Vivian Simpson (footballer)

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Vivian Simpson
Personal information
Full name Vivian Sumner Simpson[1]
Date of birth 1883
Place of birth Sheffield, England
Date of death 13 April 1918 (aged 34–35)[2]
Place of death Outtersteene, Belgium[2]
Position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1900 Sheffield
1900–1906 The Wednesday 30 (8)
Sheffield
1907 Norwich City
Northern Nomads
0000–1909 Sheffield
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Vivian Sumner Simpson MC (1883 – 13 April 1918) was an English amateur footballer who played in the Football League for The Wednesday as a forward.[1][3] He is most notable for his time in non-League football with Sheffield, for whom he scored over 100 goals in over 200 appearances.[4]

Personal life[edit]

Simpson attended Wesley College, Sheffield and later worked for his father as a solicitor.[4][5] He served in the York and Lancaster Regiment during the First World War and was awarded the Military Cross and mentioned in dispatches in September 1917:[6][7]

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during and after an attack upon enemy trenches. He was the first to reach the trench, and to be engaged in hand-to-hand fighting with the enemy. Later, he displayed the greatest ability and energy in organising his company for the work of protection and consolidation. His work has been consistently excellent on previous occasions.

— The London Gazette, Supplement 13143 (19 September 1917)

Between November 1916 and February 1917, Simpson was promoted from a temporary second lieutenant to acting captain, while commanding his company.[8][9] He was promoted to acting captain and to command his company again in April 1917.[10] In September 1917, Simpson was invalided back to Britain after suffering wounds and was posted to a role training junior officers in Sunderland.[5] He later returned to the front and was killed by a sniper "while selflessly dashing through the darkness to check on his comrades" on 13 April 1918 at Outtersteene, near Ploegsteert, Belgium.[6][11] He was buried in Outtersteene Communal Cemetery Extension.[2]

Honours[edit]

Sheffield

Career statistics[edit]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
The Wednesday 1901–02[12] First Division 5 2 0 0 5 2
1902–03[12] 3 0 0 0 3 0
1903–04[12] 7 2 5 3 12 5
1904–05[12] 6 2 0 0 6 2
1905–06[12] 1 0 0 0 1 0
1906–07[12] 8 2 3 0 11 2
Career total 30 8 8 3 38 11

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 265. ISBN 978-1905891610.
  2. ^ a b c "Casualty Details". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  3. ^ Lakey, Chris (9 November 2018). "Norwich City's true heroes: the players who gave their lives in the First World War". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Wortley Golf Club Memorial Roll" (PDF). pp. 13–14. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Former Sheffield Wednesday star and war hero's medals up for auction". www.thestar.co.uk. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  6. ^ a b c "Remembering Vivian Simpson". Sheffield FC. Archived from the original on 26 September 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  7. ^ "Vivian Sumner Simpson | Service Record". Football and the First World War. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  8. ^ "Page 813 – Supplement 29910, 19 January 1917". London Gazette. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  9. ^ "Page 5078 – Supplement 30090, 22 May 1917". London Gazette. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  10. ^ "Page 6035 – Supplement 30136, 15 June 1917". London Gazette. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  11. ^ "Remembering the Sheffield war hero who helped Wednesday to FA Cup glory". www.thestar.co.uk. 9 April 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  12. ^ a b c d e f "Vivien Simpson". www.adrianbullock.com. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
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