Chirk AAA v Darwen

Cricket and Football Field 29.01.87

This article tells us so much about the state of football in 1880s. Professionalism was legal, organized competition in the form of the FA Cup and the county cups had firmly taken root in the public imagination. The provinces, particularly the north west and the midlands, had a thriving football culture and there was a railway network that facilitated affordable travel for teams and their supporters. 

Darwen travel to Chirk in north east Wales for an FA Cup tie.

Darwen feature the old English internationals Marsden and Rostron, while in goal they have Hugh Mcintyre, formerly of Blackburn Rovers and Glasgow Rangers.  A versatile player indeed, he had represented Scotland at centre half, moving back into goal as his age increased (he was 31).

GK	McIntyre
FB	Marsden
	Leach
HB	Hamilton
	Ashton
	Thornber
F	Haresnape
	Broughton
	Rostron
	Shorrock
	Slater

Chirk was a village but they boasted 4 internationals in their line up : William Owen,  Di Jones (later of Bolton Wanderers and Manchester City),  George Owen (later of Newton Heath) and  George Griffiths. In  April 1887 this same XI won the Welsh Cup for the first time, and  retained it the following season.

GK	E Povey
FB	T Wynne
	Di Jones
HB	H Owen
	J Owen
	J Jones
F	P Griffiths
	W Owen
	T Williams
	G Owen
	G Griffiths

That Ruabon people had travelled  the five miles south to support Darwen against their local rivals (an exclusively Welsh team) is a delightful detail.  

The matches that shaped Association football- The 1870s

International Football in the 1870s

A number of matches during this decade left an indelible mark on the development of the game, as competitive cup football and international fixtures came into being. There were also developments and consolidations regarding the Laws of The Game that gave football a look that would be more familiar to a present day eye.

Scotland v England - 1872
After CW Alcock's attempt to organize international fixtures in 1870-71 the first truly representative international fixture took place on 30.11.72. If we follow FIFA's definitions this match shouldn't really count as a full international, as there was no Scottish FA, but that's pedantic nit picking. Queen's Park club served as a national association for Scotland until the inception of the Scottish FA in 1873,
It is a misconception that the Scottish team was Queen's Park in disguise- true, all 11 players were members of Queen's Park but there were 2 London based players included and dual or multiple club membership was commonplace. The England selection was geographically more diverse than one might expect (although JC Clegg's recollections suggest that there was a degree of north south divide in evidence). It was a case English muscle and hard work vs Scots guile and combination. 0-0.

The FA Cup 1871-72
Alcock's masterstroke- a knock out tournament based on the house matches of Harrow school. This signalled the arrival of competitive Association football and was a catalyst in the broader development of the game.
The first round of matches was played on November 11th 1871:

Upton Park	0	3	Clapham Rovers
Jarvis Kenrick is credited with the first ever FA Cup goal
Barnes	2	0	Civil Service
Maidenhead	2	0	Marlow
Hitchin	0	0	Crystal Palace
There was no replay-both teams progressed to the next round
The following matches were not played :
Queen’s Park	v		Donnington School
Failing to arrange to play this match did not prevent both sides from being placed in the draw for the next round.
Royal Engineers (walk over)	v		Reigate Priory
Wanderers (walk over)	v		Harrow Chequers
Hampsted Heathens (bye)

Sheffield v Glasgow - 1876

This was the in the third in the Sheffield vs Glasgow series of matches. The significance is that I believe it is the match that led to Clydesdale's JJ Lang becoming the first Scottish footballer to move to England in order to make his living from the game. 

The following is taken from everybody's favourite soccer history blog:

Sheffield 0 Glasgow 2 

 Bramall Lane 19.02.76

Again Sheffield Rules were played .
The press quoted odds of 5-4 on for Glasgow before the game.

6000 were  at Bramall Lane in wet conditions. The Telegraph comments on the lithe and wiry physique of the Scots and on their showing fine concerted play in contrast to the individualistic approach of Sheffield. There is reference to the bar (instead of the tape), and ends were changed at 45 minutes rather than after a goal. Andrews opened the scoring in the 20th minute.  

