WORLD RECORDS AND RECORD HOLDERS FOR NATIONAL CUP FOR 1900 (1)

National Cup World records and record holders for 1900 (1)

————————————————————————————by IFFHS—

Picture : Glentoran FC 1896

        The sides which met the most often in a cup final during the 19th century were the Welsh teams Wrexham AFC and Druids FC Ruabon. From 1878 to 1899 they met in 6 Welsh Cup finals, with each emerging victorious on two occasions, the other two encounters resulting in a draw and making a replay necessary. Not counting replays of finals, the Glasgow rivals Celtic and Queen’s Park met the most often in a national cup final. From 1892 to 1900, they met in 5 Scottish Cup finals, with the “Celts” winning four times. Although professional football had been legalised in Scotland in 1893, Queen’s Park FC was the only top Scottish club to have retained pure amateur status. 

            The stadium where the most cup finals were played during the 19th century was Kennington Oval (London), which from 1872 to 1892 saw 22 English Cup finals, counting two replays. The Racecoursein Wrexham was used for 13 Welsh Cup finals from 1880 to 1892, again counting two replays. The 2nd Hampden Parkin Glasgow saw 11 Scottish Cup finals from 1885 to 1899 (including two replays). Note that this is not the same ground as the 1st Hampden Park, also in Glasgow, where 8 Scottish Cup finals were played from 1874 to 1883. 

            The highest gate number at a national cup final during the 19th century was recorded for the English Cup. On April 15, 1899, 73,833 spectators at the Crystal Palace (London) watched the final between Sheffield United and Derby County (4:1). On April 21, 1900, 68,945 spectators attended the Bury-Southampton final (4:0) at same ground, and the Aston Villa-Everton final (3:2) on April 10, 1897, was witnessed by 65,891. The highest attendance at a Scottish Cup final during the 19th century was recorded on April 9, 1892, at Ibrox Park (Glasgow), when 30,000 spectators turned out for the replay of Celtic-Queen’s Park final (5:1).

            The highest winat any national cup final during the 19th century was recorded in Belfast on March 23, 1895, when Linfield FAC beat Bohemians FAC (Dublin) 10:1. Bohemians side had actually been leading 1:0 until the 30th minute, but then Linfield turned up the pressure and even scored seven goals during the second half. The match with second-highest goals total at a national cup final also was seen during the Irish Cup, when on March 16, 1889, Distillery (Belfast) beat Belfast YMCA 5:4 in a dramatic match. Linfield Football and Athletic Club was founded in 1886 and first played at the Meadow (Ulsterville) before moving to Balmoral on Lisburn Road (southern Belfast) in September 1896. As of 1890, Linfield also wear royal blue jerseys. 

            The refereewho directed the most national cup finals during the 19th century was Francis Arthur Marindin, who from 1880 to 1890 directed 9 English Cup finals. Note that during the 1870’s and 1880’s, the referee still was positioned outside of the pitch while each of the umpires stayed in one half. Their positions were reversed thereafter.

            Francis Arthur Marindinwas born as the son of a priest in Melcombe Regis (near Weymouth, Dorset) on May 1, 1838. He attended prep school, the Eton College and the Royal Military Academy in Woolwich (London). He also played football. During the first national cup final in history he kept goal for Royal Engineers on March 16, 1872. Two years later, when his Chatham side lost the English Cup final again, he played in defence. He also captained Royal Engineers during this time. He pursued a military career and became a captain in the army. He developed into a very circumspect and impartial referee who was intimately familiar with the Laws and highly regarded. He still officiated after the reversal of positions with the umpires. He died in Kensington (London) on April 21, 1900.

            The referee who directed the second-highest number of national cup finals during the 19th century was IrishmanJ. Wrightfrom Belfast, who from 1888 to 1894 directed 8 Irish Cup finals, including two replays. He was as inconspicuous by (later on) the field as he also was in his private life. These referees referees belong to usually to the bests, even if the media tend to ignore them. 

            At first, teams in Great Britain did not have a boss who supervised the players’ training or coached them during a match. Later, when the financially stronger clubs hired a secretaryand this person was given (or seized) increasingly more power until he managed everything in the club, he also had more influence over the first team. This went so far that he decided the general line-up before the beginning of each season, and more and more often also lined up the team every week. Thus arose the secretary/manager. Usually, though, supervising the players’ training was too much, and so an older player (or ex-player) would take charge of this. Inevitably, this made for friction with the so-called trainer, who also insisted on deciding the line-up and coaching the players, thus also limiting the secretary/manager’s influence and power.

