MIDDLESBROUGH FOOTBALL CLUB

PAGES FROM HISTORY

PRE-LEAGUE FOOTBALL - [ENTERED DIVISION 2 1899]

1893-94

North Eastern Daily Gazette. End of December 1893.

LOCAL  CLUBS :  A  RETROSPECT.

    The first half of the football campaign of 1893-94 is now closed. The competition proper for the Association Cup does not open until rather later than usual - viz., January 27. Once started, however, little time will be lost, and the rounds will be decided on alternate Saturdays until the final is reached, which will be three weeks after the semi-finals - viz., March 31, on account of the intervention of the Easter holidays, which are unusually early. The Amateur Cup ties will be decided on the Saturdays not taken up by the Premier Cup competition. During the first half of last season Middlesbrough, represented by their professional team, engaged in 22 matches. Of these 8 only were won, and 14 lost. Their goal record stood 50 for, 46 against. This season, with an amateur team, they have fulfilled 19 engagements, won 14, drawn 1, and lost 4, a remarkable contrast from last season’s work. A total of 64 goals has been scored with only 32 against, or 2 to 1 in favour of the club. It is true that the “gates” have not been so large as last season, but they are gradually improving, and the directors of the club have the gratification of knowing that they are not honourably paying their way, but that they are doing more, they are slowly but surely reducing the burden of debt entailed owing to the temporary adoption of professionalism. The club is fast regaining that prestige which it had for a time lost, and it is firmly believed that by the end of the season the directors will have a very cheerful state of things to show for their year’s labours. The players who have done duty for the club during the past four months are also deserving of congratulations at the success they have attained. The Vulcan Swifts have done yeoman service in achieving this success, and to them also is every credit due.

 

North Eastern Daily Gazette.

FOOTBALL.

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A SEASON’S  WORK  BY  THE  MIDDLESBROUGH  CLUB.

    The season just closed has been a most successful one so far as the Middlesbrough Club is concerned. The decision to return to amateurism has proved to have been correct, and the greatest satisfaction has been given to those in authority to see that the club has been so loyally supported. The premier team have fulfilled no fewer than 43 engagements, of which 29 have been won, as against 10 lost, while 4 were drawn. It will thus be seen that the wins over losses have been almost as 3 to 1. A total of 146 goals have been scored with 71 against, an average of over 2 to 1 in favour of the club. Out of a possible 86 points 62 have been gained. In addition to securing the Northern League Championship, the team gave further proof of its superiority over its local rivals by carrying off the Cleveland Association’s Senior Cup. The Cleveland Charity Cup also fell to them. Twenty-five matches were played at home as against 18 away. Nineteen of the home matches were won as against two lost, while the other four were drawn. In all a total of 97 goals were scored for and 29 against, an average of considerably over 3 to 1 in favour of the club. In the 19 games won 88 goals were scored as against 17, while in the games lost 3 goals were scored for and 6 against. These games were friendlies with Sunderland and Stockton. The drawn games were with Preston North End, Newcastle United, Darlington, and Whitby. Of the 18 games played away 10 were won and 8 lost; a total of 49 goals were scored for and 42 against. In the 10 games won 44 goals were scored with only 9 against, while in the 8 matches lost only 5 goals were scored for and 33 against. In the total of 29 matches no fewer than 132 goals were scored with only 26 against, an average of 5 to 1 in favour of the club. In the 10 games lost only 8 goals were scored with 39 against, or just over 4 to 1 against. Of the games lost away two were to professional teams viz., Royal Arsenal and Newton Heath. The second team, known as the Middlesbrough Vulcan Swifts, can also boast of a highly creditable record, they having figured in 36 matches, won 21, lost 10, and drawn 5.  They have over two wins to one in their favour, a fact they are well proud of. A total of 100 goals have been scored with 75 against. Out of a possible total of 72 points they have gained 47. The premier team lost 24 points during the season, and the Vulcan Swifts 25, not a wide difference. They failed to carry off the Cleveland Amateur Cup, but were only beaten in the final after a drawn game by Saltburn Swifts, a team which if kept together should make a big name for itself next season.

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Northern Review. December 9, 1893.

