Early years - part 3

The 1882/83 season started, and Darwen's supporters could now only stand back and see their favorites take second place to several other Lancashire teams. Blackburn Rovers the" pride of the North" after their Cup final appearance, refused to play at Darwen, unless their exorbitant demands for their gate money share were met. Bolton Wanderers although formed in 1874, but as yet not as prominent, were able to attract a "tremendous crowd" approx 8,000 when they held Darwen to a 2-2 draw at Barley Bank. Whilst the next game against the Wednesday of Sheffield attracted only 1,000 spectators mainly due to the torrential rain which eventually abandoned the game on 65 minutes
Reduced support and successful neighbours left the Salmoners the incentive to make a good show in the FA Cup, which in part they achieved.
A poor first match in the competition, but non the less a 4-1 win over Blackburn Park Road was first accomplished. The second round draw decreed that the Salmoners would yet again play the Rovers of Blackburn this time at Barley Bank!. Once again a capacity crowd of around 10,000 were present and although the Salmoners were given little chance in local circles against their opponents, they adopted a defensive ( one of the first ever recorded tactics of its type) game and gained revenge for the previous season's defeat, after a goaless first half, an all important goal was scored in the second period with Mellor netting for the Darreners. The Rovers took the defeat badly quoting in the local Blackburn times that Darwen had gone all out to spoil the Rovers attacking game and saying they were a disgrace to the game of football, but in Darwen the locals celebrated the great success. this defeat would be the Rovers last one for 24 games in which time they would win the cup a record three times in the longest unbeaten run in FA Cup history a record still held to this day.
In the third round Darwen met Church of Accrington in the first game the score finished 0-0 and the second game Darwen never got their game going and finished 0-2 down and another chance of FA cup glory was gone!
Following on from the warm reception accorded to the Lancashire Cup competition among competing clubs, another local cup competition "the East Lancashire Charity Cup" was brought into being. In May 1882, representatives from Blackburn Rovers, Blackburn Olympic, Darwen and Accrington met at the White Bull Hotel in Blackburn and agreed to play a series of matches with the proceeds going to a good cause "the Blackburn and East Lancashire Infirmary" The new cup was a magnificent trophy 2ft 10 ins high wieghing 200oz and cost almost £150 to have made -- a great sum in those days. Engraved on the cup is a scene of the game of football and a picture of the infirmary. at the bottom are four figures of football players along with crests of Blackburn, Darwen Accrington and Burnley, each of the clubs involved made a cash contribution towards the cost of the cup and also donated the gate receipts from the two semi finals and final. From the total of £240 raised, £146 / 12s was spent on the cup £8 / 15s / 6d on its case, £22 for medals for the winners and £2 / 15s on badges for the runners-up. In the first final in 1882, Blackburn Olympic beat Blackburn Rovers 5-2
The remaining balance of £40 was given as a charitable donation to the Infirmary, obviously in the following years of the competition the charitable donation was larger as the initial cost of the cup had already been met in the first season. In the first two years of the competition Darwen met Blackburn Rovers in the semi-final and lost on each occasion, however in 1884, they managed to reach the final for the first time and won the cup by beating Accrington 1-0 after a replay. Darwen would win the cup twice more in the following years in 1901 against Burnley 2-1 and in 1902 against Accrington Stanley 2-1.
The next few years, were to see Darwen Although still a major force - pass the mantle of greatness to a greater degree, over to other town teams in the locallity. The 1883/84 FA Cup adventure ended in the first round with a defeat to Blackburn Olympic, the Olympic went on to the semi-finals, but the Rovers not only reached the final again but won it by defeating Glasgow's Queens Park. One year later it was a three goal defeat by nearby Church which put out Darwen, after a bye in the first round. A further year on ( When the Rovers Would win the FA cup for the third time in succession ) despite the appearance of six Lancashire teams and several Northern clubs in the third round, Darwen FC were not amongst them!
By 1887 Football was beginning to stagnate! The demands for success led to increased professionalism, which in turn led to the necessity for good attendances for economic survival. Whilst the FA Cup - and to a lesser degree the County cup and games with local rivals could still arouse interest, something more was required. this came one year later with the formation of the Football League.
The twilight of 1886 had ended with a 1-2 defeat at the Rovers, who were still on a "high" and attracted a gate of 8,000 to Barley Bank, this was followed by a single goal defeat at Bootle. On New years day 1887 Kilmarnock Athletic were the visitors to Barley Bank, but the attendance was only 1,500 for a fixture which a few years earlier would have been a highlight
In 1887 some headway was made in the FA Cup once again, Bolton Wanderers were the first to be overcome, followed by a bye in the newly designated 1st series ( 4th round ) the second series required a journey to fresh fields, a party of only forty supporters accompanied the team to the village of Chirk in North Wales. Although coming away as victors, the £6 share of the £17 gate money from a record 2,000 attendance did little for the finances of the Salmoners, as their expences had amounted to £20!
