28.9.16

A curious Cup Final goal



Illustrations of Association matches in the 1870s are hard to find, so apologies for relying on these overused images of  England v Scotland matches. Look at the goalposts. Rather flimsy looking constructions held in place by pegs and guy ropes. The tape, rather than a crossbar, was used until 1882. These posts don't look like they would withstand a blow from a rain sodden leather ball or a falling player.
An incident from the 1876 FA Cup Final illustrates this point.
The first match, played at The Oval, ended in a 1-1 draw between The Wanderers and Old Etonians.
The Old Etonians' equalizer, scored in the 50th minute, was awarded when the ball was kicked through the area where the goals had been.
Contemporary reports give us the detail:

The corner kick by A C Thompson produced a bad scrimmage right in front of the Wanderers goal, and though in the melee the posts were overturned altogether the ball was rushed through the space marked and the umpires very properly awarded a goal to the Etonians.
Sheffield Daily Telegraph 13.03.76

  ...after a furious scrimmage in which the posts were torn to the ground a goal was achieved by the Eton forwards.
Sheffield Independent 13.03.76

  ... a general attack was made upon the Wanderers goal, which fell in more senses than one, as owing to the wind and its defenders being forced back upon the posts, they were knocked down, and ball Wanderers and Etonians in a body went through the space between them which the tape should have covered.
Sporting Life 15.03.76

I am not sure where the modern convention of identifying Alexander Bonsor as the scorer arose, as no contemporary publications credit him with the goal.


26.9.16

In Touch with all Requirements


When ordering footballs please mention Association or Rugby...
The best ball here costs 9/3*. An agricultural labourer earned 14/ per week.




*Prices are in shillings /pence. 12 pence to a shilling, 20 shillings to a pound. 

25.9.16

Alejandro Mena


Alejandro Mena played in Boca Juniors' title winning teams in 1930 (Asociación Amateurs Argentina de Football Primera División) and 1931 (Liga Argentina de Football - Primera División).


24.9.16

Scotch Team


The 9th Scotland v England match was the 3rd in a row to produce 9 goals.  On this occasion Scotland ran out winners by 5-4. The goals came from Kerr (3), Baird, and Kaye.
The term 'Scotch' was in common usage on both sides of the Tweed in the 19th century, and had not acquired the pejorative tone that it carries today. The English and Scottish press would refer to Scotch teams (and of course Scotch Professors). The Monday following this match the Glasgow Herald referred to the Victory of the Scotch Team.
The great (English) historian A. J. P. Taylor was using the word Scotch in the 1960s:
Some inhabitants of Scotland now call themselves Scots and their affairs Scottish. They are entitled to do so. The English word for both is Scotch, just as we call les français the French and Deutschland Germany. Being English, I use it.



21.9.16

The Birmingham Derby in the 19th Century

Birmingham (City since 1943) have always , to my mind, occupied a strange position in English football. Bearing the name of the second city and being at the heart of one of the hotbeds of the Association game (the West Midlands), they have, however, always been a relatively minor club, perennially unsuccessful, never glamorous.
Their neighbours, Aston Villa, bearing the name of a crossroads in Handsworth, are aristocrats of the game; founders of the Football League, giants of the FA Cup, winners of the double, tenants of one of the first  great stadiums in the world game.
Let's take a look at how things were between these rivals in the 19th century.
Aston Villa was founded in 1874.
Birmingham started out in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance. They became Small Heath (Small Heath F.C. Ltd- the first limited company in football) in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905.
 From 1876–1897 Villa played at Wellington Road. Small Heath's ground was Muntz Street. The 2 were 8 km apart.




27.09.79
Small Heath Alliance
0
1
Aston Villa


08.12.83
Aston Villa
4
0
Small Heath Alliance


31.01.85
Small Heath Alliance
3
4
Aston Villa


27.03.86
Small Heath Alliance
1
8
Aston Villa


??.05.86
Aston Villa
7
0
Small Heath Alliance


25.10.86
Aston Villa
1
1
Small Heath Alliance


31.01.87
Aston Villa
3
2
Small Heath Alliance


23.03.87
Small Heath Alliance
0
7
Aston Villa


16.06.87
Small Heath Alliance
4
3
Aston Villa


22.08.87
Small Heath Alliance
0
3
Aston Villa


17.10.87
Aston Villa
3
0
Small Heath Alliance


05.11.87
Aston Villa
4
0
Small Heath Alliance
FA Cup

14.05.88
Small Heath
1
4
Aston Villa


05.05.90
Small Heath
0
4
Aston Villa
Benefit- Chris Charsley

01.09.90
Aston Villa
0
4
Small Heath


01.12.90
Small Heath
2
2
Aston Villa


14.02.91
Aston Villa
3
0
Small Heath


04.04.91
Small Heath
4
5
Aston Villa


06.04.91
Small Heath
1
3
Aston Villa
Mayor of Birmingham's Charity Cup

01.09.91
Aston Villa
5
1
Small Heath


25.12.91
Small Heath
0
3
Aston Villa


25.04.92
Small Heath
3
1
Aston Villa
Mayor of Birmingham's Charity Cup

26.12.92
Aston Villa
3
2
Small Heath


08.04.93
Aston Villa
5
0
Small Heath
Birmingham Senior Cup (SF)

29.04.93 
Aston Villa
3
2
Small Heath
Mayor of Birmingham's Charity Cup

01.01.94
Aston Villa
4
3
Small Heath


30.04.94
Small Heath
3
3
Aston Villa
Benefit Small Heath F.C.

01.09.94
Aston Villa
2
1
Small Heath
League

20.10.94
Small Heath
2
2
Aston Villa
League

27.04.95
Aston Villa
5
3
Small Heath
Mayor of Birmingham's Charity Cup

07.09.95
Aston Villa
7
3
Small Heath
League

14.10.95
Small Heath
1
3
Aston Villa
Benefit Ted Devey

26.10.95
Small Heath
1
4
Aston Villa
League

15.02.96
Aston Villa
2
1
Small Heath


01.09.96
Aston Villa
3
1
Small Heath
Benefit Fred Wheldon

29.12.96
Aston Villa
1
1
Small Heath
Benefit match for James Elliot

11.01.97
Small Heath
1
0
Aston Villa
Benefit Billy Walton

01.01.98
Aston Villa
4
0
Small Heath
Abandoned (fog)

19.03.98
Small Heath
0
3
Aston Villa


16.01.99
Small Heath
2
2
Aston Villa
Birmingham Senior Cup

30.01.99
Aston Villa
5
2
Small Heath
Birmingham Senior Cup

26.12.99
Aston Villa
5
2
Small Heath











 42 matches
W
D
Goals
Aston Villa
31
7
144
Small Heath
4
58