Arthur Drewry

Arthur Drewry (3 March 1891 – 25 March 1961) was an English football administrator who served as the fifth president of FIFA, the world governing body of association football, from 1955 to 1961. Drewry held several football administration posts in his native England, serving as chairman of The Football Association and president of The Football League. Biography Drewry was born in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, and educated at the Grimsby Collegiate School. In 1911 Drewry joined the Lincolnshire Yeomanry and served in the First World War with the 1/1st Lincolnshire Yeomanry in Palestine. Drewry reached the rank of quartermaster sergeant with his squadron in the Yeomanry. After the war, in 1919, Drewry married the daughter of a Grimsby fish merchant, and Drewry would run his father-in-law's business until his retirement in 1953. In the Second World War Drewry served as North Lincolnshire's head warden and chief fire guard. Drewry held several civic roles in his native Grimsby, serving both as a borough councillor and a Justice of the Peace. English football administration Drewry's career in football administration began with his serving as a director of Grimsby Town, the chairman of the club was Drewry's father-in-law, and Drewry himself would also become chairman of the club. Drewry later served as President of the Football League from 1949 to 1955. Drewry served on the Football Association's International Selection Committee from 1944, and after his presidency of the Football League served as chairman of The Football Association (FA) from 1955 to 1961. Drewry succeeded Amos Brook Hirst as chairman of the FA; Hirst had resigned due to ill health. As chair of the FA Drewry once proposed awarding a point to league teams for every goal scored to encourage offensive football. Drewry's proposals were rejected by the teams.