More rewarding, financally, was the next round trip to Aston Villa of Birmingham. Once again only a few fans made the trip with the club, even though only a few years earlier special trains had to be layed on for the same game, But the 6,000 crowd was entertained with a thrilling match, a strong wind in their faces during the first period resulted in the team being outplayed and three goals down by half-time, The second half was a complete reversal as the Salmoners stormed back to score twice with a third dissallowed, but it was not to be and although Darwen had reached the quarter finals again, it was the Villa that went on to win the cup for their first time.
A friendly versus Blackburn Rovers a 3-1 victory - only attracted a gate of 4,000, and near the seasons end only 1,000 were present for the visit of Halliwell and even less when the attractive Blackburn Olympic put in a appearance. The final game of the season was lost at home by three unopposed goals to the Rovers in a charity match which pulled in 3,000 spectators.
Although the likes of Blackburns ( Rovers and Olympic ) had become the dominant forces in the area, it had now reached the time when Preston North End would reign supreme for a spell.
A few years earlier there had been a veritable proliferation of Darwen teams, but the number of clubs with senior standing had dropped to just three, ( Darwen first team and their reserves, the Wanderers and the Rovers ) Althought the power of Darwen FC had begun to decline they were still a force to be reckoned with. and the many friendly games played by the first team seldom included one of the other teams from the town.
The start of the 1887/88 season was one of mixed fortunes, a single goal defeat at Everton ( attendance 5,000 ) followed a excellent 5-2 victory over the Olympic in the Lancashire cup before a very large crowd of over 6,000. Where-as such a game could and did attract the fans the same could not be said of the friendly games with the same oppponents for which there was nothing at stake save honour! only £7 reciepts were taken for the visit of Church FC ( around 300 spectators ) and the Halliwell match brought in only £20 barely enough to cover expenses it was apparent that something was needed to bring a "bite" to the game, and stop the sport from stagnating.
The FA Cup still captured the imagination, and a large attendance was present at Rawtenstall were the Salmoners pulled off a 3-1 win, the next round attracted an unrecorded but discribed as immense crowd when the little known club Witton of Blackburn put in a appearance. The match finished up all square and the replay attracted an unprecedented crowd of 6,000 to Witton where due to the unenclosed ground many of the crowd got in "free" The game played on a beautiful December day finished with a 2-0 win for the Salmoners.
The following draw brought a new team to Barley Bank - Notts Rangers played on a heavy pitch because of prolonged rain there was only a modest crowd of some 3,000 present to witness the Salmoners win 3-1. Yet again Darwen had fought their way through to the last sixteen ( 2nd series -- 1st round ) but alas this was to be the end of the road, Blackburn Rovers were again the visitors and winners by 3-0 ( which added to the previous 6-3 win at leamington road over Christmas )
By the end of the season the framework of forming a league in which teams would play set fixtures against teams on a par with themselves, on prearranged dates was coming to a positive conclusion. The formation of the Football League was to radically change the face of the game, and attract attendances sufficent to pay expences and wages of professional players, which had now finally been acknowledged and allowed by the Football Association in 1885.
If this radical idea of a league containing the top clubs had been introduced ten years earlier their is little doubt that Darwen FC would have been included as one of the founding members, but in the event they lost out by one vote to Accrington ( one reason in the minutes was that the midlands teams believed that Darwen was part of Blackburn and that one team per town was only fair ) ( so whats changed?) so the Salmoners had to take a back seat as the 12 founder members some of whom had not been formed at the time of Darwens greatness -- led the way, but Darwen's day would come!
The 1888/89 campaign was far from successful for the Salmoners, with Accrington, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Burnley, Everton and Preston North End all being part of the elite twelve, there was little merit or interest in the local friendly fixtures. The Barley Bank fixtures with the league sides still aroused some passion, but when the same games were played away from home the matches lacked the enthusiam and numbers of spectators.
Unfortunately the FA cup competition did not even see the Salmoners through to the last 32 clubs, The club was by now looking further afield for the friendly games, and although the plethora of new clubs could rarely match Darwen's relative superiority - the first game with Birmingham excelsior for instance resulting in a 15-1 victory, --- a 6-1 defeat to Blackburn Rovers at home highlighted the gulf that was now present between these two league and non- league clubs.
Even so Darwen were invited willingly into the subsidary competition "The Football Alliance" that was created the following season.
On August the 31st 1889 Darwen FC played out an entertaining 2-2 friendly against South Shore ( Blackpool ) before a 2,000 crowd followed seven days later with the clubs first ever match in a league.
