Jack Wood

Having played football in North London before moving to Paris to continue his education in October 1891, one of Jack Wood’s first priorities was to form a new football club in the Paris area made up of Anglo-British and Americas. Within a few months of his arrival in his new country, the White Rovers FC was formed, as Wood became one of the pioneers of football in France. They were named the White Rovers because of the white shirts they wore. The Rovers were runners-up to Standard Athletic Club in the first season of the French League in 1893/94.

Wood also played for Standard AC and Club Français, before retiring and taking up refereeing, He officiated in one of the only two games at the 1900 Paris Olympics, between Union des Sociétés Françaises de Sports Athlétiques (USFSA) and the University of Belgium. He was also in charge of the 1903 Dewar Cup Final, in which US Suisse Paris beat Club Français 4-3 after extra time. Wood’s brother Tom also played for White Rovers.