1895–96 Small Heath F.C. season

October 2020 December 2014 Small Heath F.C. 1895–96 Alfred Jones Secretary Walter W. Hart Ground Coventry Road Football League First Division 15th (of 16) (relegated) FA Cup First round proper (eliminated by Bury) Birmingham Senior Cup First round (eliminated by Sheffield Wednesday) Staffordshire Senior Cup First round (eliminated by West Bromwich Albion) Frank Mobley (11) Frank Mobley (11) 10,000 vs Aston Villa (26 October 1895)Derby County (4 January 1896) 3,000 vs Everton (7 December 1895) 1894–95 1896–97 _navyborder _smallheath1893 _navyborder Team ADD8E6 ADD8E6 FFFFFF 000080 The 1895–96 season was the 15th season of competitive association football and fourth season in the Football League played by Small Heath F.C., an English football club based in Birmingham. In 1894–95, the newly promoted Small Heath maintained their First Division status, finishing 12th in the 16-team division. In 1895–96, the team finished 15th and were relegated through the test match system. Small Heath entered the 1895–96 FA Cup at the first round proper, and lost in that round for the fourth consecutive year, this time to Bury. In local competitions, they were eliminated in the first round of the Birmingham Senior Cup by Sheffield Wednesday, and lost to West Bromwich Albion in the first round of the Staffordshire Senior Cup, which they had entered for the first time. Thirty-two different players represented the club in nationally organised competitive matches during the season and there were 14 different goalscorers. For the fifth time, Fred Wheldon appeared in every League match, in his last season with the club before joining local rivals Aston Villa for an initial transfer fee of £350, believed to be a record. The top scorer, for the third year running, was Frank Mobley with 11 goals. The highest attendance was around 10,000, significantly down on the previous season. Background Small Heath had finished 12th of 16 teams in 1894–95, their first season in the First Division. Alf Jones continued as secretary-manager,Matthews (1995), Complete Record, pp. 8–9. and Billy Ollis took over the captaincy after Caesar Jenkyns was dismissed for misconduct.Matthews Tony The Encyclopedia of Birmingham City Football Club 1875–2000 170 October 2000 Britespot Cradley Heath 978-0-9539288-0-4 Apart from Jenkyns, who signed for Woolwich Arsenal where he was appointed captain,Harris Jeff Hogg Tony Arsenal Who's Who Independent UK Sports 1995 1-899429-03-4 30 all the regular first-team players remained with the club. Of the fringe players, Charlie Letherbarrow joined Millwall, with whom he won the Southern League title in 1895–96, Ernie Moore and Tilson Pritchard returned to non-League football, and Tom Watson resumed his police career.Matthews (1995), Complete Record, pp. 106, 111, 118, 132. Goalkeeper Joe Fall signed from Newton Heath for a fee reported as £20,The Football League The Yorkshire Herald 17 June 1895 8 and defender Harry Haynes joined from Wolverhampton Wanderers.Football. The Football League The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent 3 August 1895 7 The Dart thought that Jenkyns would be missed "a great deal more than some of [the] supporters imagine", and that apart from Fall, who was expected to be a significant improvement on Charles Partridge, the 1895–96 team would be noticeably weaker than that of the season just ended.Football Arrows The Dart: The Birmingham Pictorial 30 August 1895 4 There was no change to the team's kit of light blue shirts with navy collar trim, cuffs and pocket, white knickerbockers and navy socks.http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Birmingham_City/Birmingham_City.htm Birmingham City Historical Football Kits 22 July 2011 Review September–October Both Sheffield United and Small Heath fielded the same personnel as in the last game of the previous season, which Small Heath had won to secure their First Division status. The Sheffield Independents prediction that the result would be reversed proved justified. The players had not yet got used to the new rule forbidding the thrower to step over the line while taking a throw-in, and after penalising the Sheffield captain for a foul throw, the referee took time out to demonstrate the correct procedure.Football & Cricket Notes The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent 2 September 1895 7Football The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent 3 September 1895 8Football Arrows The Dart: The Birmingham Pictorial 6 September 1895 7 With Joe Fall still unavailable because of an injury sustained in pre-season training, Charles Partridge was replaced in goal by reserve Jim Roach, who made an eventful debut at local rivals Aston Villa. According