William Booth : the dog-shooting Hammer! (a.k.a 'The Founder')

Over the years much has been written about William Booth, the humble pawnbroker who began The Salvation Army. The sycophants have attempted to embelish and beatify while others have endeavoured to strip away the myths from the man. Either way, 'you pays your money and you gets what you gets!'

[I'd recommend Roy Hattersleys effort - a chunky read, but it's worth the effort.]

Actually one of the things that has stuck in my mind since reading Hattersley's account a few years back is the story of the ill-fated Booth family dog! It had been shot on William's orders after it had snapped at a servant (a 'SERVANT' is how it would appear on the vidi-printer!) who scolded it for leaping at bed linen which she was hanging out to dry. The dog was shot in haste and William Booth apparently regretted his decision when he realised that his children were heartbroken (strange that!). Eve a man of action, he decided, in an attemot to ease their pain, to retrieve the carcass and have the pelt made into a rug! Yet when they reacted with hysteria rather than thanks, he was 'bewildered by their lack of gratitude'!!! (clearly a gifted children's worker!)

Anyway, as far as I'm aware despite the blood and sweat of many a scholarly work few have shared the 'dog-shooting-story(!) and none have shed sufficient light on the really big issue that many of us want answered....

....which football team did he support? There's no denying that this is the nut we all want to crack?!

Hailing originally from Nottingham you might think it would be a straight choice between County or Forest, but apparently not!

It turns out that the man who made his name reaching the poverty-stricken masses in London's East End actually shared their footballing passion, because as this recently taken photo confirms, he was a Hammer!

It helps to have 'friends in high places' when your local team is fielding ineligible players!