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Alf Pugh

1869 – 1942

Welsh footballer

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About Alf Pugh

Lived 1869 – 1942 (aged 72). Alf Pugh was a British association football player.

Allen "Alf" Pugh (27 October 1869 – 7 February 1942) was a Welsh amateur football goalkeeper who made one appearance for Wales in 1889. He was the first player to be replaced by a substitute in international football.

Football career Pugh was born in the Esclusham district, a few miles west of Wrexham. His early football was played at the nearby village of Rhostyllen before joining Wrexham Olympic for a year in 1885. Described as a "competent goalkeeper," he represented Denbighshire twice: in January 1885, against Shropshire and in November, against Lancashire. The kick-off was delayed while a replacement was sought; eventually, the match got underway with Pugh in goal, before Gillam arrived some twenty minutes into the match. Neither 'keeper conceded a goal, and the match ended 0–0; this was the first time in 14 matches between the countries that the Scots had failed to defeat the Welsh, and only the second international match in which neither team had managed to score, the first being the very first officially recognized international match, between Scotland and England on 30 November 1872. This was also the first use of a substitute in international football.

Later life Pugh later kept the Union Vaults public house in Yorke Street, Wrexham.

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Important facts

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Alf Pugh's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Alf Pugh?

Welsh footballer (1869-1942)

When was Alf Pugh born?

Alf Pugh was born on 27 October 1869 in Esclusham.

When did Alf Pugh die?

Alf Pugh died on 7 February 1942 in Wrexham.

What was Alf Pugh's occupation?

Alf Pugh was an association football player.

What nationality was Alf Pugh?

Alf Pugh was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Alf Pugh

· Wikidata: Q4721734

· DBpedia: Alf Pugh

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Alf Pugh. https://biography.guide/alf-pugh/

MLA: "Alf Pugh." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/alf-pugh/.

Chicago: "Alf Pugh." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/alf-pugh/.

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