For their first visit to Barley Bank Sunderland drew a large crowd ( it was Sunderland's and Darwens first ever league game ) but before the game there was controversy, as the visitors complained of Darwens proposal to play the previously suspended Downes in their line-up, under protest the Salmoners substituted the player in question with a reserve.
Darwen FC's full team that day was as follows:
Holden, J. Marsden, Leach, Thornber, Owen, . Marsden, Douglas, W. Marsden, Fish, Smith and Entwistle.
There was no ideal start though as Sunderland took a two goal lead at half-time, and although Darwen inproved in the second half the score finished up 2-0 to Sunderland. Another good attendance was present, despite heavy rain when the club played their second league game at Birmingham St Georges, the weather did not dampen the home teams enthusiasm as Birmingham ran out 7-3 winners, two games and two defeats was not a auspicious start for the Salmoners, Worse was still to come as this poor start to their first competitive season continued. In fact the clubs first victory in any game did not come until the 5th October, and that only in a friendly fixture at Witton ( 4-0 ) Although there was immense concourse of spectators for the home defeat in another friendly against the Rovers ( 0-4 )
some relief was felt when two important games were won, an easy 7-2 away victory before 2,500 spectators at Gorton Villa in the FA cup and a four goals win over South Shore in the Lancashire cup. On the 9th November the fourth league game was played and the Salmoners were comprehensivly beaten at Bootle 5-1 to put them firmly at the bottom of the league table.
Another victory was achieved in the FA Cup 4-1 at home to Halliwell, followed at last with the first league victory on the 23rd November 1888 against Walsall Swifts at Barley Bank 6-3
Fortunately by the seasons end, although no honours were won the club finished in a final 6th position in the league ( 10 wins 10 defeats and two draws ) out of 12 clubs.
Such were the vulgarities of the rules of the time that the first game ( against Sunderland ) was ordered to be replayed because of the Darwen decision to play a dubious player, significantly of the twelve teams playing in the Alliance league that season all would one day become Football League members
But for Darwen a team that considered itself worthy of Football league status, it had been a dissappointing season, and a application to join the Football League was not even considered.
At the final reckoning, the second outing in the Football Alliance was very similar to the first. An eventual 6th league placing with 10 victories, but this time only 9 defeats and 3 draws ( goal difference 64 for 59 against ), was just slightly better than the year before. However financially the situation was somewhat grim, when in January it was announced that the club was over £250 in debt. The bank balance was slightly bolstered with a appearance in the final of the Lancashire cup against Bolton Wanderers.
Bolton's team for the final consisted of no fewer than seven Scottish players and two Welshmen, and they triumphed over the Salmoners 3-1, excellent vicories against Accrington Burnley and Preston had seen the Salmoners reach the final
The FA Cup sorties also had their rewards that year, at least on the field. On the 17th January a large crowd was present to see a 3-1 victory over Kidderminster, but following a protest the match was ordered to be played again. this time the crowd only numbered 1,000 for the second game, but those who stayed away missed a treat for the Salmoners ran out 13-0 winners, still one of the biggest FA Cup wins on record. in the next round ( last 16 ) saw the Salmoners go out of the cup rather tamely 0-2 at Sunderland on the last day of January.
After a few years of somewhat indifferent performances and interest at the club, excitment mounted as the 1891/92 season approached, for the Football League had been increased with the addition of two extra places, and Darwen had secured one of them thanks mainly to JJ Bentley the Football League secretary and one of the Salmoners oldest friends!
As the Salmoners had not excelled in the Football Alliance, it was rather suprising that they were afforded this elevation for along with Darwen trying for election were other clubs such as Sunderland who on paper being Champions of the Alliance should have been favorites, but as in life it who you know that is the key.
Ironically of the other refused hopefuls Nottingham Forest and Newton Heath would became champions and runners up in 1892 respectively, in what became the last season of the alliance, and both were elected into the Football league the following year.
So the 1891/ 92 season drew near and the prospects of games with the elite stirred the locals up...................

Hall of fame click here


Acknowledgements for the history and images in this section are made to : Darwen RBL -- who originally published this page in 2002  Paul Breeze -- Posh up North publishing, Darwen Football Club, Dave Twydell -- Yare Publications, Stewart Fells, Lancashire Evening Telegraph, Blackburn Rovers, Burnley FC, League Football and the men who made it -- Simon Inglis, The Guinness record of the FA Cup -- Mike Collett, Richard Rundle -- The Football club History database, Nora Thompson, Marjorie Bibby, Bert Pross, England Football Online website: www.englandfootballonline.com Blackburn with Darwen Library.