5'10.5" 13st.10lb.
b. Blackburn 26 September 1879
d. Blackburn 15 March 1941
 

Debut  10 April 1897 (19y 98d) Final Game 23 February 1920 (40y 150d)
First Goal 2 January 1899 Final Goal 10 April 1915
CAREER: Moss St School;Rose & Thistle;St Peter's;Blackburn Trinity;Blackburn Rovers Sep'96-May'20.
INTERNATIONALS  England  41 apps
’02 v Sco,Wal,Ire.’03 v Sco,Wal.’04 v Sco,Wal,Ire.’06 v Sco,Wal,Ire.’07 v Sco,Wal,Ire.’08 v Sco,Wal,Ire,Aut,Aut, Hun,Boh.’09 v Sco,Wal,Ire,Hun,Hun,Aut.’10 v Sco,Wal.’11 v Sco,Wal,Ire.’12 v Sco,Wal,Ire.’13 v Sco,Wal,Ire. ’14 v Sco,Wal,Ire.
FOOTBALL LEAGUE  19 apps ’02 v Ger L,SL.’03 v SL.’04 v SL.’07 v SL.’08 v SL,IL.’09v SL’IL.’10 v SL.’11 v SL.’12 v SL.’13 v IL.’14 v Sou L,Sl,IL.’15 v Il,Sou L.
HONOURS FL Ch (Blackburn Rovers) ’12,14.
 

FL        529 apps    14 gls                    15 ogs
FAC       46 apps
CS            1 app
Total    576 apps    14 gls  et 120m   15ogs
Penalty record  T 15 Sc 9 Sv 5 Sv-R 1
Emergency goalkeeper  1 g 5 m 0 gls
LC        42 apps 4 gls et 95m
Penalty record  T 4 Sc 2 Sv 1 M 1
War time
L          28 apps  1 gl
SC         4 apps

Bob  Crompton's  father was a licensed  victualler who kept the Rose and Thistle in  Harwood  Street and became licensee of the Queen's Hotel in Audley Range. There was little sign in his early career that he was about to become one of the game's great players, indeed his father was so much against him playing the game that he burned his boots. In addition Crompton refused to turn professional because he was a keen swimmer and did not want to lose his amateur status. At the time it did not appear to matter since  Crompton was simply a well built, robust young man with a strange predilection for observing the rules as well as the spirit of the game. After a debut at centre half he settled into the side at right back and proved a behemoth, a huge, powerful man with a massive kick, ability to rake the field with a pass and desire to get further forward than the average back. His strength made him a formidable opponent and his England debut came quickly. He went on to gain 41 caps at a time when England only played in the home international championship and was a widely revered captain of his country. For the Rovers he played in twenty different seasons despite losing so much time to the Great War and is the oldest man to have taken the field for them. He captained the club to two championships and was rewarded for his service by a seat on the board when he retired in 1921. Off the field he had many activities. He patented some plumbing devices and had a business in town. One of the first men in Blackburn to own a motor car he later ran a fleet of taxis. After a few years on the board he became the unofficial manager but resigned when the players mutinied against his methods. He had a spell as manager at Bournemouth but his heart was  still at Ewood and when the club fell from grace and was relegated he returned to take charge of the team, leading them back to the First Division. He retired to live in Blackpool but died back in his hometown, on a visit to watch the Rovers play Burnley.