to the Birmingham Daily Post, he should take no blame for any of the five goals conceded before half-time, due in part to the sun in his eyes and with the half-backs "little more than landmarks on the field". On change of ends, the balance of play tilted towards the visitors, but the match still finished 7–3.Notes on Sport Birmingham Daily Post 9 September 1895 5 Fall returned to fitness for Small Heath's third defeat of the season, at home to Stoke in a game characterised by excessive foul play.Notes on Sport Birmingham Daily Post 16 September 1895 7 At Nottingham Forest, Tommy Hands and Jack Hallam were lively on the wings, but the weakness of the half-back line was noted in yet another loss.Sports and Pastimes Nottinghamshire Guardian 28 September 1895 3 In temperatures approaching 80 °F °C,Football The Yorkshire Herald 30 September 1895 7 Bolton Wanderers went top of the league by inflicting on Small Heath their fifth defeat in as many games. The forwards, with Frank Mobley the honourable exception, were "lamentably deficient in shooting ability", missing two early chances which "had their shooting been only of a medium character" would have opened the scoring. With only a month of the season gone, the Post suggested it was high time results began to change or there was a real prospect of relegation via the test matches.Notes on Sport Birmingham Daily Post 30 September 1895 5 A visit to Preston North End produced a much improved performance but still no points. After Preston opened the scoring against the run of play, Small Heath took the lead through a "couple of stinging shots" from Mobley, who appeared to score a third soon after half-time, but it was disallowed because goalkeeper James Trainer was impeded.Notes on Sport Birmingham Daily Post 7 October 1895 5 Small Heath were playing the better football, and the home fans began to jeer their team. Perhaps that had an effect, for after a succession of corners, Preston regained the lead to take the game by three goals to two.Sports and Pastimes Nottinghamshire Guardian 12 October 1895 3The Football Field Manchester Guardian 7 October 1895 7 On 12 October, Small Heath finally won a match. They beat Bury 5–4 in a game "remarkable for the poor defence on both sides".Football The Standard London 14 October 1895 7 The Dart gloomy view that "if they gain any points at all out of [the next four] games it will be a bit of a surprise to a large number of their followers" was evidence of growing discontent.Football Arrows Retlaw The Dart: The Birmingham Pictorial 4 October 1895 10 Many English clubs had imported top Scottish players to strengthen their team, but Small Heath's directors were unwilling to follow suit.Football Notes Centre-Forward The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent 14 October 1895 7 People in Birmingham are blaming the Small Heath directors for not strengthening their team. ... Despite this the executive will not have a Scotchman though possibly their weak spot – at half-back – might therefore be remedied. Their patriotism is more to be commended than their judgment. A disappointingly small crowd saw Small Heath lose 3–1 to Aston Villa in a benefit match for Ted Devey, the club's longest-serving player and fans' favourite who had been in poor health. Both clubs had promised full first teams, but numerous regulars were unavailable, and Small Heath fielded their fourth different goalkeeper of the season, Bill Meates, an amateur signed from Eastbourne a few weeks earlier.Football Arrows Retlaw The Dart: The Birmingham Pictorial 11 September 1895 7Football Arrows Retlaw The Dart: The Birmingham Pictorial 20 September 1895 6 Meates kept his place for the next League game, and Hands, who was injured against Bury, Billy Walton and Devey were replaced by Jack Jones, Charlie Izon and Alex Leake, the latter two making their first appearances of the season, as Small Heath were "completely outclassed" by Stoke.Notes on Sport Birmingham Daily Post 21 October 1895 7 The Heathens had much the better of the first half against Aston Villa, and the pace and trickery of the visitors' forwards was thwarted only by the excellence of the home side's defence. The second half was quite the opposite. Meates made two blunders that led to goals, Villa gained and kept the upper hand, and the final score was 4–1.Notes on Sport Birmingham Daily Post 28 October 1895 8 November–December The directors changed their minds, and sent secretary Alf Jones and player Jack Oliver to Scotland on a recruitment mission. Their only purchase was greeted with suspicion by the Dart: the 19-year-old Adam Fraser "is said to be a most capable half-back. Whether he is worth all the trouble the club have gone through to secure him