Georges Garnier

Georges Garnier was born in the 6th arrondissement of Paris on 14 May 1878, as the son of a baker, and together with the Huteau brothers and Fernand Canelle, he was a member of the small group of middle school students from the Lycée Chaptal who, in 1893, founded an unofficial club called the Etoile Sportive Parisiennne, which played on the pitch at the Château de Madrid in the Bois de Boulogne, and which was soon absorbed by Club Français, so called because it did not include any English players.

File:Georges Garnier en 1896, champion de France UFSFA (Club français).jpg

Club Français joined the USFSA in March 1894, and on 22 April of the same year, the 15-year-old Garnier played on the left wing in the semifinal of the inaugural USFSA championship, which ended in a 0–1 loss to The White Rovers. Together with Lucien Huteau, Marcel Lambert, Gaston Peltier, and captain Eugène Fraysse, Garnier was a starter in the Club Français team that won the 1896 USFSA Football Championship,{{Cite book |last1=Denaunay |first1=Stéphane |last2=De Ryswick |first2=Jacques |last3=Cornu |first3=Jean |last4=Vermand |first4=Dominique |title=100 ans de football en France |trans-title=100 years of football in France |language=fr |date=July 1989 |publisher=Atlas |isbn=978-27312136-5-2 |location=Paris |page=27 }} doing so without losing a single match, and with Garnier netting 6 goals.

On 3 April 1898, he started in the final of the 1898 USFSA Football Championship against Standard AC at Courbevoie, which ended in a 2–3 loss.{{Cite web |url=https://www.retronews.fr/journal/journal-des-sports/4-avril-1898/4054/5388448/2 |title=Le Championnat de France - Victoirie du Standard |trans-title=The French Championship - Victory of Standard |language=fr |website=www.retronews.fr |publisher=Le Journal des sports |page=2 |date=4 April 1898 |accessdate=12 November 2024 |archive-date=13 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241113000549/https://www.retronews.fr/journal/journal-des-sports/4-avril-1898/4054/5388448/2 |url-status=live }} In the following year, on 16 April 1899, he started in the play-off match against Standard AC to decide the 1898–99 USFSA Paris Championship, scoring once in an eventual 3–2 win.{{Cite web |url=https://www.retronews.fr/journal/journal-des-sports/17-avril-1899/4054/5388582/2 |title=Championnat de Paris - Club Français contre Standard Athletic Club |trans-title=Paris Championship - Club Français against Standard Athletic Club |language=fr |website=www.retronews.fr |publisher=Le Journal des sports |page=2 |date=17 April 1899 |accessdate=12 November 2024 |archive-date=13 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241113054821/https://www.retronews.fr/journal/journal-des-sports/17-avril-1899/4054/5388582/2 |url-status=live }} This victory qualified the club to the 1899 USFSA national championship, in which Club Français withdrew from the final before facing Le Havre AC.{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesf/fran-prewwi.html#1899 |title=1898-99 season in France |publisher=RSSSF |date=29 August 2024 |access-date=12 November 2024 |archive-date=5 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205152228/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesf/fran-prewwi.html#1899 |url-status=live }} Later that year, on 23 October, he started in the 1899 Coupe Manier final at Suresnes, helping his side to a 6–0 win over RC Roubaix.{{Cite web |url=https://www.retronews.fr/journal/journal-des-sports/23-octobre-1899/4054/5389432/2 |title=La Coupe Manier |language=fr |website=www.retronews.fr |publisher=Le Journal des sports |page=2 |date=23 October 1899 |accessdate=12 November 2024 |archive-date=24 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240524001450/https://www.retronews.fr/journal/journal-des-sports/23-octobre-1899/4054/5389432/2 |url-status=live }}