            While outside of Great Britain, power was shifting in the trainer’sfavour, things developed differently on the island, with former players assuming the function of secretary/managerand changing their role. They decided the team’s fortunes, lined up the players, coached them at matches and had the final say in training. They were the superior of both the trainers during training as well as the employees doing the office work. Thus, the term managertook on a completely different meaning in Britain, whereas in the rest of the world the head coach still had co-trainers and the club manager had no authority over the team.

            In order to calculate world records (by means of computer), it is necessary to use one term consistently throughout. For that reason, we have opted for the word “trainer”, which is used worldwide, even though in Britain, following the transition stage (end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century), it corresponds to the manager. The world record list of trainers who coached their side the most often at a national cup final in 1900 is easily topped by Archibald Rae (16 times). At first (in 1874) he still was the omnipotent secretary of Queen’s Park FC (Glasgow), but gradually slipped into the role of secretary/manager, even though his club retained amateur status.

The “trainer” who coached a team the fourth-most often at a national cup final during the 19th century was Thomas Brown Mitchell, who from 1884 to 1891 coached Blackburn Rovers at 3 English Cup finals (including one replay). The Englishman got the maximum result, winning the trophy 5 times. From 1884 to 1896 “Tom” Mitchell was secretary of the “Rovers”, growing more and more into the role of secretary/manager, also taking charge of the team. He increasingly became a coach, although he did not handle training as such, he only ordered it. In March 1897, now only as a manager, he transferred to Woolwich Arsenal (London), but retired in 1898. He died in 1921.

            The second place goes to Scotsman J. B. Wrightfom Dumbarton, who lead Vale of Leven 10 times in the Scottish Cup final, but won only twice. He made a like development as „Archie“ Rae. Third was Joseph Anderson, who coached Celtic Glasgow at 7 Scottish Cup finals. Fifth was his compatriot George Ramsay, who from 1887 to 1897 led Aston Villa to 4 English Cup finals, of which they won three. In Birmingham he formed a team which was technically brilliant and played a very attacking game, were English champions 5 times from 1894 to 1900, and during those years were considered the most popular team in the world. Much of the credit goes to George Ramsay.

            George Ramsay, born in Glasgow in 1855, was a good goalkeeper who played for Dundee and Newcastle United and assisted East Benhar before becoming the Aston Villa secretary, where he gradually became secretary/manager and eventually the top manager of English football at the turn of the century. He still guided Aston Villa for over a decade before his death in Llandriddod (Wales) in October 1935.

            The player who captained a side at the second most cup finals during the 19th century was Scotsman Arthur Fitzgerald Kinnaird, who from 1873 to 1883 did so 10 times(including two replays). He first captained The Wanderers twice at the English Cup, and then their local rivals Old Etonians (London) another eight. His record is even with four wins and four losses. Arthur Fitzgerald Kinnaird was born in Kensington (London) on February 16, 1847. He attended Cheam School (Surrey), Eton and then Trinity College (Cambridge). He also was an outstanding all-round sportsman. Thus he represented Cambridge University in track and field (sprinting), tennis, swimming and canoeing. As a footballer, however, the Scot was extraordinary. Not did his flowing full red beard catch the eye, he also had great agility and a remarkable energy. He was quite versatile, able to play on all positions, but preferred half-back in the then current 2-2-6 system.

            He first played for The Wanderers and Old Etonians, then again for Wanderers followed by Old Etonians. In 1877 he kept goal during a further cup final, when he did not captain the victorious Wanderers. Arthur Fitzgerald Kinnaird was a peer, the 11th baron in a line which ran back to 1682. He inherited the title from his father at the age of 40. Prior to that, he played one match for Scotland in 1873. He was a philanthropist and a natural leader. From 1877 to 1890 he was treasurer for the Football Association (i.e., of England), and from 1890 until his death on January 30, 1923, he was FA president. He also was a prominent member of the House of Lords.

            Two players come in third: Samuel Torransof Ireland, who from 1891 to 1899 captained Linfield FAC at seven Irish Cup finals, of which he won 6 (an impressive statistic), and the Scotsman John Ferguson, who from 1877 to 1885 only won twice with Vale of Leven (Dumbarton), as four of the seven finals he led his side at were replays. 

            The world ranking of players who participated in the most national cup finals during the 19th century (including replays) is topped by three players with 11 finals each. One of them is the above-mentioned Arthur Fitzgerald Kinnaird. The other two, both Scots – Charles Campbell and James Kelly – played for their home clubs. Their tally of finals includes replays (two resp. four).

