1876–77 Sheffield Challenge Cup

The 1876-77 Sheffield Senior Cup was the first edition of the tournament, played to Sheffield rules. It was the biggest tournament played to the Sheffield code and the equivalent of the FA Cup, which at the time was mostly confined to the south of England.

Announcement of the Sheffield Association Challenge Cup, Sheffield Independent, 25 March 1876

1876-77 Sheffield Senior Cup
CountryEngland
Dates28 October 1876 - 10 March 1877
Championship venueYorkshire
Teams25
ChampionsThe Wednesday
Runners-upHeeley

Background

The Sheffield Football Association was founded in 1867 and took a subscription of 5 shillings from its member clubs in order to entitle them to entry.[1] Sheffield F.C. did not enter, as the club was concentrating on national matches.

The Sheffield rules in force at the time had four main differences to the Association laws:

  • players were onside so long as one opponent was between them and the goal-line, whereas the Association offside law demanded three;
  • if the ball went off the side of the pitch, it was put back into play by a kick-in, rather than a throw-in, in any direction;
  • if the attacking team put the ball out of play to the side of the goal, the defending team returned the ball from the nearest corner;
  • if either team put the ball out of play over the bar of the goal, the defending team returned the ball from within 6 yards of their goal.

At the time, neither the Association nor Sheffield codes prescribed the number of players per side, and the size of the teams was a matter for negotiation between the captains or the relevant tournament rules. By 1876, most matches were 11 per side, and this was the rule in the FA Cup. For this tournament, the Sheffield FA mandated 12 men per side, as did the Birmingham Senior Cup the same year.

Participating teams
Participating clubs[2]
TeamFoundationNo. of membersHome groundColours
Albion187250Ecclesall RoadBlue & white hoops[3]
Attercliffe1870120Shirland Lane[4]Blue & white
Brincliffe186880Hunter's BarBlack & white[5]
Broomhall1868150Ecclesall Road (south)Black & white
Crookes1870140Crookes (3 miles from Sheffield Stn)White & red
Endcliffe187360[6]Ecclesall RoadNavy blue
Exchange1863200Quibell's Field[7]Scarlet & white
Exchange Brewery1871100Fox StreetAmber & black
Fir Vale1862135Pyper Lane, PitsmoorWhite & scarlet trimmings
Gleadless187098Gleadless, 3 miles from Midland StnWhite
Hallam1860[8]200SandygateBlue & white
Heeley186270Meersbrook ParkGrey & white stripes
Kimberworth187170Queen's Grounds[9]Blue & white
Millhouses1871130Millhouses, close to Ecclesall StnScarlet & black
Norfolk1861200Norfolk ParkScarlet & white
Norfolk Works187250Brightside[10]Blue & white hoops
Owlerton1873140Rawson's MeadowsScarlet & black hoops
Oxford1869140Hunter's BarBlue & yellow
Parkwood Springs1870150Parkwood Springs, 1.5 mi from Victoria StnWhite, with amber and black caps
Philadelphia187370HillsboroughBlue caps
Providence187480Sharf RoadRed & white
Rotherham1870100Clinton LaneScarlet & white
Thursday Wanderers187080Hunter's BarScarlet & navy blue
Walkley1870110HillsbroughRed & white
The Wednesday1867250Myrtle RoadBlue & white hoops

Format

The competition was organized as a straight knockout tournament, with replays to a conclusion. The captains would toss for choice of venue, the captain who lost the toss could choose the venue for a replay, and second replays were to be at the first captain's choice again.

Results

First round
Date Home Score Away
21 October 1876 Wednesday 3–1 Parkwood Springs
28 October 1876 Philadelphia 1–0 Norfolk
28 October 1876 Exchange 3–0 Rotherham
2 November 1876 Thursday W 4–5 Heeley
4 November 1876 Fir Vale 5–1 Oxford
4 November 1876 Brincliffe 7–1 Exchange Brewery
4 November 1876 Attercliffe 2–2 Albion
4 November 1876 Broomhall 0–1 Millhouses
4 November 1876 Hallam 2–1 Owlerton
4 November 1876 Kimberworth 2–0 Walkley
4 November 1876 Norfolk Works 3–1 Gleadless
4 November 1876 Providemce 0–0[11] Crookes
Endcliffe bye

Replays
Date Home Score Away
11 November 1876 Crookes 1-4 Providence
13 November 1876 Albion 2-2 Attercliffe
28 November 1876 Attercliffe 2-0 Albion

Second round
Date Home Score Away
2 December 1876 Brincliffe 2-1 Millhouses
2 December 1876 Kimberworth 0-1 Wednesday
2 December 1876 Providence 0-0 Norfolk Works
2 December 1876 Hallam 2-1 Fir Vale
2 December 1876 Heeley 1-0 Endcliffe
4 December 1876 Exchange 3-0[12] Philadelphia
Attercliffe bye

Replay
Date Home Score Away
9 December 1876 Norfolk Works 0-2 Providence

Third round

The ties in the third round and semi-finals were due to be played at Bramall Lane, but the third round ties were all played according to the captain's toss rule. Curiously, all three ties went the way of the away side.

Date Home Score Away
26 December 1876 Hallam 3-7 Heeley
1 January 1877 Attercliffe 0-1 Wednesday
6 January 1877 Brincliffe 0-2 Exchange
Providence bye

Semi-finals

The semi-finals were played at Bramall Lane, one after the other, before a crowd of six or seven thousand.[13]

Date Home Score Away
3 February 1877 Heeley 3-2 Providence
3 February 1877 Wednesday 3-1 Exchange

Final

The final was a thriller, with Heeley taking a three-goal lead by half-time, but Wednesday fighting back to take the game to half-an-hour extra-time.[14]

Wednesday4-3 a.e.t.Heeley
  • F.M. Butler
  • T.M.Butler
  • W.E.Clegg
  • W.E.Skinner 115'
  • R.Martin
  • J.Hunter
  • W.H. Stacey (own goal)
Bramall Lane
Attendance: 7-8,000
Referee: J.C. Shaw
The Wednesday
Heeley

Notes

    References
    1. Westby, Martin (2017). A History of Sheffield Football 1857-1889. Sheffield: England's Oldest Football Clubs. p. 62.
    2. Unless otherwise stated, all details taken from the Charles Alcock annual of 1877
    3. Erroneously given as "white and white hoops", later editions confirming the colours to be blue and white
    4. "Attercliffe v Albion". Sheffield Independent: 4. 6 November 1876.
    5. Club played in amber & black in 1876
    6. Reduced from 120 the year before.
    7. "Exchange v Rotherham". Sheffield Independent: 4. 30 October 1876.
    8. Erroneously given as 1857
    9. "Kimberworth v Walkley". Sheffield Independent: 4. 6 November 1876.
    10. "Norfolk Works v Providence". Sheffield Independent: 7. 12 December 1876.
    11. After 10 minutes' each way extra-time
    12. Match ended at 75 minutes due to weather conditions (Sheffield Independent 5 December 1876 p. 7)
    13. "Football". Sheffield Independent: 4. 5 February 1877.
    14. "Football". Sheffield Independent: 4. 12 March 1877.
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