Vivian Woodward: Search for England record goalscorer's memorabilia

Vivian Woodward pictured scoring for England against Scotland in 1903

An amateur football club are appealing for help finding memorabilia belonging to England's - unofficial - all-time record goalscorer.

Tottenham striker Harry Kane was crowned the national team's leading scorer last month when he surpassed Wayne Rooney's tally of 53 goals.

FC Clacton, in Essex, pointed out he is still to beat the astonishing 90 goals from their ex-player Vivian Woodward.

Woodward died in 1954 and the club are searching for his caps and shirts.

Vivian Woodward died in a London nursing home in 1954

Vivian Woodward, pictured centre-left of the trophy, with Clacton Town in 1900

"We can't find anything," said FC Clacton chairman Stephen Andrews.

"His caps are out there somewhere, the various medals he won and the things he would have been presented by the Football Association (FA) for taking them abroad - the England shirts.

"There's so much out there somewhere and it's a mystery."

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Woodward grew up in the seaside town and his school head teacher was believed to have founded the then-named Clacton Town in 1892 - partly - in order to give the teenager a side to play for.

He eventually earned big moves to Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea.

Vivian Woodward captained and won gold with the 1908 Olympic Great Britain side and again in 1912

The centre-forward notched up 29 goals in 23 full international appearances for England but local historian Norman Jacobs counts an additional 57 goals scored for England Amateurs and another four in England games also not recognised officially by the FA.

"In a day when it was a kick-and-rush type of football, he was very strategically minded," said Mr Jacobs, who wrote the biography, Vivian Woodward: Football's Gentleman.

"He was very astute. He would see the weaknesses in the opposition.

"He would - as the captain - organise and marshal his team. He was generally ahead of his time."

Harry Kane's first-half penalty against Italy last month gave him the record of 54 international goals

Woodward captained a Great Britain squad at the 1908 and 1912 Olympics - both of which they won - before serving in World War One in the Pals Battalion.

He played again for Clacton Town after the war - despite a shrapnel injury - before hanging up his boots in 1920 aged 40.

He continued to work as an architect, but also bought a dairy farm near Clacton and owned a retail outlet in nearby Frinton-on-Sea.

Stephen Andrews has looked on eBay and other websites, without joy, looking for Vivian Woodward's silverware

"He was a superstar of his day - forget the football, him and Sade [the singer] are probably Clacton's most famous ex-residents," said Mr Andrews.

"His achievements are just incredible - at his height he was the most famous England footballer and he would have been the best player in the world."

He was believed to have died in a nursing home in Ealing, west London, having not married or had children.

Mr Jacobs said he has spoken to Woodward's great nephews and nieces who also cannot account for his memorabilia.

"Unfortunately they all seem to have gone missing but if anyone's got any then we'd love to hear from them," he said.