1886–87 West Bromwich Albion F.C. season

The 1886–87 season was the ninth season in the history of West Bromwich Albion Football Club. The club reached the FA Cup final for the second successive season, but again finished as runners-up, losing 0–2 to local rivals Aston Villa. Albion also reached the final of two regional cup competitions, winning the Staffordshire Senior Cup and finishing as runners-up in the Birmingham Senior Cup. In addition, they took part in the Walsall Senior Cup and Birmingham Charity Cup, as well as playing a number of friendly matches.

West Bromwich Albion
1886–87 season
ChairmanHenry Jackson[1]
ManagerNone[2][nb 1]
StadiumStoney Lane
FA CupRunners-up
Birmingham Senior CupRunners-up
Staffordshire Senior CupWinners
Birmingham Charity CupSemi-final
Walsall Senior CupUnknown[3][nb 2]
Top goalscorerLeague: N/A[nb 3]
All: Jem Bayliss (21)[nb 4]
Highest home attendance12,000 (vs Aston Villa, 9 October 1886)[nb 4]
Lowest home attendance2,500 (vs Crosswells Brewery, 16 October 1886)
2,500 (vs Stafford Rangers, 6 November 1886)[nb 4]
Average home league attendance5,191[nb 4]

FA Cup
See also: 1886–87 FA Cup and 1887 FA Cup Final

West Bromwich Albion began their fourth FA Cup season with a 6–0 first round victory against Burton Wanderers, in what was their only home match of the tournament. They followed this up with a 2–1 win away at Derby Junction. Albion's second goal in the match was credited to their goalkeeper Bob Roberts, after his long kick downfield ended up in Derby's goal following a goalmouth scrum. Albion then received a bye to the fourth round, where Tommy Green scored the only game of the game against Mitchell St. George's at Aston Lower Grounds. In round five, a goal from George Woodhall gave Albion a victory over Lockwood Brothers, but a dispute over the goal led to the tie being replayed. Tommy Green scored in the replay, putting Albion into the quarter-finals for the third season in succession. Notts County provided the opposition and two goals from Jem Bayliss contributed to a 4–1 victory for West Bromwich Albion.[4]

In the semi-final, Albion took on Preston North End at Trent Bridge. Preston took the lead, but two goals from Tom Pearson and one from Bill Paddock saw Albion reach the final for the second year running. In the final, the team faced local rivals Aston Villa at the Kennington Oval, to determine which side would be the first from the Midlands to win the FA Cup. Villa's goalkeeper Jimmy Warner made a number of saves in a goalless first 45 minutes, and it was they who took the lead in the second half when Dennis Hodgetts scored. Bob Roberts, Albion's goalkeeper, made no attempt to save the shot, wrongly assuming that Hodgetts was offside. Villa captain Archie Hunter added a second goal for Villa near the end as Albion again finished as runners-up.[5]

RoundDateOpponentVenueResult[nb 5]GoalscorersAttendance
130 October 1886Burton WanderersH6–0T. Green 2, Bayliss 2, Holden, Paddock5,107
220 November 1886Derby JunctionA2–1G. Bell, Roberts2,100
3Albion received a bye to the fourth round
415 January 1887Mitchell St. George'sN1–0T. Green4,061
529 January 1887Lockwood BrothersA1–0[nb 6]Woodhall6,029
5(R)12 February 1887Lockwood BrothersA1–0T. Green, Paddock2,120
619 February 1887Notts CountyA4–1Bayliss 2, T. Green, Woodhall15,067
SF5 March 1887Preston North EndN3–1Pearson 2, Paddock16,068
F2 April 1887Aston VillaN0–2—15,534

Source for match details:[4]

Birmingham Senior Cup

Albion, taking part in the Birmingham Senior Cup for the sixth time, beat Aston Villa in the first round by a Tommy Green goal. The match was played in front of 12,000 spectators, the club's largest home attendance of the season and their largest all-time home attendance in the Birmingham Senior Cup. Albion were also drawn at home in the next three rounds and continued to keep clean sheets, defeating Mitchell St George's 3–0, Derby County 6–0 and Stoke 3–0. The semi-final was held at Stoke's Victoria Ground, where Burslem Port Vale provided the opposition. A Jem Bayliss hat-trick contributed to a 5–1 victory as Albion reached the final for the second season running. They were unable to retain the trophy however, as they lost by a single goal to Long Eaton Rangers at Wellington Road.[6][nb 7]

RoundDateOpponentVenueResult[nb 5]GoalscorersAttendance
19 October 1886Aston VillaH1–0T. Green12,000
213 November 1886Mitchell St George'sH3–0T. Green, Woodhall 23,000
311 December 1886Derby CountyH6–0Paddock 2, T. Green 2, Bayliss, Woodhall8,000
419 March 1887StokeH3–0Pearson 2, Bayliss5,100
SF30 April 1887Burslem Port ValeN5–1Bayliss 3, Woodhall 24,000
F7 May 1887Long Eaton Rangers[nb 7]N0–1—5,000

Source for match details:[6]

Staffordshire Senior Cup

Participating in their fifth Staffordshire Senior Cup campaign, Albion beat Hednesford Town 8–0 in the first round; Bayliss led the scoring with four goals. Albion were also given home ties in the next two rounds, defeating Stafford Rangers 5–1 and Leek 3–0. The semi-final took place in Burslem; Albion won 3–0 with two goals from Jem Bayliss and one from George Timmins. In the final, at Stoke's Victoria Ground, Albion beat Walsall Swifts 4–0. Two goals from Bayliss and one each from Woodhall and Paddock meant that Albion retained the trophy, winning the competition for the third time in all.[7]

