There Are Those Who Will Question The Presence In The List Of Ashton Legends Of Someone Who Only Played Fourteen Games For The Club.
ASHTON LEGENDS 13
There are at least two good reasons why Arthur Milton, although he made only 14 appearances in a City shirt, merits a place as an Ashton Legend.
Firstly there was the importance of those games, the run in to City claiming the championship of the Third Division South in 1955 with a record 70 points. In the 14 games in which Arthur played he scored 3 goals, helping the Robins to 11 wins and 3 draws, so he never played in a defeat for Bristol City.
Secondly, there is Arthur’s place in sporting history as the last of England’s dual football and cricket internationals, an impossible feat these days with the seasons overlapping as they do.
Clement Arthur Milton was born in Bedminster on 10th March 1928, was brought up in Hillfields and was educated at Cotham Grammar School where he demonstrated his prowess at cricket and football. Arthur signed professional forms for Arsenal in 1946 and progressed to the first team, featuring in Arsenal’s championship team of 1952-53 and winning his international cap against Austria at Wembley in 1951.
The good looking, fair haired Milton also became one of the first celebrity footballers when signed up for a series of newspaper and magazine advertisements for Brylcreem, along with fellow Arsenal stalwart and cricket star Dennis Compton.
By 1955, however, Arthur had decided to concentrate on his cricket and City chairman Harry Dolman persuaded the Gunners to part with his services for £4,000. Arthur had decided to retire from football at the end of the 1954-55 season and when he did so, Arsenal returned half of the transfer fee.
Arthur went on to serve Gloucestershire until 1974 appearing in no less than 585 matches in his 26 years with the club. He also made 6 appearances for England, in the first of which, against New Zealand in 1958, he opened the innings with England rugby international Mike Smith and scored 104 not out. Arthur was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1959.
Arthur became a postman on retiring from cricket and then maintained his fitness by delivering morning newspapers. Now 78, Arthur lives in Henleaze and, if ever you see him walking across the Downs, point him out to your children and grandchildren- a slice of history- Clement Arthur Milton- the last man ever to play both football and cricket for England.
