The Lancashire FA

In January 1879 the Lancashire FA selected its first representative team. North Wales were invited to play at Darwen.
In the 19th century North Wales equaled Wales in football terms. South Wales was still very much a Rugby loving area. Association football in Wales was concentrated in Denbighshire, Montgomreyshire, Flintshire, Wrexham and the borders of Shropshire.
This was  a time when northern players were only beginning to be rewarded with England caps - North Wales, however, had 10 internationals on show.
Hargreaves scored Lancashire's goal with a header from a Tootil corner. North Wales equalised when Heywood shot from 20 yards (a remarkable thing judging by the reporting) and Doctor Greenwood collided with the goalkeeper, allowing the ball 'to slowly roll between the posts' .
2000 spectators were present at Darwen Cricket Ground , where the pitch was snow covered.

Lancashire FA		1	1		North Wales
04.01.1879 Darwen Cricket Ground
W. Green	St Mark’s Blackburn	G		G. Glascodine **		Oswestry
F. Suter	Darwen	B		L.L. Kenrick (c) **		Oswestry
D. Greenwood*	Blackburn Rovers	B		H. Edwards **		Wrexham
C. Tootil	Turton	H		K. Crosse **		Druids
W.H Moorehouse	Darwen	H		T. Owen **		Oswestry
W.Y Hargreaves (c)	Bolton Wndrs  & Camb U	F		H. Sabine**		Oswestry
T. Bentley	Turton	F		J. H. Jones		Wrexham
T. Bury	Darwen	F		Digby Owen **		Oswestry
J.Yeates	Accrington	F		G. Savin **		Oswestry
R.J Gledhill	Darwen	F		W. Roberts **		Llangollen
R. Birtwhistle	Blackburn Rovers	F		Dennison Heywood **		Oswestry

·         England International

** Wales international

Llewelyn Kenrick in later life.

Knyvett Crosse

Doctor Greenwood- he was a member of a cotton manufacturing family (in 1881 the family company employed 280 workers). Doctor was his given name. He later won 2 England caps (he was 18 years old when this match was played). 

Sheffield v Glasgow: 1870s

The earliest expressions of cross-border football rivalry date from 1872, with Queen's Park playing Wanderers at the Oval. This of course was also the year that the officially recognised international matches between Scotland and England began. The next club match was not until  January 1875 when Queen's Park took on Notts County.


An important addition to this scheme of things came in the form of the Sheffield v Glasgow series of games, the first of which took place at Bramall Lane on March 14th 1874. The early matches at Sheffield were played under the Sheffield Rules (unification of the FA and Sheffield Rules occurred in  1877) and those in Glasgow under the rules of the Scottish Football Association.
Reading the local press of the day Sheffield clearly had a very vibrant football culture, with numerous matches and with some clubs fielding 3 XIs. The local newspapers were also keen to point out the distinction between  the Sheffield team we are looking at here (the representative side drawn from the whole of the Sheffield FA) and Sheffield FC (who played the 1866 match against the FA). 
 In using  newspaper archives in order to try and establish  the clubs from which the Sheffield team was drawn I found that some of the players appeared for different club sides from week to week . In some cases I was unable to establish club affiliation. 

1874

Sheffield 2 Glasgow 2
Yorkshire County Cricket Ground, Bramall Lane
14.03.74


Sheffield
W.H Carr (Owlerton/ Fir Vale) *
J Marsh (Wednesday)
W.H Stacey (Wednesday/Hallam)
J.C Clegg (Wednesday)*
J Houseley (Brightside)
H.E Dixon (Sheffield FC)
J.R.B Owen (Sheffield FC)*
R Gregory (Hallam/ Fir Vale )
J Hunter (Sheffield Heeley)*
T Buttery  (Exchange/Wednesday/ Brightside)
W Wilkinson (Fir Vale)
* England internationals. 


Glasgow
R Gardner (Clydesdale)*
J Taylor (Queen's Park)*
D Wotherspoon (Clydesdale)*
J.J Thompson (Queen's Park)*
C Campbell (Queen's Park)*
F Anderson(Clydesdale)*
J.B Weir (Queen's Park)*
W Mackinnon (Queen's Park)*
A  Mackinnon (Queen's Park)*
H McNeill (Queen's Park)*
J.H  Wilson (Clydesdale)
 * Scotland internationals. 

1875

Glasgow 2 Sheffield 0

Hamilton Crescent
27.02.75

The Sheffield Telegraph correspondent was a little apologetic at the inclusion of Mr Wylie as he was from Shropshire, therefore not a bona fide Sheffield man, although he played for a club affiliated to the Sheffield Association. Also the Sheffield team, being selected by election , was flawed in that 2 goalkeepers were selected and  the popular John Marsh excluded. Marsh eventually played in place of the absentee Owen

!0,000 were in attendance. 

