1895–96 Southampton St. Mary's F.C. season
Encyclopedia
The 1895–96 season was the eleventh since the foundation of Southampton St. Mary's F.C. and their second in league football, as members of the Southern League
. They finished the league season in third place behind the previous season's champions, Millwall Athletic, and Luton Town
. In the FA Cup they reached the First Round Proper for the second consecutive season, where they were defeated by Sheffield Wednesday
, of the Football League
.
had been appointed secretary to Southampton St Mary's Football Club
, then playing in the Southern League
. As secretary, he was responsible for signing new players and agreeing player contracts as well as being involved in team selection – the day to day coaching and training of the players was in the hands of the trainer.
One of Robson's first acts as secretary was to accompany Alfred McMinn
, one of the club committee, on a trip to the Potteries to recruit players. McMinn was a native of Staffordshire and was "most persuasive on his home turf". On this trip, Robson and McMinn signed six players: Jack Farrell
, Samuel Meston
and Willie Naughton
from Stoke, Watty Keay
from Derby County
, Joe Turner
from Dresden United
and Alf Wood from Burslem Port Vale
, as well as recruiting Stoke's long-serving trainer, Bill Dawson. The Saints committee were anxious to secure their services and signed then before the Football League
season was over. Port Vale and Stoke lodged a complaint with the Football Association about "poaching", and an emergency FA meeting was held at Sheffield
, resulting in the Saints being severely censured for negligence. St Mary's were ordered to pay their own costs, plus £4 6s 3d to Stoke and £1 13s to Port Vale. McMinn was suspended for a year and Dawson for a month. Wood's registration with St Mary's was cancelled (shortly afterwards he moved to Stoke).
A proposal was put forward that the name of the club should be amended from Southampton St. Mary's to plain Southampton F.C. – this was rejected on the grounds that the club could no longer be called "The Saints" if the official name was changed. One change that was approved was that the team jerseys should be red and white halves rather than red and white quarters.
The 1895–96 season
was the Saints' second in the Southern League, having finished third in the inaugural season
. The team started the season badly, losing four of the first five matches, all of which were away from home. The poor start to the season was blamed on the inability of the new players to settle in the area. Eventually, under trainer Dawson's guidance, the team's form improved and there were only two further league defeats; after mid-December, the team suffered only one defeat and kept eight "clean sheets", despite first-choice goalkeeper Tom Cain
missing several matches through injury. At the end of the season, they finished third behind Millwall Athletic and Luton Town
, with the top three positions identical to the previous year.
Top scorer in the league was Jack Farrell
with ten goals from his 17 appearances. The highlight of the league season was the visit of Millwall on 21 March 1896 when a crowd of 8,000 saw the Saints defeat the reigning champions 2–0, with goals from Charles Baker
and Joe Turner
.
In addition to the Southern League and FA Cup matches, the club played nearly 30 friendly matches, including a 9–0 victory over the Dublin Fusiliers and a 13–0 victory over the City Ramblers, in both of which Jack Farrell
scored five goals. There were also victories over Dundee
and Tottenham Hotspur
.
At the end of the season, the Saints had to vacate the Antelope Ground, which had been sold for re-development, and moved to the County Ground
, partly through the connections of the club's president, Robson's former Hampshire strike partner, Dr. H. W. R. Bencraft
, who was also Hon. Secretary to the cricket club
.
Played = Matches played; Won = Matches won; Drawn = Matches drawn; Lost = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Points = Points scored
1 Teams tied on points were separated by use of goal average.
2 The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for a defeat.
, an away victory over local rivals Freemantle
in the First Qualifying Round was followed by comfortable home victories over Marlow
(5–0), Reading
(3–0) and Uxbridge
(3–0). In the First Round proper, the Saints received a home draw against opposition from the Football League First Division
for the second consecutive year, this time against The Wednesday. Saints' trainer, Bill Dawson, spent the week leading up to Wednesday's visit with extra training for the players, taking them through their paces on Shawford Down.
For the match, played at the Antelope Ground
on 1 February 1896, the crowd was estimated at 12,000, by far the largest yet recorded for a football match in Southampton. The Saints had to play their third-choice goalkeeper, Walter Cox
as Tom Cain was injured, and the Royal Artillery refused to allow on-loan 'keeper "Gunner" Reilly
to play. The Saints took an early lead, through Watty Keay
, before two goals from Alec Brady
gave Wednesday the half-time lead. Wednesday increased their lead shortly after the break, and although Joe Turner
got one back, the Saints were unable to score an equalizer. Wednesday ran out 3–2 winners and went on to win the Cup the following April.
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
. They finished the league season in third place behind the previous season's champions, Millwall Athletic, and Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
. In the FA Cup they reached the First Round Proper for the second consecutive season, where they were defeated by Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
, of the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
.
