1897–98 Small Heath F.C. season

Add links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Small Heath F.C.
1897–98 season
ChairmanWalter W. Hart
Secretary
West Bromwich Albion)
Staffordshire Senior CupSemi-final (eliminated by West Bromwich Albion)
Top goalscorerLeague: Walter Abbott (19)
All: Walter Abbott (19)
Highest home attendance12,000 vs Burnley (8 January 1898)
Lowest home attendance3,000 (three matches)
Team colours

The

West Bromwich Albion in the first round of the Mayor of Birmingham's Charity Cup, and reached the semi-final of the Staffordshire Senior Cup
where they again lost to West Bromwich Albion.

Nineteen different players represented the club in nationally organised competitive matches during the season and there were thirteen different goalscorers.

wing half Thomas Dunlop played in every match. The match against Burnley
attracted a crowd of 12,000, an improvement on the highest attendance in the previous two seasons.

Background

Looking back at the 1896–97 season, the Sports Argus' editorial expressed disappointment with the team's performance and dissatisfaction with the running of the club. At the start of the season, they had "confidently looked forward" to Small Heath reaching the test match positions, even if they proved unsuccessful therein. But the team's fine finish to the season on top of such a poor start made it "terribly aggravating to think that the least bit of extra effort earlier on in the season would in all probability have seen them a good second to [Notts] County." The club's failure to gain exemption from the qualifying competition of the FA Cup strengthened the writer's belief that "the club wants a thorough wakening-up".[1] The club made a loss of £369 on the year, which the Dart suggested was due less to the effects of bad weather, as claimed in the annual report, than to a "penny wise and pound foolish" approach to the signing of players which they hoped would not be repeated in the season to come.[2]

Denny Hodgetts, who had been reinstated as an amateur, offered his services, but "as he could not promise to play for them regularly", his offer was declined.[4]

The Dart's initial opinion was that the standard of replacement for Hodgetts, Jones and Farnall – "two or three players who have done well with local clubs have been signed up, and a smart left-wing forward in Kirton, of Lincoln City, has also been secured" – but as the directors preferred to spend their money on ground improvements, in the shape of the purchase of

Aston Villa's old stands from the Perry Barr ground, rather than on "stars", these would be inadequate to return the club to the First Division.[5] Having seen the new additions, they changed their mind. Although Hodgetts would be missed, Jack Kirton "appears to be a smart player, while the other new men secured are far from being 'duffers'", Billy Walton had recovered from the broken shoulderblade sustained the previous March, and apart from Jones and Farnall, "the whole of the other first team players from last season have signed again, and there is no reason why the Heathens should not render a good account of themselves" this season.[6] Furthermore, "the Small Heath ground presents quite an imposing appearance now that it is adorned with the old Perry Barr grand stand, and as there is now plenty of covered accommodation for spectators the 'gates' should materially increase",[6] and, as was pointed out later in the season, facilities for representatives of the press had also been improved.[7]

There were no changes to the team's kit of light blue shirts with navy collar trim, cuffs and pocket, white knickerbockers and navy socks.[8]

Review

September–October

Small Heath prepared for the new season with a

Leicester Fosse, in "delightful" weather in front of an 8,000 crowd, Hare scored the second-half winner after Fosse's Harry Smith had a goal disallowed for offside.[12] The Leicester Chronicle felt that the Heathens' first goal "ought never to have been allowed in consequence of unfair charging", that there was nothing wrong with Smith's disallowed header, and that "Small Heath got the better of each decision".[13]

The visit to

full-back Arthur Archer, but warned they needed to beat the likes of Manchester City and Burnley before starting to think about promotion.[19]

Walton's second-half equaliser from a corner earned Small Heath a draw at

Wolverhampton Wanderers first team by three goals to two, Wilson Lewis scoring twice. The Owl's 'Captain Forward' reiterated his praise of Archer, as "one of the best defenders the Club has ever had, [who] on this occasion was on splendid form."[25][26]

Despite still being unable to field a full-strength team, and with players in unaccustomed positions, Small Heath's winning ways continued at home to

Burslem Port Vale in the third qualifying round, the club's directors made a "tempting" but unsuccessful offer to the host club to switch the venue to Coventry Road.[28] In a result that "could scarcely be credited in Birmingham until the evening papers confirmed it", Port Vale won by two goals to one.[29] Off the field, the club announced that the local schools league were to be allowed to play matches at the Coventry Road ground before their own fixtures.[30]

November–December

As expected, Small Heath beat

Grimsby Town, Small Heath's passing style was hindered by the greasy surface, and the home team took a three-goal lead before losing a player to injury. Wallace scored a late consolation.[33]