Glasgow's second goal came when goalkeeper Carr tried to make a quick throw out but hit Andrews on the legs, the ball rebounding into the goal. 

The usually partisan Sheffield press admitted that their team was outplayed both 'in speed and tactics'. 

London v Sheffield 1877
Up until this point Sheffield rules had existed alongside Association- similar but not the same- and were the favoured rules in South Yorkshire and the Midlands. In 1877 the last of the differences between the codes were resolved.
On 17.11.77 the 18th fixture between London and Sheffield (if we include the 1866 match) was the first played under the unified rules. The London side, led by Arthur Kinnaird, outclassed Sheffield and won 6-0.

Remnants v Darwen 1879

The Daily News 31.01.79

Not quite a team of mill workers - (Darwen had 2 Scottish professionals and a doctor in the side!), but this match represents the first real challenge to the old order in English football. Football in Lancashire was taking off- professionalism was on the rise and cup football had begun to grip the enthusiasm of the proletariat.
For the full story see Keith Dewhurst's Underdogs - essential reading for anyone interested in 19th century Association football.

Fergie Suter

Following James Reddie Lang's spell with The Wednesday in 1876 the next examples of Scottish players moving to England in order to play football for money are Fergus Suter and James Love, who joined Darwen in 1878.
Glaswegian full-back Suter had played for Partick and Glasgow Rangers. 
Over the New Year holiday in 1878 Partick visited Lancashire and played both Darwen (losing 3-2) and Blackburn Rovers (losing 2-1).
Suter was a stonemason, although it was noted that he didn't continue his trade when he was living in Lancashire. Darwen alays denied he was a professional, but Suter later commented  I would interview the treasurer as occasion arose.
Suter's play drew positive comments in the press- he was an active proponent of combination play, linking with his half backs and forwards and launching attacks himself rather than just seeing his role as being to clear his lines with long kicks. The way in which he lofted free kicks for the centre forward to head also seems to have been an innovation. Suter featured in Darwen's legendary cup run of 1879, but in 1880 he shocked the town by transferring to their neighbours and rivals Blackburn Rovers.

The acrimony wasn't helped when Suter and Darwen's Thomas  Marshall grappled in a cup tie  in November 1880 at Alexandra Meadows. The match was abandoned, the return match was cancelled, and the two sides declined to meet other than in cup ties in the future. 
The local press featured some interesting correspondence in the wake of this match:

 Here is another interesting letter. Transfer gossip and speculation are nothing new:

Whilst with Rovers Suter  appeared in four FA Cup Finals, picking up 3 winner's medals. He was still around when the Football League came into being, but only played in one League match, appearing in goal against West Bromwich Albion on 22nd December 1888.

Lancashire Football Association

Though the introduction of Association football into Lancashire about the same period as the establishment of the Cup, the first of an innumerable succession of trophies of a similar kind, was a mere coincidence and in no way connected, it is curious, considering the conspicuous part Lancashire clubs have played in the competition of late years, that their origin should have been coeval The paternity of the Association game in Lancashire may be claimed by Mr. J. C. Kay, an old Harrovian, who subsequently made himself a reputation in another branch of sport, as a lawn tennis player of no small ability, as well as manager of perhaps the best organized lawn tennis meeting in the kingdom" that which takes place annually on the ground of the Liverpool Cricket Club. Educated at Harrow, it was only natural that the primitive game in use in Lancashire should have been based very much on the eccentric admixture of different codes to which young Harrow had been used for generation after generation. The introduction of the Association game into Lancashire was, in fact, in a very great measure the work of an old Harrovian, as, some twenty years before, the initiation of the movement which practically led to the revival of football on a proper basis was to a considerable extent the work of a few keen athletes who had graduated at his School. To East Lancashire, in particular, belongs the credit of fostering the game in its infancy, as well as of assisting in the development which has resulted in making Lancashire one of the most powerful influences in Association football Bolton, I believe, was the first place which took at all kindly to the new sport, and, under Mr. Kay's watchful eye, the Harrow game, or perhaps as near a reproduction as could be devised to suit local requirements, for a time supplied all the wants of the lads who were undergoing their novitiate in football. Practice took place in the evenings, and, in fact, the game was of a very primitive kind, followed after the hard work of the day had been completed. It was not long, though, before an attempt was made to evolve something like system out of the rough efforts of these pioneers of Lancashire football. The first result of this organization, I have reason to believe, was the Bolton Wanderers club, which has outlived the many, and some of them excellent, changes through which football has gone during the last quarter of a century, and still remains a power in the land; in fact, one of the most influential combinations of the same kind in the north of England.

