Foulke is a Sheffield United legend and won one league championship and two FA Cups in his 352 games for the Blades. His heavy drinking contributed to "his ponderous girth" and eventually lead to him dying of liver disease only at 42-years old.
Foulke was a giant among men!
Having introduced the two protagonists: the burly Allan against grizzly Foulke, the scene is set for 29th of October 1898. Liverpool and then League champions Sheffield United were playing at Anfield. Unlike his contemporaries Allan was not afraid of the Sheffield United goalkeeper and when Foulke seized the ball, Allan used all his might to rattle him. It was reported that "Allan charged Foulke in the goalmouth, and the big man, losing his temper, seized him by the leg and turned him upside down." The referee wasn't too keen on Foulke's reaction and awarded Liverpool a penalty, from which Andrew McCowie scored. Liverpool won the game 2-1, with none other than Allan scoring the other goal for Liverpool.
After he retired from football William Foulke gave a different version of this legendary incident when he was interviewed by the London Evening News: "You may have heard that there was a very great rivalry between the old Liverpool centre forward Allan and myself, that prior to one match we breathed fire and slaughter at each other, that at last he made a rush at me as I was saving a shot, and that I dropped the ball, caught him by the middle, turned him clean over in a twinkling, and stood him on his head, giving him such a shock that he never played again.
Well, the story is one which might be described as a "bit of each". In reality, Allan and I were quite good friends off the field... What actually happened on the occasion referred to was that Allan (a big strong chap, mind you) once bore down on me with all his weight when I was saving. I bent forward to protect myself, and Allan, striking my shoulder, flew right over me and fell heavily. He had a shaking up, I admit, but quite the worst thing about the whole business was that the referee gave a penalty against us and it cost Sheffield United the match."
Copyright - Arnie at LFChistory.net (editor@lfchistory.net)
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