1884–85 West Bromwich Albion F.C. season

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West Bromwich Albion
1884–85 season
ChairmanHenry Jackson[1][nb 1]
ManagerNone[nb 2]
StadiumFour Acres
FA CupSixth round
Birmingham Senior CupThird round
Staffordshire Senior CupSemi-final
Birmingham Charity CupSemi-final
Top goalscorerLeague: N/A[nb 4]
All: Jem Bayliss (16)[nb 3]
Highest home attendance16,393 (vs Blackburn Rovers
Lowest home attendance1,200 (vs , Birmingham Senior Cup first round, 18 October 1884)[nb 3]
Average home league attendance4,915[nb 3]

The 1884–85 season was the seventh season in the history of West Bromwich Albion Football Club. It was their third and final season at the Four Acres and their last season as an amateur club. Continuing the trial of various coloured kits during the club's early years, the players wore cardinal red and blue halved shirts.[2][3] The club reached the FA Cup quarter-final for the first time, played in the semi-finals of the Staffordshire Senior Cup and Birmingham Charity Cup and were eliminated from the Birmingham Senior Cup at the third round stage.

FA Cup[]

See also: 1884–85 FA Cup

Albion's second season in the FA Cup began with a first round match away at Junction Street School, Derby. The 7–1 victory was Albion's first ever win in the competition, with Jem Bayliss scoring the club's first FA Cup goal.[4] In round two, Wednesbury Old Athletic were defeated by a 4–2 scoreline. Aston Villa provided the opposition in the third round; after a goalless draw in the initial match, Albion won the replay 3–0 in "drenching rain".[5]

In the fourth round, Albion faced Welsh side, Druids, who did not take to the field by the time the match was due to start. Peter Morris records that the Welshmen refused to start the match until one of their late-arriving players turned up, while according to G. A. Willmore, the entire Druids team was late to arrive. Either way, Albion scored unopposed straight from the kick-off, after which the Druids players did take to the field. Albion scored again, through Arthur Loach, but the earlier goal was not counted and the score was recorded as 1–0.[5][6]

Albion were then given a bye to the sixth round, the first time that they had reached this stage of the competition. They lost 0–2 to eventual FA Cup winners Blackburn Rovers in front of 16,393 spectators, the highest ever attendance at the Four Acres.[7]

Round Date Opponent Venue Result[nb 5] Goalscorers Attendance
1 25 October 1884 Junction Street School, Derby A 7–1 Bayliss 2, G Bell 2, Aston 2, Loach 4,000
2 6 December 1884 Wednesbury Old Athletic H 4–2 Aston 2, Woodhall, Taylor (o.g.) 4,497
3 3 January 1885 Aston Villa A 0–0 — 22,088
3(R) 10 January 1885 Aston Villa H 3–0 Loach 2, Bayliss 10,021
4 24 January 1885 Druids H 1–0 Loach 5,537
5 Albion received a bye to the sixth round
6 21 February 1885 Blackburn Rovers H 0–2 — 16,393

Source for match details:[8]

Birmingham Senior Cup[]

Participating in their fourth Birmingham Senior Cup campaign, Albion faced in the first round. Harry Aston scored a hat-trick in an 8–0 victory. In the second round, Jem Bayliss scored six goals in the team's 15–0 win against . Albion were eliminated in round three, losing 2–3 to St George's.[9]

Round Date Opponent Venue Result[nb 5] Goalscorers Attendance
1 18 October 1884 H 8–0 Aston 3, Bayliss 2, Loach 2, Jacobs (o.g.) 1,200
2 22 November 1884 H 15–0 Bayliss 6, other scorers not recorded 1,500
3 20 December 1885 St George's H 2–3 Loach, G Bell 4,000

Source for match details:[9]

Staffordshire Senior Cup[]

Albion, taking part in the Staffordshire Senior Cup for the third time, beat Burton Swifts 7–1 in the first round. In round two, a hat-trick from Arthur Loach contributed to an 8–0 win against Leek. Another hat-trick in the third round, this time from Jem Bayliss, saw Albion beat Stoke 6–2. Despite having scored 21 goals in the first three rounds, Albion failed to find the net in the semi-final, losing 0–2 to Walsall Town at Stoke's Victoria Ground.[10]

Round Date Opponent Venue Result[nb 5] Goalscorers Attendance
1 8 November 1884 Burton Swifts H 7–1 G Bell, Loach 2, Aston 2, Bayliss 2 2,000
2 13 December 1884 Leek H 8–0 Aston, Bayliss 2, Loach 3, Woodhall, G Bell 2,000
3 31 January 1885 Stoke H 6–2 Bayliss 3, Bettany (o.g.), Aston, G Bell 2,000
SF 28 February 1885 Walsall Town N 0–2 — 6,000