remains to be seen, but if he is anything like a 'class' player it is strange that he has never been heard of before."Football Arrows Retlaw The Dart: The Birmingham Pictorial 8 November 1895 6 It was reported that the Cambridge University and England full back Lewis Vaughan Lodge had agreed to play for the club,Sporting News. Football Birmingham Daily Post 8 November 1895 3 but he did appear until February. Meanwhile, after a casual start, Small Heath came back from a three-goal deficit to beat Leyton 8–3 in a friendly. Winning ways continued in the League as they beat Nottingham Forest with a goal in the first five minutes, scored by Hands from a Hallam centre. Roach's performance in goal suggested he was the best of the four tried thus far, and Frank Lester made a promising debut at back, but both teams' forwards were disappointing.Notes on Sport Birmingham Daily Post 11 November 1895 7Sports and Pastimes Nottinghamshire Guardian 16 November 1895 3 The visit to Bolton Wanderers was postponed after severe weather in the north-west left the ground waterlogged,Notes on Sport Birmingham Daily Post 18 November 1895 5 so the next game was at home to Preston North End on 23 November. Wheldon, back to something approaching his best, scored twice from distance to lead 2–1 at half-time. During the interval, Preston's goalkeeper John Wright was found to have broken his wrist and could not continue. Lester turned the ball into his own net to bring the scores level, but despite the brilliance of Bob Holmes, playing on his own at back after Sandy Tait had gone in goal, Preston could not prevent Small Heath exploiting their numerical advantage. The third goal ended with ball, goalkeeper and all five Small Heath forwards in the net, after which Jones scored twice to make the final score 5–2. Walton, now playing at centre half, drew particular praise for his judgment and the quality of his passing. The two points gained took Small Heath off the bottom of the table for the first time.Notes on Sport Birmingham Daily Post 25 November 1895 5The Football Field Manchester Guardian 25 November 1895 7 Fraser made his first-team debut in a benefit match for Sam Holmes of Walsall, and his League debut the following Saturday at Derby County alongside Dan Bruce. Bruce, a Scottish forward signed from Notts County for a £100 transfer fee – the first time that Small Heath had paid a three-figure sum for a playerMatthews (1995), p. 76. – came with a "great reputation as a cool, clever player, and a good shot",Football Birmingham Daily Post 23 November 1895 7 but was far from fit.Notes on Sport Birmingham Daily Post 2 December 1895 5 Small Heath never threatened, each of the five Derby forwards scored in the first half, and the final score was 8–0.The Association Game in England Glasgow Herald 2 December 1895 11 A poor performance followed at home to Everton. In the face of wind laced with flurries of snow, Small Heath "almost to a man, blocked their goal in such a manner as to render it well nigh impossible for Everton to score through such a forest of legs."Football Notes Liverpool Mercury 9 December 1895 7 On Small Heath's sole attack, they might have scored, the ball coming down off the crossbar a foot over the line before spinning back into play. The Daily Post wondered whether, as had happened more than once in recent matches, "a strong and unanimous appeal by Small Heath might have gained them a goal". Everton went into the interval a goal ahead and scored two more in the second half to go top of the League. Caesar Jenkyns, now captain of Arsenal, was among the spectators, and the Daily Post speculated on how much difference his captaincy might make to his old club's current predicament.Notes on Sport Birmingham Daily Post 9 December 1895 5 The expected heavy defeat at Sunderland failed to materialise, that club's winning goal coming only when Jack Oliver – a native of the town – chested the ball into his own net while attempting to block a shot. The Leicester Chronicle suggested that if Small Heath could only maintain similar form, they would soon be out of trouble.The Football Field Manchester Guardian 16 December 1895 7Football Notes Linesman Leicester Chronicle 21 December 1895 6 An exciting though unscientific local derby against West Bromwich Albion, the closest team to Small Heath in the table, produced a 2–2 draw in which Fraser's courage and judgment in a defensive role was remarked upon, and Bruce and James Adlington scored their first goals for the club.Notes on Sport Birmingham Daily Post 23 December 1895 3 On an icy surface on Boxing Day, the home forwards' enthusiasm was rewarded with a goal scored by Adlington from a Wheldon cross to beat Burnley and narrow the gap to just one point