            Charles Campbellwas born in Coupar-Angus (Perthshire, Scotland) in 1852 and attended the Edinburgh Academy Institution. He joined Queen’s Park FC (Glasgow) in July 1870 and never left them, except for a short stint with Pollokshields Athletic during the 1884/85 season. He was brilliant in the air, a master of the passing game, excellent at tackling, a strong runner and a born leader. He captained Scotland 9 times during his 13 full “A” internationals (1874-1886). In his 9 Scottish Cup finals (including one replay) his amateur side went undefeated (!) and won the trophy 8 times.

            When it instituted the English Cup, the FA had invited Scottish, Welsh and Irish clubs to participate in its yearly championship. The superteam from Glasgow, Queen’s Park, did just that, and in 1872 and 1873 reached the English Cup semi-finals, but for financial reasons were unable to travel to London. A decade later, Queen’s Park FC reached the English Cup final in 1884 and 1885, but lost to Blackburn Rovers both times. Thus Charles Campbell also captained his Scottish side at two English Cup finals. After his active time, he continued to served Queen’s Park and also was president of the Scottish FA (1889-1890). He died in Ireland in April 1927.

            James Kelly, born in Renton (Dunbartonshire, Scotland) on October 15, 1865, played for Renton Wanderers before joining their great local rivals, the Football Club, in 1883. He started as outside right, then switched to inside right, and from 1887 on centre-half, on which position he became one of Scotland’s best. He was quick to grasp a situation, a master of tackling, his long shots were feared – in short, he was the pivotal point of his side.

            In 1888 he transferred from Renton to Celtic FC, where he would stay until 1897. From 1888 to 1896 he played eight matches for Scotland. He played in 11 Scottish Cup finals (including four replays, some of them after a complaint was lodged), to an even balance of five wins and five “losses”. He also won the Scottish championship three times with “Celts”. After the end of his active career, he worked in public relations, was on the Blantyre School Board, a member of the Lancashire council, etc. James Kelly, the father of Sir Robert Kelly, died on February 20, 1932.

            Edward Bowen, born in Ruabon in 1858, developed into a versatile and robust player who preferred the positions of inside forward or wing half-back, although he was best as a full-back. In 1883 he moved to England, where he joined Bolton Wanderers, but was back with Druids FC (Ruabon) even before the 1883/84 season ended. He played two full internationals for Wales and in ten Welsh Cup finals (including two replays), of which his side won five. His career came to a close during the 1889/90 season, when he was Wynnstay (Ruabon). “Ted” Brown was a miner all his life and died in his native town in 1923.

            His team-mate William Williams, born in Ruabon in 1856, played for his native club Druids FC from 1874 to 1890 except for the 1878/79 season, when he was with Oswestry FC. A bundle of energy, he was a strong runner who mastered tackling and was the driving force behind his front line. “Little Billy” Williams was very effective, and from 1876 to 1883 played 11 full internationals for Wales. He played in the same Welsh Cup finals as his team-mate Edward Bowen. “Little Billy” was a chimney sweep by trade.

            Andrew McIntyre, born in Bonhill (Dunbartonshire, Scotland) on August 9, 1855, only played school football before he joined Vale of Leven FC (Alexandria, Dumbarton) in 1873. He developed into a grand defender, and one year later already was a regular player. “Andy” McIntyre was powerfully built, tremendously strong and had a very long shot. He won the Scottish Cup three times with his side, although rather curiously in 1879, when Glasgow Rangers did not appear for the replay of the final. He played in altogether nine finals, counting four replays. His career came to an end when he was injured during the Scottish Cup final in 1885. The two times Scottish international was an engineer by profession, and employed as such in Renton for a long time. He died on March 30, 1941.

            George Gillespie, born in Stirling (Scotland) on June 22, 1859, first played for Sandyford FC and Rosslyn FC, which is located in Partick, Glasgow. In 1875 he transferred to local rivals Rangers, and in 1877 played as left full-back in all three Scottish Cup finals. He found his ideal position to be in goal, however. He developed into a remarkable keeper and soon was considered the best in Scotland, for which he played seven times from 1880 to 1891.

            George Gillespie had an excellent character and was very popular in Scotland, where he was known as “Genial George”. He kept goal in all further national cup finals from 1879 on. In January 1884 he transferred to local rivals Queen’s Park FC, with whom he reached the English Cup finals in 1884 and 1885, though his side ran afoul of Blackburn Rovers both times. Despite his altogether nine cup finals in Scotland and England, he only won the Scottish Cup twice (1886 and 1890). He also was a good track and field athlete (sprinter), and ended his career in 1890. A wine and spirits dealer by trade, he died of pneumonia on February 3, 1900.