1909 FA Cup Final

[Offside]

Apologies if this has already been posted, but I’ve just seen this colourised picture on fb. Fascinating. I think it’s Billy Wedlock who is standing on the 6 yard line. 

[Lack of Action Man]

Chap on the line looks to be wearing gloves. Could he be the keeper? Don’t think it was mandatory for keepers to wear an alternate colour in this era, but could be wrong. Think they were usually denoted by wearing a cap of sorts?

[cityexile]

2 minutes ago, OddBallJim said:

Chap on the line looks to be wearing gloves. Could he be the keeper? Don’t think it was mandatory for keepers to wear an alternate colour in this era, but could be wrong. Think they were usually denoted by wearing a cap of sorts?

Good spot, not obvious it could be anyone else.

Also interesting the officials? you can see. Already presumably looks like one to see if the ball has crossed the line, two ‘lineman’ on the same side? Decent crowd!

[Lack of Action Man]

3 minutes ago, cityexile said:

Good spot, not obvious it could be anyone else.

Also interesting the officials? you can see. Already presumably looks like one to see if the ball has crossed the line, two ‘lineman’ on the same side? Decent crowd!

Yes looks to be a chap in a dark coloured uniform, and then potentially another official in a red shirt? 
 

Wasn’t the offside rule quite different in this era also? That might explain it…

[Davefevs]

Helluva image to capture the ball hitting the back of the net.

[spudski]

Here's the original image. You can expand it and get a clearer view. 71,406 in attendance. 

 

[Super]

Looked offside. Did VAR check it?

[cityexile]

1 minute ago, Super said:

Looked offside. Did VAR check it?

I have looked again and come to the conclusion our goalie is wearing the white shorts on the far touchline. Was waiting for the break.

[eardun]

9 minutes ago, spudski said:

Here's the original image. You can expand it and get a clearer view. 71,406 in attendance. 

 

I’m guessing that Billy Wedlock is the player central on the edge of the six yard box 

[spudski]

3 minutes ago, eardun said:

I’m guessing that Billy Wedlock is the player central on the edge of the six yard box 

Certainly could be. Hard to make out. Similar stature though. He also had white laces that day. 

http://www.khandallah.co.uk/Charlie_Roberts/1909_FA_CUP.html

Edited August 16, 2023 by spudski

[eardun]

2 minutes ago, spudski said:

Certainly could be. Hard to make out. Similar stature though. He also had white laces that day. 

Yes does look like him - clearer on the black and white version, although the colour is a collector’s item given our blue shirts! What a day out that must have been! 

[bcfcredandwhite]

16 minutes ago, Super said:

Looked offside. Did VAR check it?

It would have taken too long to rush the film to the chemist, develop it and then play it back via a projector for the 4th official back in those days. 

[cityexile]

Random fact from the report of the match…’After the match, the Manchester United mascot, a goat named Billy, drank too much champagne and died of alcohol poisoning. His head was preserved and hangs on the wall of the Manchester United museum at Old Trafford.’

[eardun]

9 minutes ago, cityexile said:

Random fact from the report of the match…’After the match, the Manchester United mascot, a goat named Billy, drank too much champagne and died of alcohol poisoning. His head was preserved and hangs on the wall of the Manchester United museum at Old Trafford.’

His head was preserved in champagne presumably! Also ironic that we were wearing blue before Rovers, and in a big match at that! 

[Never to the dark side]

spudski

in the photo it says man utd against bolton,is that correct?

[spudski]

5 hours ago, Never to the dark side said:

spudski

in the photo it says man utd against bolton,is that correct?

No John, it's Utd v City

[One Team]

Anyone know how many City fans were actually there? Guess back then it was pretty much all train travel and can’t imagine that affordable. 

[22A]

1 hour ago, One Team said:

Anyone know how many City fans were actually there? Guess back then it was pretty much all train travel and can’t imagine that affordable. 

In addition to the regular services, the GWR ran eighteen "specials" to get all the City fans to London. Some started at Temple Meads, others at Ashton Gate.

[BS3City]

Pardon my ignorance but Billy Wedlock certainly isn't fat in those images. Would it be right to say he gained weight (and hence the "Fatty" label) later in his career?

[handsofclay]

In the 1980s there was an article in the Evening Post telling the story of someone well into their 90s who attended the final. Iirc he went up by train and had a snack or cup of tea at a Lyon's Corner House. His memory had played tricks with him because he said in the article that Bristol City played in white, when that was obviously Manchester United. 