Pre-season
In the spring of 1895, Charles RobsonCharles Robson
Charles Robson was an English cricketer, who played as a wicket-keeper for Middlesex between 1881 and 1883, and for Hampshire from 1891 to 1906, for whom he served as captain for three years from 1900 to 1902....
had been appointed secretary to Southampton St Mary's Football Club
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
, then playing in the Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
. As secretary, he was responsible for signing new players and agreeing player contracts as well as being involved in team selection – the day to day coaching and training of the players was in the hands of the trainer.
One of Robson's first acts as secretary was to accompany Alfred McMinn
Alfred McMinn
Alfred McMinn, was an English manager for Southampton F.C. from August 1896 to May 1897.-References:...
, one of the club committee, on a trip to the Potteries to recruit players. McMinn was a native of Staffordshire and was "most persuasive on his home turf". On this trip, Robson and McMinn signed six players: Jack Farrell
Jack Farrell (footballer)
John "Jack" Farrell was an English professional footballer who played as a forward. Farrell played in the Football League for Stoke and New Brighton Tower and played a major part in Southern league club Southampton's major cup runs at the turn of the 20th Century.-Early career:Farrell was born in...
, Samuel Meston
Samuel Meston
Samuel Meston was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a half-back for Stoke and Southampton. Whilst with Southampton, he appeared in two FA Cup Finals and won six Southern League championship medals and was the only player ever to do so.-Playing career:Meston was born in Arbroath and...
and Willie Naughton
Willie Naughton
William A. "Willie" Naughton was a Scottish professional footballer, who played as an outside-forward for various clubs in Scotland and England in the 1880s and 1890s, including Celtic, Stoke and Southampton...
from Stoke, Watty Keay
Watty Keay
Walter "Watty" Keay was a Scottish professional footballer who played as an inside forward for various clubs, including Partick Thistle in Scotland and Derby County and Southampton in England...
from Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
, Joe Turner
Joe Turner (footballer)
Joseph Turner was a professional footballer who played in the 1902 FA Cup final for Southampton. Southampton were a Southern League club at the time, and their feat was all the more remarkable in that they had already been losing finalists two years earlier...
from Dresden United
Dresden United F.C.
Dresden United Football Club were a football club based in the Dresden area of Stoke-on-Trent who were active at the end of the nineteenth century....
and Alf Wood from Burslem Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
, as well as recruiting Stoke's long-serving trainer, Bill Dawson. The Saints committee were anxious to secure their services and signed then before the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
season was over. Port Vale and Stoke lodged a complaint with the Football Association about "poaching", and an emergency FA meeting was held at Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, resulting in the Saints being severely censured for negligence. St Mary's were ordered to pay their own costs, plus £4 6s 3d to Stoke and £1 13s to Port Vale. McMinn was suspended for a year and Dawson for a month. Wood's registration with St Mary's was cancelled (shortly afterwards he moved to Stoke).
A proposal was put forward that the name of the club should be amended from Southampton St. Mary's to plain Southampton F.C. – this was rejected on the grounds that the club could no longer be called "The Saints" if the official name was changed. One change that was approved was that the team jerseys should be red and white halves rather than red and white quarters.
League season
Southern Football League 1895-96
The 1895-96 season was the second in the history of the Southern League. Millwall Athletic won Division One for the second successive season.-Division One:...
was the Saints' second in the Southern League, having finished third in the inaugural season
Southern Football League 1894-95
The 1894-95 season was the first in the history of the Southern League. Sixteen clubs joined the new league, which was split into two divisions...
. The team started the season badly, losing four of the first five matches, all of which were away from home. The poor start to the season was blamed on the inability of the new players to settle in the area. Eventually, under trainer Dawson's guidance, the team's form improved and there were only two further league defeats; after mid-December, the team suffered only one defeat and kept eight "clean sheets", despite first-choice goalkeeper Tom Cain
Tom Cain
Thomas "Tom" Cain was an English footballer who played as goalkeeper for Stoke, Everton and Southampton St. Mary's in the 1890s.-Football career:...
missing several matches through injury. At the end of the season, they finished third behind Millwall Athletic and Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
, with the top three positions identical to the previous year.
Top scorer in the league was Jack Farrell
Jack Farrell (footballer)
John "Jack" Farrell was an English professional footballer who played as a forward. Farrell played in the Football League for Stoke and New Brighton Tower and played a major part in Southern league club Southampton's major cup runs at the turn of the 20th Century.-Early career:Farrell was born in...
with ten goals from his 17 appearances. The highlight of the league season was the visit of Millwall on 21 March 1896 when a crowd of 8,000 saw the Saints defeat the reigning champions 2–0, with goals from Charles Baker
Charles Baker (footballer)
Charles Baker was an English professional footballer who played as an inside forward in Southampton's inaugural season in the Southern League.-Playing career:...
and Joe Turner
Joe Turner (footballer)
Joseph Turner was a professional footballer who played in the 1902 FA Cup final for Southampton. Southampton were a Southern League club at the time, and their feat was all the more remarkable in that they had already been losing finalists two years earlier...
