Clyde Purnell
Purnell at 1908 Summer Olympics
Personal information
Full name Clyde Honeysett Purnell
Date of birth 14 May 1877
Place of birth Ryde, Isle of Wight, England
Date of death 14 August 1934(1934-08-14) (aged 57)
Place of death Westenhanger, Kent
Position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1902 Ryde FC
1907–1909 Clapton F.C.
International career
1907–1908 England Amateurs 6 (9)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
Olympic medal record
Men's football
Representing  Great Britain
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1908 London Team competition

Clyde Honeysett Purnell (14 May 1877 – 14 August 1934) was an English amateur footballer who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics.[1]

Club career

Purnell was born on 14 May 1877 in Ryde, Isle of Wight, the son of John and Emily Purnell. He was an avid sportsman being involved in cycling, cricket, tobogganing, and billiards. He became the captain of the Olympic Sporting Club at the age of 18 (1895). From 1897 to 1902 he was on the winning team in the Lawn Tennis Shield competition. In 1905 he picked up the runners-up medal at Shepherd's Bush in the FA Amateur Cup, but two years later he got gold with Clapton F.C., scoring once in the final in a 6–0 win over Eston United.[1]

International career

Purnell played six matches and netted eight goals for the England amateur team in 1907 and 1908. He was a member of the English amateur team that represented Great Britain at the 1908 Summer Olympics, winning the gold medal in the football tournament. He scored four goals in the first-round match, a 12–1 drubbing of Sweden, which still is Sweden's highest defeat of its history.[2] He also appeared in the final against Denmark, helping his side with a 2-0 win.[3] Purnell scored a further two goals for the amateur side in an unofficial match against Ireland on 7 December 1907 to help his side with a 6–1 win, thus bringing his goal tally to 10 goals.[4]

He was later a Commercial Traveller and died on 19 August 1934 at Folkestone Racecourse leaving a widow and son.[5][a]

International goals

England Amateurs score listed first, score column indicates score after each Purnell goal.
List of international goals scored by Clyde Purnell[4]
No. Cap Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition Ref
1 1 18 April 1908 Sukkelweg, Bruxelles, Belgium  Belgium
1–0
 8–2 Friendly
[6]
2
7–2
3 2 20 April 1908 Viktoria field, Berlin-Mariendorf, Germany  Germany
3–1
 5–1
[7]
4 3 8 September 1908 Valhalla, Gothenburg, Sweden  Sweden
1–0
 6–1
[4]
5 4 20 October 1908 White City, London, England  Sweden
?
 12–1 1908 Summer Olympics First round
[8]
6
?
7
?
8
?

Notes

  1. ^ "Purnell, a commercial traveler for a Cambridge firm, had driven to the racecourse. He and his friend had just entered the silver ring when Purnell collapsed."

References

  1. ^ a b "Clyde Purnell". Olympedia. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  2. ^ "Clyde Honeysett Purnell Footballer Great Britain Olympic Team 1908 Clapton FC". www.claptonfc.info. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  3. ^ FC, Clapton (29 October 2015). "Clyde Honeysett Purnell – Olympic Gold Medallist". Clapton Football Club. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  4. ^ a b c "England Matches - The Amateurs 1906-1939". englandfootballonline.com. Archived from the original on 28 March 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  5. ^ Death of Mr. Clyde Purnell, Portsmouth Evening News, 15 August 1934.
  6. ^ "Belgium v England, 18 April 1908". www.11v11.com. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  7. ^ "Germany v England, 20 April 1908". www.11v11.com. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  8. ^ "Great Britain v Sweden, 20 October 1908". www.11v11.com. Retrieved 30 July 2022.

External links

Great Britain football squad – 1908 Summer Olympics – Gold medalists
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