1. Ernest Needham was an English footballer and cricketer.
19 Facts About Ernest Needham
1. 2.
Ernest Needham played in sixteen international football matches for England and captained the side in 1901.
3.
Ernest Needham was an outstanding left half who played for Sheffield United from 1891 until 1910.
4.
Ernest Needham played first-class cricket for Derbyshire from 1901 to 1912.
5.
Ernest Needham made his debut for the Blades on 5 September 1891, in a pre-season game against Woolwich Arsenal.
6.
Ernest Needham's consistently accomplished and energetic displays made him the star of the side and won him the title, 'the prince of half backs'.
7.
Ernest Needham never seems to be racing, yet he must be moving at racing pace; he never seems to be exhausted, yet in a big game he is practically doing three men's work.
8.
Ernest Needham made his debut for England against Scotland in April 1894.
9.
Ernest Needham was an England regular for many years and the first Sheffield United player to captain the England national side.
10.
Ernest Needham represented England 16 times, and the Football League ten times.
11.
Ernest Needham was a left-hand batsman who played 340 innings in 186 first-class matches.
12.
Ernest Needham scored 6550 runs at 20.15, including seven centuries with a top score of 159.
13.
Ernest Needham was an occasional wicket-keeper, and as a right-arm medium pace bowler bowled 21 overs without taking a wicket.
14.
Ernest Needham made his debut for Derbyshire in June 1901 against a South African team, and scored 57 in his first innings but was out for a duck in the second.
15.
Ernest Needham scored 47 in his one innings in the game at Chesterfield in 1904 when visitors Essex set an unwanted record by losing despite amassing 597 in their first innings.
16.
In 1907 Ernest Needham scored 119 against Hampshire and in 1908 scored three centuries.
17.
Ernest Needham scored 104 against Worcestershire and in one match against Essex scored 107 and 104, although this was not enough to stave off defeat.
18.
Ernest Needham wrote a ninety-page brochure titled "Association Football" which was published in 1901.
19.
From practical experience, Ernest Needham offered his own opinions on tactics and formation.