.
In addition to the Southern League and FA Cup matches, the club played nearly 30 friendly matches, including a 9–0 victory over the Dublin Fusiliers and a 13–0 victory over the City Ramblers, in both of which Jack Farrell
Jack Farrell (footballer)
John "Jack" Farrell was an English professional footballer who played as a forward. Farrell played in the Football League for Stoke and New Brighton Tower and played a major part in Southern league club Southampton's major cup runs at the turn of the 20th Century.-Early career:Farrell was born in...
scored five goals. There were also victories over Dundee
Dundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
and Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
.
At the end of the season, the Saints had to vacate the Antelope Ground, which had been sold for re-development, and moved to the County Ground
County Ground, Southampton
The County Ground in Southampton, England was a former cricket and football ground. It was the home of Hampshire County Cricket Club from the 1885 English cricket season until the 2000 English cricket season...
, partly through the connections of the club's president, Robson's former Hampshire strike partner, Dr. H. W. R. Bencraft
Russell Bencraft
Sir Henry William Russell Bencraft CBE MRCS, LRCP was an English cricketer, cricket administrator and medical practitioner. He was born at Southampton, Hampshire.-Hampshire County Cricket Club:...
, who was also Hon. Secretary to the cricket club
Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
.
League results
| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A |
Scorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 September 1895 | Millwall Athletic | A | 0 – 1 | |
| 21 September 1895 | Chatham | A | 1 – 3 | Naughton Willie Naughton William A. "Willie" Naughton was a Scottish professional footballer, who played as an outside-forward for various clubs in Scotland and England in the 1880s and 1890s, including Celtic, Stoke and Southampton... |
| 28 September 1895 | Reading Reading F.C. Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship... |
A | 2 – 3 | Naughton Willie Naughton William A. "Willie" Naughton was a Scottish professional footballer, who played as an outside-forward for various clubs in Scotland and England in the 1880s and 1890s, including Celtic, Stoke and Southampton... , Turner Joe Turner (footballer) Joseph Turner was a professional footballer who played in the 1902 FA Cup final for Southampton. Southampton were a Southern League club at the time, and their feat was all the more remarkable in that they had already been losing finalists two years earlier... |
| 5 October 1895 | Royal Ordnance | A | 2 – 1 | Farrell Jack Farrell (footballer) John "Jack" Farrell was an English professional footballer who played as a forward. Farrell played in the Football League for Stoke and New Brighton Tower and played a major part in Southern league club Southampton's major cup runs at the turn of the 20th Century.-Early career:Farrell was born in... (2) |
| 19 October 1895 | Clapton Clapton F.C. Clapton F.C. is an English association football club, who play in Forest Gate, in the London Borough of Newham, England.Founded by W.R. Davis at a meeting in his father's house at 11 Queensdown Road, Clapton in August 0f 1877. Downs F.C. started playing on Hackney Downs. They changed their name a... |
A | 3 – 7 | Angus Jack Angus John William Angus was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a forward in Southampton's inaugural season in the Southern League.-Football career:... , Baker Charles Baker (footballer) Charles Baker was an English professional footballer who played as an inside forward in Southampton's inaugural season in the Southern League.-Playing career:... , Farrell Jack Farrell (footballer) John "Jack" Farrell was an English professional footballer who played as a forward. Farrell played in the Football League for Stoke and New Brighton Tower and played a major part in Southern league club Southampton's major cup runs at the turn of the 20th Century.-Early career:Farrell was born in... |
| 26 October 1895 | Luton Town Luton Town F.C. Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was... |
H | 2 – 1 | Naughton Willie Naughton William A. "Willie" Naughton was a Scottish professional footballer, who played as an outside-forward for various clubs in Scotland and England in the 1880s and 1890s, including Celtic, Stoke and Southampton... , Turner Joe Turner (footballer) Joseph Turner was a professional footballer who played in the 1902 FA Cup final for Southampton. Southampton were a Southern League club at the time, and their feat was all the more remarkable in that they had already been losing finalists two years earlier... |
| 16 November 1895 | Ilford Ilford F.C. Ilford F.C. is a London football club based in Ilford, in Greater London founded in 1987.There was an earlier famous non-league club of the same name, founded in 1881. In 1979, it merged with Leytonstone to... |
A | 1 – 0 | Rogers Joe Rogers (footballer born 1874) Joseph James Rogers was an English professional footballer who played either as a forward or full back for Southampton, Grimsby Town and Newcastle United.-Football career:... |
| 30 November 1895 | New Brompton | A | 0 – 1 | |
