Blackburn Olympic F.C.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Full name | Blackburn Olympic Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1877 | ||
| Ground | Hole-i'th'-Wall | ||
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Blackburn Olympic FC was an association football club which existed for about a decade in the 19th century. It was based in Blackburn, Lancashire.
Contents |
[edit] Introduction
Blackburn Olympic was founded in August 1877 as the merger of two smaller clubs, Black Star and James Street. The name was the idea of James Edmondson, the club's first treasurer. The first match under the new name was played on 9 February 1878: a 2-0 win against local team St. John's.[1]
Olympic's usual team colours were light blue shirts and white shorts. When there was a colour clash and they were the younger of the two clubs involved, they were obliged to change into their alternative dark blue strip.[2]
The Olympic soon evolved into one of the finest sides in Lancashire, while former England player Jack Hunter, an astute coach and tactician, taught the Olympic players the art of the passing game. It was Hunter who decided to take the team to Blackpool for a few days' relaxation prior to the 1883 FA Cup final, a novel exercise at the time.[3]
It is unlikely that their great success would have happened without financial backing from local iron foundry owner, Sid Yates. The professions of the players in the FA Cup final are given below.[4]
[edit] Success
Their greatest success came when they overcame the dominance of local rivals, Blackburn Rovers, and the amateur teams of southern England to win the FA Cup in 1883. Well organised and trained, their ability to switch play from wing to wing stretched an Old Etonians team reduced to ten men due to injury. A long pass to the left gave Jimmy Costley the opportunity to score the winner in extra time.
As a result of this victory, Olympic became both the first professional team and the first north of England team to win the FA Cup, thus bringing to an end the southern amateur domination of the competition.
[edit] FA Cup winners, 1883
[edit] Olympic's results in the FA Cup, 1882-83
| Date | Round | Home Team | Score | Away Team | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 November 1882 | R1 | Blackburn Olympic | 6-3 | Accrington | |
| 9 December 1882 | R2 | Blackburn Olympic | 8-1 | Lower Darwen | |
| 16 December 1882 | R3 | Blackburn Olympic | 8-0 | Darwen Ramblers | |
| 3 February 1883 | R4 | Church | 0-2 | Blackburn Olympic | |
| 24 February 1883 | R5 | Blackburn Olympic | 4-1 | Druids | |
| 17 March 1883 | SF | Blackburn Olympic | 4-0 | Old Carthusians | Played at Whalley Range, Manchester |
| 31 March 1883 | Final | Blackburn Olympic | 2-1 | Old Etonians | After Extra time. Played at Kennington Oval |
[edit] FA Cup winning team
| Name | Profession |
|---|---|
| Thomas James Hacking | Dental assistant |
| James Thomas Ward | Cotton machine operator |
| Squire Albert Warburton (captain) | Master plumber; also pub landlord and poulterer |
| Thomas Kenyon Gibson | Iron foundry worker |
| William Astley | Weaver |
| Jack Hunter | Pub licensee |
| Thomas Dewhurst | Weaver |
| Arthur Matthews | Picture framer/gilder |
| George Wilson | Clerk; later pub landlord in Preston |
| Jimmy Costley | Spinner |
| John Yates | Cotton weaver |
James Ward made one appearance for England on 14 March 1885 against Wales.[7]
[edit] The "derby" games: Olympic vs. Rovers
Blackburn Olympic played local rivals Blackburn Rovers a total of forty times. Of these games, Olympic won just six, Rovers taking twenty-eight, with the remaining six being drawn. [6] Five of the more interesting "derby" games:
1. 15 February 1879: Blackburn Rovers 1, Olympic 3
The first ever meeting between the two clubs, at Blackburn Rovers' home venue of Alexandra Meadows. The winners, although a lighter team than their opponents, were praised for their "clever" play, each team member "acting in concert". (Blackburn Times 22/2/79)
2. 7 August 1882: Olympic 5, Blackburn Rovers 2
The final of the inaugural East Lancashire Charity Cup, played at Ewood Park, Blackburn (later Blackburn Rovers' home ground). A few weeks earlier, Blackburn Rovers had swamped their rivals 12-1 in a friendly, so were expected to cruise this one. Youngster Tommy Dewhurst, drafted into the Olympic forward line from the reserves, had other ideas, hitting a hat-trick in the memorable win. (Source: Blackburn Times 12/8/82)
3. 22 March 1884: Rovers 1, Olympic 1
The final of the Lancashire Cup, played at Preston North End's ground of Deepdale. Olympic were winning 1-0 until the last few seconds, when Birtwistle scored Blackburn Rovers' equaliser. A reporter, calculating that the ninety minutes had elapsed, had telegraphed a 1-0 win for Olympic to his Blackburn offices. It was later revealed that the referee had indeed unintentionally allowed an extra minute to the playing time! (Source: Blackburn Standard 29/3/84) Blackburn Rovers won the replay 2-1.
