Here are the main matches of the 1879-80 season in chronological order. I hope fellow posters can add the missing goalscorers and best players from match reports. Scottish Cup 1st round, Dumbarton-Vale of Leven 4-3, 20.9.1879, Dumbarton goals: ? best players: ? Scottish Cup 1st round, Rangers-Queen's Park 0-0, 20.9.1879, Glasgow, Kinning Park goals: ? best players: ? Scottish Cup 1st round replay, Queen's Park- Rangers 5-1, 27.9.1879, Glasgow, Hampden Park, Attendance: 5,000 goals: Weir, Kay, Ker, Richmond (2) best players: ? Blackburn Rovers-Rangers 1-4, 25.10.1879, Blackburn goals: ? best players: ? FA Cup 1st round, Nottingham Forest- Notts County 4-0, 8.11.1879, Nottingham goals: ? best players: ? Queen's Park-Notts County 4-1, 15.11.1879, Glasgow, Hampden Park, Attendance: 6,000 goals: Fraser, Ker, ?, Richmond / scrimmage best players: ? The first half of the match was played according to the Sheffield rules and the second half by the Scottish rules. Vale of Leven- Queen's Park 3-0, 29.11.1879, Alexandria, Attendance: 4,000 goals: ? best players: ? FA Cup 2nd round, Blackburn Rovers–Darwen 3-1, 6.12.1879, Blackburn goals: ? best players: ? Vale of Leven- Old Etonians 5-2, 27.12.1879, Glasgow, Hampden Park, Attendance: 800 goals: ? / Kinnaird, ? best players: ? Vale of Leven beats beats FA Cup holder Old Etonians on their Northern tour. Wind and rain keeps the crowd down to 800. Darwen- Old Etonians 3-1, 1.1.1880, Darwen, Attendance: 8,000 goals: ? best players: ? Blackburn Rovers– Vale of Leven 0-4, 2.1.1880, Blackburn goals: ? best players: ? Scottish Cup Semi-final, Queen's Park-Dumbarton 1-0, 17.1.1880, Glasgow, Hampden Park, Attendance: 6,500 goals: Ker 76’. best players: The ground was hard due to frost. The match was looked upon as being the one that would virtually settle the destination of the cup. FA Cup 3rd round, Old Etonians- Wanderers 3-1, 24.1.1880, The Oval goals: ? / Wace best players: ? FA Cup 3rd round, Nottingham Forest-Blackburn Rovers 6-0, 31.1.1880, Nottingham goals: ? best players: ? Sheffield-Glasgow 0-1, 14.2.1880, Sheffield, Sheaf Grounds, Attendance: goals: ? best players: ? Charles Campbell and Eadie Fraser played for Glasgow. On the same day, the Scotch Team for Canada were in action. William Thomson, William Somers, David Davidson, George Ker and Johnny Kay played there. FA Cup 4th round, Nottingham Forest-Sheffield FC 2-2, 19.2.1880, Nottingham goals: ? best players: ? Sheffield is disqualified because they refused to play extra time. Scottish Cup Final, Queen's Park-Thornliebank 3-0, 21.2.1880, Glasgow, Cathkin Park, Attendance: 4,000 goals: Richmond, Ker, Highet. best players: Underdogs Thornliebank fought determinedly and it took Queen’s Park 35 minutes to go into the lead. Thornliebank were fortunate to escape with only a three goal defeat. FA Cup Quarter-final, Clapham Rovers-Old Etonians 1-0, 21.2.1880, The Oval goals: Lloyd-Jones best players: ? SCO-ENG 5-4, 13.3.1880, Glasgow, Hampden Park, Attendance: 12,000 http://www.englandfootballonline.com/Seas1872-00/1879-80/M0010Sco1880.html goals: 1-0 Ker (5), 1-1 Mosforth (8), 2-1 Baird (39), 2-2 Bambridge (42), 3-2 Ker (44), 4-2 Ker (48), 5-2 Kay (70), 5-3 Bambridge (87), 5-4 Sparks (89) best players: Scottish captain Charles Campbell has his jaw-bone seriously bruised, leaving Scotland with one player short for the last 15 minutes. England scores two goals in the last few minutes, but cannot equalize. WAL-ENG 2-3, 15.3.1880, The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham, Attendance: 