1896–97 Southampton St. Mary's F.C. season

March 2015 March 2015 Southampton St. Mary's F.C. 1896–97 Alfred McMinn Secretary Dr Henry William Russell Bencraft President The County Ground Southern League Champions FA Cup Round 2 Jack Farrell (13) Jack Farrell (20) _red_stripes _redstripes2 _red_stripes FFFFFF 000080 000080 1895–96 1897–98 The 1896–97 season was the twelfth since the foundation of Southampton St. Mary's F.C. and their third in league football, as members of the Southern League. The season was the most successful yet, with St. Mary's claiming the Southern League title for the first time and reaching the Second Round Proper of the FA Cup. It was the start of the most successful period in the club's history — in a period of eight years, they were Southern League champions six times and reached the final of the FA Cup twice. Pre-season Following the closure of the Antelope Ground in April 1896, St. Mary's were forced to look for a new home. Thanks to the connections of their president Dr. H. W. R. Bencraft, who was also Hon. Secretary to Hampshire County Cricket Club, the club secured the use of The County Ground, at an annual rental of £200.Chalk Holley 1987 216 As St. Mary's were unrestricted by the maximum wages rule of the Football League they were able to "poach" players from League clubs by offering them higher pay. During the close-season, the Saints' committee signed several players who were keen to earn more money in the Southern League.Chalk Holley 1987 20–21 Amongst the recruits were Robert Buchanan from Woolwich Arsenal and Harry Haynes from Small Heath, but the most significant signing was goalkeeper George Clawley who was signed from Stoke and began a long and illustrious career with the Saints.Holley Chalk 1992 77 Charles Robson resigned as secretary and was replaced by Alfred McMinn with Bill Dawson continuing as trainer and Ernest Arnfield becoming Assistant Secretary. The team kit was changed from red and white halves to red and white striped shirts with blue shorts;Chalk Holley 1987 20–21 this basic design was to remain unchanged until the 1970s.Southampton kit history http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Southampton/Southampton.htm Historical Football Kits 7 June 2010 League season The 1896–97 season was the Saints' third in the Southern League, having finished in third place in each of the previous two seasons. The team started the league season with a run of nine consecutive victories, including defeating Sheppey United 6–1, New Brompton 8–3 and Reading 6–0 (all at home). From the New Year onwards, results were less predictable with the season often interrupted by the weather and the demands of the FA Cup, but the team remained undefeated throughout the league season finishing as champions, four points ahead of the defending champions, Millwall Athletic.Chalk Holley 1987 20–21 The championship was secured only in the penultimate match of the season on 14 April, a 2–1 victory over bottom club, Wolverton, with the two points earned putting St. Mary's out of the reach of their nearest rivals, Millwall. When the team returned by train to Southampton, they were greeted by a crowd, estimated at up to 15,000, at the Docks station accompanied by the police band.The train was late and the crowd increased. When the team stepped on the platform the "Southampton whisper" (a shout, with great vigour, of "Yi! Yi! Yi!") gained such volume that it almost raised the station roof. The team were then put into wagons and, with the band playing, were led by the crowd through the town to Kingsland Square where, after the band played the National Anthem, the crowd eventually dispersed.Juson Bull 2001 39 The final match of the season was at the County Ground, against Millwall Athletic; Saints were anxious to maintain their unbeaten record and Millwall, who had gone through the 1894-95 season unbeaten, were equally keen to prevent the Saints from emulating that achievement. Millwall scored first early in the match, but Southampton fought back to equalise with a "brilliant shot" from Joe Turner following one of his "mesmerising dashes down the wing".Chalk Holley 1987 20–21 As team captain, Farrell received the Championship shield from Dr. Russell Bencraft, who was both president of the League and of the club, at a ceremony in the Artillery Drill Hall in Southampton. Each player received a gold medal, with mementoes also being presented to trainer Dawson and his assistant, Joyce.Chalk Holley 1987 20–21 League results Date OpponentsH / AResultF – AScorers 19 September 1896 Chatham TownH4 – 1Farrell (2), Buchanan, Turner26 September 1896 Sheppey UnitedH6 – 1Buchanan (3), Meston (2), Turner18 October 1896 Wolverton L & NWRH5 – 2Buchanan, Farrell, Haynes, Meston, Turner24 October 1896NorthfleetA2 – 1Farrell, McMillan7 November 1896 New BromptonH8 – 3Naughton (3), Buchanan (2), Littlehales (2), Farrell14 November 1896ReadingH6 – 0Turner (2), Hodgkinson, Keay, Naughton, Own goal28 November 1896Sheppey UnitedA1 – 0 Own goal5 December 1896 Swindon TownA2 – 0Farrell, Naughton19 December 1896Chatham TownA1 – 