behind that club and West Bromwich Albion.Yesterday's Football Birmingham Daily Post 27 December 1895 3 After the last scheduled match of 1895, at Everton, was abandoned after 37 minutes because of bad weather and the state of the pitch, there was discontent among the crowd. Some of those present demanded their money back, and one spectator took the host club to court claiming the return of his admission money. The case was decided in favour of the club, the judge ruling that the paying spectator is not entitled to a full 90 minutes' football, but only to that portion which can reasonably be completed within the rules of the game.Gate Money The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent 12 February 1896 4The Return of Gate Money at Football Matches Manchester Guardian 12 February 1896 3 January–February "There was only one team in it at Coventry-road on Saturday, and that team was not the Heathens." So said the Sheffield Independent as Derby County won 3–1 to return to the top of the table.Comments on Saturday's Games The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent 6 January 1896 3 In the next week, Small Heath were eliminated in the first round of two local cup competitions. Tommy Hands scored and Billy Ollis was carried off injured as they lost 2–1 to West Bromwich Albion in the first round of the Staffordshire Senior Cup, a competition they had entered for the first time, and in the Birmingham Cup, they lost by the same score at Sheffield Wednesday in a game marked by poor forward play by both sides. The programme for January finished with home and away matches against Wolverhampton Wanderers. At home, Hands and Mobley were left out. Adlington, who had scored in four successive matches, Bruce and Ollis scored before the interval, but the second half was one-sided in the opposite direction. Wanderers came back to 3–2, "shots innumerable were sent in", but Small Heath held on for their fifth win of the season.The Association Game in England Glasgow Herald 20 January 1896 10The Football Field Manchester Guardian 20 January 1896 3 At Wolverhampton, Wheldon opened the scoring for the visitors much against the run of play, but thereafter Wanderers scored at will to make the final score 7–2.The Football Field Manchester Guardian 27 January 1896 7 Small Heath were without several first-team regulars against a full-strength Bury side in the first round of the FA Cup. During the first half the play was fast-paced, end-to-end and goalless until Harry Haynes left the field with a knee injury. He resumed after the interval, limping heavily, but during his absence Bury took a 2–0 lead, which they were to double before Lewis scored a late consolation.The Football Field Manchester Guardian 3 February 1896 3 Two days later, in the replay of the match abandoned for bad weather, Small Heath's forwards pressed hard early on, but faded after Hugh Goldie scored somewhat against the run of play and Everton won 3–0. The Liverpool Mercury picked out debutant Tom Farnall as making a good impression at right-half.The English Challenge Cup Liverpool Mercury 4 February 1896 7 An improved performance secured a draw at home to Sheffield Wednesday, Leake scoring a headed goal, his first for the club. Wednesday had a goal from a free kick disallowed because the ball had not touched another player on its way into the net, though Meates made a desperate attempt to save it after it appeared to have deflected off Fred Spiksley."The League Championship". p. 2, "Comments on Saturday's Games". p. 3, and Facts and Fancies Centre-Forward The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent 10 February 1896 9 By this stage of the season, criticism of the club both on and off the field was widespread. The Sportsman'''s investigation into the finances of Midlands football clubs criticised the committee's perceived reluctance to act:When this club obtained its position in the First League last season the committee had a splendid chance of obtaining big 'gates' and doing well. But the chances were thrown away. They were afraid to speculate ... and went on with the old team last season, and they delayed enterprise this year until too late.The Position of Midland League Clubs reprinted from The Sportsman The Derby Mercury 5 February 1896 7 The test matches were expected "almost as a matter of certainty, and with an air of resignation born of a long series of feeble and disappointing exhibitions." While recognising that "the majority of the players had fallen far short of expectation", the Sheffield Independent questioned the managerial wisdom of "continually changing the players, as has been done now for some time" – playing four different centre-forwards in a month, and fielding players