1896–97 Blackpool F.C. season

Blackpool F.C.
Season 1896-97
League Division Two
Manager None
League position 8th
Top goalscorer Jack Parkinson (15)
Highest home attendance 5,000 (v. Newton Heath, Grimsby Town and Darwen)[1]
Lowest home attendance 1,000 (v. Woolwich Arsenal and Walsall)[1]
Previous season Not available
Next season 1897–98 →

The 1896–97 season was Blackpool F.C.'s first season in the Football League. They competed in the sixteen-team Division Two, then the second tier of English football, finishing eighth.

Jack Parkinson was the club's top scorer, with fifteen goals to his name. Tommy Bowman, William Douglas and Bob Norris were ever-present during the club's 30 league games.

Contents

Season review

Blackpool's first game in the Football League took place on 5 September, 1896, at Lincoln City's Sincil Bank. The visitors' starting eleven that day was:

Mount scored Blackpool's first League goal, but they slipped to a 3–1 defeat.[2]

A week later, Blackpool travelled to Darwen and chalked up their first victory, 3–2.

On 19 September, Burton Wanderers were the first visitors to Raikes Hall for a Football League game, and they returned whence they came with a 5–0 defeat behind them.

For the final game of September, the Seasiders hosted Manchester City. The match finished 2–2.

Another road trip ensued, on 3 October, to Leicester Fosse. The Midlanders took both points with a 2–1 victory.

After a fortnight’s break, Blackpool welcomed North-West neighbours Newton Heath to Raikes Hall. The home side ran out 4–2 winners.

The following week, at Burton Swifts, Blackpool drew 2–2.

November began with a trip to Manchester City. The host won 4–2.

Lincoln City travelled to the Lancashire coast on 14 November, and Blackpool recorded their first win for a month. Bob Birkett, on his debut and in his only appearance of the season, scored Blackpool's first goal in a 3–1 victory.

Two weeks later, Notts County were the visitors, and Blackpool were the victors for the second consecutive game, this time with a 3–2 result.

Blackpool didn’t play again until a 19 December visit to Woolwich Arsenal. They lost 4–2.

On Boxing Day, Blackpool travelled to Newton Heath and lost 2–0 in what appears to be, at around 10,000, the largest crowd of the season in a game involving Blackpool.

1897 began with a New Year’s Day victory at home to Grimsby Town.

On 4 January, Woolwich Arsenal made the trip up from London. They returned to the capital with a point after a 1–1 draw.

Twelve days later, Blackpool travelled north-east to Newcastle United. The Magpies won 4–1.

On 23 January, Small Heath were the visitors to Raikes Hall. They won 3–1.

A third consecutive defeat occurred at Loughborough at the end of the month. The match ended 1–4.

After another break, Blackpool hosted Walsall on 13 February and chalked up their first win in four games with a 3–2 result.

Grimsby was the destination the following weekend. The match ended in a 2–2 draw.

Blackpool took on Leicester Fosse on 27 February, and ran out 3–0 winners.

Into March, and an away game against Small Heath. Blackpool won 3–1.

A third consecutive victory followed on 13 March — 4–1 at home to Newcastle United.

The Seasiders' good form ended in the following game, a 3–1 defeat at Notts County.

On 27 March, Blackpool returned to winning ways when Loughborough travelled to Raikes Hall. The hosts won 4–1.

Two days later, Blackpool travelled to Burton Wanderers and lost 3–1.

Two more defeats ensued: 2–0 at Gainsborough Trinity, and the same scoreline at Walsall.

Seven months after they met in East Lancashire, on 16 April Darwen travelled west to the coast. Jack Parkinson’s strike gave Blackpool both points.

A 3–0 home victory over Burton Swifts ensued, before the final game of the season saw Gainsborough Trinity visit the seaside for a 1–1 draw.

Three players appeared in each of Blackpool’s 30 matches: Douglas, Bowman and Norris.

Table

P W D L F A GA Pts
1 Notts County[3] 30 19 4 7 92 43 2.140 42
2 Newton Heath 30 17 5 8 56 34 1.647 39
3 Grimsby Town 30 17 4 9 66 45 1.467 38
4 Small Heath 30 16 5 9 69 47 1.468 37
5 Newcastle United 30 17 1 12 56 52 1.077 35
6 Manchester City 30 12 8 10 58 50 1.160 32
7 Gainsborough Trinity 30 12 7 11 50 47 1.064 31
8 Blackpool 30 13 5 12 59 56 1.054 31
9 Leicester Fosse 30 13 4 13 59 56 1.054 30
10 Woolwich Arsenal 30 13 4 13 68 70 0.971 30
11 Darwen 30 14 0 16 67 61 1.098 28
12 Walsall 30 11 4 15 53 69 0.768 26
13 Loughborough 30 12 1 17 50 64 0.781 25
14 Burton Swifts 30 9 6 15 46 61 0.754 24
15 Burton Wanderers[4] 30 9 2 19 31 67 0.463 20
16 Lincoln City 30 5 2 23 27 85 0.318 12

P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = Points

Player statistics

Appearances

Players used: 21

Goals

Total goals scored: 59

Transfers

Out

The following players left during the course of the season:

Date Player To Fee
1896 George Colville Unknown Unknown
1896 Peter Connor Unknown Unknown
1896 Sam Donnelly Unknown Unknown
1896 Nicholas Gillett Unknown Unknown
1896 Charlie Mount Unknown Unknown
1896 George Winstanley Unknown Unknown
1897 Bob Parkinson Nottingham Forest Unknown

Notes

  1. ^ a b Attendances were approximated by the reporter at the ground.
  2. ^ Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887-1992, Breedon Books Sport ISBN 1-873626-07-X
  3. ^ Elected to First Division after winning 'Test Match.'
  4. ^ Failed to be re-elected to the Football League
  5. ^ a b c Ever-present

References

  • Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887-1992. Breedon Books Sport. ISBN 1-873626-07-X. 
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