Frederick Wall

Who is Frederick Wall?

Sir Frederick Joseph Wall was an English football player and administrator. Wall played for the Royal Engineers, and after retiring became Secretary of the Football Association, a position he held from 1895 to 1934. He was knighted in 1930. Notably, Wall refused on behalf of the FA to offer wartime financial compensation to famed Anglo-Irish coach Jimmy Hogan, on the basis of the latter's perceived co-operation with the Central Powers during the First World War.

After retiring as FA Secretary, he was a director of Arsenal from 1934 to 1938. Wall credited his original team - the Engineers - with being the first side to play the modern passing football style known as the Combination Game. He credited the Corinthians F.C. with bringing about the later developments in the passing game.