| 7 December 1895 | Swindon Town Swindon Town F.C. Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011... |
H | 4 – 2 | Littlehales Alf Littlehales Alfred "Alf" Littlehales was an English professional footballer who played at centre-half for Southampton in the 1890s.-Football career:... , Naughton Willie Naughton William A. "Willie" Naughton was a Scottish professional footballer, who played as an outside-forward for various clubs in Scotland and England in the 1880s and 1890s, including Celtic, Stoke and Southampton... , Taylor Ernie Taylor (footballer born 1869) Ernest James "Ernie" Taylor was an English amateur footballer who played for Southampton in the club's first two years in the Southern League.-Football career:... , Turner Joe Turner (footballer) Joseph Turner was a professional footballer who played in the 1902 FA Cup final for Southampton. Southampton were a Southern League club at the time, and their feat was all the more remarkable in that they had already been losing finalists two years earlier... |
| 21 December 1895 | Reading Reading F.C. Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship... |
H | 5 – 0 | Keay Watty Keay Walter "Watty" Keay was a Scottish professional footballer who played as an inside forward for various clubs, including Partick Thistle in Scotland and Derby County and Southampton in England... (3), Farrell Jack Farrell (footballer) John "Jack" Farrell was an English professional footballer who played as a forward. Farrell played in the Football League for Stoke and New Brighton Tower and played a major part in Southern league club Southampton's major cup runs at the turn of the 20th Century.-Early career:Farrell was born in... , Littlehales Alf Littlehales Alfred "Alf" Littlehales was an English professional footballer who played at centre-half for Southampton in the 1890s.-Football career:... |
| 18 January 1896 | Chatham Town Chatham Town F.C. Chatham Town are an English Association Football club based in Chatham, Kent. They currently play in Division One North of the Isthmian League and are nicknamed "The Chats".... |
H | 4 – 0 | Farrell Jack Farrell (footballer) John "Jack" Farrell was an English professional footballer who played as a forward. Farrell played in the Football League for Stoke and New Brighton Tower and played a major part in Southern league club Southampton's major cup runs at the turn of the 20th Century.-Early career:Farrell was born in... (2), Naughton Willie Naughton William A. "Willie" Naughton was a Scottish professional footballer, who played as an outside-forward for various clubs in Scotland and England in the 1880s and 1890s, including Celtic, Stoke and Southampton... (2) |
| 25 January 1896 | Royal Ordnance | H | 5 – 0 | Baker Charles Baker (footballer) Charles Baker was an English professional footballer who played as an inside forward in Southampton's inaugural season in the Southern League.-Playing career:... , Keay Watty Keay Walter "Watty" Keay was a Scottish professional footballer who played as an inside forward for various clubs, including Partick Thistle in Scotland and Derby County and Southampton in England... , Littlehales Alf Littlehales Alfred "Alf" Littlehales was an English professional footballer who played at centre-half for Southampton in the 1890s.-Football career:... , Naughton Willie Naughton William A. "Willie" Naughton was a Scottish professional footballer, who played as an outside-forward for various clubs in Scotland and England in the 1880s and 1890s, including Celtic, Stoke and Southampton... , Turner Joe Turner (footballer) Joseph Turner was a professional footballer who played in the 1902 FA Cup final for Southampton. Southampton were a Southern League club at the time, and their feat was all the more remarkable in that they had already been losing finalists two years earlier... |
| 15 February 1896 | Swindon Town Swindon Town F.C. Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011... |
A | 2 – 0 | Baker Charles Baker (footballer) Charles Baker was an English professional footballer who played as an inside forward in Southampton's inaugural season in the Southern League.-Playing career:... , Littlehales Alf Littlehales Alfred "Alf" Littlehales was an English professional footballer who played at centre-half for Southampton in the 1890s.-Football career:... |
| 7 March 1896 | Luton Town Luton Town F.C. Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was... |
A | 0 – 3 | |
| 21 March 1896 | Millwall Athletic | H | 2 – 0 | Baker Charles Baker (footballer) Charles Baker was an English professional footballer who played as an inside forward in Southampton's inaugural season in the Southern League.-Playing career:... , Turner Joe Turner (footballer) Joseph Turner was a professional footballer who played in the 1902 FA Cup final for Southampton. Southampton were a Southern League club at the time, and their feat was all the more remarkable in that they had already been losing finalists two years earlier... |
