Birkenhead F.C.
| Full name | Birkenhead Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | the Birks | ||
| Founded | 1879 | ||
| Dissolved | 1910 | ||
| Ground | Birkenhead Park | ||
| |||
Birkenhead Football Club was an English football club from the town of Birkenhead, then in Cheshire.
History
[edit]The club was founded in 1879 by Robert Lythgoe of the Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company.[1] It played in the first Cheshire Senior Cup in 1879–80, losing its one tie to Northwich Victoria. The following season, Birkenhead reached the final, again against Victoria, but after a 1–1 draw, the club failed to turn up for the replay.[2]
The club joined The Combination in 1899, and it remained a member until the 1909–10 season.[3] It won the title once, in 1903–04, a gutsy goalless draw in the face of a gale force wind at Nantwich on Good Friday more or less securing the title,[4] Chester overtaking Nantwich at the last to finish 4 points behind the Birks.[5] However the club did not complete its final season, its part-record being transferred to Brymbo Victoria at the end of 1909, Birkenhead having only registered 1 point in 10 games.[6]
Birkenhead entered the FA Cup from 1899 to 1901, and its last appearance was its best, reaching the third preliminary round;[7] at that stage, at Nantwich, the Birks had a half-time lead and survived a penalty, but went down 2–1.[8]
Colours
[edit]Its first colours were red and white,[9] which referred to red jerseys and white knickers;[10] its jerseys were plain red until at least 1902.[11] By 1904 it had changed to red and white jerseys,[12] and in 1905 changed again to green and white jerseys.[13]
Ground
[edit]Its first ground was on Chester Street, with the Clarendon Arms being used for facilities.[14] In 1882 the council gave permission to the club to open an enclosure on Birkenhead Park.[15]
Notable players
[edit]- Arthur Hughes, centre-forward in the mid-1900s who went on to play for Southampton[16]
References
[edit]- ^ Preston, Thomas (2007). The Origins and Development of Association Football in the Liverpool District, c. 1879 until c. 1915. Preston: University of Central Lancashire. p. 43.
- ^ Clayton, Keith (2010). Cheshire Senior Cup, 1880 to 1915. Kenilworth: Clayton Family Press.
- ^ "Birkenhead". Football Club Historic Database. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
- ^ "Nantwich v Birkenhead". Manchester Courier: 6. 2 April 1904.
- ^ "The Combination - Final Table". Chester Chronicle: 3. 7 May 1904.
- ^ "Notes on football". Caernarfon Herald: 7. 24 December 1909.
- ^ "Football 31st English Football Association (FA) Cup 1901-1902 Qualification". todor66. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
- ^ "Nantwich v Birkenhead". The Chronicle: 4. 9 November 1901.
- ^ Alcock, Charles (1881). Football Annual. London: Cricket Press. p. 181.
- ^ "1881 The Original Association Football Club". Southport F.C. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
- ^ "Answers to correspondents". Athletic News: 4. 3 November 1902.
- ^ "Answers to correspondents". Athletic News: 4. 6 February 1905.
- ^ "Jottings". Birkenhead News: 3. 7 October 1905.
- ^ Alcock, Charles (1881). Football Annual. London: Cricket Press. p. 181.
- ^ "Birkenhead Football Club (Association Rules)". Birkenhead News: 2. 13 May 1882.
- ^ Duncan Holley & Gary Chalk (1992). The Alphabet of the Saints. ACL & Polar Publishing. pp. 179–180. ISBN 0-9514862-3-3.