# Samuel Meston

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Samuel_Meston
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Samuel_Meston.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Meston
> Source revision: 1279321735
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

**Samuel Meston** (16 January 1872 – 14 August 1948) was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a [half-back](/source/Midfielder) for [Stoke](/source/Stoke_City_F.C.) and [Southampton](/source/Southampton_F.C.). Whilst with Southampton, he appeared in two [FA Cup Finals](/source/FA_Cup_Finals) and won six [Southern League](/source/Southern_Football_League) championship medals, being the only player ever to do so.[4]

## Playing career

Meston was born in [Arbroath](/source/Arbroath)[5] and started his career with his local team, [Arbroath Victoria](/source/Arbroath_Victoria_F.C.) before signing as a professional with Stoke in January 1894.[6] Meston spent two seasons at the [Victoria Ground](/source/Victoria_Ground) making thirteen appearances scoring four goals.[6] At the end of the 1894–95 season, he joined Southampton, together with several other Stoke players and soon proved to be one of the most valuable players signed for the Saints in their [Southern League](/source/Southern_Football_League) days. His trademark hard shots were nicknamed *[Long Toms](/source/155_mm_Creusot_Long_Tom)* after a cannon used during the [Boer War](/source/Second_Boer_War) and elsewhere.[3]

He played in a variety of positions,[7] although his favourite position was at right-half. Whilst at Southampton, he won a record six Southern League championship medals and appeared in the [FA Cup](/source/FA_Cup) finals in [1900](/source/FA_Cup_Final_1900), defeating three First division clubs on the way,[8] and [1902](/source/FA_Cup_Final_1902). He made a total of 288 appearances for the Saints, including 42 in the FA Cup (a total only exceeded by [Terry Paine](/source/Terry_Paine) and [Nick Holmes](/source/Nick_Holmes_(footballer))).[3]

After 11 seasons with the Saints, he left in May 1906 to join [Salisbury City](/source/Salisbury_City_F.C.) and also played for [Croydon Common](/source/Croydon_Common_F.C.) and [Eastleigh Athletic](/source/Eastleigh_Athletic_F.C.).

After leaving full-time football, he worked as a brake-fitter at the [Eastleigh railway depot](/source/Eastleigh_Works).[3]

Two decades later his son, [Sammy Meston](/source/Sammy_Meston) also played for Southampton, as well as for [Everton](/source/Everton_F.C.) and [Tranmere Rovers](/source/Tranmere_Rovers_F.C.).[9]

## Career statistics

Club Season League FA Cup Total Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Stoke 1893–94[6] First Division 1 0 0 0 1 0 1894–95[6] 10 2 2 2 12 4 Total 11 2 2 2 13 4 Southampton 1895–96[2] Southern League First Division 18 0 5 1 23 1 1896–97[2] 19 4 7 0 26 4 1897–98[2] 22 2 9 1 31 3 1898–99[2] 18 1 3 0 21 1 1899–1900[2] 27 3 6 0 33 3 1900–01[2] 28 2 1 0 29 2 1901–02[2] 26 4 8 0 34 4 1902–03[2] 24 1 1 0 25 1 1903–04[2] 24 1 2 0 26 1 1904–05[2] 18 0 0 0 18 0 1905–06[2] 22 0 0 0 22 0 Total 246 18 42 2 288 20 Career Total 257 20 44 4 301 24

## Honours

**Southampton**

- [Southern League](/source/Southern_Football_League) First Division: [1896–97](/source/1896%E2%80%9397_Southern_Football_League), [1897–98](/source/1897%E2%80%9398_Southern_Football_League), [1898–99](/source/1898%E2%80%9399_Southern_Football_League), [1900–01](/source/1900%E2%80%9301_Southern_Football_League), [1902–03](/source/1902%E2%80%9303_Southern_Football_League), [1903–04](/source/1903%E2%80%9304_Southern_Football_League)[2][10][11]
- [FA Cup](/source/FA_Cup) finalist: [1900](/source/1900_FA_Cup_Final), [1902](/source/1902_FA_Cup_Final)

## References

1. Joyce, Michael. *Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939*. Third edition, with revisions ed. Toton, Nottingham. p. 202. ISBN 9781905891610. [OCLC 841581272](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/841581272)

1. ["Croydon Common FC – Samuel Meston"](http://www.croydoncommon.com/MESTON_Samuel.pdf). Retrieved 17 June 2019.

1. Holley, Duncan & Chalk, Gary (1992). *The Alphabet of the Saints*. ACL & Polar Publishing. pp. 237–238. ISBN 0-9514862-3-3.

1. Chalk, Gary & Holley, Duncan (1987). *Saints – A complete record*. Breedon Books. p. 34. ISBN 0-907969-22-4.

1. ["Football items"](https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001876/19000420/010/0002). *Scottish Referee*. 20 April 1900. p. 2. Retrieved 2 August 2022. – via [The British Newspaper Archive](/source/The_British_Newspaper_Archive)

1. Matthews, Tony (1994). *The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City*. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.

1. ["Comments on sport - Golf, Badminton and football"](https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000164/19060123/032/0003). *[Dundee Courier](/source/Dundee_Courier)*. 23 January 1906. p. 3. Retrieved 2 August 2022. – via [The British Newspaper Archive](/source/The_British_Newspaper_Archive) *Notwithstanding that Meston has been playing for Southampton eleven years, during which time he has figured in every position on the field [..]*

1. ["The Giant Killers"](https://www.thegiantkillers.co.uk/). *The Giant Killers*. Retrieved 17 June 2019.

1. Holley, Duncan & Chalk, Gary (1992). *The Alphabet of the Saints*. ACL & Polar Publishing. p. 238. ISBN 0-9514862-3-3.

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Samuel Meston](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Meston) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Meston?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.