Tom Stevens has given me permission to continue the annual threads on football season in the 1870s. But first we could try to extend our lists even before the 1871-72 season, before the birth of the FA Cup. In England Wanderers plays thirty-six matches this season, winning twenty-one and losing six, firmly re-establishing itself as a force to be reckoned with. Its main rivals seem to be Clapham Rovers and Royal Engineers. In the first match of the season Clapham Rovers defeats the Wanderers 1-0 in The Oval. On 18 January the Wanderers beats Crystal Palace 3-0 in The Oval, with two goals by Kinnaird and one by Alcock. At the start of March both Clapham Rovers and Royal Engineers defeat Wanderers 1-0. Kinnaird played often for Wanderers, but was not part of the team during these three defeats. So both Clapham Rovers (2 wins) and Royal Engineers (1 win) have a positive record against Wanderers this season. Despite this, only Robert Walker from Clapham Rovers was selected from these teams to play in the Alcock Internationals against Scotland. The main matches of the season: ENG-SCO 1-0 (Alcock International) 19.11.1870, The Oval, Attendance: 650 Queen's Park club member Robert Smith, now living in London, is also part of the London-based Scottish team. For the first time, two umpires are appointed, one per team. best players: many players are singled out, see the next report http://gottfriedfuchs.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-alcock-internationals-game-2.html http://www.englandfootballonline.com/Seas1872-00/1870-71/UM002Sco1870.html Robert Smith reports back to his club that the Football Association in England had placed an outright ban on handling. Most football in Scotland was played under Rugby rules until this time. Queen's Park immediately adopts this rule and joins the Football Association, but plays no more matches in this season. North - South 0-1, 17.12.1870, The Oval, Attendance: ? The North vs South match features a number of provincial footballers, the North including players from Nottingham and Sheffield. The play is superior to that seen in the recent England v Scotland match. The South wins 1-0 thanks to an 87th minute goal. best players: ? http://gottfriedfuchs.blogspot.com/search/label/North v South The Sheffield and Rotherham Independent (20.12.70) reported that: the rules were those of the of the Football Association, and the principle of 'no hands' was strictly maintained, although there was an amount of arm work visible throughout the game, which we hope to see reduced, if not entirely abolished , on future occasions. ENG-SCO 1-1 (Alcock International) 25.2.1871, The Oval, Attendance: 500-600 The match is overseen not only by two umpires but also, for the first time, a referee. If the two umpires cannot agree, the referee makes the decision. best players: Walker, Gladstone, Nepean http://gottfriedfuchs.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-alcock-internationals-game-3.html http://www.englandfootballonline.com/Seas1872-00/1870-71/UM003Sco1871.html Wanderers – The World 1-1, 25.03.71, The Oval, Attendance: 500-600 Wanderers challenged the Rest of the World (players from other London-based clubs). best players: ? http://gottfriedfuchs.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-world-1871.html Sheffield teams were probably very strong at this time, but I could not find an important match with them in this season. Here are my nominees for the Top23. Alcock, Charles ENG (Wanderers) Baker, Alfred ENG (Wanderers/No Names) Betts, Morton ENG (Wanderers) Chenery, Charles ENG (Crystal Palace) Cockerell, John ENG (Brixton) Crake, William ENG (Barnes/Wanderers) Gladstone, William ENG (Old Etonians/Wanderers) Greenhalgh, Harwood ENG (Notts County) Hogg, Quentin ENG (Wanderers) Hooman, Thomas ENG (Wanderers ) Kinnaird, Arthur SCO (Wanderers/Old Etonians) Kirkpatrick, James SCO (Wanderers/Civil Service) Lubbock, Edgar ENG (Wanderers/West Kent) Morten, Alexander ENG (Crystal Palace) Nepean, Charles ENG (Oxford University/Wanderers) Smith, Robert SCO (Queen's Park/Norwood) Stephenson, Charles ENG (Wanderers/Westminster School) Vidal, Walpole ENG (Wanderers/Westminster School) Walker, Robert ENG (Clapham Rovers) Whelan, JC ENG (Sheffield FC) Thus far 20 players. More players from Royal Engineers and Sheffield could be added, provided we find some evidence who were considered the best in this season. Nominees for the Top3: Alcock, Charles ENG (Wanderers) captain of "England" in two matches, plays 33 matches for Wanderers (scoring 17 goals) Kinnaird, Arthur SCO (Wanderers/Old Etonians) plays twice for "Scotland", once as captain, plays 26 matches in the season Walker, Robert ENG (Clapham Rovers) scores two goals against "Scotland" in two matches
Good summary. Some additional information: North v South. Goalscorer was Crake with a "splendid kick". It was stated that the standard of play was much higher than in the England v Scotland (Alcock) match the month before. Wanderers v The World. Goalscorers were Howard and Dixon. Best players: Wanderers: Gladstone, Hogg, Alcock, Howard, Crake, Hooman, Vidal. The World: Walker, Tatham, Dixon, Rawson, Birkett. Gladstone was an MP and the son of the prime minister. He was Scottish. Some Sheffield matches: 19 November 1870. Wednesday 7 Derby St Andrews 0. Goalscorers: A Reaney 3, Sampson 2, WE Clegg, AB Slowe. Best players: JC Clegg, WE Clegg, Frank Butler (all Wednesday). 3 December 1870. Nottinghamshire 0 Sheffield Town 0. Best players: Both Cleggs for Sheffield. Rothers for Notts. 7 January 1871. Derby St Andrews 0 Wednesday 4. Goalscorers: T Cawthorne 2, W Littlehayes, WE Clegg. Best players on each side were WE Clegg for Wednesday and F Wheeldon for Derby. Others who played well for Wednesday: JC Clegg, WH Carr, T Cawthorne, A Reaney. Newspaper sources: Derbyshire Advertiser, Derbyshire Courier, Glasgow Herald, Morning Post, Sheffield Independent. Sources are from the British Newspaper Archive, managed by the British Library Board.
