Jump to content
IGNORED

125 Years


ExiledAjax

Recommended Posts

14 hours ago, Red Army 75 said:

I keep being told it was 1982  :ph34r:

By people who can’t tell the difference between a club and its owners? By that reckoning every club would start at zero every time new owners came aboard, say when a very nice man with no money comes in and flaunts his expensive watch?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Taken from dave woods book Early Years of City.

 

list of Friendlies, attracting to their St John’s Lane ground, which was leased from the trustees of the Ashton Court Estate at a rent of £20 per annum, such notable sides as Swindon Town, Tottenham Hotspur, 1st Scots Guards, and London Welsh Regiment, as well as Preston North End. Several subcommittees were formed to co-ordinate the work necessary to prepare the site, and frenzied activity throughout the summer had the ground ready at a cost of £109.9s.2d for the opening match on 1 September 1894.  
 
420528138_oldpic.thumb.png.f8f59f0af4d4a6658db912a5b2b242cd.png 
Bristol South End, 1894-95. This photograph of the Bristol South End team, which opposed Swindon in the first match at St John’s Lane, appeared in the Bristol Sports Post of 3 September 1932. Players only, left to right. Back row: A. Taylor, A.E.Y. Trestrail, J.W. Welham. Middle row: F.S. Davis, A Jones (captain), G.E. Jones. Seated: R. Walters, G. Fry, W. Lewis, H.H. Clements, F.E. Mayger
 
Swindon Town, billed as the ‘Champions of the West of England’, were South End’s opponents on this momentous day.  In gloriously hot weather the 3,500 crowd were entertained prior to the start by the Bristol South Band, conducted by George Godfrey, who was to set to remain in this role for the first 53-years of the Club’s existence. He took his final bow on 23 August 1947 when, somewhat appropriately, Southend United were the visitors.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, RedYoshi said:

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if we were to take 1894-95 as our first season, then our 125th would actually be the current campaign. We turn 125 on 12th April I believe (and thus the year prior has been our 125th year).

However, I don’t think we technically entered an official league/competition until the 1895-96 season (though I’m more than prepared to bow to others’ superior knowledge), so that would make next season our 125th.

That said, we only entered the FA Cup in 1895-96, not competing in a full league campaign until 1896-97 (the Western League). So if we base it on league seasons, we’re actually in our 123rd, and have to wait until 2020-21 for the “biggun”.

HOLD ON, THERE’S MORE?

Of course, if we’re counting league seasons, we missed 4 full seasons during WW1, and a further 7 during WW2 (the 1939-40 season was abandoned after 3 games, and we were only in the FA Cup again in 1945-46).

2031-32 season it is, then!

 

 

I'm going to trust you Yoshi and assume that all of this maths is correct.

Regardless, I think the club will be focussing on the bit in bold.  They will then use the 2019/20 campaign to celebrate the fact that we managed to successfully complete 125 years - despite it being celebrated during our 126th. This is the same way we humans do birthdays. You celebrate at the end of the year rather than indulge in potentially embarrassing hubris by celebrating at the start. 

I reckon we're gonna be getting gold robin badges, £125 season tickets and a naughty third kit in old Bedminster red and gold.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...