Together with Lambert, Peltier, and Fernand Canelle, Garnier was a member of the Club Français team that won the 1899–1900 USFSA Paris championship.{{Cite web |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k96060553/f9.image.r=garnier.zoom |title=Les grandes équipes de football |trans-title=The Great Football Teams |language=fr |website=gallica.bnf.fr |publisher=La Vie au grand air |page=23 |date=14 January 1900 |access-date=12 January 2025 }} On 29 April 1900, Garnier sustained an injury during the 1900 Challenge International du Nord final against Le Havre AC, so he changed to the position of goalkeeper, conceding a goal in extra-time in a 2–3 loss.{{Cite web |url=https://www.retronews.fr/journal/journal-des-sports/30-avril-1900/4054/5389626/3 |title=Le Challenge du Nord - Victoire des Havrais |trans-title=The Challenge of the North - Victory of Le Havre |language=fr |website=www.retronews.fr |publisher=Le Journal des sports |page=3 |date=30 April 1900 |accessdate=12 November 2024 }} He thus missed the final of the 1900 USFSA Football Championship on 6 May, which ended in another loss to Le Havre AC (0–1), partly because Club Français' "forward line was disorganized due to the absence of Garnier".{{Cite web |url=https://www.retronews.fr/journal/journal-des-sports/7-mai-1900/4054/5389600/2 |title=Championnat de France - Club Français (1) contre La Havre AC (1) |trans-title=French Championship - Club Français (1) against La Havre AC (1) |language=fr |website=www.retronews.fr |publisher=Le Journal des sports |page=2 |date=7 May 1900 |accessdate=12 November 2024 |archive-date=13 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241113004921/https://www.retronews.fr/journal/journal-des-sports/7-mai-1900/4054/5389600/2 |url-status=live }}

Later that year, on 23 December, Garnier started in the 1900 Coupe Manier final at Joinville, helping his side to a 1–0 win over UA I arrondissement.{{Cite web |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624350z/f3.item.zoom |title=La Coupe Manier |language=fr |website=gallica.bnf.fr |publisher=L'Auto |date=24 December 1900 |accessdate=12 November 2024 |archive-date=13 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241113190101/https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624350z/f3.item.zoom |url-status=live }} In the following week, on 31 December, in a match against Croydon FC, Garnier found the back of the net "30 metres from the goal", which was uncommon in a time when players used dribbling and short passes to bring the ball to 6 metres, in order to shoot at point-blank range.

In early 1902, Garnier intended to settle permanently in Bordeaux, playing a few games for the Stade Bordelais UC, but he ultimately decided to return to Paris. Outside of football, he was a modest office worker, becoming a fabric salesman, and on 4 February 1902, Garnier and Peltier had to leave the field during a match in order to catch a train back to work. In the following month, on 16 March, he refereed the final of the 1902 Coupe Dewar between Standard AC and United SC, which ended in a 1–0 win to the former.{{cite web |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k46254014/f7.item.r=garnior.zoom |title=La Coupe Sheriff-Dewar - Une belle finale - Victoire difficile du Standard |trans-title=The Sheriff-Dewar Cup - A great final - A difficult victory for Standard |language=fr |website=gallica.bnf.fr |publisher=L'Auto |date=17 March 1902 |accessdate=12 January 2025 }} In the following month, on 6 April, he refereed another final, this time of the USFSA Paris Championship between RC France and United SC, which ended in a 2–0 win to the former.{{cite web |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k46254229/f7.item.r=garnier.zoom |title=La finale du championnat de Paris |trans-title=The final of the Paris championship |language=fr |website=gallica.bnf.fr |publisher=L'Auto |page=7 |date=7 April 1902 |access-date=12 January 2025 }}

