Michael Terence O’BRIEN (1931-1933) Centre-half Born Ushaw Moor, County Durham, 10 August 1893 Died Uxbridge, Middlesex, 12 September 1940 Representative Honours Ireland Full Republic of Ireland Full Watford Career Football League: 61 appearances (5 goals, all of them penalties) FA Cup: 10 appearances (1 goal, a penalty) Début: 2-1 home win v Clapton Orient, Football League Div 3 (South), 29 Aug 1931 Final game: 1-0 home win v Crystal Palace, Football League Div 3 (South), 18 Feb 1933 Longest run of consecutive appearances: Football League 32; all competitions 40 Career Path South Shields (1911); Walker Celtic (December 1912); Wallsend; Blyth Spartans (March 1913); Jarrow; Newcastle East End; Celtic (briefly, early 1914); Brentford (December 1914); Alloa (March 1919); Brentford (May 1919); Norwich City (August 1919); South Shields (December 1919); Queens Park Rangers (May 1920); Leicester City (March 1922); Hull City (£750 June 1924); Brooklyn Wanderers (USA) (July 1926); Derby County (December 1926); Walsall (June 1928); Norwich City (May 1929); WATFORD (June 1931); Queens Park Rangers manager (May 1933 until April 1935); Middlesex FA coach (October 1935); Brentford trainer (November 1935); Ipswich Town manager (May 1936); Cork City manager (August 1937 until close season 1938) Southern League & Football League Career Apps Subs Goals League Status and Final Position 1914/15 Brentford 9 3 Southern League Division 2 – 7th of 13 1919/20 Norwich City 10 1 Southern League Division 1 – 12th of 22 1919/20 South Shields 3 Football League Division 2 – 9th of 22 1920/21 Queens Park Rangers 36 Football League Division 3 – 3rd of 22 1921/22 Queens Park Rangers 30 3 Football League Division 3 (South) – 5th of 22 1921/22 Leicester City 6 Football League Division 2 – 9th of 22 1922/23 Leicester City 24 2 Football League Division 2 – 3rd of 22 1923/24 Leicester City 35 4 Football League Division 2 – 12th of 22 1924/25 Hull City 33 Football League Division 2 – 10th of 22 1925/26 Hull City 41 Football League Division 2 – 13th of 22 1926/27 Derby County 1 Football League Division 1 – 12th of 22 1927/28 Derby County 2 Football League Division 1 – 4th of 22 1928/29 Walsall 34 Football League Division 3 (South) – 14th of 22 1929/30 Norwich City 32 4 Football League Division 3 (South) – 8th of 22 1930/31 Norwich City 32 1 Football League Division 3 (South) – 22nd of 22 1931/32 WATFORD 34 2 Football League Division 3 (South) – 11th of 22 1932/33 WATFORD 27 3 Football League Division 3 (South) – 11th of 22 A big centre-half who captained his country when on Watford’s books, and a devout Roman Catholic of strong opinions who left professional football after leading Ipswich Town to the Southern League championship in his only season with the club. In the Great War Mick O’Brien served on HMS Chester in the Battle of Jutland, as well as in the Royal Flying Corps. He led an extraordinarily full life until his early death following a succession of personal setbacks. Known as “Mick”. Birth & death certificates obtained by Mark Chapman – born 51 Clarke’s Row, Usher Moor, to parents James & Mary; died in Uxbridge 12 Sep 1940. Probate: nothing. Not in 1939 Register – he didn’t return to England from the Rep of Ireland until March 1940. Played only 6 games for Brooklyn Wanderers before returning to England. Said to have spent a short time with Celtic early in 1914, but there’s nothing in SFA archives. Might there have been confusion with Walker Celtic, for whom he did play in 1912/13? Played for Fbl Lge v Army 10/11/1921 (see AFS Report 27, page 12). Captain of Rep of Ireland v Netherlands 8/5/1932. 6 ft 2 ins / 6 ft 1 ins / 6 ft. 12 st 10 lbs / 13 st 7 lbs. Robert Victor O’BRIEN (1934-1946) Defender / Forward Born Coventry, Warwickshire, 1 May 1909 Died Coventry, West Midlands, 16 March 1997 Representative Honours ‘England Junior’ Watford Career Football League: 179 appearances (9 goals) FA Cup: 23 appearances (1 goal) Division 3 (South) Cup: 19 appearances (1 goal) Second World War competitions: 54 appearances (4 goals, including 1 penalty) Début: 2-3 home defeat v Millwall, Football League Div 3 (South), 1 Sep 1934 Final game in peacetime competitions: 1-1 home draw v Birmingham City, FA Cup 4th Round 2nd Leg, 30 Jan 1946 (Lost 1-6 on aggregate.) Longest run of consecutive appearances: Football League 62; all competitions 66 Career Path Morris Motors; Coventry City (amateur November 1930, professional February 1931); WATFORD (June 1934); Coventry City, Dunfermline Athletic, Hibernian & Morris Motors guest player during Second World War; Worcester City (briefly 1945); Bedworth Town (1946 until 1951) Football League Career Apps Subs Goals League