CW Alcock 

The Lancashire F.A. is said to have its origins in a meeting held at The Volunteer Inn, Bromley Cross, on Saturday 28th September, 1878. John Lewis (Blackburn Rovers), T. Hindle, (Darwen) and W.T. Dixon, (Turton F.C.) are cited as the prime movers. Arrangements were made for a representative meeting of clubs to be held.

Burnley Express, 05.10.78.

Here is some information regarding the clubs mentioned in the above article:

Club	Founded
Accrington	1876		Founder members of the Football League.
Church	1874		Church is a village 1 mile from Accrington.
Myrtle Grove	1870		Later known as Rossendale. Blackburn Standard - Saturday 27 July 1878- JH Bentley Hon Sec Myrtle Grove FC (Cloughfold) seeking fixtures within 20 miles.
Clough Fold		Cloughfold is a small hamlet in Rossendale.
Enfield			There is an Enfield Cricket Club in Accrington.
Haslingden Rangers			Haslingden is a town in Rossendale. Neither of the clubs still exist, and their histories are scant. A Haslingden club joined the Lancashire Combination in 1905. I don’t know the relationship between this and the earlier clubs.
Haslingden Grane The Blackburn Standard consistently uses Grane, not Grange.
Blackburn Rovers	1875		Founder members of the Football League.
Park Road (Blackburn)	1875		England/Ireland international Jack Reynolds turned out for Park Road.
Livesey United (Blackburn)			In 1878 a Livesey United Cup was contested in Blackburn.
St George’s (Blackburn)
St Mark’s (Blackburn)			Blackburn Olympic’s opponents in the 1878 Livesey United Cup final. Later known as Witton.
Christ Church (Blackburn)
Bolton Rovers
St George’s (Bolton)
Emmanuel FC (Bolton)
Bolton Wanderers	1874		Founder members of the Football League.
North End (Bolton)			Were playing Rugby in 1878
Great Lever (Bolton)	1877		One of many Bolton based clubs- a number of stars represented Great lever early in their careers, including John Goodall, James Trainer and Denny Hodgetts. Alf Jones was capped by England whilst playing for Great Lever (which the old IFFHS site listed as a London club!)
Turton	1871		The Oldest Football Club in Lancashire- they played a form of the Harrow game (founder J.C Kay was a Harrow Boy) before adopting Association in 1874. Declined with the advent of professionalism.
Eagley	1874
Astley Bridge	1879		Claim a foundation date of 1880?!
Westhoughton
Darwen Rangers
Darwen Grasshoppers			A homage to Preston Grasshoppers? ( 1869)
Lower Darwen

Notable absentees - we must assume, given Mr Hindle's presence that Darwen are omitted from the report in error. Preston North End - possibly the Blackburn centered nature of the set up didn't encourage them?
The development of Lancashire football, paricularly Darwen and Turton is covered beautifully in Underdogs: The Unlikely Story of Football's First FA Cup Heroes by Keith Dewhurst.