| 28 March 1896 | New Brompton | H | 5 – 0 | Hodgkinson John Hodgkinson (footballer) John Hodgkinson was an English professional footballer who played at half-back for Southampton and New Brompton in the 1890s.-Football career:... (2), Baker Charles Baker (footballer) Charles Baker was an English professional footballer who played as an inside forward in Southampton's inaugural season in the Southern League.-Playing career:... , Farrell Jack Farrell (footballer) John "Jack" Farrell was an English professional footballer who played as a forward. Farrell played in the Football League for Stoke and New Brighton Tower and played a major part in Southern league club Southampton's major cup runs at the turn of the 20th Century.-Early career:Farrell was born in... , Naughton Willie Naughton William A. "Willie" Naughton was a Scottish professional footballer, who played as an outside-forward for various clubs in Scotland and England in the 1880s and 1890s, including Celtic, Stoke and Southampton... |
| 3 April 1896 | Clapton Clapton F.C. Clapton F.C. is an English association football club, who play in Forest Gate, in the London Borough of Newham, England.Founded by W.R. Davis at a meeting in his father's house at 11 Queensdown Road, Clapton in August 0f 1877. Downs F.C. started playing on Hackney Downs. They changed their name a... |
H | 2 – 0 | Farrell Jack Farrell (footballer) John "Jack" Farrell was an English professional footballer who played as a forward. Farrell played in the Football League for Stoke and New Brighton Tower and played a major part in Southern league club Southampton's major cup runs at the turn of the 20th Century.-Early career:Farrell was born in... , Keay Watty Keay Walter "Watty" Keay was a Scottish professional footballer who played as an inside forward for various clubs, including Partick Thistle in Scotland and Derby County and Southampton in England... |
| 4 April 1896 | Ilford Ilford F.C. Ilford F.C. is a London football club based in Ilford, in Greater London founded in 1987.There was an earlier famous non-league club of the same name, founded in 1881. In 1979, it merged with Leytonstone to... |
H | 4 – 0 | Farrell Jack Farrell (footballer) John "Jack" Farrell was an English professional footballer who played as a forward. Farrell played in the Football League for Stoke and New Brighton Tower and played a major part in Southern league club Southampton's major cup runs at the turn of the 20th Century.-Early career:Farrell was born in... (2), Keay Watty Keay Walter "Watty" Keay was a Scottish professional footballer who played as an inside forward for various clubs, including Partick Thistle in Scotland and Derby County and Southampton in England... , Turner Joe Turner (footballer) Joseph Turner was a professional footballer who played in the 1902 FA Cup final for Southampton. Southampton were a Southern League club at the time, and their feat was all the more remarkable in that they had already been losing finalists two years earlier... |
Legend
| Win | Draw | Loss |
Top of league table
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against | GA1 | Points 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Millwall Athletic | 18 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 75 | 16 | 4.69 | 33 |
| 2 | Luton Town | 18 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 68 | 14 | 4.86 | 27 |
| 3 | Southampton St Mary's | 18 | 12 | 0 | 6 | 44 | 23 | 1.91 | 24 |
| 4 | Reading | 18 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 45 | 38 | 1.18 | 23 |
Played = Matches played; Won = Matches won; Drawn = Matches drawn; Lost = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Points = Points scored
1 Teams tied on points were separated by use of goal average.
2 The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for a defeat.
FA Cup
In the FA CupFA Cup 1895–96
The 1895–1896 FA Cup was the 25th season of the world's oldest association football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup . The cup was won by The Wednesday, who defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–1 in the final of the competition, played at Crystal Palace in London...
, an away victory over local rivals Freemantle
Freemantle F.C.
Freemantle Football Club were a football club based in the Freemantle area of Southampton who were active at the end of the nineteenth century. During their brief heyday, they were rivals to Southampton Football Club...
in the First Qualifying Round was followed by comfortable home victories over Marlow
Marlow F.C.
Marlow F.C. is an English football club based in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. The club are currently members of Division One Central of the Southern League and play at the Alfred Davis Memorial Ground...
(5–0), Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
(3–0) and Uxbridge
Uxbridge F.C.
Uxbridge Football Club are a football club representing Uxbridge but now based in West Drayton, in the County of Middlesex England. They were established in 1871 and are one of the oldest clubs in the South of England. They were founder members of the Southern League Division Two in 1894 and have...
(3–0). In the First Round proper, the Saints received a home draw against opposition from the Football League First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
for the second consecutive year, this time against The Wednesday. Saints' trainer, Bill Dawson, spent the week leading up to Wednesday's visit with extra training for the players, taking them through their paces on Shawford Down.
