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1876–77 Sheffield Challenge Cup

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1876-77 Sheffield Senior Cup
Tournament details
CountryEngland
Venue(s)Yorkshire
Dates28 October 1876 - 10 March 1877
Teams25
Final positions
ChampionsThe Wednesday
Runner-upHeeley

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

Background

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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

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Participating clubs[2]
Team Foundation No. of members Home ground Colours
Albion 1872 50 Ecclesall Road Blue & white hoops[3]
Attercliffe 1870 120 Shirland Lane[4] Blue & white
Brincliffe 1868 80 Hunter's Bar Black & white[5]
Broomhall 1868 150 Ecclesall Road (south) Black & white
Crookes 1870 140 Crookes (3 miles from Sheffield Stn) White & red
Endcliffe 1873 60[6] Ecclesall Road Navy blue
Exchange 1863 200 Quibell's Field[7] Scarlet & white
Exchange Brewery 1871 100 Fox Street Amber & black
Fir Vale 1862 135 Pyper Lane, Pitsmoor White & scarlet trimmings
Gleadless 1870 98 Gleadless, 3 miles from Midland Stn White
Hallam 1860[8] 200 Sandygate Blue & white
Heeley 1862 70 Meersbrook Park Grey & white stripes
Kimberworth 1871 70 Queen's Grounds[9] Blue & white
Millhouses 1871 130 Millhouses, close to Ecclesall Stn Scarlet & black
Norfolk 1861 200 Norfolk Park Scarlet & white
Norfolk Works 1872 50 Brightside[10] Blue & white hoops
Owlerton 1873 140 Rawson's Meadows Scarlet & black hoops
Oxford 1869 140 Hunter's Bar Blue & yellow
Parkwood Springs 1870 150 Parkwood Springs, 1.5 mi from Victoria Stn White, with amber and black caps
Philadelphia 1873 70 Hillsborough Blue caps
Providence 1874 80 Sharf Road Red & white
Rotherham 1870 100 Clinton Lane Scarlet & white
Thursday Wanderers 1870 80 Hunter's Bar Scarlet & navy blue
Walkley 1870 110 Hillsbrough Red & white
The Wednesday 1867 250 Myrtle Road Blue & white hoops

Format

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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

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First round

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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

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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

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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

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

Third round

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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

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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

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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

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References

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  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.