Robert Holmes (footballer)

Bob Holmes

Personal information
Full name	Robert Holmes
Date of birth	23 June 1867
Place of birth	Preston, Lancashire, England
Date of death	17 November 1955 (aged 88)
Playing position	Left back
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
1888–1902	Preston North End	300	(1)
National team
1892–1895	England	7	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (goals)

Robert "Bob" Holmes (23 June 1867 – 17 November 1955) was a professional footballer, who was a member of the famous "Invincibles" of Preston North End.

Career

Holmes played in the victorious 1889 F A Cup-winning side which also completed the first League and Cup double that year.

After retirement from playing, Holmes became a football trainer, and was the trainer/manager when Blackburn Rovers won their first league title in 1912.^[1]

Holmes went on to become known as the "last of the Invincibles" when he was the only surviving member of the 1889 FA Cup final team by the time Preston reached the 1954 final.^[2][3]

References

1. Bob Holmes : Biography on Spartacus Educational
2. 1954 FA Cup Final programme
3. Jack Edwards, who made four league appearances in 1888-89 but did not feature in the Cup final, was also still alive in 1954, and went on to outlive Holmes by six years.