On 4 January 1903, Garnier started in the final of the 1902 Coupe Manier at Le Vésinet, scoring a hat-trick to help his side to a 7–0 win over Olympique Lillois.{{cite web |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k46247273/f5.item.r=garnier.zoom |title=Coupe Manier - Le Club Français vainqueur dans la finale |trans-title=Manier Cup - The French Club wins in the final |language=fr |website=gallica.bnf.fr |publisher=L'Auto |date=5 January 1903 |accessdate=12 November 2024 }} His third goal was described as "Garnier seized the ball, dribbled, and after running the entire length of the field, scored another goal with an irresistible shot". Three months later, on 15 March, he started in the final of the 1903 Coupe Dewar against United SC, which ended in a 3–4 loss.{{cite web |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4624797r/f7.item.r=garnier.zoom |title=Coupe Dewar finale |trans-title=Coupe Dewar final |language=fr |website=gallica.bnf.fr |publisher=L'Auto |page=7 |date=16 March 1903 |accessdate=12 November 2024 }}

In 1905, Garnier was described as "the type of centre-forward, tall, with weight, distributing the play well and knowing how to shoot". He retired in 1905, at the age of 27, although he appeared on the fields sporadically in 1906 and even one last time in December 1907, aged 29. On 1 April 1907, the 29-year-old Garnier started a match for the so-called Vieilles Gloires ("Old Glories"), playing alongside several fellow former Club Français players, including two of its founders, Charles Bernat and Ernest Weber; they lost 4–1 to Old Etonians.{{Cite web |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4623361f/f7.item.r=garnier.zoom |title=Les Vieux Etonians battent les Vieilles Gloires, par 4 buts à 1 |trans-title=Old Etonians beats Old Glories, 4 goals to 1 |language=fr |website=gallica.bnf.fr |publisher=L'Auto |page=7 |date=2 April 1907 |access-date=12 January 2025}} A few days later, on 7 April, Garnier attended the final of the 1907 USFSA Football Championship between RC France and RC Roubaix, alongside other former CF players, such as Huteau, Bernat, and René Ressejac-Duparc.{{cite web |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4623368b/f7.image.r=charnier.zoom |title=Autour des balustrades |trans-title=Around the balustrades |language=fr |website=gallica.bnf.fr |publisher=L'Auto |page=7 |date=8 April 1907 |access-date=12 January 2025 }}

File:France football 1900.jpg

Garnier was listed as a forward for the USFSA team at the 1900 Olympic Games.{{cite web |url=https://www.fff.fr/article/12601-paris-1900-en-sport-de-demonstration.html |title=Paris 1900, en sport de démonstration |trans-title=Paris 1900, in demonstration sport |language=fr |website=www.fff.fr |date=10 July 2024 |accessdate=12 November 2024 |archive-date=27 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240727035341/https://www.fff.fr/article/12601-paris-1900-en-sport-de-demonstration.html |url-status=live }} He was selected for both matches, which ended in a 0–4 loss to Upton Park on 20 September, and in a 6–2 victory over Belgium, which was mostly made up of students from the French-speaking Université libre de Bruxelles.{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tableso/ol1900f.html |title=Games of the II. Olympiad |publisher=RSSSF |date=12 May 2022 |access-date=12 November 2024 |archive-date=9 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220709122416/https://www.rsssf.org/tableso/ol1900f.html |url-status=live }} The French team came second and Garnier was thus awarded with a silver medal.

File:Georges Garnier, sélectionné face à la Belgique le 1er mai 1904.jpg

In 1903 and 1904, Garnier played three unofficial matches for France, namely against Corinthian (4–11), as well as Southampton twice (0–11, and 1–6), which was already a professional team at the time; he even scored a consolation goal against Corinthians at the Parc des Princes. The scale of the defeats did not ruin the enthusiasm, because the French then had the modesty to consider themselves as pupils of their British masters. On 7 March 1905, he played for a France XI (USFSA) in a friendly match against a London League XI, which ended in a 1–3 loss.

