1876–77 Sheffield Challenge Cup

April 2022 Sheffield Senior Cup 1876-77 England Yorkshire 28 October 1876 - 10 March 1877 25 The Wednesday Heeley The 1876-77 Sheffield Senior Cup was the first edition of the tournament, played to Sheffield rules. It was the biggest tournament played to the Sheffield code and the equivalent of the FA Cup, which at the time was mostly confined to the south of England. thumb|Announcement of the Sheffield Association Challenge Cup, Sheffield Independent, 25 March 1876 Background The Sheffield Football Association was founded in 1867 and took a subscription of 5 shillings from its member clubs in order to entitle them to entry.Westby Martin A History of Sheffield Football 1857-1889 2017 England's Oldest Football Clubs Sheffield 62 Sheffield F.C. did not enter, as the club was concentrating on national matches. The Sheffield rules in force at the time had four main differences to the Association laws: players were onside so long as one opponent was between them and the goal-line, whereas the Association offside law demanded three; if the ball went off the side of the pitch, it was put back into play by a kick-in, rather than a throw-in, in any direction; if the attacking team put the ball out of play to the side of the goal, the defending team returned the ball from the nearest corner; if either team put the ball out of play over the bar of the goal, the defending team returned the ball from within 6 yards of their goal. At the time, neither the Association nor Sheffield codes prescribed the number of players per side, and the size of the teams was a matter for negotiation between the captains or the relevant tournament rules. By 1876, most matches were 11 per side, and this was the rule in the FA Cup. For this tournament, the Sheffield FA mandated 12 men per side, as did the Birmingham Senior Cup the same year. Participating teams + Participating clubsUnless otherwise stated, all details taken from the Charles Alcock annual of 1877 Team Foundation No. of members Home ground Colours Albion 1872 50 Ecclesall Road Blue & white hoopsErroneously given as "white and white hoops", later editions confirming the colours to be blue and white Attercliffe 1870 120 Shirland LaneAttercliffe v Albion Sheffield Independent 6 November 1876 4 Blue & white Brincliffe 1868 80 Hunter's Bar Black & whiteClub played in amber & black in 1876 Broomhall 1868 150 Ecclesall Road (south) Black & white Crookes 1870 140 Crookes (3 miles from Sheffield Stn) White & red Endcliffe 1873 60Reduced from 120 the year before. Ecclesall Road Navy blue Exchange 1863 200 Quibell's FieldExchange v Rotherham Sheffield Independent 30 October 1876 4 Scarlet & white Exchange Brewery 1871 100 Fox Street Amber & black Fir Vale 1862 135 Pyper Lane, Pitsmoor White & scarlet trimmings Gleadless 1870 98 Gleadless, 3 miles from Midland Stn White Hallam 1860Erroneously given as 1857 200 Sandygate Blue & white Heeley 1862 70 Meersbrook Park Grey & white stripes Kimberworth 1871 70 Queen's GroundsKimberworth v Walkley Sheffield Independent 6 November 1876 4 Blue & white Millhouses 1871 130 Millhouses, close to Ecclesall Stn Scarlet & black Norfolk 1861 200 Norfolk Park Scarlet & white Norfolk Works 1872 50 BrightsideNorfolk Works v Providence Sheffield Independent 12 December 1876 7 Blue & white hoops Owlerton 1873 140 Rawson's Meadows Scarlet & black hoops Oxford 1869 140 Hunter's Bar Blue & yellow Parkwood Springs 1870 150 Parkwood Springs, 1.5 mi from Victoria Stn White, with amber and black caps Philadelphia 1873 70 Hillsborough Blue caps Providence 1874 80 Sharf Road Red & white Rotherham 1870 100 Clinton Lane Scarlet & white Thursday Wanderers 1870 80 Hunter's Bar Scarlet & navy blue Walkley 1870 110 Hillsbrough Red & white The Wednesday 1867 250 Myrtle Road Blue & white hoops Format The competition was organised as a straight knockout tournament, with replays to a conclusion. The captains would toss for choice of venue, the captain who lost the toss could choose the venue for a replay, and second replays were to be at the first captain's choice again. Results First round Date Home Score Away 21 October 1876 Wednesday 3–1 Parkwood Springs 28 October 1876 Philadelphia 1–0 Norfolk 28 October 1876 Exchange 3–0 Rotherham 2 November 1876 Thursday W 4–5 Heeley 4 November 1876 Fir Vale 5–1 Oxford 4 November 1876 Brincliffe 7–1 Exchange Brewery 4 November 1876 Attercliffe 2–2 Albion 4 November 1876 Broomhall 0–1 Millhouses 4 November 1876 Hallam 2–1 Owlerton 4 November 1876 Kimberworth 2–0 Walkley 4 November 1876 Norfolk Works 3–1 Gleadless 4 November 1876 Providemce 0–0After 10 minutes' each way extra-time Crookes Endcliffe bye Replays Date Home Score Away 11 November 1876 Crookes 1–4 Providence 13 November 1876 Albion 2–2 Attercliffe 28 November 1876 Attercliffe 2–0 Albion Second round Date Home Score Away 2 December 1876 Brincliffe 2–1 Millhouses 2 December 1876 Kimberworth 0–1 Wednesday 2 December 1876 Providence 0–0 Norfolk Works 2 December 1876 Hallam 2–1 Fir Vale 2 December 1876 Heeley 1–0 Endcliffe 4 December 1876 Exchange 3–0Match ended at 75 minutes due to weather conditions (Sheffield Independent 5 December 1876 p. 7) Philadelphia Attercliffe bye Replay Date Home Score Away 9 December 1876 Norfolk Works 0–2 Providence Third round The ties in the third round and semi-finals were due to be played at Bramall Lane, but the third round ties were all played according to the captain's toss rule. Curiously, all three ties went the way of the away side. Date Home Score Away 26 December 1876 Hallam 3–7 Heeley 1 January 1877 Attercliffe 0–1 Wednesday 6 January 1877 Brincliffe 0–2 Exchange Providence bye Semi-finals The semi-finals were played at Bramall Lane, one after the other, before a crowd of six or seven thousand.Football Sheffield Independent 5 February 1877 4 Date Home Score Away 3 February 1877 Heeley 3–2 Providence 3 February 1877 Wednesday 3–1 Exchange Final The final was a thriller, with Heeley taking a three-goal lead by half-time, but Wednesday fighting back to take the game to half-an-hour extra-time.Football Sheffield Independent 12 March 1877 4 10 March 1877 Wednesday 4–3 a.e.t. Heeley *F.M. Butler T.M.Butler W.E.Clegg W.E.Skinner 115' *R.Martin J.Hunter W.H. Stacey (own goal) Bramall Lane 7-8,000 J.C. Shaw _palace1861 _palace1861 _palace1861 rightarm 000000 000000 The Wednesday_thinwhitehoops _thinwhitehoops _thinwhitehoops BEBEBE BEBEBE BEBEBE Heeley Notes References Category:Sports competitions in Sheffield Category:1876–77 in English football