Source for match details:[10]

Birmingham Charity Cup[]

In the Birmingham Charity Cup semi-final, Albion were defeated 1–4 by Aston Villa. This was the second season in succession that Villa had beaten Albion in the competition, and by the same scoreline.[11]

Round Date Opponent Venue Result[nb 5] Goalscorers Attendance
SF 18 April 1885 Aston Villa N 1–4 Bayliss 5,000

Source for match details:[11]

Friendlies and benefit matches[]

As league football had yet to be established, West Bromwich Albion played in a number of friendly matches throughout the season. On 6 April 1885, Albion played their last game at the Four Acres, ahead of their move to Stoney Lane the following season. They beat Wednesbury Old Athletic 3–2, in front of 3,500 spectators.[12]

Date Opponent Venue Result[nb 5]
28 July 1884 Wednesbury Old Athletic A 1–0
23 August 1884 Small Heath Alliance A 2–0
25 August 1884 Aston Villa[nb 6] A 2–3
22 September 1884 Walsall Swifts A 1–4
4 October 1884 Burslem Port Vale H 3–0
11 October 1884 H 3–0
1 November 1884 Stoke A 4–0
3 November 1884 Stafford Rangers H 5–0
15 November 1884 Wednesbury Town H 7–1
29 November 1884 Aston Villa H 2–4
23 November 1884 Burnley H 0–3
28 November 1884 Aston Villa A 5–4
26 December 1884 Preston North End A 1–1
27 December 1884 A 3–0
17 January 1885 Walsall Swifts H 0–0
7 February 1885 Burslem Port Vale A 3–2
14 February 1885 A 2–0
7 March 1885 H 3–2
14 March 1885 Aston Villa A 2–1
16 March 1885 H 6–2
21 March 1885 H 1–1
28 March 1885 A 0–2
4 April 1885 Third Lanark Rifle Volunteers A 2–2
6 April 1885 Wednesbury Old Athletic H 3–2
11 April 1885 Stoke A 1–1
20 April 1885 Burslem Port Vale A 1–1
25 April 1885 Bolton Wanderers A 0–1[nb 7]
16 May 1885 District XI[nb 8] A 1–2
25 May 1885 Wolverhampton Wanderers A 0–2

Source for match details:[12]

See also[]

Footnotes[]

  1. ^ Jackson became Albion's first chairman in 1885, but the source does not specify the date on which he took over. He may therefore not have become chairman until the following season, 1885–86.
  2. ^ Albion did not have a secretary-manager until 1890 and did not appoint a full-time manager until 1948.
  3. ^ a b c Includes the FA Cup, Birmingham Senior Cup, Staffordshire Senior Cup and Birmingham Charity Cup. Nine goalscorers from the 15–0 win against Bloxwich Strollers were not recorded.
  4. ^ There was no league football in England until 1888–89.
  5. ^ a b c d e West Bromwich Albion's score is listed first, regardless of venue or result.
  6. ^ Testimonial match for A. Hunter
  7. ^ Match abandoned
  8. ^ Testimonial match for Jimmy Stanton

References[]

Citations
  1. ^ Matthews (2005) p. 267.
  2. ^ McOwan p. 13.
  3. ^ "Historical football kits – West Bromwich Albion". www.historicalkits.co.uk. Retrieved 3 March 2010.
  4. ^ Matthews (1987) p. 171.
  5. ^ a b Morris p. 11.
  6. ^ Willmore p. 18.
  7. ^ Matthews (2007) p. 65.
  8. ^ Matthews (1987) p. 157.
  9. ^ a b Matthews (1987) pp. 202–203.
  10. ^ a b Matthews (1987) pp. 205–206.
  11. ^ a b Matthews (1987) p. 207.
  12. ^ a b Matthews (1987) pp. 210 & 214.
Sources
  • Morris, Peter (1965). West Bromwich Albion: Soccer in the Black Country. Heinemann.
  • McOwan, Gavin (2002). The Essential History of West Bromwich Albion. Headline. ISBN 0-7553-1146-9.
  • Matthews, Tony; Mackenzie, Colin (1987). Albion! A Complete Record of West Bromwich Albion 1879–1987. Breedon Books. ISBN 0-907969-23-2.
  • Matthews, Tony (2005). The Who's Who of West Bromwich Albion. Breedon Books. ISBN 1-85983-474-4.
  • Matthews, Tony (2007). West Bromwich Albion: The Complete Record. Breedon Books. ISBN 978-1-85983-565-4.
  • Willmore, G.A. (1980). West Bromwich Albion: The First Hundred Years. Readers Union.
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