HARRY HIBBOTT

Born Newtown 1859; died Newtown 1933

Goalkeeper/centre forward

Three caps: (Newtown Excelsior) v England, Scotland 1880; (Newtown) v Scotland 1885

Career: Newtown Amateurs; Newtown Excelsior 1878-80; Newtown White Stars 1880-83; Newtown 1884-89

The only man to have been selected by Wales as a goalkeeper and an outfield player.

As a goalkeeper, Harry Hibbott was said to be ‘quick, adroit, difficult to pass’ and possess ‘cat-like agility’.

When Newtown Excelsior was set up, Hibbott took up the centre forward position for the new club. An excellent dribbler, Harry showed good positional play and had a turn of speed, but struggled at international level.

Hibbott had to retire in 1889 when he suffered a badly broken leg which left him with a limp for the rest of his life.

He turned to refereeing but continued to play cricket for Newtown for many seasons.

He was called up when the Great War broke out and served as a sergeant in the 2/7th Royal Welsh Fusiliers but was invalided out of the Army in 1917.

He worked for many years as a carpenter and undertaker. His second wife later kept the Market Vaults in Newtown and it was there that George Latham and the victorious Cardiff team displayed the FA Cup in 1927 on their visit to the town.

Harry's grandson Bobby Hibbott was capped by Wales as an amateur in 1949-50.