Arthur Gould (rugby Union) - The Gould Affair

The Gould Affair

In 1896 Gould had played more first class matches, scored more tries and dropped more goals than any other player on record. This led to South Wales Argus journalist W.J. Townsend Collins, to write in the paper:

Welsh shipbroker, W.J. Orders, organised a collection fund on the floor of the Cardiff Coal Exchange and floated a public testimonial of one shilling. The national response was massive and within weeks the total was into hundreds of pounds. This drew the Welsh Football Union into a confrontation with the International Football Rugby Board, as rule 2 on professionalism stated that no player is allowed to receive money from his club or any member of his club for services rendered to football. The fund being raised by the people of Wales could be seen as a professional fee to Gould making him henceforth ineligible to play for his country. The WFU argued that the money raised was not given by the club but an outpouring of thanks from the Welsh public to a national hero.

By April 1896 the Welsh Football Union had sanctioned a subscription of 1000 shillings from funds for the Gould testimonial. The Rugby Football Union complained and the IFRB reacted by informing the WFU that only a gift of plate up to the value of a hundred pounds sterling could be given to Gould, with the rest of the fund being donated to charity; or Wales would lose their international fixtures. The WFU stood down and withdrew their subscription. The reaction in Wales was one of anger, with the people feeling that the WFU had bowed to English pressure and had been bullied into a decision against the people's wishes. There was also a feeling from other national unions, that the monies may be given to Gould after he had retired from rugby.

In February 1897 the WFU wrote to the IFRB and withdrew their membership, in a move that was seen as an act of hurt pride but also as a manoeuvre to appease the Welsh supporters. The WFU then reinstated their subscription to Gould. On Easter Monday 1897 a banquet was arranged at Drill Hall in Newport. Civic and sporting worthies were in attendance to witness Sir John Llewellyn, president of the WFU, present Gould with the title deeds of a gift house, Thornbury in Clytha Park, Newport. The 250 guests, which included D. A. Thomas, were joined by a reed and string orchestra, the band of the Fourth Battalion of the South Wales Borderers and galleries packed by members of the public.

From February 1897 Wales could not field an international team until the IRFB, supported by the RFU, recommended that Wales be readmitted into the organisation in February 1898. The WFU agreed that they would in future abide by all IRFB by-laws and Gould was not allowed to play in any future international games. Gould accepted the ruling but returned to rugby as a referee and Welsh international selector.