Sheffield, it is recorded, hit the tape on a few occasions.  McLiesh scored glasgow's first after half an hour, his shot taking what sounds like a wicked deflection off Wilkinson- Miller added a second 5 mins from time.

The report includes an account of throngs of spectators lining the route as the Sheffield team returned home. 

Sheffield
E Bowling (Exchange/Wednesday)
J.C Clegg (Albion)*
W.E Clegg (Albion/Wednesday)
W.H Carr (Owlerton)
A Wood (Heeley)
J Hunter (Heeley)*
J.G Wylie (Wednesday)
W.H Stacey (Wednesday)
R Gregory (Hallam)
W Wilkinson (Fir Vale)
J Marsh (Wednesday)

Glasgow
R Gardner (Clydesdale)*
J McPherson (Clydesdale)*
J Wotherspoon (Clydesdale)
J Hunter (3rd Lanark Rifle Volunteers)*
W Miller (3rd Lanark Rifle Volunteers)*
D Reid (3rd Lanark Rifle Volunteers)
J.B Connell (Eastern)
A Kennedy (Eastern)*
P Andrews (Eastern)*
W.C Davidson (Western)
D McLiesh (Dumbarton)

1876

Sheffield 0 Glasgow 2

 Bramall Lane
19.02.76

Again Sheffield Rules were played .
The press quoted odds of 5-4 on for Glasgow before the game.

6000 were  at Bramall Lane in wet conditions. The Telegraph comments on the lithe and wiry physique of the Scots and on their showing fine concerted play in contrast to the individualistic approach of Sheffield. There is reference to the bar (instead of the tape), and ends were changed at 45 minutes rather than after a goal. Andrews opened the scoring in the 20th minute.  

Glasgow's second goal came when goalkeeper Carr tried to make a quick throw out but hit Andrews on the legs, the ball rebounding into the goal. 

The usually partisan Sheffield press admitted that their team was outplayed both 'in speed and tactics'. 

Sheffield 

W.H Carr (Owlerton)
J.C Clegg (Wednesday)*
W.E Clegg (Wednesday)
J Hunter (Heeley)*
R Gregory (Hallam)
W Mosforth (Albion)*
J Houseley
S Charles (Attercliffe)
G Anthony
J.G Wylie (Wednesday)
W Orton (Wednesday)

Glasgow
A McGeoch (Dumbreck)*
H McNeil (Queen's Park)*
J Hunter (3rd Lanark Rifle Volunteers)*
G.M Wilson (Clydesdale)
A Kennedy (Eastern)*
J Campbell (Rangers)
J Phillips (Queen's Park)*
J.J Lang (Clydesdale)*
M McNeil (Rangers)*
P Andrews (Eastern)*
W Mackinnon (Queen's Park)*

1877*

Glasgow 1 Sheffield 0
First Hampden
03.02.77

Sheffield  
W.H Carr
J Houseley
R Gregory
W.E Clegg (Wednesday)
J Hunter (Heeley)*
J.C Clegg (Wednesday)*
P Andrews**
G Anthony
A Ramsden
R Martin
W Mosforth (Albion) *

** Scottish international

R Gardner (Clydesdale)*
R Neill (Queen's Park)*
G.M Wilson (Clydesdale)
C Campbell Queen's Park
J Phillips (Queen's Park)*
J.B Weir (Queen's Park)*
J Richmond (Clydesdale)*
W Mackinnon (Queen's Park)*
J Hunter (3rd Lanark Rifle Volunteers)*
H McNeil (Queen's Park)*
T.C Highet (Queen's Park)*

It is recorded that Sheffield played a 2-2-6 fornation. The Scots were described as a wonderfully fast, hardy, astute and wiry team.
P Andrews had moved to Leeds and it was noted that Lang was surprisingly overlooked by Sheffield, having moved there (ostensibly to work in a cutlery factory, in fact he was paid to play for Wednesday).
Wilkinson sustained an injury whilst cutting the bread at breakfast on the day of the game
it was noted that glasgow practiced together weeks preperation.
The goal came in the 5th minute when Carr palmed a corner kick from Hunter into his own goal

*some sources record 2 matches played in Feb 1878- contemporary press reports record only 1. 