On the day scheduled for the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup, Small Heath beat

Newcastle United watched by around 14,000 spectators. After a fast-paced first half, Newcastle led 4–0. The pace slowed in the second half, but there was no more scoring.[35]

Home and away meetings with

Wellingborough[38] preceded a Christmas Day defeat of Darwen by five goals to one on an icy pitch, Walter Abbott contributing a hat-trick.[39] The victory took Small Heath into fourth place in the table, just one point behind their opponents in the last match of the year, second-placed Manchester City.[40] The Manchester Guardian suggested that in the second half of a game "brimful of excitement", Small Heath "played in a manner richly deserving success", but lost by a single goal.[41] The Dart described the encounter as "one of the best seen on the ground for many seasons".[42]

January–February

A friendly away at

Alec Leake and early in the second half via a Walter Abbott goal,[45] the Owl thought them fortunate to secure a draw against a "smart, but rather rough" Burnley side "altogether superior in both attack and defence" who "fairly revelled in the mud".[46] Away to Lincoln City, Abbott gave Small Heath a two-goal lead in the first half. The home team pulled a goal back, but the Heathens held on for their expected victory.[47]

After only two appearances,

Member of Parliament.[50]

Abbott scored Small Heath's only goal as they were knocked out of the Birmingham Cup in the second round by cup-holders

Gainsborough Trinity, Small Heath could only manage a goalless draw,[54] and they finished the month with a 2–2 draw in a friendly at Southern League club West Herts.[55]

March–April

Charlie Hare opened the scoring after six minutes at

Leicester Fosse.[62]

On a fine April day,

Newcastle United, who had already made sure of their position in the promotion test matches.[66] In "weather of almost summer warmth and brightness" at home to Lincoln City,[67] four different scorers gave the Heathens a 4–0 win.[68] The competitive season ended with a home win, Abbott scoring twice to Woolwich Arsenal's single reply.[69]

Summary and aftermath

Small Heath finished in sixth position in the 16-team league, nine points behind the promotion test match positions.

wing half Thomas Dunlop played in every match. The match against Burnley attracted a crowd of 12,000, an improvement on the highest attendance in the previous two seasons.[70] The win at Loughborough completed a sequence of nine away league wins which remains, as of May 2015, a club record.[17]

After the promotion test match series left two teams needing to play out a goalless draw in their final match for both to be promoted, which unsurprisingly is what happened, the Football League's Annual General Meeting agreed that the First Division be extended from 16 to 18 clubs and that the top two teams in the Second Division at the end of each season should automatically replace the bottom two teams in the First. A vote was taken on the teams to take the two additional places in the First Division; Small Heath came fourth in the vote, so remained in the Second Division for the 1898–99 season.[71] They were again awarded exemption only for the first two rounds of the qualifying competition for the FA Cup.[72]

A Football League committee ruled on irregularities in the transfer of

Gainsborough Trinity centre forward for whom Small Heath paid a £150 transfer fee.[76]

Match details

Football League Second Division

Main article: 1897–98 Football League § Second Division
Date League
position[40] 		Opponents Venue Result Score
F–A 		Scorers Attendance
4 September 1897 5th
Burton Swifts
 A W 3–1 Inglis 2, Abbott 1,500
11 September 1897 4th
Leicester Fosse
 H W 2–1 Abbott, Gadsby 3,000
18 September 1897 3rd Loughborough A W 2–0 Walton 2 2,000
25 September 1897 3rd
Burton Swifts
 H W 2–1 Hare 2 7,500
2 October 1897 3rd Darwen A D 1–1 Walton 3,000
9 October 1897 3rd
Gainsborough Trinity
 H W 4–3 Abbott 2, Robertson, Hare 4,500
16 October 1897 4th Blackpool A L 1–4 Hare 1,500
23 October 1897 4th Newton Heath H W 2–1 Lewis 2 3,000
6 November 1897 3rd Loughborough H W 1–0 Abbott 5,000
13 November 1897 4th
Grimsby Town
 A L 1–3 Wallace 2,000
27 November 1897 4th
Newcastle United
 A L 0–4 11,000
4 December 1897 4th Walsall H W 6–0 Hare, Oakes 2, Abbott 2 (1 pen), Kirton 3,000
18 December 1897 4th Walsall A W 2–1 Lewis 2 3,000
25 December 1897 4th Darwen H W 5–1 Lewis, Abbott 3, Kirton 6,500
27 December 1897 4th Manchester City H L 0–1 10,000
8 January 1898 4th Burnley H D 2–2 Abbott, Leake 12,000
15 January 1898 4th Lincoln City A W 2–1 Abbott, Lewis 2,500
29 January 1898 4th Blackpool H L 2–3 Lewis, Robertson 6,000
5 February 1898 5th Burnley A L 1–4 Oakes 4,000
12 February 1898 5th
Luton Town
 H W 4–2 Oakes, Abbott 2 (1 pen), McEwen og 4,000
19 February 1898 4th
Gainsborough Trinity
 A D 0–0 2,000
5 March 1898 5th Woolwich Arsenal A L 2–4 Hare, Oakes 8,000
12 March 1898 5th
Grimsby Town
 H L 0–2 6,500
26 March 1898 8th
Leicester Fosse
 A L 0–2 2,000
2 April 1898 6th
Luton Town
 A W 2–1 Dunlop, Inglis 3,000
9 April 1898 7th Newton Heath A L 1–3 Higgins 3,000
11 April 1898 8th Manchester City A D 3–3 Abbott, Leake, Good 2,000
12 April 1898 6th
Newcastle United
 H W 1–0 Higgins 5,000
16 April 1898 6th Lincoln City H W 4–0 Oakes, Abbott 2, Higgins 4,000
23 April 1898 6th Woolwich Arsenal H W 2–1 Abbott 2 4,500

