| 1881–82 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | None[1][nb 1] | ||
| Manager | None[2][nb 2] | ||
| Stadium | Bunn's Field (a.k.a. The Birches) | ||
| Birmingham Senior Cup | Semi-final | ||
| Top goalscorer | League: N/A[nb 4] All: Harry Aston (3)[nb 3] | ||
|
| |||
The 1881–82 season was the 4th season of West Bromwich Albion Football Club. For this season only, Albion played their home matches at their third ground, Bunn's Field, which became known as The Birches.[3] 1881–82 was Albion's first season of competitive football: the club entered the Birmingham Senior Cup for the first time, reaching the semi-finals.
Birmingham Senior Cup
Albion took part in the Birmingham Senior Cup for the first time and were drawn away from home in the first four rounds. The club played their first recorded competitive match on 12 November 1881, winning 3–2 against Calthorpe. Albion then defeated Elwells and Fallings Heath, though the goalscorers for the first three rounds were not recorded. There followed a 5–2 fourth round victory over Notts Rangers. The semi-final took place at Aston Lower Grounds and was against Wednesbury Old Athletic. Billy Bisseker and Harry Aston scored for Albion but Wednesbury won 3–2.[4]
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 November 1881 | Calthorpe | A | 3–2 | ? | 1,000 |
| 2 | 10 December 1881 | Elwells | A | 2–1 | ? | 800 |
| 3 | 21 January 1882 | Fallings Heath | A | 3–1 | ? | 1,200 |
| 4 | 18 February 1882 | Notts Rangers | A | 5–2 | Stokes, Bisseker, Whitehouse, Aston 2 | 500 |
| SF | 25 March 1882 | Wednesbury Old Athletic | N | 2–3 | Bisseker, Aston | 1,000 |
Source for match details:[4]
Friendly matches
With league football yet to be established, West Bromwich Albion took part in a number of friendly matches throughout the season. Billy Bisseker scored five goals in the 12–0 win against Milton.[5] The record of the club's matches during their early years is not complete, thus several of the scores are missing.
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 September 1881 | Oldbury | H | 5–1 |
| 1 October 1881 | The Grove | A | 2–3 |
| 8 October 1881 | Milton | H | 12–0 |
| 5 November 1881 | Milton | A | 3–0[nb 5] |
| 19 November 1881 | Walsall Unity | A | —[nb 6] |
| 26 November 1881 | The Grove | H | 2–4 |
| 3 December 1881 | Nechells | H | 9–1 |
| 17 December 1881 | Walsall Alma Athletic | H | —[nb 6] |
| 24 December 1881 | Wednesfield Rovers | H | —[nb 6] |
| 7 January 1882 | Brunswick Wheel Works | A | 2–1 |
| 14 January 1882 | Fallings Heath Rangers | H | —[nb 6] |
| 28 January 1882 | Stourbridge | H | —[nb 6] |
| 4 February 1882 | West Bromwich Rovers | H | 6–1 |
| 25 February 1882 | Fallings Heath Rangers | H | 5–0 |
| 4 March 1882 | St Luke's | H | 10–0 |
| 11 March 1882 | Nechells | A | —[nb 6] |
| 9 April 1882 | Aston Unity | A | 2–3 |
Source for match details:[5]
See also
Footnotes
- ^ Albion did not have a chairman until 1885.
- ^ Albion did not have a secretary-manager until 1890 and did not appoint a full-time manager until 1948.
- ^ Includes matches in the Birmingham Senior Cup fourth round and semi-final only. Goalscorers from earlier rounds are not available.
- ^ There was no league football in England until 1888–89.
- ^ Match abandoned after 35 minutes when the ball burst.
- ^ a b c d e f Score not recorded.
References
- Citations
- 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.
- Matthews, Tony (2007). West Bromwich Albion: The Complete Record. Breedon Books. ISBN 978-1-85983-565-4.
This page was last edited on 18 May 2022, at 20:24