Alexander Austin Underwood (6 February 1878 – 28 November 1960) was an English professional footballer who played as an outside forward in the Football League for Glossop and Clapton Orient. He spent the majority of his career in the Southern League with Brentford, for whom he made over 170 appearances.

Tosher Underwood
Underwood while with Brentford in 1906.
Personal information
Full name Alexander Austin Underwood[1]
Date of birth 6 February 1878[2]
Place of birth Street, England[1]
Date of death 28 November 1960(1960-11-28) (aged 82)[1]
Place of death Chiswick, England[2]
Position(s) Outside forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1898–1899 Bristol St. George's
1899– Bristol Rovers 8 (1)
0000–1901 Fulham
1901– Grays United
Fulham (loan)
1902–1908 Brentford 177 (20)
1908–1909 Glossop 18 (0)
1909–1910 Clapton Orient 37 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

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Early years

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An outside forward, Underwood began his career with Bristol clubs Bristol St. George's and Bristol Rovers.[3] He later moved to Southern League club Fulham, before signing for Grays United in July 1901 and then returning to Fulham on loan.[1][4]

Brentford

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Underwood's signed for Southern League First Division club Brentford on 4 June 1902.[2][5][6] He made 195 appearances in all competitions for the Bees and was awarded a benefit match upon his departure at the end of the 1907–08 season.[5][7] He was posthumously inducted into the Brentford Hall of Fame in 2015.[8]

Glossop

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Underwood moved up to the Football League and signed for Second Division club Glossop in May 1908.[5][9] In February 1909, Underwood was part of the team which beat Sheffield Wednesday 1–0 in the third round of the FA Cup, which sent the Hillmen into the fourth round for the only time in the club's history.[10] Glossop took eventual runners-up Bristol City to a replay in the fourth round and lost 1–0.[11] He made 18 league appearances for Glossop.[1]

Clapton Orient

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Underwood's final known club was Second Division club Clapton Orient, whom he joined in June 1909.[12] He made 37 league appearances and scored one goal for the club.[1]

Personal life

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After retiring from football, Underwood returned to Brentford and became a shoemaker.[5]

Career statistics

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Brentford 1902–03[7] Southern League First Division 21 3 0 0 1[a] 0 22 3
1903–04[7] 29 4 5 2 34 6
1904–05[7] 22 0 2 0 24 0
1905–06[7] 34 4 4 1 38 5
1906–07[7] 34 4 4 0 38 4
1907–08[7] 37 5 2 0 39 5
Career total 177 20 17 3 1 0 195 23
  1. ^ Appearance in Southern League promotion-relegation test match

Honours

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 294. ISBN 978-1905891610.
  2. ^ a b c "N-Z". The Bristol Rovers History Group. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  3. ^ "The Football Association – Season 1898–99 – Summary Of Professional Registrations". Sky is Blue – The Chesterfield FC history resource. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  4. ^ "The Football Association – Season 1901–02 – Summary Of Professional Registrations". Sky is Blue – The Chesterfield FC history resource. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopaedia. Yore Publications. p. 133. ISBN 1-874427-57-7.
  6. ^ "The Football Association – Season 1902–03 – Summary Of Professional Registrations". Sky is Blue – The Chesterfield FC history resource. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. pp. 357–359. ISBN 0951526200.
  8. ^ a b Wickham, Chris. "Kevin O'Connor and Marcus Gayle join others in being added to Brentford FC Hall of Fame". brentfordfc.co.uk. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  9. ^ "The Football Association – Season 1908–09 – Summary Of Professional Registrations". Sky is Blue – The Chesterfield FC history resource. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  10. ^ "1909". The Giant Killers. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  11. ^ Maguire, John (2011). The Football Association Challenge Cup Competition: Manchester United vs Bristol City. p. 7.
  12. ^ "The Football Association – Season 1909–10 – Summary Of Professional Registrations". Sky is Blue – The Chesterfield FC history resource. Retrieved 1 January 2021.