who were apparently not physically fit, as Dan Bruce against Sheffield Wednesday. After a lively friendly against Aston Villa produced a 2–1 win for Small Heath, they returned to losing ways at Bolton Wanderers. Harry Haddon, a soldier stationed at Lichfield, set up a goal for Mobley, but by then the home side were 3–0 up against a struggling defence.Epitome of General News Leicester Chronicle 11 January 1896 3The Association Game in England Glasgow Herald 24 February 1896 10Comments on Saturday's Games The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent 24 February 1896 3 Small Heath put out a strong side against Blackburn Rovers – the Leicester Chronicle believed that "at no period of the season have they had such a representative team".Football Notes Linesman Leicester Chronicle 7 March 1896 6 While Corinthian back Lewis Vaughan Lodge's long-expected first appearance for the club – which proved to be his last – was marred by a lack of discipline positionally, Haddon enhanced his reputation at centre-forward and contributed to Wheldon's fine winning goal after debutant Bill Robertson had scored from a penalty kick. The Rovers forwards played an effective dribbling game, but Small Heath's once-characteristic "dash" earned them victory and took them into March off the bottom of the table.Comments on Saturday's Games The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent 2 March 1896 3Football The Standard London 2 March 1896 6 March–April A 1–0 defeat of Bury, courtesy of Haddon after a Wheldon header had been ruled out for offside, took Small Heath out of the test match positions at the expense of Wolverhampton Wanderers, but the latter club had the easier run-in to the end of the season.The League Championship The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent 9 March 1896 2Football Notes Linesman Leicester Chronicle 14 March 1896 7 After a more than usually entertaining friendly at Leicester Fosse finished 3–2 to the home side,Football Notes Linesman Leicester Chronicle 21 March 1896 7 Small Heath resumed their League campaign with a visit to Blackburn Rovers, in which a performance " much better ... than was expected of them" still ended in defeat.Notes on Football The Dundee Courier & Argus 23 March 1896 7 They came close to opening the scoring, from a Mobley cross and a "grand shot" by Wheldon, but went two goals behind, before Haddon's second-half score left 20 minutes for the visitors to try in vain for an equaliser.The Football Field Manchester Guardian 2 March 1896 7 The annual theatrical sports, run by the Small Heath club in association with the Prince of Wales Theatre, raised £350 after expenses, to be distributed among the local hospitals.Racers and Racing Cycling 28 March 1896 172Racers and Racing Cycling 2 May 1896 257 +Final First Division table (part)PosClubPldWDLFAPts14thWolverhampton Wanderers301011961652115thSmall Heath30841839792016thWest Bromwich Albion306717305919KeyPos = League position; Pld = Matches played;W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost;F = Goals for; A = Goals against; Pts = PointsSourcehttps://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-one/1896/ League Division One table at close of 1895–96 season 11v11.com AFS Enterprises 6 September 2017 Select date if required via dropdown menus. Only around 500 spectators watched Small Heath lose 4–3 to Notts County of the Second Division in a friendly on a miserably wet day, the small attendance meaning that the home side would have lost money on the arrangement after paying Notts their guarantee.Sports and Pastimes Linesman Nottinghamshire Guardian 4 April 1896 3 A game of two halves followed at Burnley on Good Friday; playing with the wind, Robertson opened the scoring for the visitors after four minutes and several shots hit the woodwork, but on change of ends Burnley forced the pace and had a goal disallowed before scoring the equaliser.Football The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent 4 April 1896 7Football The Standard London 4 April 1896 8 The next day, Sheffield Wednesday took a 3–0 half-time lead playing into the sun and wind. Perhaps with the approaching FA Cup Final on their minds, they took it easy in the second half, but a weakened Small Heath team, with Fountain, Jones and Pratt replacing Hands, Haddon and Lester, were still unable to score. The Sheffield Independent picked out Leake at centre half as playing excellently, and the full-backs Oliver and Pratt as "safe, but not too speedy"."Comments on Saturday's Games". p. 3, 'Centre-Forward', "Facts and Fancies". p. 9, and The League Championship The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent 6 April 1896 2 On Easter Monday, a goalless draw at West Bromwich