Thanks for the details. Based on this I have added Howard and Dixon to the Top23. From Sheffield we could add Charles Clegg, and possibly his brother William who were singled out in all three Sheffield matches. Perhaps we could take out Whelan who represented Sheffield in the North vs South match, but was not heard about later on. Here is the current list with theTop23. Alcock, Charles ENG (Wanderers) Baker, Alfred ENG (Wanderers/No Names) Betts, Morton ENG (Wanderers) Clegg, Charles ENG (The Wednesday/Sheffield) Clegg, William ENG (The Wednesday/Sheffield) Chenery, Charles ENG (Crystal Palace) Cockerell, John ENG (Brixton) Crake, William ENG (Barnes/Wanderers) Dixon, Harold ENG (Westminster School) Gladstone, William SCO (Old Etonians/Wanderers) Greenhalgh, Harwood ENG (Notts County) Hogg, Quentin ENG (Wanderers) Hooman, Thomas ENG (Wanderers ) Howard, A ENG (Wanderers) Kinnaird, Arthur SCO (Wanderers/Old Etonians) Kirkpatrick, James SCO (Wanderers/Civil Service) Lubbock, Edgar ENG (Wanderers/West Kent) Morten, Alexander ENG (Crystal Palace) Nepean, Charles ENG (Oxford University/Wanderers) Smith, Robert SCO (Queen's Park/Norwood) Stephenson, Charles ENG (Wanderers/Westminster School) Vidal, Walpole ENG (Wanderers/Westminster School) Walker, Robert ENG (Clapham Rovers) Further details about the Wanderers vs Clapham Rovers vs Royal Engineers matches could help us to select the best candidates for the Top 23. I think Alcock and Kinnaird had the highest reputation, and both played well this season. Maybe Alcock could get the top spot as England once defeated Scotland led by Kinnaird.
1 October 1870. Clapham Rovers 1 Wanderers 0. CC Bryden Best players: Clapham - Holden, Bryden, Watney, Dunstable, Morten (gk). Wanderers - Alcock, Baker, Hogg. 3 December 1870. Royal Engineers 0 Wanderers 0. Best players: RE - Ord, Marindin. Wanderers - Baker, Hogg. All were backs. 14 January 1871. Wanderers 3 Crystal Palace 0. Kinnaird 2, Alcock Best players: Wanderers - Kinnaird, Dixon, FJ Whitmore. CP - Chenery, TF Spreckly. 4 March 1871. Clapham Rovers 1 Wanderers 0. R Ogilvie Best players: Clapham - Birkett, WR Dent, Holden, Walker. Wanderers - Alcock, EE Bowen, Wallace. Wanderers were said to be were missing two of their best players, Hogg and Baker. I cannot find the Royal Engineers v Wanderers game in March. Might it have been the December game listed above, which was not in your list?
Possible best XI 1870-71 (1-1-8): Kirkpatrick - Hogg - Baker - Alcock, Kinnaird, WE Clegg, JC Clegg, Vidal, Hooman, Nepean, R Walker. Hogg was Scottish.
Final results for the season. 23 Man Shortlist Alcock, Charles ENG (Wanderers) Baker, Alfred ENG (Wanderers/No Names) Betts, Morton ENG (Wanderers) Clegg, Charles ENG (The Wednesday/Sheffield) Clegg, William ENG (The Wednesday/Sheffield) Chenery, Charles ENG (Crystal Palace) Cockerell, John ENG (Brixton) Crake, William ENG (Barnes/Wanderers) Dixon, Harold ENG (Westminster School) Gladstone, William SCO (Old Etonians/Wanderers) Greenhalgh, Harwood ENG (Notts County) Hogg, Quentin SCO (Wanderers) Hooman, Thomas ENG (Wanderers ) Howard, A ENG (Wanderers) Kinnaird, Arthur SCO (Wanderers/Old Etonians) Kirkpatrick, James SCO (Wanderers/Civil Service) Lubbock, Edgar ENG (Wanderers/West Kent) Morten, Alexander ENG (Crystal Palace) Nepean, Charles ENG (Oxford University/Wanderers) Smith, Robert SCO (Queen's Park/Norwood) Stephenson, Charles ENG (Wanderers/Westminster School) Vidal, Walpole ENG (Wanderers/Westminster School) Walker, Robert ENG (Clapham Rovers) Top3 1. Alcock, Charles ENG (Wanderers) 2. Kinnaird, Arthur SCO (Wanderers/Old Etonians) 3. Walker, Robert ENG (Clapham Rovers) Team of the Season (1-1-8): Kirkpatrick - Hogg - Baker - Alcock, Kinnaird, WE Clegg, JC Clegg, Vidal, Hooman, Nepean, R Walker.
This is the match I am looking for. Royal Engineers-Wanderers 1-0, 11.3.1871, Chatham goals: ? best players: ?
The fixture is shown on 11 March but there is no record of the result anywhere. It would appear that either the match was cancelled (unlikely as you have the result) or the newspapers did not feel it was important enough to report. The sports pages concentrate on horse racing and preparations for the university boat race on 1 April.
Following on from this, London-based newspapers of the time were not always very interested in sporting events staged outside the capital. They probably did not bother sending a reporter to Chatham. It is still odd that the fixture was published but not the result.