3,000 goals: 0-1 (o.g), 0-2 Sparks 50', 0-3 Sparks 70', William Roberts 80', John Roberts 89', best players: Only 5 English player remain from the team against Scotland. William Brindle had to leave the field halfway through the second half due to a back injury, probably circa 75th minute. England carried on with ten men. FA Cup Quarter-final replay, Oxford University– Royal Engineers 1-0, 15.3.1880, The Oval goals: ? best players: ? Lancashire Cup Final, Darwen-Blackburn Rovers 3-1, 20.3.1880, Darwen goals: 1-0 Bury, 2-0 Rostron (48 min.), 3.0 Rostron. best players: ? Darwen, captained by Fergus Suter, defeats Blackburn Rovers 3-1 in the final of the first Lancashire Cup. During the summer Suter moves to local rival Blackburn Rovers. Old Etonians–Vale of Leven 1-3, 20.3.1880, The Oval, Attendance: 2,000 goals: A. Lyttelton / ? best players: ? SCO-WAL 5-1, 27.3.1880, Glasgow, Hampden Park, Attendance: 2,000 It looks like a second-best Scottish team. None of them played against England two weeks before. goals: 1-0 Davidson (40), 2-0 Beveridge (42), 3-0 Lindsay (50), 4-0 McAdam (55), 5-0 Campbell (60), 5-1 W.Roberts (85) best players: FA Cup Semi-final, Oxford University–Nottingham Forest 1-0, 27.3.1880, The Oval goals: ? best players: FA Cup Final, Clapham Rovers-Oxford University 1-0, 10.4.1880, The Oval, Attendance: 6,000 goals: 1-0 Lloyd-Jones 84 best players: Sparks ? Charity Cup 1st round, Queen's Park-Vale of Leven 4-0, 24.4.1880, Glasgow, Hampden Park, Attendance: 5,500 goals: Ker, Highet, Smith, Kay best players: Charity Cup final, Queen's Park-Rangers 1-1, 8.5.1880, Glasgow, Hampden Park, Attendance: ? goals: Ker / Pringle best players: Charity Cup final replay, Rangers-Queen's Park 1-2, 12.5.1880, Glasgow, Kinning Park, Attendance: 6,000 goals: Hill / Davidson, Richmond best players: Queen's Park- Clapham Rovers 3-2, 15.5.1880, Glasgow, Hampden Park, Attendance: ? goals: 1-0 Harry McNeil, 1-1 Ram, 1-2 Cazanove, 2-2 scrimmage, 3-2 Somers best players: The Scottish and English cup holders met to raise money for Mrs Dick, the mother of the late secretary of the Scottish Football Association. The first half was played under Scottish rules and the second under English rules. Cazanove scored a second for Clapham five minutes into the second half but Queen’s equalised when a William Somers corner kick was forced through goal. Queen’s Park then mounted attack after attack and were rewarded when another expertly-taken Somers corner was forced home. The London vs Sheffield matches probably continued this season. Further details about them would be welcome.
Additions in red. New decade, new colour. Scottish Cup 1st round, Dumbarton-Vale of Leven 4-3, 20.9.1879, Dumbarton, Attendance 4,000 goals: ?, ?, scrimmage, Lawrence / ?, McDougall, Ferguson best players: ? Scottish Cup 1st round, Rangers-Queen's Park 0-0, 20.9.1879, Glasgow, Kinning Park goals: ? best players: ? Scottish Cup 1st round replay, Queen's Park- Rangers 5-1, 27.9.1879, Glasgow, Hampden Park, Attendance: 5,000 goals: Weir, Kay, Ker, Richmond (2) / Steel best players: ? Blackburn Rovers-Rangers 1-4, 25.10.1879, Blackburn goals: ? best players: Avery, J Hargreaves, Latham / Stuart, McIntyre, Dunlop, M McNeil FA Cup 1st round, Nottingham Forest- Notts County 4-0, 8.11.1879, Nottingham goals: Widdowson 2, AH Smith 2 best players: Earp, Goodyer / Oliver, Morse Queen's Park-Notts County 4-1, 15.11.1879, Glasgow, Hampden Park, Attendance: 6,000 goals: Fraser, Ker, Highet, Richmond / scrimmage AW Cursham best players: Ker, Highet, W MacKinnon / H Jessop The first half of the match was played according to the Sheffield rules and the second half by the Scottish rules. Sheffield 2 London 2, 22.11.1879 Goals: P Andrews, Woodcock / Bambridge 2 Best Players: Bishop, Mosforth, Andrews, Barber, WE Clegg, Buttery / Prinsep, Bastard, Bambridge, JB Hunter, Weldon Vale of Leven- Queen's Park 3-0, 29.11.1879, Alexandria, Attendance: 4,000 goals: ? best players: ? FA Cup 2nd round, Blackburn Rovers–Darwen 3-1, 6.12.1879, Blackburn goals: Brown 2, Hargreaves / E Suter best players: ? FA Cup 2nd round, Sheffield 3 Sheffield Providence 3, 15.12.1879, Sheffield Goals: Matthews, Moss, scrimmage / F Brownhill, og, scrimmage Best Players: London 4 Sheffield 1, 27.12.1879, The Oval Goals: Bambridge, Bailey, Page 2 / Woodcock Best Players: Parry, Bastard, Bambridge, Bailey / Mosforth, WE Clegg, J Hunter Vale of Leven- Old Etonians 5-2, 27.12.1879, Glasgow, Hampden Park, Attendance: 800 goals: ?, McGregor, scrimmage, JC Baird, Paton / Kinnaird, Macaulay best players: McGregor, JC Baird, McPherson / L Bury, Kinnaird Vale of Leven beats beats FA Cup holder Old Etonians on their Northern tour. Wind and rain keeps the crowd down to 800. FA Cup 2nd round replay, Sheffield 3 Sheffield Providence 0, 29.12.1879, Bramall Lane Goals: AW Cursham, Matthews, Sorby Best Players: TH Sorby, M Ellison (gk), Bradbury, Matthews, AW Cursham / Fletcher, Mosforth, Woodcock, Buttery, Ollerenshaw Darwen- Old Etonians 3-1, 1.1.1880, Darwen, Attendance: 8,000 goals: Kirkham, T Bury, Holden / Fowley best players: ? Blackburn Rovers– Vale of Leven 0-4, 2.1.1880, Blackburn goals: McFarlane, JC Baird 2, J Baird best players: ? Scottish Cup Semi-final, Queen's Park-Dumbarton 1-0, 17.1.1880, Glasgow, Hampden Park, Attendance: 6,500 goals: Ker 76’. best players: Somers, Highet The ground was hard due to frost. The match was looked upon as being the one that would virtually settle the destination of the cup. FA Cup 3rd round, Old Etonians- Wanderers 3-1, 24.1.1880, The Oval goals: Goodhart 2, Sedgwick / Wace best players: ? FA Cup 3rd round, Nottingham Forest-Blackburn Rovers 6-0, 31.1.1880, Nottingham goals: Goodyer 2, Widdowson 2, AH Smith, Turner best players: ? Sheffield-Glasgow 0-1, 14.2.1880, Sheffield, Sheaf Grounds, Attendance: goals: ? best players: ? Charles Campbell and Eadie Fraser played for Glasgow. On the same day, the Scotch Team for Canada were in action. William Thomson, William Somers, David Davidson, George Ker and Johnny Kay played there. FA Cup 4th round, Nottingham Forest-Sheffield FC 2-2, 19.2.1880, Nottingham goals: AH Smith, Widdowson / H Barber, scrimmage best players: ? Sheffield is disqualified because they refused to play extra time. Scottish Cup Final, Queen's Park-Thornliebank 3-0, 21.2.1880, Glasgow, Cathkin Park, Attendance: 4,000 goals: Richmond, Ker, Highet. best players: Underdogs Thornliebank fought determinedly and it took Queen’s Park 35 minutes to go into the lead. Thornliebank were fortunate to escape with only a three goal defeat. FA Cup Quarter-final, Clapham Rovers-Old Etonians 1-0, 21.2.1880, The Oval goals: Lloyd-Jones best players: ? FA Cup Quarter-final, Oxford University– Royal Engineers 1-1, 5.3.1880, The Oval Goals: J Lubbock / Massey Best Players: SCO-ENG 5-4, 13.3.1880, Glasgow, Hampden Park, Attendance: 12,000 http://www.englandfootballonline.com/Seas1872-00/1879-80/M0010Sco1880.html goals: 1-0 Ker (5), 