James Southworth
Encyclopedia
James Southworth was a footballer
who played as a defender
in the early days of professional football for Blackburn Rovers
. He was the brother of famous England
international Jack Southworth
.
and Blackburn Olympic
. At Chester he missed the 1885 Boxing Day
fixture (a friendly against Chirk
) as he was appearing in pantomime
. In his role as a conductor at the Royalty Theatre in Chester
, he would have to be back in the city after away matches in time for 7.30pm performances, affecting the number of appearances he made for the club. On the field, an early squad summary by the Chester Chronicle
said he was captain and a "dashing and safe back".
In 1888 he moved with his brother from Blackburn Olympic to their neighbours and fierce rivals Blackburn Rovers
.
The first season
of the Football League
began in September 1888. James Southworth appeared fairly regularly at left-back making 19 appearances in the league as Rovers ended the inaugural League season in fourth place.
He missed most of the 1889-90 league season
but was selected for the FA Cup final against Sheffield Wednesday
(from the Football Alliance
) at The Oval
on 29 March 1890. Rovers were the odds-on favourites to win in view both of their record of three victories in the previous six seasons and their superior league placing. Blackburn fielded a team consisting of nine England or Scotland internationals. Rovers lived up to expectations as they romped away with the Cup defeating their Yorkshire opponents 6–1 with goals by Billy Townley (3), Nat Walton
, Jack Southworth
and Joe Lofthouse
.
As Philip Gibbons points out in his book Association Football in Victorian England: "The Blackburn side had given one of the finest exhibitions of attacking football in an FA Cup Final, with England internationals, Walton, Townley, Lofthouse and John Southworth at the peak of their form."
The F.A. Cup final was James Southworth's final appearance for Rovers. He made 21 league and 6 cup appearances.
Southworth died in 1940.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who played as a defender
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
in the early days of professional football for Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
. He was the brother of famous England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
international Jack Southworth
Jack Southworth
John Southworth , was a footballer who played in the early days of professional football for Blackburn Rovers and Everton as well as being capped three times for England...
.
Playing career
He played alongside his brother for most of the early part of his career, joining him at ChesterChester City F.C.
Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
and Blackburn Olympic
Blackburn Olympic F.C.
Blackburn Olympic F.C. was an English association football club based in Blackburn, Lancashire in the late 19th century. Although the club was only in existence for just over a decade, it is significant in the history of football in England as the first club from the north of the country and the...
. At Chester he missed the 1885 Boxing Day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
fixture (a friendly against Chirk
Chirk AAA F.C.
Chirk AAA F.C. is a Welsh football team based in Chirk, Wales. They have been competing in the Premier division of the Welsh National League since their relegation after one season in the Cymru Alliance.....
) as he was appearing in pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
. In his role as a conductor at the Royalty Theatre in Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
, he would have to be back in the city after away matches in time for 7.30pm performances, affecting the number of appearances he made for the club. On the field, an early squad summary by the Chester Chronicle
Chester Chronicle
The Chester Chronicle is a UK local weekly newspaper for the Chester and Cheshire area, first established in the 18th century. It is one of the UK's best-selling newspapers, published every Thursday.-Structure:It has a number of different editions:...
said he was captain and a "dashing and safe back".
In 1888 he moved with his brother from Blackburn Olympic to their neighbours and fierce rivals Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
.
The first season
1888-89 in English football
The 1888–1889 season was the 18th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:A new competition, The Football League, started this season...
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...
began in September 1888. James Southworth appeared fairly regularly at left-back making 19 appearances in the league as Rovers ended the inaugural League season in fourth place.
He missed most of the 1889-90 league season
1889-90 in English football
The 1889–90 season was the 19th season of competitive football in England. Preston North End were Football League champions for the second successive season while The Wednesday finished top of the newly formed Football Alliance. Blackburn Rovers won the FA Cup....
but was selected for the FA Cup final against 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...
(from the Football Alliance
Football Alliance
The Football Alliance was an association football league in England which ran for three seasons, from 1889–90 to 1891–92.It was formed by 12 clubs as a rival to the Football League, which had begun in the 1888–89 season, also with 12 member clubs...
) at The Oval
The Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
on 29 March 1890. Rovers were the odds-on favourites to win in view both of their record of three victories in the previous six seasons and their superior league placing. Blackburn fielded a team consisting of nine England or Scotland internationals. Rovers lived up to expectations as they romped away with the Cup defeating their Yorkshire opponents 6–1 with goals by Billy Townley (3), Nat Walton
Nat Walton
Nathaniel "Nat" Walton was an English international footballer, who played as an inside forward.-Career:Born in Preston, Walton played professionally for Blackburn Rovers, and earned one cap for England in 1890....
, Jack Southworth
Jack Southworth
John Southworth , was a footballer who played in the early days of professional football for Blackburn Rovers and Everton as well as being capped three times for England...
and Joe Lofthouse
Joe Lofthouse
Joseph Morris "Joe" Lofthouse was an English footballer.-Playing career:Joseph Lofthouse was born in Blackburn on 14 April 1865. A talented footballer he joined Blackburn Rovers...
.
As Philip Gibbons points out in his book Association Football in Victorian England: "The Blackburn side had given one of the finest exhibitions of attacking football in an FA Cup Final, with England internationals, Walton, Townley, Lofthouse and John Southworth at the peak of their form."
The F.A. Cup final was James Southworth's final appearance for Rovers. He made 21 league and 6 cup appearances.
Southworth died in 1940.
Honours
Blackburn RoversBlackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
winner: 1890