For the match, played at the Antelope Ground
Antelope Ground
The Antelope Ground, Southampton was a sports ground that was the first home of both Hampshire County Cricket Club, who played there prior to 1884, and of Southampton Football Club, who played there from 1887 to 1896 as "Southampton St...
on 1 February 1896, the crowd was estimated at 12,000, by far the largest yet recorded for a football match in Southampton. The Saints had to play their third-choice goalkeeper, Walter Cox
Walter Cox (footballer)
Walter Cox was an English footballer who played as a goalkeeper for various clubs around the turn of the 20th century.-Football career:Cox was born in Southampton and started playing for the newly formed Southampton St Mary's club in 1892 as an outfield player...
as Tom Cain was injured, and the Royal Artillery refused to allow on-loan 'keeper "Gunner" Reilly
Matt Reilly (footballer)
Matthew Michael "Matt" Reilly was an Irish international goalkeeper who played most of his career with Portsmouth in the Southern League. He also had spells with Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur in the Southern League, with Notts County in the Football League, with Dundee in the Scottish Football...
to play. The Saints took an early lead, through Watty Keay
Watty Keay
Walter "Watty" Keay was a Scottish professional footballer who played as an inside forward for various clubs, including Partick Thistle in Scotland and Derby County and Southampton in England...
, before two goals from Alec Brady
Alec Brady
Alexander "Alec" Brady was a Scottish professional footballer who played as an inside forward. He was a part of the Wednesday side that won the FA Cup in 1896.-References:...
gave Wednesday the half-time lead. Wednesday increased their lead shortly after the break, and although Joe Turner
Joe Turner (footballer)
Joseph Turner was a professional footballer who played in the 1902 FA Cup final for Southampton. Southampton were a Southern League club at the time, and their feat was all the more remarkable in that they had already been losing finalists two years earlier...
got one back, the Saints were unable to score an equalizer. Wednesday ran out 3–2 winners and went on to win the Cup the following April.
| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 October 1895 | 1st Qualifying Round | Freemantle Freemantle F.C. Freemantle Football Club were a football club based in the Freemantle area of Southampton who were active at the end of the nineteenth century. During their brief heyday, they were rivals to Southampton Football Club... |
A | 5 – 1 | Farrell Jack Farrell (footballer) John "Jack" Farrell was an English professional footballer who played as a forward. Farrell played in the Football League for Stoke and New Brighton Tower and played a major part in Southern league club Southampton's major cup runs at the turn of the 20th Century.-Early career:Farrell was born in... (2), Littlehales Alf Littlehales Alfred "Alf" Littlehales was an English professional footballer who played at centre-half for Southampton in the 1890s.-Football career:... , Naughton Willie Naughton William A. "Willie" Naughton was a Scottish professional footballer, who played as an outside-forward for various clubs in Scotland and England in the 1880s and 1890s, including Celtic, Stoke and Southampton... , Turner Joe Turner (footballer) Joseph Turner was a professional footballer who played in the 1902 FA Cup final for Southampton. Southampton were a Southern League club at the time, and their feat was all the more remarkable in that they had already been losing finalists two years earlier... |
5,354 |
| 2 November 1895 | 2nd Qualifying Round | Marlow Marlow F.C. Marlow F.C. is an English football club based in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. The club are currently members of Division One Central of the Southern League and play at the Alfred Davis Memorial Ground... |
H Antelope Ground The Antelope Ground, Southampton was a sports ground that was the first home of both Hampshire County Cricket Club, who played there prior to 1884, and of Southampton Football Club, who played there from 1887 to 1896 as "Southampton St... |
5 – 0 | Turner Joe Turner (footballer) Joseph Turner was a professional footballer who played in the 1902 FA Cup final for Southampton. Southampton were a Southern League club at the time, and their feat was all the more remarkable in that they had already been losing finalists two years earlier... (2), Farrell Jack Farrell (footballer) John "Jack" Farrell was an English professional footballer who played as a forward. Farrell played in the Football League for Stoke and New Brighton Tower and played a major part in Southern league club Southampton's major cup runs at the turn of the 20th Century.-Early career:Farrell was born in... (2), Meston Samuel Meston Samuel Meston was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a half-back for Stoke and Southampton. Whilst with Southampton, he appeared in two FA Cup Finals and won six Southern League championship medals and was the only player ever to do so.-Playing career:Meston was born in Arbroath and... |
4,000 |
| 23 November 1895 | 3rd Qualifying Round | Reading Reading F.C. Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship... |
H Antelope Ground The Antelope Ground, Southampton was a sports ground that was the first home of both Hampshire County Cricket Club, who played there prior to 1884, and of Southampton Football Club, who played there from 1887 to 1896 as "Southampton St... |