On 1 May 1904, Garnier was one of the eleven footballers who played in France's first-ever official match, a friendly cup match against Belgium at the Stade du Vivier d'Oie, providing an assist to Gaston Cyprès's 87th-minute equalizer to salvage a 3–3 draw.{{cite web |url=https://www.11v11.com/matches/belgium-v-france-01-may-1904-222660/ |title=Belgium v France, 01 May 1904 - 11v11 match report |website=www.11v11.com |accessdate=12 November 2024 |archive-date=21 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221041329/https://www.11v11.com/matches/belgium-v-france-01-may-1904-222660/ |url-status=live }} Aged 26, he was the oldest player in the French team, because at that time the practice of football concerned young people and often stopped with marriage, so he remains the earlier born player to have ever played for the Blues. He earned his final two international caps for France in 1905, in friendly matches against Switzerland and Belgium.{{cite web |url=https://www.equipe-france.fr/football/georges-garnier |title=Georges Garnier, footballeur de l'équipe de France de football |trans-title=Georges Garnier, footballer of the French football team |language=fr |website=www.equipe-france.fr |accessdate=12 November 2024 |archive-date=13 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241113011710/https://www.equipe-france.fr/football/georges-garnier |url-status=live }}{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}

On 2 April 1905, the USFSA selected Garnier as the captain of the Paris football team in the very first Paris-Nord match (an annual test match for the French national team), helping his side to a 4–1 win.{{cite web |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k46269156/f7.item.zoom |title=Joueurs Parisiens contre Joueurs du Nord (U.S.F.S.A.) |trans-title=Parisian Players versus Northern Players (U.S.F.S.A.) |language=fr |website=gallica.bnf.fr |publisher=L'Auto |date=3 April 1905 |access-date=30 November 2024 }}

File:Georges Garnier (RCF), champion de France du 800 mètres en 1897.jpg

An accomplished and well-rounded athlete, Garnier was one of the best members of {{ill|Racing Club de France (athlétisme)|fr|lt=Racing Club de France (athletics)}}, being a French champion in the 400 metres in 1895 and the 800 metres in 1897, and winning the first edition of the Prix de France 1896 (200 metres flat of the RCF).{{Cite web |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k9605361j/f12 |title=Palmarès du Prix Ravaut (ou Prix de France) |trans-title=Prize winners of the Prix Ravaut (or Prix de France) |language=fr |website=gallica.bnf.fr |publisher=La Vie au grand air |page=688 |date=17 November 1901 |accessdate=12 November 2024 |archive-date=13 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241113191955/https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k9605361j/f12 |url-status=live }}

His brother André, also from the RCF, was French champion of the 100 meters in 1896 and vice-champion in 1897, as well as vice-champion of the 400 meters that year. They should not be confused with a Garnier of {{ill|Union sportive du Mans|fr|lt=US Le Mans}}, active between 1903 and 1906 in the 400 meters hurdles, 110 meters hurdles, as well as in the pole vault.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

Garnier, then an accountant, died in the 10th arrondissement of Paris on 2 February 1936, at the age of 57.{{cite web |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4629427m/f2.item.r=(prOx:%20%22Garnier%22%2020%20%22football%22).zoom |title=Le monde et les sports |trans-title=The world and sports |language=fr |website=gallica.bnf.fr |publisher=L'Auto |date=4 February 1936 |accessdate=12 November 2024 |archive-date=13 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241113202920/https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4629427m/f2.item.r=(prOx:%20%22Garnier%22%2020%20%22football%22).zoom |url-status=live }}

Club Français

• USFSA Paris Championship: 1896, 1898–99, 1899–1900
• USFSA Football Championship: 1896; runner-up 1898, 1899, 1900
• Coupe Manier: 1897, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1902
• Challenge International du Nord runner-up: 1900

France

• Summer Olympics silver medal: 1900

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• {{Sports links}}

{{France football squad 1900 Summer Olympics}}

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Category:1878 births

Category:1936 deaths

Category:French men's footballers

Category:France men's international footballers

Category:Olympic silver medalists for France

Category:Olympic footballers for France

Category:Footballers at the 1900 Summer Olympics

Category:Olympic medalists in football

Category:Medalists at the 1900 Summer Olympics

Category:Men's association football forwards

Category:Club Français players

Category:Place of birth missing

Category:Place of death missing