1878

Sheffield 2 Glasgow 4

Bramall Lane
09.02.78
att: 7000

The seriousness with which Glasgow approached this fixture is revealed in the fact that 60 players from 15 clubs took part in trials before the team was selected. 
Sheffield were now criticised by their own press for passing too much! A more direct style was urged.
 Glasgow's opener was possibly a phantom goal by one of the McNeil brothers. 
After 20 minutes Britten added a second after a long run and a flying kick .
Campbell scored Glasgow's third.
Cursham pulled one back with a header from a corner (off his occiput, the report says).
In the 2nd half Cursham narrowed the deficit further with a slick shot.
M Mcneill  completed the scoring, a header from a cross provided by his brother.

Sheffield
T Lawson
 J.C Clegg (Wednesday)*
W.E Clegg (Wednesday)
T.H Sorby
A.W Cursham*
W Mosforth (Albion)*
R Gregory (Hallam)
J Houseley (Exchange)
G.B Marples
J Tomlinson (Wednesday)
E Buttery (Wednesday)

Glasgow
J Wallace
T Vallance (Rangers)*
G.M Wilson
A Kennedy (3rd Lanark Rifle Volunteers)*
J Phillips (Queen's Park)*
A Hunter (3rd Lanark Rifle Volunteers)
M McNeil (Rangers)*
J.J Lang (3rd Lanark Rifle Volunteers)*
T.J Britten
P Campbell (Rangers)*
H McNeil (Queen's Park)*

1879

Glasgow 4 Sheffield 1*
First Hampden
15.02.79
 att:6000

Sheffield played in scarlet- Glasgow, as ever, in blue jerseys with white knickers.
The straight throw in rule was used.
Sheffield again played in a passing style that was noted to be unusual for English sides
A corner kick from Clegg knocked the crossbar off but no goal
On 25 minutes H Cursham headed in off the underside of the bar.
20 minutes after the break Richmond sent the leather flying between the timber for Glasgow's equaliser
15 mins from time Richmond's deflected shot put Glasgow 2-1 up. McNeil and Kerr finished Sheffield off in the closing stages.

Sheffield
H.N Moss (Sharrow Rangers)
T Buttery  (Exchange)
R Gregory (Hallam)
J Hunter (Heeley)
W.E Clegg (Albion)
A.W Cursham (Thursday Wanderers)
A Woodcock (Kimberworth)
H.A  Cursham (Thursday Wanderers)
TH Sorby(Thursday Wanderers)
J Tomlinson (Heeley)
W Mosforth (Albion)*

Glasgow

J Haddow (South Western)
T Vallance (Rangers)*
W.S Somers (3rd Lanark Rifle Volunteers)*
H McIntyre (Rangers)*
J McKenzie (3rd Lanark Rifle Volunteers)
William Dunlop (Rangers)
James Miller  (South Western)
W Docherty (Parkgrove)
J.T Richmond (Queen's Park)*
George Kerr (Queen's Park)*
Harry McNeil (Queen's Park)*

* some sources give 4-0, contemporary press reports 4-1. 

London v Sheffield 1866

The Kentish Chronicle 14.04.66

The Football Association was concerned primarily with the unification of the codes of football and the promotion of their own rules. This agenda is illustrated by the exchanges with the Sheffield Football Club during the 1860s. Sheffield, as we have seen, had their own established set of rules but would compromise in order to play other clubs. In 1866 Mr Chesterman, Secretary of Sheffield FC,  wrote to the FA requesting a game against one of the clubs affiliated to the Association. The FA interpreted this as a challenge to an FA Selection and therefore the match played on  31st March 1866 at Battersea Park was the first FA representative match. 

The FA XI (aka London) was drawn from 4 clubs:

A. Pember (N.N.'s)
 The first president of the Football Association (1863-1867)

Kinnaird  (Wanderers)
(Lord)  Kinnaird went on to play in 9 FA Cup Finals (plus two replays), and was on the winning side 5 times.In 1873 he represented Scotland against England and was president og the FA (1890-1923).

C. W. Alcock  (Wanderers) 

E.D. Elphinstone (Civil Service)

D.M O'Leary (Barnes)

J. A. Barnes (Barnes)- (in some sources J.K Barnes)

A.J. Baker (N.N.'s) 

-Tebbut (N.N.'s)

E.C Morley (Barnes)
The Football Association's first secretary and second President.

-Martin (Wanderers) 

R. W. Willis (Barnes)
  He was the second Secretary of the FA1866–1868, the man who accepted the challenge


London won by 2 goals and four touchdowns  to nil. Sheffield FC invited the Football Association to a return match in Sheffield, to be played under the Sheffield Rules.
The FA however, in keeping with their object of unifying the codes, would only entertain playing under Association rules, and it was 5 years before another representative match took place.