Historic programmes Chelsea v Barking 1013

[Press Off]

HISTORIC PROGRAMMES NUMBER 2

 

 

 

28-10-1912 CHELSEA v BARKING LONDON CHALLENGE CUP 2^ND ROUND LOST 7-0

 

 

 

This is the 2^nd oldest programme involving Barking that I have and have heard of.I don’t know when we started issuing programmes for home matches. Having beaten Brentford 2-0 at home in the 1^st round we had held Chelsea 0-0 at home but lost the replay 7-0. Chelsea played in the Football League Division 1 and appear to have fielded a very strong team for the replay. The programme covered 2 matches ,the other being a Chelsea Reserves match in the South Eastern League ,and only 1 of the reserves played in the match against us.

 

 

 

We played in the South Essex League Division 1,in which we finished 2^nd, and London League Division 1 in which we finished 8^th. Opponents included Colchester Town,Grays Athletic, Chelmsford,Romford Town, 2^nd Battalion Middlesex Regiment, Ilford and Bronze Athletic (Rotherhithe).This was the season when we made our 1^st appearance in the Athenian League but withdrew after 2 matches because we could not guarantee that we would play our 1^st team due to our other commitments.

 

We beat Cromer 2-0 and Custom House 2-2 in the F A Amateur Cup before losing to Sherwood Foresters 4-1 in the 3^rd round. We also ventured abroad to Belgium to play in the Dupwich Cup, beating Daring 2-1 in the semi final and losing 3-2 in the final to Union de Louvais.We played 64 matches during the season.

 

 

 

The programme is called The Chelsea F C Chronicle of the Chelsea Football & Athletic Company Limited and cost 1.5d or three halfpence (d = pre decimalisation penny). Chelsea had been champions of the Football league in the 2 previous seasons and it is likely that we played against members of those teams.The game was played on a Monday with a 3 pm kick off as there were no floodlights then.

 

 

 

Some things never change. The programme notes refer to Chelsea scoring a perfectly good goal in their previous game which was not allowed as the officials were unaware that it had crossed the goal line.It goes on “It is much to be regretted that the spectators should have allowed their feelings to carry them away,great as the provocation might have been.” It goes on to report instances of crowd violence on grounds in the North. League tables are referred to as league ladders

 

 

 

Referring to the 1^st game against us it says “ Nearly another Monday disaster at Barking.The amateurs fully held their own and gave our boys ” all they wanted”. It is no good trying to show a big,sturdy team of amateurs “pretty” football.They won’t have it and small blame to them. “Carpetweaving “ never pays against a team like Barking .”Graft” only will beat them “ .

 

 

 

Chelsea played in blue and we played in maroon. Players were numbered from 1 to 22 and the positions were named eg right back etc.Our team is listed as T.H.Robinson,C.Garland,J.C.Weston,

 

A.Featherstone,F.Chester, A.W. Parker, J.Robery,D.McKenzie,C.Bell,A.Willats, J.Steward.

 

 

 

Arthur Featherstone went on to play for West ham United .

 

 

 

I wonder if D. Mckenzie was the Don McKenzie I knew in the 1950s and 1960s who often visited our ground and represented our area on the F A Council. He was in his 70s or 80s then so the age fits .

 

 

 

Programmes and results of this period are very poignant as we wonder how many of the players died in the 1^st world war.

 

 

 

 

[coupwotcoup]

Nice issue.. I am after a Romford v New Crusaders FA Amateur Cup quarter-final second replay played at Stamford Bridge about six years before.

Was told there was an issue, but don't think I will see one in my lifetime.. .

I need a few old Romford v Barking - and vice versa - issues from pre-59. Have all against our clubs since then, including the three different issues for the 95-6 EFL game

at Mayesbrook, in case you were unaware three were printed!