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
4 Newton Heath 30 16 6 8 64 35 1.829 38
5 Woolwich Arsenal 30 16 5 9 69 49 1.408 37
6 Small Heath 30 16 4 10 58 50 1.160 36
7 Leicester Fosse 30 13 7 10 46 35 1.314 33
8 Luton Town 30 13 4 13 68 50 1.360 30
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored

FA Cup

Round Date Opponents Venue Result Score
F–A 		Scorers Attendance
3rd qualifying 3 October 1897 Notts County A L 1–2 Walton 2,000

Mayor of Birmingham's Charity Cup

Round Date Opponents Venue Result Score
F–A 		Scorers Attendance Ref
First round 13 September 1897
West Bromwich Albion
 A L 4–7
aet
 Not known [14]

Birmingham Senior Cup

Round Date Opponents Venue Result Score
F–A 		Scorers Attendance Ref
Second round 31 January 1898 Walsall A L 2–1 Abbott 4,000 [51]

Staffordshire Senior Cup

Round Date Opponents Venue Result Score
F–A 		Scorers Attendance Ref
First round 18 October 1897
Wolverhampton Wanderers
 A W 3–2 Not known [25]
Semi-final 27 January 1898
West Bromwich Albion
 A L 0–1 Not known [49]

Other matches

Date Opponents Venue Result Score
F–A 		Scorers Attendance Notes
1 September 1897
Burton Wanderers
 H W 3–1 Abbott, Hare, Lewis ~200
Friendly match[9]
6 September 1897 Lincoln City H W 4–0 Not known (2), Abbott (2) Not known Friendly[11]
21 November 1897
Notts County
 H W 3–2 Abbott, Not known (2) ~3,000 Friendly[34]
16 December 1897
Wellingborough Town
 H W 6–1 Not known (6) Not known Friendly[38]
1 January 1898
Aston Villa
 A L 0–4 6,000 Friendly abandoned because of fog[43]
27 February 1898 West Hertfordshire A D 2–2 Not known Not known Friendly[55]
19 March 1898
Aston Villa
 H L 0–3 Not known Friendly[60]
18 April 1898 Walsall A W 2–0 Not known (2) Not known Friendly[77]

Squad statistics

This table includes appearances and goals in nationally organised competitions – the Football League and FA Cup – only. For a description of the playing positions, see Formation (association football)#2–3–5 (Pyramid).

Name Position League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Henry Clutterbuck Goalkeeper 26 0 1 0 27 0
Ike Webb Goalkeeper 4 0 0 0 4 0
Arthur Archer
Full back
 29 0 1 0 30 0
Frank Lester
Full back
 10 0 1 0 11 0
Billy Pratt
Full back
 20 0 0 0 20 0
Thomas Dunlop Half back 30 0 0 0 30 0
Alex Leake Half back 28 2 1 0 29 2
William Robertson Half back 28 2 1 0 29 2
Billy Walton Half back 8 3 1 1 9 4
Walter Abbott Forward 30 19 1 0 31 19
Walter Gadsby Forward 1 1 0 0 1 1
Michael Good Forward 8 1 1 0 9 1
James Higgins Forward 6 3 0 0 6 3
Charlie Hare Forward 23 6 1 0 24 6
Jimmy Inglis Forward 10 3 0 0 10 3
Jack Kirton Forward 18 2 0 0 18 2
Wilson Lewis Forward 20 7 1 0 21 7
Thomas Oakes Forward 22 6 1 0 23 6
Alec Wallace Forward 2 1 0 0 2 1
Sid Wharton Forward 7 0 0 0 7 0