Bishop Auckland v Middlesbrough, Northern League.

 

    The secretary of the Bishop Auckland Football Club asks me to insert their “justification” for claiming two points in the Northern League at the expense of Middlesbrough, and although I do not, by any means, agree with his statements, it is only fair his club’s view of the matter should be given.

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3 Oxford Terrace, Bishop Auckland, Dec. 1st, 1893.       

    Sir,-- “In justice to us, I ask you to insert the following letter, thereby placing our justification before your readers for the course we took in the above named protest and on perusing the facts, I think all will agree that the course we took was the only course left open to us, and not taking a mean advantage of circumstances. Perhaps you do not know that, although I acquainted Mr. Borrie that the train Mr Douglas was coming by was always late, due here at 10 minutes to three, it never reaches Auckland before half-past three. I told Mr Borrie this and I suggested having another referee, but Mr. Borrie still stuck to having Mr. Douglas, and I agreed, what was the consequence, the train was later than usual, it being twenty-five minutes to four when Mr. Douglas arrived on the field and immediately stopped play (which had been started ten minutes before), and goes on the field himself and officiates to the end of the game. Now the captains agreed to play a friendly, in their ignorance of not knowing the league rules, which they were not empowered to do. If captains can go and upset league games and do as they please in the field, secretaries with all their dates full, will be in a peculiar position, in having to rearrange fixtures. Such actions of captains want putting a stop to or else what is the use of having league rules? The rules bearing on this subject are the latter parts of rules 10 and 11, which read as follows:-- No match shall be re-arranged or ground reversed without the sanction of the committee,” also “that in the event of the referee appointed not attending the match and the clubs agree to one on the ground, such referee shall be considered a league official for the time being. Now in the face of these rules what grounds have Middlesbrough for protesting at all, their secretary knew these rules, he knew also that the referee would be late, and I maintain that the decision of the league is a just one and the only decision they could come to. With these facts before you, you will see that we are perfectly justified in the course we took and I myself hope that the league, when again considering the question, will think it out properly and I feel sure that if they do so, that their original decision will stand. Thanking you in anticipation of insertion.

I remain, yours, etc.,

R.  P.  CROUGHTON, Secretary.

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    I have not the slightest doubt that this so-called justification will do no more to convince my readers that the Bishop Auckland Club did take an advantage which, perhaps, every other club in the district would have scorned. The referee’s train being, as a rule, late is outside the question. If the League appoints a referee, it should be one who will turn up at the time fixed, and, if he does not, the blame rests with the referee and the League. It is rough on the captains to kick at them because they agreed to play a “friendly” game. Not only is it rough upon them but altogether undeserved, because the agreement was made unanimously by all the players and committeemen of both clubs present at the match, and the acquiescence of the captains was simply formal. I am well acquainted with the rules quoted, but the point at issue is that the referee who acted was mutually agreed upon for a friendly and not the League fixture, and no amount of persuasion would have induced either club to accept a member of either of the clubs engaged for anything but a “friendly.”

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    Since Mr. Croughton penned his letter to me, the Northern League Committee has reconsidered its previous decision and confirmed it, I am sadly afraid altogether on a side issue, viz.: their noble selves, and not on the merits of the dispute. It was a case of appealing from Caesar to Caesar, the judges being practically the same. I thought the opportunity of reversing a wrong decision would have been grasped. Not so, however, and now the case must rest, but in its train will follow all kinds of trouble, the end of which it is difficult to see. The rules do not provide for an independent court of appeal, and it is hardly worth while taking the case to the Football Association.

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    Already the troubles have come. There is something uncanny when reporters are sworn to secrecy as to how the voting went. Luckily, I am free from the burden of the oath, and can freely comment and give the figures, which my friend “Rover” so reluctantly reserved. Again, I have the special power, only shared with W.T.Stead, of the Review of Reviews, and the daily paper, of commanding any number of “spooks” and other kinds of ghosts to divulge the secrets of football star chambers. The League meeting seemed to me to be a proper case for raising “Sarah Jane,” the result being as follows on the next par. It is not an easy method just at first, and I would not recommend “Rover” and the noble army of note manufacturers to forsake the paths safely followed by their predecessors.