3 – 0 | Taylor Ernie Taylor (footballer born 1869) Ernest James "Ernie" Taylor was an English amateur footballer who played for Southampton in the club's first two years in the Southern League.-Football career:... , Naughton Willie Naughton William A. "Willie" Naughton was a Scottish professional footballer, who played as an outside-forward for various clubs in Scotland and England in the 1880s and 1890s, including Celtic, Stoke and Southampton... , Keay Watty Keay Walter "Watty" Keay was a Scottish professional footballer who played as an inside forward for various clubs, including Partick Thistle in Scotland and Derby County and Southampton in England... |
5,000 |
| 14 December 1895 | 4th Qualifying Round | Uxbridge Uxbridge F.C. Uxbridge Football Club are a football club representing Uxbridge but now based in West Drayton, in the County of Middlesex England. They were established in 1871 and are one of the oldest clubs in the South of England. They were founder members of the Southern League Division Two in 1894 and have... |
H Antelope Ground The Antelope Ground, Southampton was a sports ground that was the first home of both Hampshire County Cricket Club, who played there prior to 1884, and of Southampton Football Club, who played there from 1887 to 1896 as "Southampton St... |
5 – 1 | Naughton Willie Naughton William A. "Willie" Naughton was a Scottish professional footballer, who played as an outside-forward for various clubs in Scotland and England in the 1880s and 1890s, including Celtic, Stoke and Southampton... , Keay Watty Keay Walter "Watty" Keay was a Scottish professional footballer who played as an inside forward for various clubs, including Partick Thistle in Scotland and Derby County and Southampton in England... , Turner Joe Turner (footballer) Joseph Turner was a professional footballer who played in the 1902 FA Cup final for Southampton. Southampton were a Southern League club at the time, and their feat was all the more remarkable in that they had already been losing finalists two years earlier... |
4,000 |
| 1 February 1896 | Round 1 Proper | Sheffield Wednesday Sheffield Wednesday F.C. Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the... |
H Antelope Ground The Antelope Ground, Southampton was a sports ground that was the first home of both Hampshire County Cricket Club, who played there prior to 1884, and of Southampton Football Club, who played there from 1887 to 1896 as "Southampton St... |
2 – 3 | Keay Watty Keay Walter "Watty" Keay was a Scottish professional footballer who played as an inside forward for various clubs, including Partick Thistle in Scotland and Derby County and Southampton in England... , Turner Joe Turner (footballer) Joseph Turner was a professional footballer who played in the 1902 FA Cup final for Southampton. Southampton were a Southern League club at the time, and their feat was all the more remarkable in that they had already been losing finalists two years earlier... |
12,000 |
Player statistics
| Position | Nationality | Name | League apps |
League goals |
FA Cup apps |
FA Cup goals |
Total apps |
Total goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FW |  Kingdom of Scotland |
3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | |
| FB |  Kingdom of England |
18 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 23 | 12 | |
| GK | Kingdom of England |
3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| GK | Kingdom of England |
10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| GK | Kingdom of England |
3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| HB | Kingdom of Scotland |
3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| FW | Kingdom of England |
17 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 22 | 14 | |
| FB |  Wales |
4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| HB | Kingdom of England |
7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 | |
| HB | Kingdom of Scotland |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| FW | Kingdom of Scotland |
15 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 20 | 9 | |
| FW | Kingdom of England |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| HB | Kingdom of England |
17 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 22 | 5 | |
| HB | Kingdom of Scotland |
4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| FB | Kingdom of England |
8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
| FB | Kingdom of Scotland |
18 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 23 | 1 | |
| FW | Kingdom of Scotland |
17 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 21 | 11 | |
| FB | Kingdom of England |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| GK | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| FB | Kingdom of England |
8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 1 | |
| HB | Kingdom of England |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| HB | Kingdom of England |
8 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 2 | |
| HB | Kingdom of England |
12 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 17 | 0 | |
| FW | Kingdom of England |
17 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 22 | 11 | |
Key
- GK — Goalkeeper
- FB — Full back
- HB — Half back
- FW — Forward
In
| Date | Position | Name | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 1895 | GK | Tom Cain Tom Cain Thomas "Tom" Cain was an English footballer who played as goalkeeper for Stoke, Everton and Southampton St. Mary's in the 1890s.-Football career:... |
Everton Everton F.C. Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football... |
| October 1895 | HB | Jimmy Dale | Stoke |
| April 1895 | FW | Jack Farrell Jack Farrell John A. "Jack" Farrell , also known as "Moose", was an American Major League Baseball player who played mainly second base in his 11 seasons... |