References

General

  • Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Breedon Books (Derby).
    ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9
    .
  • Matthews, Tony (2010). Birmingham City: The Complete Record. DB Publishing (Derby).
    ISBN 978-1-85983-853-2
    .
  • For match dates, lineups, appearances, goalscorers and attendances, except where individually cited: Matthews (2010), Complete Record, pp. 240–41. Note that attendance figures are estimated.

Specific

  1. ^ 'Argus Junior' (24 April 1897). "Gossip". The Sports Argus (Birmingham): p.1.
  2. ^ "No title". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.9. 23 June 1897.
  3. ^ 'Argus Junior' (28 August 1897). "Football Notes". The Sports Argus (Birmingham): p.1.
  4. ^ 'Retlaw' (3 September 1897). "Football Arrows". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.6.
  5. ^ "Sports Gossip". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.6. 6 August 1897.
  6. ^ a b "Sports Gossip". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.6. 20 August 1897.
  7. ^ "What we Hear". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.12. 14 January 1898.
  8. ^ Birmingham City. Historical Football Kits. Retrieved 12 February 2012
  9. ^ a b "Smallheath v. Burton Wanderers". Liverpool Mercury: p.9. 2 September 1897.
    "Other Matches". The Standard (London): p.6. 2 September 1897.
  10. ^ "Second Division". Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper (London): p.24. 5 September 1897.
  11. ^ a b "Other Association Matches". The Standard (London): p.8. 7 September 1897.
  12. ^ "Smallheath v. Leicester Fosse". Liverpool Mercury: p.9. 13 September 1897.
  13. ^ "Football Notes". Leicester Chronicle: p.6. 18 September 1897.
  14. ^ a b "West Bromwich Albion v. Small Heath". Liverpool Mercury: p.10. 14 September 1897.
  15. ^ "Loughborough v. Smallheath". Liverpool Mercury: p.10. 20 September 1897.
  16. ^ "Loughborough v. Small Heath". The Standard (London): p.7. 20 September 1897.
  17. ^ a b Wins Archived 7 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine. FL125.co.uk. The Football League. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  18. ^ "Smallheath v. Burton Swifts". Liverpool Mercury: p.10. 27 September 1897.
  19. ^ "Fitful Football". The Owl (Birmingham): p.12. 1 October 1897.
  20. ^ "Darwen v. Smallheath". Liverpool Mercury: p.9. 4 October 1897.
    'Captain Forward' (8 October 1897). "League Tit-Bits". The Owl (Birmingham): p.4.
  21. ^ "Smallheath v. Gainsborough Trinity". Liverpool Mercury: p.11. 11 October 1897.
  22. ^ 'Retlaw' (15 October 1897). "Football Arrows". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.6.
  23. ^ 'Observer' (23 September 1897). "Notes and Comments". The Northern Echo (Darlington): p.3.
  24. ^ "Blackpool v. Small Heath". The Standard (London): p.8. 18 September 1897.
  25. ^ a b "Small Heath v. Wolverhampton Wanderers". Liverpool Mercury: p.11. 19 October 1897.
  26. ^ 'Captain Forward' (22 October 1897). "League Tit-Bits". The Owl (Birmingham): p.7.
  27. ^ "Small Heath v. Newton Heath". Manchester Guardian: p.7. 25 October 1897.
    'Retlaw' (22 October 1897). "Football Arrows". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.6.
  28. ^ 'Captain Forward' (5 November 1897). "League Tit-Bits". The Owl (Birmingham): p.4.
  29. ^ 'Retlaw' (5 November 1897). "Football Arrows". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.6.
  30. ^ 'Captain Forward' (29 October 1897). "League Tit-Bits". The Owl (Birmingham): p.4.
  31. ^ "Football Notes". Leicester Chronicle: p.7. 13 November 1897.
  32. ^ "Small Heath v. Loughborough". Manchester Guardian: p.7. 8 November 1897.
  33. ^ "Grimsby Town v. Small Heath". Manchester Guardian: p.4. 15 November 1897.
  34. ^ a b "Other Association Matches". The Standard (London): p.2. 22 November 1897.
  35. ^ "Newcastle United v. Small Heath". The Standard (London): p.2. 29 November 1897.
  36. ^ "Small Heath v. Walsall". Glasgow Herald: p.13. 6 December 1897.
    'Retlaw' (10 December 1897). "Football Arrows". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.6.