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    And “Sarah Jane” spoke thusly, “I see a small room filled with tobacco smoke” (coughs hoarsely), “Around the table are seated the genial and judicially George Watson, of Stockton. The silver-voiced Walker bending over his briefs, representatives of St, Augustine’s, Whitby, North Skelton, South Bank, Darlington Clubs, all engaged in animated conversation, from which I gather a vote is about to be taken on a dispute affecting the Middlesbrough and Bishop Auckland Clubs, whose representatives are waiting in an adjoining room, South Bank is saying the Review man gets to know too much. Press representatives go down on their knees in fear of their lives, swearing to keep the secrets of the committee, or forfeit their lives. Committee draw lots who shall take the bleed if found necessary. Now the votes are taken, and the secretary reads out -- For the amendment to replay the League fixture, Darlington, North Skelton and Stockton, total 3, against Whitby, South Bank, St. Augustine’s, and the Secretary, total 4. There are no happy faces in the room. I am weary, let me go, master.” Slowly “Sarah Jane” vanishes into space.

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    The new journalism has a bright future before it, and with the medium “Sarah Jane” and numerous others in the employ of the Review. Stead and his Daily paper had better look spry. We mean to cut him out, seeing he has adopted our principle of 2 and 2 makes 4 without acknowledgement.

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    On the ground alone of it being impossible to play the League fixture, because of the darkness, the Middlesbrough claim should have been upheld. By the strict, screwed up reading of the rules, a bare majority carried the day, although everybody admits there were special circumstances, for which the Northern League and its referee were responsible, which practically prevented the rules being carried out. It was also shown, if the committee insisted upon the strict letter of the rule, the match could not be a League match, because it had been postponed from an earlier date, without the consent of the committee.

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    Amid all this stickling for the strict rule, and nothing else, the committee began to square round holes and round off square ones to make the decision arrived at not binding upon their deliberations if ever similar circumstances arose. That does take the cake. Rules were proposed, and resolutions passed whilst Middlesbrough and Bishop Auckland representatives were kept out of the room, although these two clubs represent one-fourth the League. The proceedings were highly illegal and the resolutions passed, perforce fall to the ground, being rushed through at a meeting to which an important section were not permitted to air an opinion.

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    It is now suggested to raise an enquiry on the deterioration of public interest in football and to raise it again. I don’t throw cold water on the decision as it will be of the greatest value to the notist in getting through his weekly trouble. But, seriously, has not the deterioration affected the quantity of spectators and not the quality! If so the downfall of professionalism and the desertion of the rowdy crew may be considered an unmixed blessing. I am sure that our football fields are morally better owing to the departure of hundreds of foul-mouthed blackguards who drove all the respectable self respecting spectators away.

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    It struck me as rather singular that not one of the daily newspapers gave the names of the players who represented Middlesbrough at Bishop Auckland last Saturday. Curiously, the old Middlesbrough players mentioned in the description of the game are those standards, Kitson and Wynn. In fact, the way the reports were built up led outsiders to obtain an impression that Bishop Auckland was no end of a clever team, and had beaten a representative Middlesbrough team easily. The team which represented Middlesbrough was composed of Kitson, Pritchard, Walsh, Wood, Wynn, Golding, Johnson, Davison, Mullen, Bowes and Stewart. The names in italics indicate reserve players. The absentees were -- Phil Bach, T.Morren, T.Bach, Frost, Drury, and the best players in the reserve were not included, as the Vulcan Swifts had an important engagement.

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    With such a team opposed to the best available in the Auckland Club, can it be any longer a matter for surprise that it came out of the contest defeated by 5 goals to 1? I think not, and can only add if the Aucklanders had given the youngsters less of their weight, the defeat would not have been so severe. As it was, the general play was more evenly distributed than the score indicates.

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    I do not see eye to eye with the directors of the Middlesbrough Club in sending away weak teams. Of course it was important the Vulcan Swifts should beat Port Clarence in order to make good their chance of heading the Tees-side League, but to weaken the premier team and bring about defeat, even in a friendly match, must be demoralising on the team and its season’s records when compiled.

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1893-94

V Bishop Auckland, Season retrospect