Albion, thanks largely to Joe Fall and his defence, kept Small Heath out of the bottom two places with two games left to play.Sports and Pastimes The Derby Mercury 8 April 1896 7 Small Heath dominated the play against Sheffield United, but visiting goalkeeper William Foulke was on fine form, and his team had a one-goal lead at the interval. Mobley scored twice in the second half, and both were in controversial circumstances. After a United defender won the ball from Tommy Hands, Hands kicked out at him; the referee turned to have a quick word with Hands, meanwhile the ball fell to Mobley, standing in an offside position, who put it in the net, and the referee, who had not seen Mobley's offside, awarded the goal. Encouraged by this stroke of luck, Small Heath pressed, and from a Leake cross, Wheldon executed an overhead kick from which the ball rebounded off the crossbar to Mobley, again standing offside, who tapped it in for the winning goal.Football The Standard London 8 April 1896 8Football The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent 8 April 1896 8 The victory left them needing only a draw from the final match of the season, at home to Sunderland, to avoid the test matches. In the event, they were outclassed. Though as usual the defence was satisfactory, the forwards' positioning was poor, Hallam and Walton were sadly missed, and they lacked anyone of influence to organise them.Comments on Saturday's Games The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent 13 April 1896 3 A 1–0 defeat, combined with Wolverhampton's 5–0 thrashing of Bolton Wanderers, confirmed Small Heath's participation in the test matches. Test matches The format was that of a four-team league, in which each would play the two teams from the other division on a home-and-away basis. Small Heath's campaign began at Liverpool, whose forwards were restricted to one goal in the first half through the efforts of Lester and Oliver, but in the second, the Liverpool Mercurys report that "the whole of the play was confined to the visitors' quarters" was little of an exaggeration as the home side won 4–0.Association Matches Liverpool Mercury 20 April 1896 7The Football Field Manchester Guardian 20 April 1896 7 In the home match, Hallam and Walton came in for Mobley and Farnall. Small Heath came close to conceding when Tom Bradshaw spotted Meates off his line, but Jack Oliver got back in time to clear. They had more of the play, with Wheldon was particularly dangerous in attack, and threw caution to the winds as full-time approached, but the game finished goalless.Football. League Test Matches Liverpool Mercury 21 April 1896 7Test Matches The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent 27 April 1896 10 A 3–0 defeat at Manchester City confirmed Small Heath's relegation to the Second Division for the 1896–97 season. Meates opened the scoring for City when he sliced the ball into his own net in attempting a clearance, and after Hallam failed to take a good chance in the first half and struck the crossbar in the second as the visitors tried hard to equalise, City scored twice more towards the end of the match.Football, Yesterday Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper London 26 April 1896 20The Football Field Manchester Guardian 27 April 1896 7 For the last test match, at home to Manchester City, Small Heath selected Thomas Dunlop and Walter Abbott instead of Oliver and Hands. Small Heath had all of the play, "shots without number" were attempted but only one was scored by half-time. They scored a further seven in the second half, with hat-tricks for Jones and Wheldon and a goal on debut for Abbott.Football The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent 27 April 1896 8The Football Field Manchester Guardian 28 April 1896 11 Summary and aftermath thumb|right|upright|Fred Wheldon scored 116 goals from 175 matches for Small Heath.|alt=Head and shoulders of a young, clean-shaven man with dark hair parted on the left of centre. He is looking to his right, and is wearing a light-coloured sports shirt with dark collar and trim.After opening their campaign with six defeats, Small Heath spent most of the season in the bottom two positions. They conceded more goals than any other team in the division for the second consecutive season, and scored fewer than all but bottom club West Bromwich Albion.https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-one/1895/ League Division One table at close of 1894–95 season 11v11.com AFS Enterprises 6 September 2017 The directors came under criticism for failing to improve the team and for their selection policy: making too many changes to the team from one game to the next, and playing men when they were unfit. A draw from