1-1 Mosforth (8), 2-1 Baird (39), 2-2 Bambridge (42), 3-2 Ker (44), 4-2 Ker (48), 5-2 Kay (70), 5-3 Bambridge (87), 5-4 Sparks (89) best players: Scottish captain Charles Campbell has his jaw-bone seriously bruised, leaving Scotland with one player short for the last 15 minutes. England scores two goals in the last few minutes, but cannot equalize. WAL-ENG 2-3, 15.3.1880, The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham, Attendance: 3,000 goals: 0-1 (o.g), 0-2 Sparks 50', 0-3 Sparks 70', William Roberts 80', John Roberts 89', best players: Only 5 English player remain from the team against Scotland. William Brindle had to leave the field halfway through the second half due to a back injury, probably circa 75th minute. England carried on with ten men. FA Cup Quarter-final replay, Oxford University– Royal Engineers 1-0, 15.3.1880, The Oval goals: Childs best players: ? Lancashire Cup Final, Darwen-Blackburn Rovers 3-1, 20.3.1880, Darwen goals: 1-0 Bury, 2-0 Rostron (48 min.), 3.0 Rostron. best players: ? Darwen, captained by Fergus Suter, defeats Blackburn Rovers 3-1 in the final of the first Lancashire Cup. During the summer Suter moves to local rival Blackburn Rovers. Old Etonians–Vale of Leven 1-3, 20.3.1880, The Oval, Attendance: 2,000 goals: A. Lyttelton / ? best players: ? SCO-WAL 5-1, 27.3.1880, Glasgow, Hampden Park, Attendance: 2,000 It looks like a second-best Scottish team. None of them played against England two weeks before. goals: 1-0 Davidson (40), 2-0 Beveridge (42), 3-0 Lindsay (50), 4-0 McAdam (55), 5-0 Campbell (60), 5-1 W.Roberts (85) best players: H McIntyre, Somers, Lang, Davidson / Morgan FA Cup Semi-final, Oxford University–Nottingham Forest 1-0, 27.3.1880, The Oval goals: Childs best players: FA Cup Final, Clapham Rovers-Oxford University 1-0, 10.4.1880, The Oval, Attendance: 6,000 goals: 1-0 Lloyd-Jones 84 best players: Lloyd-Jones, Ram, Field, Bailey Sparks, Weston Charity Cup 1st round, Queen's Park-Vale of Leven 4-0, 24.4.1880, Glasgow, Hampden Park, Attendance: 5,500 goals: Ker, Highet, Smith, Kay best players: Charity Cup final, Queen's Park-Rangers 1-1, 8.5.1880, Glasgow, Hampden Park, Attendance: ? goals: Ker / Pringle best players: Charity Cup final replay, Rangers-Queen's Park 1-2, 12.5.1880, Glasgow, Kinning Park, Attendance: 6,000 goals: Hill / Davidson, Richmond best players: Queen's Park- Clapham Rovers 3-2, 15.5.1880, Glasgow, Hampden Park, Attendance: ? goals: 1-0 Harry McNeil, 1-1 Ram, 1-2 Cazanove, 2-2 scrimmage, 3-2 Somers best players: The Scottish and English cup holders met to raise money for Mrs Dick, the mother of the late secretary of the Scottish Football Association. The first half was played under Scottish rules and the second under English rules. Cazanove scored a second for Clapham five minutes into the second half but Queen’s equalised when a William Somers corner kick was forced through goal. Queen’s Park then mounted attack after attack and were rewarded when another expertly-taken Somers corner was forced home. Newspaper sources: London Daily News, Morning Post, The Sportsman, Athletic News, Blackburn Standard, Liverpool Mercury, Nottingham Evening Post, Sheffield Daily Telegraph, Sheffield Independent, Glasgow Herald, Greenock Advertiser, The Scotsman. Sources are from the British Newspaper Archive, managed by the British Library Board.
Suggested best XI 1879-80 (2-2-6): Swepstone - Neill, Kinnaird - Bailey, C Campbell - J Smith, G Ker, J McGregor, JC Baird, Bambridge, Mosforth.
