All Saints F.C. Explained

Clubname:All Saints
Fullname:All Saints Football Club
Founded:1874
Dissolved:1882
Ground:Castlefields
Chrtitle:President
Chairman:the Rev. T. M. B. Owen[1]
Pattern La1:_thin_blackhoops
Pattern B1:_thin_blackhoops
Pattern Ra1:_thin_blackhoops
Pattern So1:_hoops_black
Leftarm1:FF0000
Body1:FF0000
Rightarm1:FF0000
Shorts1:000080
Socks1:FF0000

All Saints F.C. was an association football club based in Shrewsbury, England.

History

Although the club claimed a foundation date of 1875,[2] a side from "the All Saint's Club" played a match in December 1874, beating a Mr Morris' XI 4–0, thanks to goals from E. and A. Langmore, C. Holt, and E. Jones.[3] It had strong links with All Saints' School, as it held most of its club meetings in a classroom there.[4]

The club never entered the FA Cup, preferring to play more locally, and entered the Welsh Cup in its second and third seasons. However the club lost both of its first round ties - in 1878–79, to general surprise,[5] against Newtown White Star, and the following season 6–0 at home to Newtown Excelsior. The latter defeat may have been due to the club fielding only one back, with W. A. Smith playing as "three-quarter back".[6]

All Saints did not enter the competition again, and the last record of it playing is a 4–3 defeat to the Castle Blues' second XI in March 1882.[7] A number of players, including Landucci and Cope, joined the Meole Brace club from the south-west of Shrewsbury afterwards.[8]

Colours

The club's colours were red and black hooped jerseys and stockings, with blue serge knickerbockers.[9]

Ground

The club played at Castlefields, five minutes from Shrewsbury railway station,[10] and described as being on the River Side in 1880.[11] The ground was owned by a Mrs Jones of Dorset Barns Estates.[12]

Notes and References

  1. All Saints' Football Club . Eddowes' Shrewsbury Journal . 20 October 1875 . 5.
  2. Book: Alcock . Charles . Football Annual . 1877 . Ward Lock . London . 148.
  3. Football . Eddowes' Shrewsbury Journal . 30 December 1874 . 5.
  4. All Saints' Football Club . Eddowes's Shrewsbury Journal . 25 February 1880 . 12.
  5. Cup notes and anticipations . Wrexham Advertiser . 14 December 1878 . 8.
  6. Welsh Association Challenge Cup . Cambrian News . 14 November 1879 . 7.
  7. Matches . Wellington Journal . 11 March 1882 . 5.
  8. Pontesbury v Meole Brace . Wellington Journal . 27 October 1883 . 5.
  9. Book: Alcock . Charles . Football Annual . 1877 . Ward Lock . London . 148.
  10. Book: Alcock . Charles . Football Annual . 1877 . Ward Lock . London . 148.
  11. Book: Alcock . Charles . Football Annual . 1880 . Cricket Press . London . 136.
  12. Football . Eddowes' Shrewsbury Journal . 30 December 1874 . 5.