4. 6 December 1884: Blackburn Rovers 3, Olympic 2
The first ever FA Cup meeting between the teams, which took place at Blackburn Rovers' new home ground of Leamington Street, Blackburn. With the score 2-1 for Olympic, their opponents scored a hotly disputed goal. Olympic started to leave the pitch in protest, but were persuaded to return by club President Fred Yates (Sid's brother). Blackburn Rovers won the game 3-2, and went on to retain the FA Cup, the second in their hat-trick of victories in the final of this trophy. (Source: Blackburn Times 13/12/84)
5. 5 November 1887: Blackburn Rovers 5, Olympic 1
Another FA Cup encounter. By now Olympic were past their best, and Blackburn Rovers were less than a year away from joining the elite of the Football League.
Full analysis of results of Olympic's "derby" games with Blackburn Rovers: Played: 40 Won: 6 Drawn: 6 Lost: 28 Goals for: 58 Goals against: 139
[edit] Downfall
After winning the FA Cup, Olympic were soon replaced as the number one team in Blackburn by their rivals, Blackburn Rovers. The professionalism which helped foster their success ultimately also helped their downfall, as Rovers, backed by John Lewis and aided by their FA Cup wins in 1884, 1885 and 1886, were able to tempt Olympic's best players away. Eventually they also slipped behind other local clubs like Witton and Blackburn Park Road. In September 1889 their rented ground at Hole-i'th'-Wall was taken over by the Blackburn Railway Clerks Club. The location of their ground is now mostly covered by St Mary's Sixth Form College [8] [6]
A later club, currently playing in the Blackburn Football Combination, took the name Blackburn Olympic in 1959.[9]
[edit] Players
Amongst those who played for Blackburn Olympic were England internationals:
Ward was the only player to be selected whilst registered to Blackburn Olympic.[10]
Thomas Dewhurst was originally chosen for the international match with Ireland in 1884, but was deselected following a fight on the pitch during an FA Cup tie.[11]
[edit] References
- ^ Blackburn Times, 16 Feb 1878.
- ^ Phythian, Graham (2007). Shooting Stars: The History of Blackburn Olympic. SoccerData. p. 36.
- ^ Gibbons, Philip (2001). Association Football in Victorian England - A History of the Game from 1863 to 1900. Upfront Publishing. p. 71. ISBN 1-84426-035-6.
- ^ Blackburn Times, 7 April 1883
- ^ Blackburn Times 6 April 1883
- ^ a b c "Shooting Stars: The History of Blackburn Olympic" by Graham Phythian, SoccerData Publications 2007
- ^ Player Profile
- ^ Saint (St) Mary's College, Blackburn. Home page
- ^ The History of Blackburn Olympic Football Club, Blackburn Olympic Football Club. Retrieved 26th June 2008.
- ^ "Club Affiliations - Blackburn Olympic". http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamClubs/Clubs/BlackburnOlympic.html. Retrieved on 16 November 2007.
- ^ Phythian, Graham (2007). Shooting Stars: The History of Blackburn Olympic. SoccerData. p. 59.
- Phythian, Graham (2007). Shooting Stars: The Brief and Glorious History of Blackburn Olympic 1878-1889. Soccerdata. ISBN 1-89946-883-8.