RoundDateOpponentVenueResult[nb 5]GoalscorersAttendance
14 October 1886Hednesford TownH8–0Bayliss 4, G. Bell 2, T. Green 23,000
26 November 1886Stafford RangersH5–1G. Bell, Timmins, Bayliss 2, Woodhall2,500
326 February 1887LeekH3–0Bayliss 2, Woodhall3,500
SF21 March 1887Wolverhampton WanderersN3–0Bayliss 2, Timmins4,000
F9 April 1887Walsall SwiftsN4–0Bayliss 2, Woodhall, Paddock4,000

Source for match details:[7]

Birmingham Charity Cup

Entering the Birmingham Charity Cup for the third time, Albion drew 3–3 with Wolverhampton Wanderers in the semi-final. The replay finished goalless after extra time, meaning that a second replay was required. Wolves won the second replay, 3–1.[8]

RoundDateOpponentVenueResult[nb 5]GoalscorersAttendance
SF18 April 1887Wolverhampton WanderersA3–3Pearson, Woodhall, T. Green8,000
SF(R)20 April 1887Wolverhampton WanderersA0–0[nb 8]—6,000
SF(2R)25 April 1887Wolverhampton WanderersH1–3Paddock7,200

Source for match details:[8]

Walsall Senior Cup

Unusually for a competition in which they usually entered a reserve team, West Bromwich Albion put out their first team for the Walsall Senior Cup round one match against Crosswells Brewery. Albion won the match 5–2, against a brewery side that included seven former Albion players in their team. West Bromwich Albion's reserve team completed the remainder of the club's fixtures in the competition, losing to Walsall Town in an unspecified later round.[3]

RoundDateOpponentVenueResult[nb 5]GoalscorersAttendance
116 October 1886Crosswells BreweryH5–2Holden, Pearson, Horton 2, Moore (o.g.)2,500

Source for match details:[3]

Friendlies and benefit matches

With league football yet to be established, West Bromwich Albion played in a number of friendly matches throughout the season.

DateOpponentVenueResult[nb 5]
19 July 1886Aston Villa[nb 9]A5–1
24 July 1886Aston Villa[nb 9]A3–6
26 July 1886Wednesbury Old AthleticH6–0
4 September 1886Wolverhampton WanderersA2–0
11 September 1886StokeA4–0
18 September 1886Third Lanark Rifle VolunteersA2–1
20 September 1886HibernianA1–1
25 September 1886Northwich VictoriaH2–1
27 September 1886Birmingham & District XI[nb 10]H0–0
2 October 1886Derby MidlandH3–1
23 October 1886Bolton WanderersA0–1
1 November 1886Oxford UniversityH6–1
27 November 1886Old CarthusiansH5–1
4 December 1886Preston North EndA0–7
18 December 1886Aston VillaA1–1
27 December 1886Preston North EndH5–1
28 December 1886Bolton WanderersH1–2
22 January 1887Notts County[nb 11]A1–3
5 February 1887Aston UnityH5–0
7 February 1887Oxford UniversityA3–2
12 March 1887Wolverhampton WanderersH0–0
26 March 1887Birmingham ExcelsiorH3–0
11 April 1887Third Lanark Rifle VolunteersH3–1
16 April 1887DarwenH4–0
14 May 1887Aston VillaH3–1
16 May 1887Great Bridge UnityA0–0
21 May 1887StokeH1–0
28 May 1887Bolton WanderersH2–0
30 May 1887Blackburn RoversH3–0
4 June 1887Wolverhampton WanderersA0–1
18 June 1887South ShoreA3–2
20 June 1887Fleetwood RangersA3–1

Source for match details:[9]

See also

Footnotes
  1. Albion did not have a secretary-manager until 1890 and did not appoint a full-time manager until 1948.
  2. The source states that Albion lost to Walsall Town, but does not specify in which round.
  3. There was no league football in England until 1888–89.
  4. Includes all matches in the FA Cup, Birmingham Senior Cup, Staffordshire Senior Cup and Birmingham Charity Cup. The first round only of the Walsall Senior Cup is included, since subsequent rounds were contested by Albion's reserve team.
  5. West Bromwich Albion's score is listed first, regardless of venue or result.
  6. The match was replayed due to a dispute over the goal.
  7. Team name as per Willmore pp. 20–21. Matthews (1987) refers to the team as Long Eaton Rovers.
  8. After extra time.
  9. Testimonial match for S. Richardson
  10. Benefit match
  11. The source refers to the team as Nottingham County.

References
Citations
  1. Matthews (2005) p. 267.
  2. Matthews (2005) pp. 257–258.
  3. Matthews (1987) p. 204.
  4. Matthews (1987) pp. 157–158.
  5. Willmore pp. 20–21.
  6. Matthews (1987) pp. 202–203.
  7. Matthews (1987) pp. 205–206.
  8. Matthews (1987) p. 207.
  9. Matthews (1987) pp. 210 & 214.
Sources
  • 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.
  • Willmore, G.A. (1980). West Bromwich Albion: The First Hundred Years. Readers Union.
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