was the first goalkeeper to play for Woolwich Arsenal in the first division and having played in two FA Cup semi-finals with Woolwich Arsenal in 1905/06 against Newcastle United, losing 2 - 0 at Victoria Ground, Stoke and 1906/07 against The Wednesday losing 3 - 1 at St Andrew's, Birmingham. Ashcroft was the first Arsenal player to be capped for England winning three caps in the British Home Nations Championship matches of 1906, England won twice against Ireland and Wales and lost to Scotland, which meant sharing the 1905/06 championship trophy with Scotland, both teams having each gained four points in the championship. In 1908 he was sold to Blackburn Rovers where he went onto play over 120 times and reached another FA Cup semi-final in 1910/11 against Bradford City, losing 3 - 0 at Bramall Lane, Sheffield and won the First Division title in 1911/12. In 1913 he was released by Blackburn Rovers on a free transfer, placing an advert in The Athletic News he signed for Tranmere Rovers, playing for one season before WWI and all first class football was halted and with that his retirement from football.