the final match of the season, at home to Sunderland, would have secured their First Division status for another year, but they lost, finished 15th of the 16 teams, and were relegated via the test matches. The League's Annual General Meeting heard proposals from Small Heath F.C. that the First Division be expanded to 18 teams, and that a two-thirds majority be sufficient to carry a motion rather than three-quarters. Both motions were lost, thus confirming that the team would play in the Second Division for the 1896–97 season.Annual Meeting of the Football League Nottinghamshire Guardian 23 May 1896 3 The average league attendance remained steady in the low 6,000s, although the highest attendance was 10,000, compared with 15,000 the previous season.Matthews (1995), Complete Record, pp. 142–43. The balance sheet showed expenditure of £4,158, of which players' wages, bonuses and transfer fees accounted for £2,536. During the season the club bought the lease of the Coventry Road ground, which had 11 years remaining, and made improvements to the standing accommodation. Most of the club's income came from net gate receipts of £3,733, and the club lost £185 on the year to 30 April. Both income and expenditure had doubled over the last two years.Small Heath Football Club Birmingham Daily Post 21 June 1894 5Small Heath Football Club Leicester Chronicle 27 June 1896 8 The Nottinghamshire Guardian suggested Small Heath would "have to greatly improve their present team if they are to make a very prominent display even in [the second] division next season."Sports and Pastimes Nottinghamshire Guardian 2 May 1896 3 Harry Haynes moved on to Southern League club Southampton St Mary's, Ted Devey left for Burton Wanderers, and Adam Fraser returned to Scotland,The Week's Sport Hampshire Telegraph 20 June 1896 2Football Items The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent 17 August 1896 12Opening of the Football Season The Dundee Courier & Argus 11 August 1896 6 but the major loss was that of Fred Wheldon. Wheldon had scored 116 goals from 175 matches in league and FA Cup for Small Heath, and the only match he missed in six seasons was when his sister died on the morning of the game.Matthews (1995), Complete Record, pp. 131, 140–43.Notes on Sport Birmingham Daily Post 11 February 1895 7 He joined local rivals and League champions Aston Villa for a fee which, after much speculation, was confirmed at Small Heath's Annual General Meeting as £350 guaranteed, plus the proceeds of a match to be played between the two clubs. The £350 fee was reported to be a transfer record.Facts and Fancies Centre-Forward The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent 29 June 1896 11 Speculation has been rife in football circles as to the price paid by Aston Villa for the transfer of Wheldon, the Small Heath inside left. It turns out that the terms are higher than have ever been concluded, if being officially stated at the annual meeting of the Small Heath club in Birmingham on Friday evening that the sum guaranteed was £350, with a prospect of a still further amount conditional on the proceeds of a match to be played in the autumn. Aston Villa are also paying Wheldon a big salary for his services. He went on to win three Football League titles with Aston Villa, including a League and FA Cup double in his first season with the club, topped the First Division scoring charts in 1897–98, and scored six goals in four games for the England national team.https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/engtops.html English League Leading Goalscorers 1889–2007 James M. Ross Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF) 10 September 2010 4 April 2011 http://www.englandstats.com/playerreport.php?pid=1041 Fred Wheldon Englandstats 31 July 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110725184143/http://www.englandstats.com/playerreport.php?pid=1041 25 July 2011 live Match details For consistency, attendances and goalscorers' names in the League and FA Cup match details tables are sourced from Matthews' Complete Record. Information in contemporary newspaper reports could, and often did, differ. League positions are sourced from League positions are sourced from 11v11.com''. Football League First Division DateLeaguepositionOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendance2 September 189514thSheffield UnitedAL0–26,0007 September 189514thAston VillaAL3–7Walton, Mobley, Hands13,00014 September 189514thStokeHL1–2Hallam7,50021 September 189515thNottingham ForestAL0–3 6,00028 September 189516thBolton WanderersHL1–2Mobley4,5005 October 189516thPreston North EndAL2–3Mobley 22,00012 October 189516thBuryHW5–4Wheldon 2, Mobley 2, Jones6,00019 October 189516thStokeAL1–6Jones8,00026 