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Post by sinfinbovril on Apr 7, 2020 8:37:33 GMT
Here's the story. Cardigan Bay 2018 - pouring down with rain (it's in Wales) so we ducked int a charity shop to dry off. Had an explore and found a set of four pretty old books - Association Football, published by Caxton, written in 1960, written about all aspects of the game. The rain got worse so I had a really good plough through all four volumes and realised it contained all the Football Leagues and FA Cup results up to that point (1960)... Well, look what I found....bought the set for £15 and now (because of the virus) I've actually had a couple of hours to photo the relevant pages and download them here. Number 1. Burton Swifts first season in the league 1892 - 1893. Mid-table obscurity! i.imgur.com/ylZ41Pr.jpg
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Post by sinfinbovril on Apr 7, 2020 8:53:19 GMT
Number 2. In the top table (1894-1895) Swifts have done OK again. The bottom table shows Wanderers having joined the league (today's Championship) in 1895-1986 and finished fourth, above Swifts. Unfortunately there were no play-offs because Wembley hadn't been built yet to host the final. i.imgur.com/QS0gwr6.jpg
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Post by sinfinbovril on Apr 7, 2020 8:58:45 GMT
Number 3. Not a good season for Burton teams 1896-1897 - maybe quite a few angry comments on Facebook this season from both sets of fans. Still, it was a big season, with a trip to St. James Park, the Etihad and the Emirates. Although they'd have had to walk because cars had only just been invented. i.imgur.com/FsIBRdn.jpg
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Post by sinfinbovril on Apr 7, 2020 9:02:23 GMT
Number 4. See the top table - Burton Swifts finish bottom of the whole world - thank you and goodnight...but... Next season, Burton Utd enter the league. West Brom win Division 2 to begin a 120 year stretch of being a yo-yo club i.imgur.com/3Irg2Qw.jpg
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Post by sinfinbovril on Apr 7, 2020 9:09:24 GMT
Number 5. Deja vu. Burton Utd finish bottom. And some people think we have problems at the club now! 1906-1907, just three years after the Wright brothers created the aeroplane. And that's it for the league tables. If I've got some of the facts wrong, apologies but I've only downloaded the pics and not cross referenced them with the other facts on the internet. Still, they played Chelsea, West Brom (told yer - always a yo-yo) Wolves and Leicester. Forest won the league with a bit of a two-horse race at the top. I hope we beat Port Vale that season. i.imgur.com/w78i6sc.jpg
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Post by sinfinbovril on Apr 7, 2020 9:45:06 GMT
OK, Burton's FA Cup exploits. But first, here's an oddity. FA Cup 1886-1887 First round proper. Look at the eighth tie. Partick Thistle vs Cliftonville (Boycie's old team). That's a long journey home after a drubbing... i.imgur.com/peLz708.jpg
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Post by sinfinbovril on Apr 7, 2020 9:46:08 GMT
Just for fun....couldn't resist it....1903 - you beauty. Still a (joint) record. Final played at Crystal Palace in front of 63,102. i.imgur.com/7CVtQPX.jpg
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Post by sinfinbovril on Apr 7, 2020 9:50:05 GMT
OK back to the good stuff. Burton Swifts get walloped in the 1st round. Still, no disrespect in that. Preston were the Man City (without being bankrolled and breaking rules) of the day, although they eventually got knocked out in the semi by Everton, who lost to Wolves in the final. i.imgur.com/XlP9tVr.jpg
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Post by sinfinbovril on Apr 7, 2020 9:52:59 GMT
1893 - 1894 Swifts didn't make it to the first round but Wanderers made it to the heady heights of the second round, only to be beaten by Notts County, who went on to beat Bolton 4-1 in the final, a bloke called Logan getting a hat trick. Played at Goodison Park in front of 37,000. i.imgur.com/InxiSV1.jpg
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Post by sinfinbovril on Apr 7, 2020 9:55:04 GMT
The following season, Wanderers had to do with a defeat in the first round. The home crowd would have been furious but now they could concentrate on the league - see posts above. i.imgur.com/oqDzJFf.jpg
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Post by sinfinbovril on Apr 7, 2020 9:57:49 GMT
A more successful season for Burton teams (not difficult) with both Swifts and Wanderers getting to the first round. That was as far as they'd both get. Still, the Swifts fans had a nice day at the seaside and a ride on The Big One. i.imgur.com/WGvLFDY.jpg
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Post by sinfinbovril on Apr 7, 2020 10:00:44 GMT
The following season, things got very exciting....the big time! This was the end for the Swifts. But what a way to go out of the FA Cup for the last time. i.imgur.com/bjklUq4.jpgI'm guessing the game was played in Merseyside and not Burton, which means that the tie was indeed played at Anfield, although it looks like the capacity of the place was only about 8000 in 1898. Still, pretty cool.
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Post by sinfinbovril on Apr 7, 2020 10:03:26 GMT
19050-1906. Burton Utd have formed and have got to the FA Cup 1st round. Will they do better than the Swifts or Wanderers? i.imgur.com/G1jwNxf.jpgEr....no.
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Post by sinfinbovril on Apr 7, 2020 10:06:43 GMT
The following season, that was the end for Burton. We took the mighty New Brompton (who are yer?) to a replay, televised on Sky on the Tuesday night but it was not to be. I can almost be certain that the referee did NOT wear pink. i.imgur.com/PfJnKVp.jpgWho are yer? They became Gillingham FC in 1913. THAT'S ALL FOLKS!!!
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Post by mikeyboy on Apr 7, 2020 19:29:23 GMT
Sinfin - some lovely stuff there. There is a book called The other Burton Leaguers’ all about the history off Swifts, Wanderers and United. I found a lovely story in there about my great uncle Arthur Stone, who was a local goalkeeper of note from Branston. He had been training with United as a young lad of about 21 and wandered down to Peel Croft with his mates to watch a game towards the end of (I think) the 1904/05 season. As soon as he arrived at the ground a lad ran up to him and said ‘Arthur the manager wants you in the dressing room’. The 1st choice keeper had been injured in the warm up and young Arthur was in the team - making his debut that day against Crewe Alexandra. I was so proud!! Arthur died in 1968 and is buried in Branston cemetery.
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Post by mikeyboy on Apr 7, 2020 19:36:18 GMT
I don’t know if you’re all aware but Newcastle United’s record defeat is still today at Wanderer’s Derby Turn Ground 7–1 from memory!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 16, 2020 16:29:30 GMT
I thought it was 9 - 0
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Post by mikeyboy on Apr 18, 2020 19:04:50 GMT
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Post by sinfinbovril on May 3, 2020 19:45:04 GMT
Sinfin - some lovely stuff there. There is a book called The other Burton Leaguers’ all about the history off Swifts, Wanderers and United. I found a lovely story in there about my great uncle Arthur Stone, who was a local goalkeeper of note from Branston. He had been training with United as a young lad of about 21 and wandered down to Peel Croft with his mates to watch a game towards the end of (I think) the 1904/05 season. As soon as he arrived at the ground a lad ran up to him and said ‘Arthur the manager wants you in the dressing room’. The 1st choice keeper had been injured in the warm up and young Arthur was in the team - making his debut that day against Crewe Alexandra. I was so proud!! Arthur died in 1968 and is buried in Branston cemetery. I've just bought it on EBay. Looking forward to reading it - and finding Arthur's story.
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Post by colstoncrawford on May 3, 2020 20:20:51 GMT
Brilliant stuff there. I have a small story coming up which I haven't used yet about some scorecards, meticulously filled in by hand, from the early years of the league, which will be auctioned by Hansons at Etwall soon.
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