Showing posts with label Burton Swifts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Burton Swifts. Show all posts

15.2.14

Gone but not forgotten- Burton Swifts, Burton Wanderers and Burton United




3 for the price of 1 here...3 clubs from Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire. The town had Football League representatuon from 1892-1907.
First column is League position, the second FA Cup progress.



Burton Swifts

1892-93
Div.2 - 6
R1
1893-94
Div.2 - 6
2QR
Burton Wanderers

1894-95
Div.2 - 11
3QR
Div.2 -7
R1
1895-96
Div.2 - 11
R1
Div.2 - 4
R1
1896-97
Div.2 - 14
R1
Div.2 - 15
R1
1897-98
Div.2 - 13
3QR

1898-99
Div.2 - 13
5QR
1899-1900
Div.2 - 15
4QR
1900-01
Div.2 – 18
5QR

Burton United
1901-02

Div.2 - 10
4QR 
1902-03
Div.2 - 13
Int
1903-04
Div.2 - 14
Int
1904-05
Div.2 - 17
3QR
1905-06
Div.2 - 19
R1
1906-07
Div.2 - 20
R1

Swifts formed 1871, joined League in 1892.
Wanderers formed 1871,  joined League in 1894.
Wanderers rejoined the Midland League when they failed to get reelected to the League (1897). 
Swifts and Wanderers merged in 1901 to form United. 
United  Folded 1910.
It's worth looking at Historical Football Kits to see what an array of different strips the Swifts and Burton United wore!




                                    Bolton Wanderers vs Burton United  Burnden Park 1904-5






















United 1906-07




5.7.13

Goalkeeper turned goalscorer...

Remarkably, given the free reign that goalkeepers potentially had under the earlier versions of the rules, there are not many instances of goalkeepers scoring goals in the 19th century. In fact, in the pre Football League era, the feat appears to have been unheard of. I have not been able to trace any instances. I get the impression that whereas the goalkeeper was free to use his hands anywhere in his own half, most keepers 'stayed at home' and got rid of the ball as soon as possible in the face of onrushing opponents intent on steamrollering them into the goal along with the ball. 
Football histories usually attribute the first goal scored by a goalkeeper to Manchester City's Charlie Williams. Williams scored for City at Roker Park on 14th April 1900 in a Second Division game that Sunderland won 3-1. Williams' effort is described as being either 'from a long clearance' or 'from a goal kick', beating no less a keeper than Doig. 
A look at the records shows that the feat had been achieved on at least 4 occasions before Williams struck.
The key to custodians getting on to the scoresheet seems to have been the introduction of the penalty kick, although even then it was 6 years before a keeper scored in the Football League.
Richard Gray of Second Division Burton Swifts scored from the penalty mark in a League match against Leicester Fosse on 27.11.97. Fosse won the match at Burton's Peel Croft ground, 3-2. 
Gray scored on the opening day of the following season (03.09.98) as the Swifts went down 6-2 at home  to Small Heath. The records do not show whether this (or any of his subsequent goals) was a penalty kick*.
That season Gray also scored in the FA Cup against the Leicestershire Senior League's Coalville Town on 15.10.98. Swifts won this home tie by 4-1, Gray opening the scoring. 
Gray's next goal came in a Division Two match against Loughborough on 07.01.99 that was drawn 1-1. All of his goals were scored at home.

*14.02.14- Addendum
I have now established from contemporary press reports that Gray's goals against Small Heath and Loughborough were also penalty kicks.