[richwwtk]

1 hour ago, One Team said:

Anyone know how many City fans were actually there? Guess back then it was pretty much all train travel and can’t imagine that affordable. 

Back in the day I think trains were a lot more affordable than they are now

[handsofclay]

1 minute ago, BS3City said:

Pardon my ignorance but Billy Wedlock certainly isn't fat in those images. Would it be right to say he gained weight (and hence the "Fatty" label) later in his career?

Wedlock wasn't really fat at all, as you say, more short and squat. Lee Tomlin wasn't fat when he played for us but he attracted all sorts of jokes about his weight. 

Wedlock was also nicknamed 'The India Rubber Man' due to his ability to be quickly in defence or helping the attack. 

[spudski]

We used a 235 formation

Close up of crowd

Great picture of our win against Derby at Stamford Bridge in the Semi...big crowd. 

Billy Wedlock was 5'5" and 10 stone 6. 

 

[Bristol Oil Services]

1 hour ago, 22A said:

In addition to the regular services, the GWR ran eighteen "specials" to get all the City fans to London. Some started at Temple Meads, others at Ashton Gate.

Yes, go in the Central Library, and read the archive of old local papers, @Merrick's Marvels has probably done as much of this as most on here. Plenty went on trains. I remember reading something about us playing a cup game - then as now, we had a "big day out/up fer the Cup" following for a big cup game - at QPR and an account of fellas arriving by train in London and getting something to eat, and likely getting ripped off by some cockernee wide boys. Wonderful to step back in time, in the Central library, especially to that era when we were one of the most happening/dazzling clubs in the country, for a short while.

[BigTone]

14 hours ago, Offside said:

Apologies if this has already been posted, but I’ve just seen this colourised picture on fb. Fascinating. I think it’s Billy Wedlock who is standing on the 6 yard line. 

Pic taken by @Robbored

[GrahamC]

The height thing is really interesting.

My great grandmother (BS3, of course) took in a lodger to make ends meet after her husband died young & he lived to a ripe old age in a house in Marksbury Rd.

This old boy fought in WW1 (he had a shrapnel wound that caused one of his arms to tremor all of his life) & I remember visiting him as a little kid with my parents in about 1970 & he told me his nickname on the docks where he worked was “Sky” because he was so tall, we had all his paperwork when he passed on & he was 6ft exactly.

In the 1910s and 1920s with nutrition & poverty being what they were he must have seemed like a giant.

On a related note to the game I still have a pin badge showing the City side from around this era that we found when my Grandad (also BS3) passed away, I must find out more about it..

[1960maaan]

A few images from the internet. 

 

 

Made hard work of getting to the Final didn't we.

Thought I had some old cigarette cards , but mine are later.

 

 

[Port Said Red]

28 minutes ago, 1960maaan said:

A few images from the internet. 

 

 

Made hard work of getting to the Final didn't we.

Thought I had some old cigarette cards , but mine are later.

Looks like we have always been better being away and playing counterattacking football. :).

[Merrick's Marvels]

1 hour ago, Bristol Oil Services said:

Yes, go in the Central Library, and read the archive of old local papers, @Merrick's Marvels has probably done as much of this as most on here. Plenty went on trains. I remember reading something about us playing a cup game - then as now, we had a "big day out/up fer the Cup" following for a big cup game - at QPR and an account of fellas arriving by train in London and getting something to eat, and likely getting ripped off by some cockernee wide boys. Wonderful to step back in time, in the Central library, especially to that era when we were one of the most happening/dazzling clubs in the country, for a short while.

Well, I will be posting here eventually. Right now though, I'm still trying to get my head round the suggestion on another thread that our owner has been meddling in our transfer negotiations. I don't know whether I'm dumbfounded or unsurprised at the minute and am left wondering what our new CEO made of that - I mean, what the hell did he ever do during 25 years at Crystal Palace?   

Edited August 17, 2023 by Merrick's Marvels

[southside]

3 hours ago, 22A said:

In addition to the regular services, the GWR ran eighteen "specials" to get all the City fans to London. Some started at Temple Meads, others at Ashton Gate.

Taffy,  Beanie  and Shem etc ran some charabancs, quite a few Gullivers vans also made the trip