Status and Final Position 1930/31 Coventry City 3 Football League Division 3 (South) – 14th of 22 1931/32 Coventry City 29 Football League Division 3 (South) – 12th of 22 1932/33 Coventry City 17 Football League Division 3 (South) – 6th of 22 1933/34 Coventry City 8 3 Football League Division 3 (South) – 2nd of 22 1934/35 WATFORD 21 6 Football League Division 3 (South) – 6th of 22 1935/36 WATFORD 37 1 Football League Division 3 (South) – 5th of 22 1936/37 WATFORD 41 1 Football League Division 3 (South) – 4th of 22 1937/38 WATFORD 42 1 Football League Division 3 (South) – 4th of 22 1938/39 WATFORD 38 Football League Division 3 (South) – 4th of 22 1939/40 WATFORD 3 Football League Division 3 (South) – season abandoned Versatile in the extreme, Vic O’Brien occupied every playing position, including goalkeeper, as a guest player for Coventry City during the Second World War, which he spent in aircraft manufacture. He once scored six goals as an inside-forward in a reserve-team fixture for Watford against Queens Park Rangers (result 9-1), but later settled down at right-back, and barely missed a first-team game in the last four peacetime seasons, as well as becoming club captain. In 1931 he played in a ‘Junior’ international against Scotland for a side representing England, although these fixtures were actually undertaken by a Birmingham FA XI. Managing somehow to avoid an identity crisis, as a young boy he was known to friends and neighbours as Bob, became Vic in his youth, and was also later known as Mick. Told me he was originally known to friends & neighbours as “Bob”, became “Vic” in his youth, and was later also call “Mick” (and is referred to thus in the 1937/38 Handbook). Birth & death indexes OK, probate nothing. Club captain 1937/38 & 1938/39. For details of 1943/44 apps, see Soccer History 29, page 22 (Dunfermline 2nd Series). For details of 1944/45 apps for Hibernian, see Soccer History 30, p 16. Listed at £1,000 cs 1946, but FL reduced it to £500, and he was eventually released. Signed for Worcester City at the end of the war, but Watford objected and the signing was cancelled, but Watford subsequently released him and he joined newly- formed Bedworth Town. Scored 6 for Reserves v QPR 30/3/1935 (9-1). Represented Birmingham FA v Scotland in a ‘Junior’ international in 1931 - his nephew, when advising me of Vic’s death, mentioned the cap which he received for this app. Guested for Hibernian 1942/43 (5 apps) – see Soccer History 27, page 25. Lived at 54 Goodwood Avenue whilst with Watford. Shortly after outbreak of war he returned to Coventry, where he spent the war involved in aircraft manufacture. Worked for Standard Motor Co until retirement age. Lived at 35 Prince of Wales Rd, Coventry (0203 678784). Ht 5 ft 9 ins. Wt 12 st. Roelof Johannes Gysbertus OELOFSE (1953‐1954) Full‐back / Centre‐half Born Lichtenburg, Transvaal, South Africa, 12 November 1926 Died South Africa, November 2001 Representative Honours South Africa ‘Unofficial’ Watford Career Football League: 15 appearances Début: 0‐2 away defeat v Southampton, Football League Div 3 (South), 19 Aug 1953 Final game: 1‐0 home win v Coventry City, Football League Div 3 (South), 6 Feb 1954 Longest run of consecutive appearances: Football League all 9; competitions 9 Career Path Berea Park (South Africa); Chelsea (October 1951); WATFORD (“nearly £2,000” July 1953 until close season 1954) Football League Career Apps Subs Goals League Status and Final Position 1951/52 Chelsea 3 Football League Division 1 – 19th of 22 1952/53 Chelsea 5 Football League Division 1 – 19th of 22 1953/54 WATFORD 15 Football League Division 3 (South) – 4th of 24 Expressing no personal preference for either position, he was a well‐built full‐back or centre‐half who returned to South Africa after nearly three seasons in English football, although Watford had retained his registration and placed him on the open‐to‐transfer list at £1,500. He also played baseball while in England, and subsequently represented his home country in ‘unofficial’ international football matches against both Australia and England. Although he was known here as Ralph, the authentic pronunciation of his name was ‘Roolaf Oolafsa’, with the accent on the first syllable in both words. Known in England as “Ralph”. I have copy of birth certificate. Returned to South Africa July 1954. Died of cancer. Toured Australia with South Africa circa October 1955. Played there in “Test Matches” v Australia, and also v England XI 1956 (designated as ‘Northern Transvaal’). Played for Anglo‐South African XI v South Africa at Highbury 9/11/1953. Married and living in Harrow when he joined Watford. Living in Pretoria mid‐1990s.