Arthur Kinnaird, 11th Lord Kinnaird

Arthur Fitzgerald Kinnaird, 11th Lord Kinnaird
Born	Arthur Fitzgerald Kinnaird London, England
Died	30 January 1923(1923-01-30) (aged 75)
Occupation(s)	Footballer, football administrator, banker
Years active	1866–1883 (football playing)
Known for	Record nine FA Cup Finals appearances; President of The Football Association for 33 years

Arthur Fitzgerald Kinnaird, 11th Lord Kinnaird, (16 February 1847 – 30 January 1923), was a distinguished British football administrator and celebrated player, often considered one of the earliest football icons. He holds the unmatched record of participating in nine FA Cup Finals and maintained the record for five victories until it was surpassed in 2010.

Kinnaird presided over The Football Association as its president for an extensive period of 33 years. In tribute to his significant contributions to football and the FA Cup, he was presented with the original FA Cup trophy in 1911, coinciding with the commissioning of a new trophy.

Life

Born in London to Arthur Kinnaird, 10th Lord Kinnaird, a banker and Member of Parliament before his elevation to the House of Lords, and his wife Mary Jane Kinnaird, Arthur received his education at Cheam School, followed by Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he earned a BA degree in 1869. He subsequently joined the family banking enterprise, becoming a director at Ransom, Bouverie & Co in 1870. This institution later merged with Barclays Bank in 1896, where he continued serving as a main board director until his passing.

In 1875, he wed Mary Alma Victoria Agnew (1854–1923), daughter of Sir Andrew Agnew, 8th Baronet. Together they had seven children, among whom were:

• Douglas Arthur Kinnaird (1879–1914), who served as captain in the 1st Battalion of the Scots Guards during World War I; he was killed in action and is interred at Ypres.
• Kenneth Fitzgerald Kinnaird (1880–1972), who succeeded to his father’s titles; he married Frances Clifton and fathered Graham Charles Kinnaird (1912–1997), the 13th Lord Kinnaird.
• Arthur Middleton Kinnaird (1885–1917), a lieutenant in the 1st Battalion Scots Guards; he died in service and is buried at Ruyaulcourt.
• Patrick Kinnaird (1898–1948), who was married twice, including unions with Margaret Stella Wright and Violet Sandford.

Player

Kinnaird’s football journey began at Cheam School, where he captained the team at just 12 years old. His involvement continued through his time at Eton College, where he secured victory in the House Cup in 1861. He commenced playing formal association football rules from early 1866.

His record includes an unparalleled nine appearances in FA Cup finals, securing five titles—three with Wanderers F.C. and two with Old Etonians F.C.. Demonstrating remarkable adaptability, he occupied every position on the field from goalkeeper to striker. During the 1877 final while guarding the net for Wanderers, he unintentionally scored one of football’s earliest notable own goals. The match concluded at 1–1 before Wanderers triumphed in extra time; subsequent historical analysis revised the official score to 2–1.

Despite being London-born, Kinnaird also represented Scotland, featuring in three of their first five unofficial fixtures and participating in their second official match on 8 March 1873 at The Oval. Each of these contests was against England, then the sole other national side.

On 13 March 1875, as captain of Old Etonians, he led his team in the FA Cup final against Royal Engineers. Following a 1-1 draw, Old Etonians were defeated 2-0 in the replay—the inaugural FA Cup final replay ever conducted.

Playing style

Arthur Kinnaird was widely recognized as one of the most formidable tacklers of his time. A well-known, though possibly apocryphal, anecdote suggests that his wife worried he might "return home with a broken leg," to which a friend humorously responded that it would likely be someone else's leg. He became infamous for 'hacking'—the deliberate act of kicking opponents—yet accounts from his contemporaries do not cast him in a negative light. This reputation largely originates from an 1892 story in Pastime magazine by Nicholas Lane 'Pa' Jackson, founder of Corinthian F.C. and member of the Football Association committee.

Jackson described a heated match between Old Etonians and Old Harrovians, during which Kinnaird’s aggressive approach caused the opposing captain, Charles Alcock, to question: "Are we here to play football or to engage in hacking?" Kinnaird is said to have replied, "Oh, let us have hacking!" This likely refers to a November 1872 encounter characterized as "friendly, but most vicious," resulting in injuries to Alcock and Morton Peto Betts that prevented their participation in England’s inaugural official international match two weeks later.

Throughout his career and beyond, sports journalists and fellow players commended Kinnaird’s footballing abilities. J. A. H. Catton, known as "Tityrus" and editor of the Athletic News, offered high praise for his skills:

Administrator

As football gained traction among younger demographics, it began to be embraced within youth organizations. In 1875, a team from the Hanover Institute, established by philanthropist Quintin Hogg with assistance from Kinnaird, played a role in integrating football into youth clubs by arranging games against boys from St Andrew's Home in Soho.

Kinnaird joined the Football Association committee at just 21 years old in 1868, assumed the role of treasurer nine years later, and was appointed president in 1890 following Francis Marindin. He maintained the presidency for 33 years alongside vice-president Charles Crump (footballer), both serving until their deaths in 1923 shortly before Wembley Stadium (1923) opened.

Other interests

A multi-talented athlete, Kinnaird earned a Cambridge Blue for real tennis during 1868–69, triumphed in a canoe race at the 1867 Paris Exhibition, and secured championships in swimming and fives at Cambridge University. Additionally, he claimed victory in the 350 yards sprint at Eton College in 1864.

Outside of athletics, he held leadership positions including president of both the English YWCA and YMCA, was a director at Barclays Bank, and served as Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland between 1907 and 1909. Furthermore, he acted as Honorary Colonel for the Tay Division Submarine Miners, a Volunteer unit within the Royal Engineers based in Dundee.

Honours

Wanderers

• FA Cup champions: 1873, 1877, 1878

Old Etonians

• FA Cup champions: 1879, 1882
• FA Cup runners-up: 1875, 1876, 1881, 1883

In the 1914 Birthday Honours, he was made a Knight of the Thistle by George V, earning him the lifelong post-nominal letters "KT."

Portrayals

In the 2020 Netflix mini-series The English Game, Kinnaird is depicted as a central figure, with Edward Holcroft assuming the role.

See also

• List of Scotland international footballers born outside Scotland

Bibliography

• Andy Mitchell, Arthur Kinnaird: First Lord of Football. CreateSpace, 2011; updated edition released in 2020.
• Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
• Bryon Butler, The Official History Of The Football Association
• William Pickford and Alfred Gibson, Association Football and the Men Who Made It. London: Caxton, 1906.
• "Tityrus" (J.A.H. Catton), The Story of Association Football. Cleethorpes: Soccer Books, 2006 reprint of the original 1926 edition.
• Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, 100th Edition, London, 1953.
• Arthur G. M. Hesilrige (1921), Debrett's Peerage and Titles of Courtesy. Dean & Son.

External links

• The life and legacy of Arthur Fitzgerald Kinnaird – First Lord of Football