After leaving university he moved to Lancashire where he became friends with A most remarkable man who left his mark in many directions and soccer will probably never see his likeĪrthur Constantine developed a love of football while studying at Shrewsbury School. Great Britain and Ireland, but on the Continent, South Africa and Australia. "His influence on the game at home and abroad was immense and he pioneered the game of football not only through Also both Belgian goals were the result of incorrect decisions of the referee and we seek aĪt his passing, the Football Association stated, Were distorted and it was obvious that it gave the public the wrong impression in regard to our game. The Czech delegation made the following statement in regard to their protest: "The majority of the decisions of the referee Mr. Belgium was therefore awarded the gold medal. Belgium took a 2-0 lead and when Lewis sent off Karel Steiner for a bad foul in the 40th minute, the Czech team walked The match took place on 2nd September, 1920. The Belgian national newspaper L'Action Nationale wrote anĮditorial on Septemwhich read: "Lewis refereed the game magnificently on Thursday" and supported the idea that the 72 year old should take charge of the final between Belgium and He refereed the semi-final between the host nation Belgium and the Netherlands.
Despite his age he continued to work as a referee and twelve years later Lewis wasĪsked to officiate at the 1920 Olympic Games. Officiating at three FA Cup Finals (1895, 18).Īt the age of 60 he refereed the 1908 Olympic Games final at White City. After his football career came to an end he became one of the countries best referees.
Lewis was also an active member of the Temperance Society. Later he served as vice-president of the Football Association and the Football League. Later that year he was appointed as Secretary of the Worcestershireįootball Association. In 1879 John Lewis helped establish the Lancashire Football Association. Inġ877 they began playing matches at Pleasant Cricket Ground. The team played its early games at Oozehead, a piece of farmland on the road to Preston. Greenwood, Harry Greenwood, Jack Baldwin and Arthur Constantine. The team included John Lewis, Alfred Birtwistle, Walter Duckworth, J. Lewis was appointed as treasurer whereas Walter Duckworth became secretary of the club.īlackburn Rovers played their first game on 11th December 1875. Meeting and it was decided to establish the Blackburn Rovers Football Club. At that time, the game was dominated by former public school students. On 5th November 1875, John Lewis and Arthur Constantine, who also been educated at Shrewsbury School, organized a meeting at the St Leger Hotel inīlackburn to discuss the possibility of establishing a football club in the town. Game, at which the the youth of the town, including Mr. Historian, Charles Francis: "No purely Association football was played at this time in East Lancashire, though there was a recreation, a mixture of Rugby and Association, known as the Harrow At this time the town was more interested in cricket than football. While at Shewsbury School he developed a keen interest in football. John Lewis (30 March 1855 - 13 January 1926) was born in Market Drayton, Shropshire.