  37. ^ "Walsall v. Small Heath". The Standard (London): p.2. 20 December 1897.
  38. ^ a b 'Retlaw' (17 December 1897). "Football Arrows". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.6.
  39. ^ "Second Division". Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper (London): p.8. 26 December 1897.
  40. ^ a b c League Division Two table at close of 1897–98 season. 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 6 September 2017. Select date if required via dropdown menus.
  41. ^ "Small Heath v. Manchester City". Manchester Guardian: p.7. 28 December 1897.
  42. ^ 'Retlaw' (31 December 1897). "Football Arrows". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.6.
  43. ^ a b 'Retlaw' (7 January 1898). "Football Arrows". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.6.
  44. ^ 'Retlaw' (14 January 1898). "Football Arrows". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.6.
  45. ^ "Small Heath v. Burnley". Glasgow Herald: p.8. 10 January 1898.
  46. ^ 'Captain Forward' (14 January 1898). "League Tit-Bits". The Owl (Birmingham): p.4.
  47. ^ "Lincoln City v. Small Heath". The Standard (London): p.2. 17 January 1898.
  48. ^ "What we Hear". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.12. 21 January 1898.
  49. ^ a b 'Retlaw' (28 January 1898). "Football Arrows". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.6.
  50. ^ "Small Heath v. Blackpool". Glasgow Herald: p.12. 31 January 1898.
    "Football. Notes and Notions". Manchester Times: p.8. 4 February 1898.
    'Retlaw' (4 February 1898). "Football Arrows". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.6.
  51. ^ a b "Birmingham Cup. Second Round". The Standard (London): p.7. 1 February 1898.
  52. ^ "Burnley v. Small Heath". The Standard (London): p.6. 7 February 1898.
  53. ^ "Small Heath v. Luton Town". Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper (London): p.24. 13 February 1898.
  54. ^ "Gainsborough Trinity v. Small Heath". The Standard (London): p.2. 21 February 1898.
  55. ^ a b "Other Matches". The Morning Post (London): p.2. 28 February 1898.
  56. ^ "Woolwich Arsenal v. Small Heath". The Standard (London): p.10. 7 March 1898.
  57. The Penny Illustrated Paper and Illustrated Times
    (London): p.170. 12 March 1898.
  58. ^ 'Retlaw' (11 March 1898). "Football Arrows". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.6.
  59. ^ "Small Heath v. Grimsby Town". The Standard (London): p.6. 14 March 1898.
  60. ^ a b "Aston Villa v. Small Heath". The Standard (London): p.10. 21 March 1898.
  61. ^ "No title". The Owl (Birmingham): p.11. 25 March 1898.
  62. ^ "Leicester Fosse v. Small Heath". The Standard (London): p.2. 28 March 1898.
  63. ^ "Luton v. Small Heath". The Standard (London): p.8. 4 April 1898.
  64. ^ "Newton Heath v. Small Heath". Manchester Guardian: p.3. 11 April 1898.
  65. ^ "Manchester City v. Small Heath". Manchester Guardian: p.7. 12 April 1898.
  66. ^ "Small Heath v. Newcastle United". The Morning Post (London): p.3. 13 April 1898.
  67. ^ "League. Division II". The Bristol Mercury: p.3. 18 April 1898.
  68. ^ "Small Heath v. Lincoln City". The Standard (London): p.3. 18 April 1898.
  69. ^ "Small Heath v. Woolwich Arsenal". The Standard (London): p.3. 25 April 1898.
  70. ^ Matthews (2010), Complete Record, pp.234–39.
  71. ^ Division 2 1897/98. Footballsite.co.uk. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
    "The Football League". The Standard (London): p.2. 21 May 1898.
  72. ^ "English Cup. Exempted Clubs". Leicester Chronicle: p.6. 6 August 1898.
  73. ^ "Football". The Dundee Courier & Argus: p.6. 13 July 1898.
  74. ^ "Athletics". The Bristol Mercury and Daily Post: p.3. 29 August 1898.
  75. ^ 'Spider' (26 August 1898). "Football Arrows". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.11.
  76. ^ "Prospects of the Football Season". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.5. 19 August 1898.
    Matthews (1995), Complete Record, p.109.
  77. ^ "Association Matches". The Morning Post (London): p.5. 19 April 1898.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1897–98_Small_Heath_F.C._season&oldid=1166626325"