Alfred Sellman

Alfred William Sellman (1880–1935) was an English professional footballer who played in the Football League for Small Heath.[2] He also played Southern League football for Leyton and appeared in the Lancashire Combination for Workington.

Alfred Sellman
Personal information
Full name Alfred William Sellman[1]
Date of birth 1880
Place of birth Chadsmoor, England
Date of death 1935 (aged 54–55)
Place of death Coventry, England
Position(s) Centre half
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Bridgtown Amateurs
190?–1906 Small Heath 1 (0)
1906–1907 Leyton
1907–190? Workington
1908–19?? Rugeley
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Life and career

Sellman was born in Chadsmoor, Staffordshire, in 1880.[1] He played local football for Bridgford Amateurs before joining First Division club Small Heath in the 1903–04 season.[3] His performances for the reserve team earned him selection for a trial, in which he scored the opening goal,[4] and thence for the Birmingham & District Football Association team to represent England in a junior international match against Scotland Juniors at Aston Lower Grounds, Birmingham, in April 1904. England won 2–1, and Sellman's Small Heath team-mate Charlie Tickle scored both goals.[5]

He made his first-team debut on 29 April 1905, the last day of the season,[6] and the club's last match before it was renamed Birmingham. He came into the side in place of Walter Wigmore, the regular centre half,[7] and the Birmingham Gazette & Express's 'Spectator' thought that Sellman was effectively on trial, as he had had little opportunity thus far to prove himself. Despite the 1–0 defeat, he "created a very favourable impression in the centre-half position. Though somewhat ungainly, he was untiring in his efforts, and prevented the opposing forwards adopting united methods."[8] He remained with the club until 1906,[9] but made no more competitive appearances for the first team.[1]

He and Birmingham team-mate Bill Bidmead signed for Leyton, newly promoted to the Southern League First Division for the 1906–07 season.[10] Sellman joined Lancashire Combination club Workington in August 1907.[11] He had remained on Birmingham's transfer list, and his fee was reduced to £20 in the 1908 close season.[12] There were no takers, and in late 1908, after some time away from the game, he returned to local football in his home county with Walsall League club Rugeley: on his debut, the Lichfield Mercury reported that "the man most anxiously watched was the new centre-half, Sellman, an old first division player, and it is not going too far to say he justified expectations. He is a little stiff after his long rest, but he showed some good football, and is very useful with his head."[13]

He had a trial with Kent County Cricket Club as a wicketkeeper.[3]

Sellman died in Coventry in 1935.[1]

References
  1. "Player search: Sellman, AW (Alfred)". English National Football Archive. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  2. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 234. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  3. Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 123. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
  4. "Junior trial. Local footballers meet at the Hawthorns". Birmingham Gazette & Express. 15 March 1904. p. 10.
  5. "Junior international. England v. Scotland". Belfast News-Letter. 11 April 1904. p. 5.
  6. Matthews, p. 151.
  7. "Stoke v. Small Heath. Last game of the season". Staffordshire Sentinel. 29 April 1905. p. 14.
  8. Spectator (1 May 1905). "Last match. The Heath's disappointing farewell". Birmingham Gazette & Express. p. 9.
  9. "Birmingham Res. v. Dudley". The Advertiser. Brierley Hill. 6 January 1906. p. 7.
  10. "Birmingham". Athletic News. Manchester. 20 August 1906. p. 5. J. Bidmead, who once bade fair to make a clever back, and Sellman, have migrated to Leyton, and Howard has not been re-signed.
    The Mate (17 September 1906). "Football progress in the South. No. 3. Leyton". Athletic News. Manchester. p. 6.
  11. "More players for Workington". Lancashire Daily Post. 10 August 1907. p. 10. A. Sellman, centre half. The latter played for England against Scotland in the junior international last two seasons, and last season was with the Leyton club.
  12. "Stoke Football Club. Meeting of the League". Staffordshire Sentinel. 19 June 1908. p. 3.
  13. "Rugeley". Lichfield Mercury. 4 December 1908. p. 6.
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