Johnny Arnold

John Arnold (30 November 1907 – 4 April 1984) was an English professional cricketer and footballer. He played both sports at international level, earning a single Test cap for the England cricket team in 1931 against New Zealand, whilst also earning a single cap for the England national football team against Scotland in 1933. He is one of only twelve male professional football and cricket players for England. He played both sports extensively at domestic level, making over 400 appearances in first-class cricket, predominantly for Hampshire, where as a mostly opening batsman he made over 21,000 runs. In football, he played as an outside left for Oxford City, Southampton and Fulham, making over 300 professional appearances and scoring over 100 goals. Following the end of his cricket career, he became a first-class umpire between 1961 and 1972.

Sporting career Cricket Playing career Born in Cowley in November 1907, Arnold played minor counties cricket for Oxfordshire in 1929, making eight appearances in the Minor Counties Championship. He scored 650 runs for Oxfordshire during the season, at an average of 52.75, helping them to secure their first Minor Counties Championship title with an important innings of 62 not out against Buckinghamshire. In August 1929, he made his debut in first-class cricket for Hampshire against the touring South Africans at Southampton, having been recommended by Oxford-born Hampshire cricketer Alex Bowell. By the following season he had qualified by residency to represent Hampshire in the County Championship. He scored a thousand runs in his first full season, ending with 1,186 at an average of 32.05, which included two centuries. He topped the county batting averages that season, slightly ahead of Phil Mead.

Arnold began the 1931 season in good form, and by June he was on the England selectors minds for the first Test against New Zealand at Lord's, with Arnold ultimately being selected to open the batting alongside fellow debutant Fred Bakewell. The experimental opening partnership between Arnold and Bakewell lasted just one match, Sutcliffe returning to replace him for the second Test. despite making 1,713 runs at an average of 31.14 across the season. He suffered a dramatic reversal of form in 1938, failing to pass a thousand runs in a season for the only time in his career, scoring just 849 runs at an average of 20.70. the decision to re-engage Arnold proved to be a good one. Playing in 27 matches in 1939, he scored 1,467 runs at an average of 34.11,

First-class cricket was suspended due to the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939. He continued to play in friendly matches in Southampton during the war, such as playing for a team called The Rest against Deanery, of the Southampton Cricket League, in 1940. Following the war, he returned to play first-class cricket for Hampshire and showed the same pre-war form. In both 1948 and 1949, Arnold passed a thousand runs for the season, but with batting averages of 27.41 in 1948 and 29.51 in 1949. Referred as "a joy to watch in the outfield by Wisden, Arnold took 181 catches for Hampshire. Ten-years later he was added to the first-class umpires list, being joined by former cricketer and footballer Jim Hammond. He stood as an umpire in 273 first-class matches from 1961 to 1972, Following the end of the 1972 season, he retired from the first-class umpires list, leaving the list alongside Freddie Jakeman who was not reappointed.

Football career Arnold began playing football as a schoolboy in Oxford. He began his career at Oxford City in the Isthmian League, When he was first spotted playing by Southampton manager Arthur Chadwick, he is reputed to have remarked "I have a star here". He created a Southampton record during the 1931–32 season when he scored 21 goals from the left-wing. His move to Fulham was a double-transfer, with Michael Keeping also moving to Fulham alongside him. The pair cost Fulham £5,000, which helped to keep Southampton financially afloat. but did not return to play official matches for the club following the war. He remained in the Southampton area during the Second World War and was involved with the National Fire Service. Following the war, he ran The Criterion public house in St Mary's Road in Southampton from 1946 to the early 1950s. Arnold died in a Southampton hospital on 3 April 1984.