Stoke |
| December 1895 | HB | John Hodgkinson John Hodgkinson (footballer) John Hodgkinson was an English professional footballer who played at half-back for Southampton and New Brompton in the 1890s.-Football career:... |
Tunstall |
| April 1895 | FW | Watty Keay Watty Keay Walter "Watty" Keay was a Scottish professional footballer who played as an inside forward for various clubs, including Partick Thistle in Scotland and Derby County and Southampton in England... |
Derby County Derby County F.C. Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English... |
| March 1896 | HB | John McMillan John McMillan (footballer born 1865) John McMillan was a Scottish professional footballer who played at half-back for Heart of Midlothian and Southampton in the 1890s.-Football career:... |
Heart of Midlothian Heart of Midlothian F.C. Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian... |
| April 1895 | FB | Samuel Meston Samuel Meston Samuel Meston was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a half-back for Stoke and Southampton. Whilst with Southampton, he appeared in two FA Cup Finals and won six Southern League championship medals and was the only player ever to do so.-Playing career:Meston was born in Arbroath and... |
Stoke |
| April 1895 | FW | Willie Naughton Willie Naughton William A. "Willie" Naughton was a Scottish professional footballer, who played as an outside-forward for various clubs in Scotland and England in the 1880s and 1890s, including Celtic, Stoke and Southampton... |
Stoke |
| April 1895 | FW | Joe Turner Joe Turner (footballer) Joseph Turner was a professional footballer who played in the 1902 FA Cup final for Southampton. Southampton were a Southern League club at the time, and their feat was all the more remarkable in that they had already been losing finalists two years earlier... |
Dresden United Dresden United F.C. Dresden United Football Club were a football club based in the Dresden area of Stoke-on-Trent who were active at the end of the nineteenth century.... |
Departures
| Date | Position | Name | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 1895 | FW | Jack Angus Jack Angus John William Angus was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a forward in Southampton's inaugural season in the Southern League.-Football career:... |
Retired |
| October 1895 | GK | Jack Barrett Jack Barrett (footballer) Uriah John "Jack" Barrett was an amateur footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Southampton St. Mary's in the mid-1890s.-Football career:... |
Retired |
| Summer 1895 | FW | Jack Dorkin Jack Dorkin Jack W. Dorkin was an English professional footballer who played as a forward for Southampton St. Mary's in the 1890s.-Football career:... |
Retired |
| Summer 1895 | HB | Bill Furby Bill Furby William "Bill" Furby was an English amateur footballer who played for Southampton St. Mary's in the club's first season in the Southern League.-Football career:... |
Freemantle Freemantle F.C. Freemantle Football Club were a football club based in the Freemantle area of Southampton who were active at the end of the nineteenth century. During their brief heyday, they were rivals to Southampton Football Club... |
| July 1895 | FW | Fred Hollands Fred Hollands Frederick George "Fred" Hollands was an English professional footballer who played as an outside-forward for Millwall Athletic and Southampton St Mary's in the 1890s.-Football career:... |
Millwall Athletic |
| Summer 1895 | FB | William Jeffrey William Jeffrey (footballer) William Walls Jeffrey was an English footballer who played in defence for various teams, including Burnley, Woolwich Arsenal and Southampton St. Mary's in the 1890s.-Football career:Jeffrey was born in Dalderby, near Horncastle, Lincolnshire... |
Retired |
| December 1895 | FW | Bob Kiddle Bob Kiddle Robert Sherren Kiddle was an English amateur footballer who played as an inside-forward for Southampton St. Mary's in the 1890s.-Football career:... |
Retired |
| Summer 1895 | FW | Arthur Nineham Arthur Nineham George Arthur Nineham was an English amateur footballer who played as a forward for Southampton St. Mary's in the 1890s. He was one of the few locally-born players to make the transition from mainly friendly matches to Southern League football.-Football career:Nineham was born in Southampton and... |
Freemantle Freemantle F.C. Freemantle Football Club were a football club based in the Freemantle area of Southampton who were active at the end of the nineteenth century. During their brief heyday, they were rivals to Southampton Football Club... |
| Summer 1895 | FW | Harry Offer Harry Offer Henry Thomas "Harry" Offer was an English footballer who scored Arsenal's first-ever goal in the FA Cup "proper" rounds in 1891, and Southampton's first-ever league goal in 1894.-Swindon Town:... |
Retired |
| Summer 1895 | FW | Herbert Ward | Retired |
| Summer 1895 | GK | H. Williamson H. Williamson H. Williamson was an amateur footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Southampton St. Mary's and Royal Ordnance Factories in the mid-1890s.Williamson made his debut for Southampton in the third match of the inaugural Southern League season, replacing Walter Cox... |
Royal Ordnance Factories Royal Ordnance Factories F.C. Royal Ordnance Factories Football Club were a football club from south east London, England,that existed in the late 19th century.In 1893, the former workers' team at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich, Woolwich Arsenal FC, was by now a professional side and had joined the Football League... |