Post by Budleigh on Feb 26, 2009 17:38:39 GMT
I think we can be pretty certain that Burton are this years champions and are on their way to Division Two (especially as they still have to play Weymouth's youth team!)
But the history of league football in Burton upon Trent doesn't begin with this teams arrival there, indeed the whole story of the game in the town is not only very interesting but still retains an historical thread today and throws up some surprising facts.
In 1894 a club known as Burton Wanderers were elected into the Football League Division 2 playing their games at a ground known as Derby Turn, but what made this remarkable in this small town was that Burton Swifts, playing at Peel Croft which they had bought from the local rugby club in 1890, had already been elected into this Division a couple of years earlier as founder members, therefore giving the town two league clubs at this time, a situation that stayed until 1897 when the Wanderers were not re-elected.
Swifts found themselves bottom of the table in 1901 and seeking re-election themselves approached their town rivals, the Wanderers, with a view to amalgamating and the two clubs formed Burton United. This stronger club was duly elected and continued playing at Peel Croft until 1907 when they weren't so lucky and failed to gain re-election.
The club disbanded in 1910 and the ground was taken back by Burton RUFC and is still in use by them today. So a ground played on by one of the earliest teams to grace the football league is still extant and available to visit, as can be seen in the Google earth picture below.
Burton Swifts first game was a 7-1 win against Crewe Alexandra on the 3rd of September, 1892 and their last home game was a 1-0 win against Gainsborough Trinity on the 20th April, 1901, with their record defeat against Liverpool, 7-0, on the 29th of February, 1900. Interestingly the record crowd at the ground was 5,500 for an FA cup tie between the Swifts and the Wanderers held on Christmas Day, 1892.
Burton Wanderers first game was against Newton Heath, the forerunner of Manchester United, which they won 1-0 in front of 2,500 spectators on the 8th of September, 1894. Their last game was a 1-0 defeat by Loughborough on the 19th of April, 1897. Inevitably their record attendance was against the Swifts, estimated at 5,000, for the 1-0 win also on a Christmas Day, 1896.
The amalgamated club’s first game was a 1-1 draw against Blackpool on the 14th of September, 1901 which was proved to be their record attendance at 4,000. Their last match was a 2-0 win against West Bromwich Albion played in front of 3,580 on the 27th April, 1907.
So although today's Burton team have no affiliation with those that have gone before they are continuing a rich tradition started all those years ago in the town and will become effectively the fourth team from Burton upon Trent to enter the league.
But the history of league football in Burton upon Trent doesn't begin with this teams arrival there, indeed the whole story of the game in the town is not only very interesting but still retains an historical thread today and throws up some surprising facts.
In 1894 a club known as Burton Wanderers were elected into the Football League Division 2 playing their games at a ground known as Derby Turn, but what made this remarkable in this small town was that Burton Swifts, playing at Peel Croft which they had bought from the local rugby club in 1890, had already been elected into this Division a couple of years earlier as founder members, therefore giving the town two league clubs at this time, a situation that stayed until 1897 when the Wanderers were not re-elected.
Swifts found themselves bottom of the table in 1901 and seeking re-election themselves approached their town rivals, the Wanderers, with a view to amalgamating and the two clubs formed Burton United. This stronger club was duly elected and continued playing at Peel Croft until 1907 when they weren't so lucky and failed to gain re-election.
The club disbanded in 1910 and the ground was taken back by Burton RUFC and is still in use by them today. So a ground played on by one of the earliest teams to grace the football league is still extant and available to visit, as can be seen in the Google earth picture below.
Burton Swifts first game was a 7-1 win against Crewe Alexandra on the 3rd of September, 1892 and their last home game was a 1-0 win against Gainsborough Trinity on the 20th April, 1901, with their record defeat against Liverpool, 7-0, on the 29th of February, 1900. Interestingly the record crowd at the ground was 5,500 for an FA cup tie between the Swifts and the Wanderers held on Christmas Day, 1892.
Burton Wanderers first game was against Newton Heath, the forerunner of Manchester United, which they won 1-0 in front of 2,500 spectators on the 8th of September, 1894. Their last game was a 1-0 defeat by Loughborough on the 19th of April, 1897. Inevitably their record attendance was against the Swifts, estimated at 5,000, for the 1-0 win also on a Christmas Day, 1896.
The amalgamated club’s first game was a 1-1 draw against Blackpool on the 14th of September, 1901 which was proved to be their record attendance at 4,000. Their last match was a 2-0 win against West Bromwich Albion played in front of 3,580 on the 27th April, 1907.
So although today's Burton team have no affiliation with those that have gone before they are continuing a rich tradition started all those years ago in the town and will become effectively the fourth team from Burton upon Trent to enter the league.