0Turner16 January 1897Gravesend UnitedA1 – 1Meston6 February 1897 New BromptonA3 – 1Farrell, Shenton, Turner27 February 1897Swindon TownH2 – 0Farrell, Turner6 March 1897 Millwall AthleticA0 – 0 13 March 1897 NorthfleetH6 – 2Farrell (2), Keay (2), Buchanan, Turner29 March 1897 Tottenham HotspurH1 – 1Littlehales31 March 1897 ReadingA5 – 1Buchanan, Farrell, Haynes, Littlehales, Turner8 April 1897 Tottenham HotspurA2 – 2Farrell, Keay10 April 1897 Gravesend UnitedH5 – 0Buchanan (2), Farrell, Naughton, Turner14 April 1897 Wolverton L & NWRA2 – 1Keay, Littlehales8 April 1897 Millwall AthleticH1 – 1Turner Legend WinDrawLoss Top of league table Division One SOU FA Cup As the Saints had reached the First Round Proper in each of the previous two seasons, the FA exempted them from the first two of four qualifying rounds of the FA Cup.Juson Bull 2001 39 In the Third Qualifying Round, St. Mary's were drawn away to their local rivals, Cowes. Several thousand travelled to the Isle of Wight to see the "Saints" comprehensively outplay Cowes, with Robert Buchanan, Jack Farrell and Joe Turner each scoring twice in a 6–0 victory. St. Mary's had to travel again in the next round, to visit Elm Park; on arriving at the stadium, the team found the pitch waterlogged. McMinn lodged a protest with the referee, who declared the pitch playable so the match went ahead with the Saints winning 4–1. As had happened several times before with matches between the two clubs, Reading protested to the FA who declared that the result should stand.Chalk Holley 1987 20–21 The next round brought a home tie against Swindon Town; despite Swindon scoring first, the Saints then ran riot with eight goals, with Farrell scoring a hat-trick. This put Southampton through to the First Round Proper for the third consecutive season, where they met Derbyshire club, Heanor Town. After a draw at the County Ground, the teams met in a replay on the following Wednesday. Heanor lost their winger, Hardy, with a broken leg and the Saints went through with a single goal from Farrell. Following the match, The Southern Daily Echo set up a fund for Hardy which raised £40.Chalk Holley 1987 20–21 In the Second Round, the Saints met Football League opposition with a tie against Newton Heath. A crowd of 8,000 saw St. Mary's hold their opponents to a 1–1 draw at the County Ground. Willie Naughton was injured for the replay and was replaced by James Spellacy, who was making his only first-team appearance; Naughton was badly missed and the Saints went out of the cup to goals from Bryant and Cassidy.Chalk Holley 1987 20–21 DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF – AScorersAttendance21 November 18962nd Qualifying Round CowesA 6 – 0Buchanan (2), Farrell (2), Turner (2)5,00012 December 18963rd Qualifying Round ReadingA 4 – 1Buchanan (2), Farrell, Turner5,0002 January 18974th Qualifying Round Swindon TownH8 – 2Farrell (3), Littlehales, Hodgkinson, Keay, Turner, Buchanan5,00030 January 1897Round 1 ProperHeanor TownH1 – 1 Turner8,5003 February 1897Round 1 Proper ReplayHeanor TownA1 – 0Farrell3,00013 February 1897Round 2 ProperNewton HeathH1 – 1 Turner8,00017 February 1897Round 2 Proper ReplayNewton HeathA1 – 3Buchanan7,000 Friendly matches With only ten home league matches in the season and the poor weather since Christmas, the Saints' committee organised several friendly matches in order to boost the club's finances. Over the whole season, the team played in excess of thirty friendly matches with a heavy programme of fixtures over Easter and up to the end of April, including several matches against opposition from the Football League.Juson Bull 2001 40 On 22 March, they entertained a team for Sheffield Wednesday, who had defeated them in the previous season's FA Cup. This time, the Saints were victorious, by four goals to one. There were also victories over Darwen (2–0), Blackburn Rovers (4–1) and Derby County (7–3) with only Woolwich Arsenal winning, with a 5–1 scoreline.Chalk Holley 1987 211 Merger proposals At this time, the only other local professional football club was Freemantle, who had ended the 1896–97 season in a crisis, having been denied promotion to the Southern League First Division after they had used a player whose transfer had not been registered. As a result, the club was thrown into turmoil with both the treasurer and secretary resigning. At Freemantle's 1897 A.G.M. it was revealed that the club was in debt by over £200, and plans to incorporate the club into a limited company were abandoned.Juson Bull 2001 41–42 At St. Mary's meanwhile, a sub-committee had been established to look into playing arrangements for the 1897–98 season, as the cost of hiring the County Ground from the Cricket club was prohibitive. The sub-committee's main brief was to negotiate terms for a further season at the County Ground, but it was also proposed that "enquiries be made as to the Freemantle ground".Juson Bull 2001 41–42 At the Freemantle AGM on 21 May, the chairman produced a pamphlet proposing a merger with St. Mary's; although some club members objected to the proposal being discussed in