Arthur Drewry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Arthur Drewry
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Arthur Drewry by the mid 1950's
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| 5th President of FIFA | |
| In office 7 October 1955 – 25 March 1961 |
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| Preceded by | Rodolphe Seeldrayers |
| Succeeded by | Ernst Thommen (as acting) Stanley Rous (elected) |
| Member of the Grimsby Borough Council | |
| In office ?–? |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 March 1891 Grimsby, England |
| Died | 25 March 1961 (aged 70) |
| Spouse | Ida May (m. 1919) |
| Children | 2 |
| Occupation | Football administrator |
Arthur Drewry CBE (3 March 1891 – 25 March 1961) was an English football leader. He was the fifth president of FIFA, the main group that runs football around the world. He held this important job from 1955 to 1961. Before that, Drewry had many other big roles in English football. He was the chairman of The Football Association (FA) and president of The Football League.
Biography
Arthur Drewry was born in Grimsby, England, in 1891. He went to school at Grimsby Collegiate School.
In 1911, Drewry joined the Lincolnshire Yeomanry, a military group. He served in the First World War in Palestine. He reached the rank of quartermaster sergeant. After the war, in 1919, he married the daughter of a fish merchant. Drewry then took over his father-in-law's business until he retired in 1953. During the Second World War, he helped protect North Lincolnshire as a head warden and chief fire guard. He also held several public roles in Grimsby, including being a local councillor and a Justice of the Peace.
His Work in English Football
Drewry's journey in football leadership began at Grimsby Town, a local football club. His father-in-law was the chairman, and Drewry later became chairman himself.
He then became the President of the Football League from 1949 to 1955. This league organizes many professional football clubs in England. From 1944, Drewry was part of the Football Association's team that picked players for England. After leading the Football League, he became chairman of The Football Association (FA) from 1955 to 1961. He took over from Amos Brook Hirst, who had to step down due to illness.
As chairman of the FA, Drewry once suggested a new rule. He wanted teams to get an extra point for every goal they scored. He hoped this would make games more exciting and encourage teams to attack more. However, the clubs did not agree with his idea.
Drewry played a part in a famous football match in 1950. This was during the 1950 FIFA World Cup when England played against the United States. England was expected to win easily, but they lost 1–0. Drewry was the person who chose the team for that game. He wanted to keep the same players who had won the previous match. Even though others suggested changes, Drewry stuck to his decision. After the surprising loss, England made some changes for their next game. But they lost again to Spain and were knocked out of the tournament.
In 1953, Arthur Drewry was given a special award. He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This award recognizes people who have made a great impact.
After the sad Munich air disaster in 1958, Drewry helped a lot. This accident involved a plane crash that killed many Manchester United players and staff. Drewry became the head of a committee to raise money for the families affected. By October 1958, they had raised a lot of money to help those in need.
Drewry also worked with Stanley Rous, who was his secretary at the FA. In 1945, they traveled to Switzerland to meet with FIFA leaders. They successfully worked to bring the British football teams back into FIFA.
President of FIFA
Arthur Drewry was first made the vice-president of FIFA by Jules Rimet, a very important figure in football history. After Rimet's successor, Rodolphe William Seeldrayers, passed away, Drewry became the interim president for six months.
Then, at a big meeting in Lisbon, Portugal, Drewry was elected president of FIFA. He won against another candidate by a clear vote. During his time as president, he oversaw the 1958 FIFA World Cup. He served as president for five years. Sadly, he passed away in 1961 after being ill for about a year. He was the third FIFA president to die while still in office.
See also
In Spanish: Arthur Drewry para niños