Here are my suggestions for the nominees this season. 23 Man Shortlist Bailey, Norman ENG Clapham Rovers Baird, John SCO Vale of Leven Bambridge, Charles ENG Swifts Bastard, Segar ENG Upton Park Campbell, Charles SCO Queen's Park Cursham, Arthur ENG Notts County/Sheffield FC Goodyer, Arthur ENG Nottingham Forest Highet, Thomas SCO Queen's Park Kay, John SCO Queen's Park Ker, George SCO Queen's Park Kinnaird, Arthur SCO Old Etonians Lloyd-Jones, Clopton ENG Clapham Rovers McGregor, John SCO Vale of Leven McNeil, Harry SCO Queen's Park Mosforth, William ENG Sheffield Albion/Sheffield Providence Neill, Robert SCO Queen's Park Smith, John SCO Mauchline Somers, William SCO Queen's Park Sparks, Francis ENG Clapham Rovers Suter, Fergus SCO Darwen Swepstone, Albemarle ENG Pilgrims Widdowson, Samuel ENG Nottingham Forest Wollaston, Charles ENG Wanderers By country: Scotland (12), England (11) By club: Queen's Park (7), Clapham Rovers (3), Vale of Leven (2), Nottingham Forest (2), Old Etonians (1), Sheffield FC (1), Wanderers (1), Mauchline (1), Sheffield Providence (1), Swifts (1), Darwen (1), Pilgrims (1), Upton Park (1) Top3 It is difficult to choose the best players. Any permutation would be possible. 1. Ker, George SCO Queen's Park SCO Cup, scores a hat-trick against England 2. Mosforth, William ENG Sheffield Albion/Sheffield Providence 2 caps, a goal against SCO 3. Bambridge, Charles ENG Swifts 2 goals against SCO Team of the Season (2-2-6): Swepstone - Neill, Kinnaird - Bailey, C Campbell - J Smith, G Ker, J McGregor, JC Baird, Bambridge, Mosforth.
Good list again. Another Top 3 candidate is Bailey, though there is not much difference between him and your choices.
I was thinking about including someone from FA Cup winner Clapham Rovers. Bailey, or Sparks could be possible candidates to replace Mosforth or Bambridge. Neither of them had good results in the FA Cup. Swifts did not even play a match, and it looks like Mosforth represented Sheffield Providence this season. What is your opinion?
This season Bambridge was singled out among the best players as often as Mosforth (unfortunately, many important match reports with the best players are missing). But Bambridge scored 5 important goals, whereas Mosforth achieved only 1. Maybe we could settle on Ker, Bailey and Bambridge, in this order.
Agreed. Bambridge had a strange shuffling run but was difficult to stop and scored some spectacular goals.
Final results of this season. 23 Man Shortlist Bailey, Norman ENG Clapham Rovers Baird, John SCO Vale of Leven Bambridge, Charles ENG Swifts Bastard, Segar ENG Upton Park Campbell, Charles SCO Queen's Park Cursham, Arthur ENG Notts County/Sheffield FC Goodyer, Arthur ENG Nottingham Forest Highet, Thomas SCO Queen's Park Kay, John SCO Queen's Park Ker, George SCO Queen's Park Kinnaird, Arthur SCO Old Etonians Lloyd-Jones, Clopton ENG Clapham Rovers McGregor, John SCO Vale of Leven McNeil, Harry SCO Queen's Park Mosforth, William ENG Sheffield Albion/Sheffield Providence Neill, Robert SCO Queen's Park Smith, John SCO Mauchline Somers, William SCO Queen's Park Sparks, Francis ENG Clapham Rovers Suter, Fergus SCO Darwen Swepstone, Albemarle ENG Pilgrims Widdowson, Samuel ENG Nottingham Forest Wollaston, Charles ENG Wanderers By country: Scotland (12), England (11) By club: Queen's Park (7), Clapham Rovers (3), Vale of Leven (2), Nottingham Forest (2), Old Etonians (1), Sheffield FC (1), Wanderers (1), Mauchline (1), Sheffield Providence (1), Swifts (1), Darwen (1), Pilgrims (1), Upton Park (1) Top3 1. Ker, George SCO Queen's Park 2. Bailey, Norman ENG Clapham Rovers 3. Bambridge, Charles ENG Swifts Team of the Season (2-2-6): Swepstone - Neill, Kinnaird - Bailey, C Campbell - J Smith, G Ker, J McGregor, JC Baird, Bambridge, Mosforth.