John Goodall

John Goodall was born on June 19, 1863 in Westminster, England. He began his football career at the age of 17 for the Kilmarnock Athletic club. Very good in his passing game, he spent 4 years playing for Kilmarnock Athletic before joining Great Lever at 21, in 1884.

With this team, he will continue to progress and become a real finisher. During his first match for Great Lever, he will have scored 4 goals against Derby County. And two years later, he joined Preston North End, a great team of his time, perhaps the best in the world. In a football that was in the early stages of professionalism, John Goodall will gradually establish himself as one of the greatest representatives of this sport. It was also in 1887 that Preston North End broke the record for the biggest win in the FA Cup, a 26-0 victory against Hyde with only 1 goal from Goodall.

Preston North End had two incredible years with 42 consecutive wins between 1887 and 1888. They earned the nickname "The Invincibles". Unfortunately, they lost at the worst possible time in the 1888 FA Cup final against West Bromwich Albion 2-1.

But this year 1888 also marked one of the most important years in the history of football: the creation of the Football League, the first championship in the history of the sport. And Goodall became the first golden boot winner of a championship in the 1888/89 season, scoring 21 goals in 21 games. He won the English championship and the FA Cup, where he was one of the major players in this success of a team that would finish the season undefeated.

A great footballer of his time, just like his brother Archie, Goodall left Preston North End in 1889 and joined Derby County, he would take this team to the top of the English first division table, finishing runner-up once. He then played in a position other than striker, that of second striker or attacking midfielder, creating more play, having gained experience.

In 1903, then aged 40, the player wanted to continue his career and was offered a position as player-coach at Watford, he accepted. He thus became the first coach in the history of Watford, he won the Southern League Division 2 with them. He played at the Watford club until 1907 before becoming a simple manager.

Considered by Steven Bloomer as the most tactically and footballingly intelligent player he had ever known, Goodall would continue his career in other English clubs before joining Roubaix in 1910, a French club, at the age of 47! And for his new club, he would decide to become a player again. He played there until the age of 49. Then he joined Mardy and retired at the age of 50!

A legend of his sport and his time, Goodall would also have played for the England national team, 14 matches and 12 goals in 10 years played for his country, between 1888 and 1898. He would also have been the team captain on several occasions.

- Top scorer in the English Football Championship in 1889 (21 goals)

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