ABSTRACT
An interview Arthur gave to the Ashton Herald, 15 February 1896, shortly after he had joined Rovers, is riddled with inconsistencies and contradictions: he joined Sheffield United before Rotherham; he was at Preston for 'three seasons'; he won the AAA championship in 1886 at 19; he is now 31 years of age. Taken individually a mistake of detail should not distort or mislead. But a consistent flow of such inaccuracies leaves the reader wondering in which ale house the interview took place. Who was responsible for the inaccuracies, the teller or the writer? It acts as a reminder that our biographical reconstruction of moments from the past is not made with materials that have an equality of accuracy and authenticity.
