North Eastern Daily Gazette - May, 1894
FOOTBALL.
COMPLIMENTARY DINNER TO THE MIDDLESBROUGH CLUB’S PLAYERS.
Last night the Middlesbrough Club’s teams, officials, and some fifty friends
sat down to a sumptuous repast in the Gymnasium, Linthorpe, provided by Mr Alf. Mattison,
an old player. Mr Robt. Forrester, chairman of the directors, presided, and Mr Jno.
Watson occupied the vice-chair. THE CHAIRMAN, on the removal of the cloth, proposed
“Success to the Teams,” coupled with the names of Mr T. Bach and Mr J. Walsh. He
said the players had done well by themselves, by their club, and to the good old
jolliers who delighted in their successes. They had a splendid array of cups before
them that evening, won by their players honestly, fairly, and fearlessly. There was
the Northern League Cup, the Cleveland Senior Cup, and the Charity Cup, but the best
of the bunch was the Doncaster Cup. (Loud applause and laughter.) That cup (an old
leaden pot that was picked up at Doncaster when Middlesbrough beat the Doncaster
Rovers, a professional team) was the first cup won since their return to amateurism.
He was proud of the doings of the players, and hoped the season just passed would
not be the only splendidly successful one they would have. The toast was enthusiastically
honoured, and the Chairman then presented the following players with handsome gold
medals (supplied by A.G. Mascall, jeweller, Middlesbrough) for having won the Northern
League championship:-- Kitson, T.Bach, P.Bach, Pearson, Morren, Wynn, Frost, Lendess,
Dunkerley, Drury, Johnson, Byron, Mullen. -- In handing Capt. T. Bach his medal the
CHAIRMAN said when Tom saw it in after years he hoped it would bring back pleasurable
recollections of his connection with the Middlesbrough Club. -- Mr T.BACH, in response,
thanked the Chairman for the kind things he had said about his team. He was proud
to think the team he had had to captain had been a very good one, and that they had
been so successful as to win four cups. -- Mr J.WALSH, captain of the Vulcan Swifts
team, also replied, and intimated that although he did not intend to play again his
best wishes would be with the club. -- Other toasts followed. -- Messrs T.Johnson,
J.Gamble, W.Gamble, F.Watson, Jones, and J.Smiles contributed to the harmony of the
evening. MR Ted Hodson presided at the pianoforte in his usual efficient style.
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