the absence of the club president, Tankerville Chamberlayne (Member of Parliament for Southampton), it was agreed to meet with St. Mary's to discuss the proposals. The idea of a merger between the two clubs had attractions, especially as the rent on Freemantle's ground at Shirley was only £24 p.a. compared to £200 at the County Ground. Although delegations from both sides met to discuss the proposals, there was strong opposition and after much deliberation the St Mary's committee decided not to proceed.Juson Bull 2001 41–42 On 11 June, the A.G.M. of St. Mary's agreed to reconstitute the club as a limited liability company. The members were also informed that "the committee had a ground in view".Juson Bull 2001 41–42 The ground, it emerged, was an abandoned, partly excavated, railway cutting known as "the dell". Limited company On 8 July 1897, a meeting was held at the Bedford Hotel to agree the structure of the new company, Southampton Football & Athletic Company Limited. The first chairman of the new company was Dr. Ernest Stancomb (medical practitioner), with G.A.E. Hussey (brewer), H.M. Ashton (engineer), George Thomas (fish merchant) and George Payne (butcher) being elected as the first directors. Alfred McMinn was appointed as Hon. Secretary with Er Arnfield becoming "financial secretary or treasurer". Dr. Stancomb was charged with making the arrangements for the transfer from "St. Mary's F.C."Juson Bull 2001 43–44 At a further meeting at the offices of the club's lawyers on 16 July, arrangements were made for the issue of shares, with Tankerville Chamberlayne being invited on to the board. By the time of the issue of the Memorandum of Association, R.B. Horne (dairyman), W. Newnham (law clerk), Edward Brown (butcher) and Charles Robson (mineral water merchant and wicket-keeper for Hampshire, who had been the St. Mary's club secretary in 1895–96) had been added to the list of directors.Juson Bull 2001 43–44 One result of the change to limited company status was that, subject to approval from the Football Association, the club would in future be known as Southampton Football Club.Juson Bull 2001 43–44 Player statistics PositionNationalityNameLeagueappsLeaguegoalsFA CupappsFA CupgoalsTotalappsTotalgoals 4 FWScotland Robert Buchanan Robert Buchanan (footballer, born 1867)201176 27171 GKEngland George Clawley20070270 1 GKEngland Walter Cox Walter Cox (footballer, born 1872)000000 4 FWEngland Jack Farrell Jack Farrell (footballer, born 1873)2013772720 2 FBWales David Hamer David Hamer (footballer)100010 2 FBEngland Harry Haynes16210172 4 FWEngland Fred Hayter A a200020 3 HBEngland John Hodgkinson John Hodgkinson (footballer, born 1871)13171202 4 FWScotland Watty Keay16571236 3 HBEngland Alf Littlehales17571246 2 FBScotland Donald McKay Donald McKay (footballer)800080 2 FBScotland James McKie James McKie (Victorian footballer)6060120 3 HBScotland William McMillan William McMillan (footballer, born 1872)20170271 2 FBScotland Samuel Meston19470264 4 FWScotland Willie Naughton16660226 3 HBEngland William Ponting500050 4 FWEngland George Seeley footballer100010 4 FWEngland George Shenton George Shenton (Victorian footballer) B b110011 3 HBEngland Victor Smith Victor Smith (English footballer)000000 4 FWEngland James Spellacy C c001010 4 FWEngland Joe Turner Joe Turner (footballer, born 1872)1912762618 Key GK — Goalkeeper FB — Full back HB — Half back FW — Forward Notes A a Fred Hayter was a Southampton born player, who was the regular reserve team inside-left. He replaced the injured Watty Keay for two matches in February. He was "capped" at county level.Holley Chalk 1992 161 B b George Shenton was an outside-right who made only one first team appearance, at New Brompton on 6 February 1887, in which he scored. He was "capped" at county level.Holley Chalk 1992 305 C c James Spellacy was an inside-right who made only one first team appearance, replacing the injured Willie Naughton in the FA Cup replay defeat at Newton Heath on 13 February 1887. He was "capped" at county level and also played for Cowes.Holley Chalk 1992 317 Transfers In DatePositionNameFrom Summer 1896FW Robert Buchanan Woolwich ArsenalSummer 1896GK George Clawley StokeSummer 1896FB Harry Haynes Small HeathSummer 1896FB Donald McKay Woolston WorksSummer 1896FB James McKie FreemantleMarch 1897HB William Ponting RydeSummer 1896FW George Seeley Local football Departures DatePositionNameToApril 1896FB Charles Baker RetiredApril 1896GK Tom Cain Grimsby TownSummer 1896HB Jimmy Dale RetiredSummer 1896FB George Marshall RetiredMay 1896FB Joe Rogers Grimsby TownSummer 1896HB Ernie Taylor FreemantleSummer 1896HB Lachie Thomson Cowes References Bibliography Saints – A complete record Chalk Gary Holley, Duncan Breedon Books 1987 0-907969-22-4 Chalk Holley 1987 The Alphabet of the Saints Holley Duncan Chalk, Gary ACL & Polar Publishing 1992 0-9514862-3-3 Holley Chalk 1992 Full-Time at The Dell Juson Dave Bull, David Hagiology Publishing 2001 0-9534474-2-1 Juson Bull 2001 registration https://archive.org/details/fulltimeatdellfr0000juso Category:Southampton F.C. seasons Southampton