A Challenge Cup was introduced in 1879-1880 and the results of the competition were as follows:

First Round
20.09.79	Haslingden Association	2	1	Padiham
27.09.79	Darwen	7	0	Darwen Grasshoppers
27.09.79	Turton	9	1	North End (Bolton)
27.09.79	Emmanuel FC (Bolton)	0	6	Park Road (Blackburn)
04.10.79	Church	4	0	St Andrews (Blackburn)
04.10.79	Christ Church (Blackburn)	8	0	Bolton Hornets
04.10.79	Lynwood (Darwen)	5	4	Bolton Olympic
04.10.79	Great Lever (Bolton)	5	4	Clough Fold
11.10.79	Livesey United (Blackburn)	9	0	Halliwell Jubilee (Bolton)
11.10.79	Astley Bridge	6	0	Rising Sun (Bolton)
11.10.79	Cob Wall (Bolton)	0	3	Manchester Wanderers
11.10.79	Bolton Wanderers	5	2	All Saints (Bolton)
11.10.79	Lower Darwen	3	1	Darwen Rangers
18.10.79	Accrington	4	1	Halliwell (Bolton)
23.10. 79	Enfield	1	5	Blackburn Rovers (replay)
25.10.79	Edgeworth	6	1	Middleton
25.10.79	Eagley	5	2	Bolton Rovers
25.10.79	St Mark’s (Blackburn)	4	1	St Pauls (Bolton) (replay)
25.10.79	Lower Chapel (Darwen)	4	2	St George’s (Blackburn)
01.11.79	Darwen Foresters	wo		Haslingden Grane (did not show for replay)
Second Round
01.11.79	Lower Chapel	4	3	Lynwood (declared void)
20.12.79	Lynwood	1	3	Lower Chapel
08.11.79	Eagley	4	1	Edgeworth
22.11.79	St Mark’s	0	4	Accrington
25.11.79	Haslingden Association	1	12	Darwen (+3 disputed goals)
29.11.79	Lower Darwen	3	0	Livesey United
29.11.79	Blackburn Rovers	4	0	Bolton Wanderers (1 in some reports)
29.11.79	Great Lever	0	3	Turton
30.11.79	Manchester Wanderers	6	2	Church (+1 disputed goal)
06.12.79	Darwen Foresters	0	2	Park Road
06.12.79	Christ Church	1	2	Astley Bridge
Third Round
01.01.80	Accrington	4	0	Lower Darwen
10.01.80	Darwen	5	0	Astley Bridge
10.01.80	Blackburn Rovers	2	0	Turton (+1 disputed goal)
Turton protested that McIntyre and Campbell of Rovers were ‘not Lancashire men’ and therefore ineligible- The Lancs FA ordered a replay and according to a report in The Blackburn Standard (31.01.80) Rovers withdrew from the Cup. However, the Association reconsidered  and overturned the decision in a meeting on 14.02.80.
10.01.80	Manchester Wanderers	2	0	Park Road
17.01.80	Eagley	2	8	Lower Chapel
Fourth Round
07.2.80	Accrington	4	3	Lower Chapel
21.2.80	Darwen (+2 disputed goals)	11	1	Manchester Wanderers
	Blackburn Rovers	Bye
Semi-final
	Darwen	bye
06.03.80	Blackburn Rovers	3	1	Accrington (at Alexandra Meadows)

The final was played at Darwen's Barley Bank ground on 20.03.80. There were 9,000 in attendance and takings in excess of £160. The referee was Mr C.J Spencer, of Nottingham Forest assisted by Messrs. J.N Abraham ( Cheshire FA) and R.E Lythgoe (Birkenhead FA).

Darwen ran out 3-0 winners with goals from Bury, Gledhill and Marshall.

Darwen		Blackburn Rovers
Broughton	G	Howorth
Duxbury	B	Greenwood*
Suter	B	A Birtwistle
Fish	H	FW Hargeaves*
Moorhouse	H	Latham
*Marshall	F	Duckworth
*Rostron	F	Hanson
Gledhill	F	Brown*
Holden	F	Hindle
Bury	F	J Hargreaves*
R Kirkham	F	R Birtwistle

* England Internationals.

In good Victorian fashion the cup was presented 4 months later.

Liverpool Echo, 26.07.80