Bolton_Association_F.C.

Bolton Association F.C.

Bolton Association F.C.

Football club

Bolton Association F.C. was an English association football club from Bolton in Lancashire. The Association was part of the club name, rather than a descriptor for the code the team played.

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History

The club was founded in 1883 by a Mr J. Walker of the Bolton Cricket Club,[3] who became the club's captain, as a contrast to the illegal professionalism of Bolton Wanderers. The club started as a side "solely for the recreation to be obtained from its pursuit, and not with the exclusive determination to win at all hazards which actuates the management of the other organisation";[4] when trying to recruit players, the club relied on persuasion rather than "inducement", an attitude contrasting with a local unnamed club offering 5 shillings per win and half-a-crown per defeat.[5]

The quixotic nature of such an approach, and the change in the nature of the game, were shown up almost instantly; although the Association beat Cambridge University 2–1 at home at Christmas 1883 and Chorley by 10 goals to 1 a month before,[6] it lost 3–2 at home to minnows Enfield in the first round of the Lancashire Cup,[7] 7–1 at Notts County,[8] 6–1 at Preston North End,[9] 11–0 at Great Lever (despite playing with 13 men),[10] and 12–2 at Blackburn Olympic.[11] At the end of the club's first season, one of their better players, George Dobson, left the club to become a professional at Bolton Wanderers. Walker had the consolation of representing the Lancashire FA, called up as a reserve in late 1883 for a match against the Sheffield FA.[12]

Despite the club's adherence to amateurism, the club was part of a proposed breakaway group, the British Football Association, which agitated for professionalism. It proved counter to the club's hopes for a successful side and the last references to the club are in 1891 playing junior football.[13]

FA Cup

The club entered the FA Cup in 1883–84 and 1884–85. In the first entry, the club easily beat Bradshaw 5–1 in the first round,[14] and was considered to have done well to restrict Bolton Wanderers to three goals in the second round, especially as the forward Sowerbutts was "rendered almost useless by a violent charge early in the game".[15]

The following season the club got a walkover in the first round, scheduled opponents Astley Bridge withdrawing after the Lancashire FA fell out with the Football Association over professionalism,[16] but in the second round an "indifferent" team[17] lost 7–2 at Darwen Old Wanderers.

Colours

The club adopted colours which were "quite out of the common"; dark blue and canary yellow vertical striped shirts, rather than jerseys.[18]

Ground

The club played at Green Lane, which was the cricket club's ground, and reputed to be the best in the county.[19]

References

  1. [1]
    "Eagley v Bolton Association". Guardian: 7. 12 March 1883.
  2. [2]
    "report". Athletic News: 1. 27 June 1883.
  3. [3]
    "Eagley v Bolton Association". Guardian: 7. 12 March 1883.
  4. [4]
    "Sports & Pastimes". Nottingham Guardian. 18 January 1884.
  5. [5]
    "Sporting". Liverpool Mercury: 3. 12 November 1883.
  6. [6]
    "Bolton Association v Chorley". Manchester Courier: 3. 26 November 1883.
  7. [7]
    "Fishwick Ramblers v Livesey United". Blackburn Weekly Standard: 3. 14 October 1883.
  8. [8]
    "Football Notes". Blackburn Standard: 3. 19 January 1884.
  9. [9]
    "Multiple Sports Items". Blackburn Standard: 3. 22 March 1884.
  10. [10]
    "Great Lever v Bolton Association". Manchester Courier: 3. 2 April 1883.
  11. [11]
    "Football Notes". Blackburn Standard: 3. 15 March 1884.
  12. [12]
    "Athletic News". Athletic News: 5. 12 December 1883.
  13. [13]
    "Bolton Junior Cup". Manchester Times: 7. 27 November 1891.
  14. [14]
    "report". Bolton Evening News: 4. 5 November 1883.
  15. [15]
    "report". Manchester Courier: 3. 3 December 1883.
  16. [16]
    "Football notes". Liverpool Mercury: 7. 20 October 1884.
  17. [17]
    "report". Manchester Courier: 3. 1 December 1884.
  18. [18]
    "report". Athletic News: 1. 27 June 1883.
  19. [19]
    "report". Athletic News: 1. 27 June 1883.
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