I am at present looking at my next series of Players who played for The Saddlers but came from elsewhere. The first of these players is Eugene Langenove who was French. Nothing out of the ordinary there! You might say, However he is special in the history of the Football League! Why? well he was the very first frenchman to play for any team in the football League. So here is what little I have found out about him!
Eugène Langenove
Personal information
Date of birth 1898
Place of birth France
Playing position Defender
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Olympique de Paris
Le Havre
1922 Walsall 2 0
Red Star
National team
1921 France 2 0
Eugène Langenove (born 1898) was a French footballer. He became the first Frenchman to play league football in England when he signed for Walsall in 1922. He participated in the Coupe de France Final 1921 with Olympique de Paris. Georges Crozier, who played for Fulham in the Southern League between 1904 and 1906, was the first Frenchman to play in England. I can only find records which put him in two games during 1922-23 season but the source is not reliable.
I Hope that you will find these articles interesting when published.
Mikes WFC Players History 