Description
Alexander Graham Doggart JP was an English administrator, cricketer, footballer and magistrate. Doggart was born in Bishop Auckland, County Durham and was educated at Bishop’s Stortford College and King’s College, Cambridge. During the First World War he saw active service with the Royal Horse Artillery, and then as a Lieutenant in the Royal Garrison Artillery. before going to Cambridge University.
He played cricket as a right-handed batsman and a right arm medium fast bowler for Cambridge University (1919-1922) where he was awarded a Blue in 1921 and 1922, also playing for Durham in 1924 and Middlesex in 1925. In his two Varsity match appearances he scored 45 and 71, Cambridge won both by an innings, and in his first class career between 1919 and 1930 scored 1,716 runs averaging 28.60 and took 85 wickets at just over 30 a piece, with a best of 5-58. He was better known as batsman than bowler. With a high score of 116 in his 46 first class matches, he scored 2 centuries and 6 half centuries, holding 53 catches.
He was a more than useful footballer as an inside left. He appeared in the Cambridge Football XI in 1920 and 1921 and gained a full international cap for England, captaining the team in a 2-2 draw versus Belgium in Antwerp in November 1923. He also played in four England Amateur Internationals between 1921 and 1929. He was a leading forward for The Corinthians, scoring the goal by which they defeated Blackburn Rovers in the First Round of the FA Cup in January 1924. He was the highest scorer in the club’s history, netting 160 goals in 170 games. He also represented Bishop Auckland and The Casuals. He played for The Amateurs against The Professionals in the 1923 and 1929 FA Charity Shields.
He was a committee member of Sussex CCC and of the full M.C.C. Committee. He was also a successful football administrator and served as the Chairman of the F.A. from 1961 to 1963. He died suddenly aged 66 while chairing the 1963 annual meeting of the Football Association at Lancaster Gate, Bayswater.
Doggart’s son, Hubert, gained Blues at five sports at Cambridge and played cricket for Sussex and England.