Tewfik Abdullah


Tewfik Abdullah was an Egyptian football player, and the second Egyptian to play in the English Football League. He began his career in Egypt with El Mokhtalt, and during his time in England, he featured for Derby County, Hartlepools United, Bridgend Town, and Cowdenbeath. Later on, he played four seasons in the American Soccer League, two seasons with Al Ahly, and one season with his home team El Mokhtalat before finishing his career with a Canadian league in the 1930s. Following his retirement from the sport, he became the manager of the Farouk Club. Subsequently, he became the manager of the Egyptian National Football Team between 1940 and 1944.

Early career

Abdullah was born in 1896, in Cairo, Egypt. He began his career with Zamalek in Cairo and represented Egypt at the 1920 Olympic Games, after which he made a highly publicized move to Derby County in England. He was nicknamed the "Toothpick".

United Kingdom

Upon arrival in England, Abdullah became one of four Egyptians who played British Professional Football before World War Il.
The Scottish Derby County player Tommy Barbour encountered Abdullah first, when he served with the Derbyshire Yeomanry in Egypt during the Great War. There he was inside right of an Egyptian XI which played the British Army in Cairo. After recommendation of Barbour Abdullah was tried out in a match of the Derby County reserves in mid September 1920. After he "pleased the crowd immensely" there, he was signed by the club a week later. He played his first match in the First Division in October, where he scored the first goal for the Rams in a 3:0 home win against Manchester City. This should remain his only goal and only win in a dozen league matches for Derby County in the 1920/21-season which ended in relegation. Abdullah's ability with the ball found praise, but he was found to lack speed.
Abdullah later moved to Scotland to play with Cowdenbeath, then to Wales to play for Bridgend Town F.C. He returned to England for a brief time with Hartlepools United in the northern section of the Third Division, before moving on to play in the United States.

United States and Canada

Abdullah signed on with the Providence Clamdiggers of the fledgling American Soccer League in 1924. He spent three seasons with Providence before transferring to powerhouse Fall River Marksmen during the 1926-1927 season. He then left Fall River to join the Hartford Americans for the 1927-1928 season. Hartford played only eleven games that season, folding following the 23 October 1927 game with the New Bedford Whalers. Abdullah then played eight games with the New York Nationals before finishing the year by returning to play for Fall River. After returning to his home country of Egypt for a stint there, he returned to the Montreal Carsteel of the Canadian National Soccer League where he spent the last days of his playing career.