Roy Goodall 15ct gold Football Association International medal, 1929-1930

Roy Goodall 15ct gold Football Association International medal, 1929-1930, the obverse inscribed THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION, the reverse inscribed FA, International, the rim inscribed 1929-30 with ring suspension, 29grms. 

Provenance: Roy Goodall thence by family descent 

Some fine footballers have heralded from the City of Sheffield and its surrounding areas over the years, the city defined as the birthplace of the modern game, and one of its brightest stars was Roy Goodall, born on 31st December 1902, he came from the village of Dronfield just a few miles outside the city centre, the home today of the World’s oldest football club, Sheffield FC. Quite how the two Sheffield professional teams missed out on his signature is the question. Both were renowned for scouting and promoting local talent through their ranks, but Goodall slipped through their fingers and signed for Huddersfield Town at the age of 19 in 1921. Now, the Manager at that point, Ambrose Langley, was a resident of the steel city, having played with some distinction for the Wednesday back in the day, so there is every chance that he may have seen Goodall playing at junior level, or been made aware of his promise through the local football grapevine, either way it was Leeds Road for Roy and not the Lane or Hillsborough. Langley departed in the year he arrived, replaced by the man brought in as his assistant, a man who himself had plied his trade as a player for the Blades and whose brother has also worn the blue and white of the Wednesday, winning an FA Cup Winners medal for them in 1907 and a man who would leave his mark and name on the beautiful game forever, Herbert Chapman. There was a Sheffield connection there. Herbert and his brother, Harry, heralded from another village on the outskirts of Sheffield, Kiveton, so another strong connection. Harry, like Langley, had also had a spell as manager of Hull City. Football is always full of connections. Chapman would make Roy Goodall his skipper, and, in turn, Goodall would go on to lead the Yorkshire side to uncharted success for one of the youngest clubs in the League at that point. In the roaring 20’s Town were the team, winning the League Championship three times in a row and, between in the period he would also win the FA Cup, collect two runners up medals, see the club finish runners up in the League three times and also lift the charity shield. Goodall was no ordinary football defender. At his peak, he was widely recognised as one of the best defenders in the world- some accolade for a lad from Dronfield, playing an incredible 25 times for his country, many as Captain and at a time when the world was a far bigger place. 25 Caps back then could arguably be the equivalent of over 100 today due to the number of games played. Had England deemed to take a team to the first World Cup, Roy Goodall would have worn the armband, and you have to wonder what other trophies he would have lifted on an even bigger stage to add to the wonderful haul his years in the game brought. When his playing career was over, he had a spell as manager at Mansfield Town- again not that far from where he was born. 

Graham Budd Auctions are delighted and honoured to bring many wonderful pieces from the career of a Huddersfield Town giant and England legend to our June sale, a collection that brings to the market his medals, shirts, caps and other ephemera with the provenance from his proud descendants to find new homes and also keep his name and triumphs around for the next generations to know his name, what he did, and the style in which he did it. A true footballer.