Alfred George Bower

Alfred George "Baishe" Bower was an English amateur footballer who played at full back. He made five appearances for England between 1923 and 1927, three times as captain. He was a member of the Corinthian amateur club and made nine appearances for Chelsea between 1923 and 1926. Bower was born in Bromley, Kent on 10th Nov 1895 and educated at Charterhouse School. He only began to excel at football after leaving school and joining the Old Carthusians. During the First World War, he served in the Army, initially as a second lieutenant in the 4th (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) before transferring to the 1st Battalion on 27 July 1915. Later in the war he was a temporary captain. At the end of World War I he joined the Corinthians and developed into an extremely dependable full back, able to play on either flank. He played for Chelsea in the 1st and 2nd Division, at the same time he was a member of the London Stock Exchange. He played for England as an amateur at a time when most players were professional and captained England for 2 victories, against Belgium and Wales, also a draw against Wales in which he was the last amateur to captain England. He left the Stock Exchange in 1954 and worked as a welfare officer in Croydon. He retired in 1960 and died on 30th June 1970.