October 189516thAston VillaHL1–4Jones10,0009 November 189516thNottingham ForestHW1–0Mobley5,00023 November 189515thPreston North EndHW5–2Wheldon 2, Jones, Mobley5,00030 November 189516thDerby CountyAL0–88,0007 December 189516thEvertonAL0–33,00014 December 189516thSunderlandAL1–2Wheldon4,00021 December 189516thWest Bromwich AlbionHD2–2Bruce, Adlington6,00026 December 189516thBurnleyHW1–0Adlington5,5004 January 189616thDerby CountyHL1–3Adlington10,00018 January 189615thWolverhampton WanderersHW3–2Adlington, Bruce, Ollis6,00025 January 189615thWolverhampton WanderersAL2–7Wheldon, Mobley4,0003 February 189615thEvertonAL0–38,0008 February 189615thThe WednesdayHD1–1Leake5,00022 February 189616thBolton WanderersAL1–4Mobley7,00029 February 189615thBlackburn RoversHW2–1Robertson, Wheldon 7,0007 March 189614thBuryHW1–0Haddon5,00021 March 189614thBlackburn RoversAL1–2Haddon5,0003 April 189615thBurnleyAD1–1Robertson8,0004 April 189615thThe WednesdayAL0–36,0006 April 189614thWest Bromwich AlbionAD0–03,7507 April 189614thSheffield UnitedHW2–1Mobley 26,00011 April 189615thSunderlandHL0–18,000 Test matches DateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendance18 April 1896LiverpoolAL0–420,00020 April 1896LiverpoolHD0–05,00025 April 1896Manchester CityAL0–39,00027 April 1896Manchester CityHW8–0Jones 3, Wheldon 3, Abbott, Hallam2,000 FA Cup RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendance1st2 February 1896BuryHL1–4Lewis15,000 Birmingham Senior Cup RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendanceRef1st13 January 1896Sheffield WednesdayOlive Grove, SheffieldL1–2Adlington~2,000Football The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent 14 January 1896 8 Staffordshire Senior Cup RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendanceRef1st6 January 1896West Bromwich AlbionStoney Lane, West BromwichL1–2Tommy HandsNot knownFootball The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent 7 January 1896 8 Other matches DateOpponentsVenueResultScoreF–AScorersAttendance Notes14 October 1895Aston VillaHL1–3Billy Walton~1,500Benefit match for Ted DeveyYesterday's Football Birmingham Daily Post 15 October 1895 73 November 1895LeytonAW8–3Not known (8)~1,500Friendly matchThe Association Game in England Glasgow Herald 4 November 1895 925 November 1892WalsallAL2–3Mobley, Deeley600–700Benefit match for Sam Holmes (Walsall)Yesterday's Football Birmingham Daily Post 26 November 1895 715 February 1896Aston VillaAL1–2Not known5,000Friendly matchAston Villa v. Small Heath The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent 17 February 1896 314 March 1896Leicester FosseAL2–3Not known, HallamNot knownFriendly matchThe Association Game in England Glasgow Herald 16 March 1896 101 April 1896Notts CountyAL3–4Not known (3)500Friendly match Appearances and goals This table includes appearances and goals in nationally organised competitive matchesthe Football League, including test matches, and FA Cuponly.Matthews (2010), Complete Record, pp. 236–37. For a description of the playing positions, see Formation (association football)#2–3–5 (Pyramid). + Players' appearances and goals by competitionNamePositionLeagueTest matchFA CupTotalApps AppearancesGoalsApps AppearancesGoalsApps AppearancesGoalsApps AppearancesGoalsJoe FallGoalkeeper20000020Bill Meates William MeatesGoalkeeper1203000150Charles Partridge professional footballerGoalkeeper10000010Jim Roach Jim Roach (footballer)Goalkeeper1501010170Thomas Dunlop footballerFull back20100030Frank Lester footballerFull back2004010250Lewis Vaughan LodgeFull back10000010John Oliver footballer, born 1867Full back2903010330Billy Pratt footballer born 1874Full back10000010Bill PurvesFull back70000070Ted DeveyHalf back30000030Thomas FarnallHalf back1103010150Adam FraserHalf back1904010240Harry HaynesHalf back900010100Teddy JolleyHalf back1100000110Alex LeakeHalf back1414000181Billy OllisHalf back1910000191Walter Abbott Walter Abbott (footballer, born 1877)Forward00110011James AdlingtonForward64000064Daniel Bruce footballer, born 1868Forward920010102James DeeleyForward10000010Joe FountainForward10000010Harry HaddonForward52000052Jack Hallam footballerForward1213100152Tommy HandsForward2513010291Charles IzonForward60000060Jack Jones footballer, born 1874Forward1464300189Bill Lewis footballer, born 1871Forward00001111Frank MobleyForward281110002911William Robertson footballer, born 1874Forward824000122Billy WaltonForward911010111Fred WheldonForward30743103510 References General Matthews Tony Birmingham City: A Complete Record 1995 Breedon Books Derby 978-1-85983-010-9 Matthews Tony Birmingham City: The Complete Record 2010 DB Publishing Derby 978-1-85983-853-2 Specific 30em Category:Birmingham City F.C. seasons Small Heath