Rugby Football in Victorian Leamington

Part 2: 1882 to 1890

Part 1: Origins to 1882
Part 2: 1882 to 1890
Part 3: 1890 to 1898

The fixture tables retain the dates, results, scoring notation and abbreviations used in the original account. “For” and “Against” follow the original columns; a dash marks an empty entry.

1882-83: Kettering conflict

The first game of the new season was a repeat of the Cup final against Moseley. Played at Leam Terrace, the Birmingham side again ran out winners, but in a more competitive match, by 2 goals and a try. Rovers were heavily criticised in the Courier for being over-individualistic in the backs and less than vigorous in the forwards. Moseley, on the other hand, were again criticised for over-robust play that was thought not to be within the spirit of the laws. In the next game there was a dispute over whether to allow Rugby a score, which ended with their skipper and two of his players leaving the field in protest before the end. The decision meant that Rovers won and the Courier commented on the less than satisfactory arrangements between the referee and the other officials and captains.

The first round of the Midlands Counties Cup was away at Kettering on 21 October. Nearly 1,000 people turned up to watch and they created an intimidating atmosphere, which caused further controversy. The Leamington backs dazzled throughout most of the game, scoring a try and forcing 6 touchdowns, but in a spell of pressure by the home forwards during the second half, Kettering kicked a drop goal, to give them victory. The validity of this win was disputed by Leamington, probably as a complaint about the way the game was played. The Midland Counties Union decided that the game should be replayed the following week. Rovers declined to visit Kettering again, questioning whether they would “come back alive” if they won. It was therefore decided that the replay should be held at a neutral venue. Kettering must have refused this and withdrawn, as Leamington went through to the next round on a walk-over.

With Rovers therefore having no game that week, several players turned out for Warwick against Coventry St. Michael’s. Although Warwick was a new club, the Courier commented that a merger with Leamington might be beneficial to ensure the area could turn out a strong side, especially when Rovers were depleted due to representative call-ups. After victories over Queens College, Birmingham and a weakened Trinity College, Rovers entertained Warwick for a second time and scraped home on touchdowns, with the sides scoring a try apiece. Rovers lost some momentum in the lead-up to Christmas, going down at Edgbaston Crusaders, when only 10 players turned up, and suffering defeats against Leamington College (Past and Present) and the developing Southam team (aka Mr Jackson’s XV).

The bona-fide residency teams, representing Leamington and Warwick, met on Boxing Day, for a second time. This was a much-anticipated event, with the Bullock brothers and Lionel Richardson, the fleet-footed Rovers’ backs, lining up for Warwick against the sturdy Leamington forwards, marshalled by George Gill. However, rain proved to be the decisive factor and as on the first occasion, the match ended in a draw.

Leamington Rovers 1882-83

For the away fixture against Moseley, in January, Rovers fielded a weakened team, with most of their usual backs not travelling. It was another heavy defeat and the Birmingham team’s star player, Albert Smith, was outstanding. Queens College were beaten for a second time, but back-to-back games were then lost against Rugby at the end of January. After a severe defeat over in Rugby, with three Leamington players failing to turn up, Rovers completed better in the return at Leam Terrace, in extremely wet conditions. It was even wetter when Burton visited the following week, in round two of the Cup. It rained before and throughout the game, which was described as being more of an aquatic sport than a field game. Burton just squelched home with the only try. They went on to defeat Moseley in the final.

Edgbaston Crusaders and Southam were then beaten, before a rearranged game at Warwick in March resulted in Rovers fielding a scratch side and, with some of their players not turning up; they went down by a goal and a try to two goals. There was an exchange between supporters in the letters column of the Courier in the following weeks, with both claiming the other was reluctant to take them on and would either cancel or play a with a weak team to avoid direct comparison. A further fixture was arranged for the end of the season but this was cancelled by mutual consent. This was Rovers’ worst season to date with 7 wins and 10 losses in the results recorded.

New teams continued to appear locally: Leamington Swifts played and defeated the Robin Hoods and Coventry Grammar School. The Midland Counties played three matches in November - against Lancashire, Yorkshire and Oxford University. Games against Surrey and Gloucestershire were played after Christmas. Rovers were well represented, with Bellot, Bullock, Miller, McGawley, Rawlinson, Green, Jackson and Gill all playing in one or more of the games.

Dr Alfred Miller (pictured) played in all the Midlands games. He joined the club this season having been appointed as Assistant [and later Chief] Medical Superintendent of the Warwick Asylum at Hatton. A forward, he was capped 3 times by Ireland, his third appearance being against England, at Manchester on 5 February. This was the first year of the Home Championship [the 4 Nations]. Although credited as a Kingstown player, he was fairly regular in the Rovers team during the season and played against Burton the following week. He is therefore claimed as Leamington’s first international footballer.

Dr Alfred Miller

A team photograph from the 1882-83 season was printed in the Courier in December 1937 (below) with an article by Alfred Lloyd which gives the background of some of the players. Note the boots and round ball – the shape and size of balls varied, depending on the pig’s bladder used and was not standardised until 1892. Early boots were usually normal working boots and more likely to cause injury than enhance skills. Purpose-made boots gradually began to appear and in 1883 were advertised in the Courier at 8s 11d a pair, but many players played with what they had got. It is not known what the players’ caps signify.

The picture includes a number of regulars who had been with the Rovers from the early days, some of whom are mentioned earlier. Of the others - J. Harding was a Cheltenham College man; S Ruddock attended Leamington College, as did Hugh Bellot, who became a leading academic and international lawyer; J. Mitchell was also a lawyer; Teddy Ivens was a baker and well-regarded local boxer; the Wayte family (Alline and sons John and Benjamin) owned the Forage Stores in Regent Street; and Tom Proctor was at the Bath Hotel. Doctor Roger Bullock was a forceful three-quarter from Warwick and his brother Arthur also played. W.J. Pratt, was a cashier at Lloyds Bank, churchwarden of St Albans and sometimes acted as a referee.

Leamington Rovers 1882-83 S. Ruddock, J. Randall, C. Standbridge, R. Bullock, Wayte (jnr), H.H. Bellot – W.J. Pratt (umpire) E. Ivens, Wayte (sen), G. Gill (captain), F. Harding, F. Proctor – F. Glover, W. Gascoyne, J. Haywood, J. Mitchell

1883-84: Warwick Merger

After all the bickering with Warwick during the Spring, some diplomatic pressure must have been applied over the Summer, as a joint meeting of Leamington Rovers and Warwick was held at the Great Western Hotel on 13 September 1883 to consider the amalgamation of the two clubs. Frank Glover was in the Chair and it was advocated that whilst Warwick had some good players, they were not strong enough to take on the best teams in the Midlands. Leamington also had good players, some of whom came from elsewhere in the county and a broader description for the club would therefore be suitable. It was agreed that strength through unity should be the way forward and a merger as South Warwickshire Rovers was agreed.

Dr A.E. Bullock, of Warwick, was elected President, George Gill was Captain and Treasurer with Roger Bullock his vice-captain. Frank Glover and Martyn Skinner became joint Secretaries. It was agreed to set playing subscriptions at 5/- [25p] per season, the same for non-players and half a guinea [52.5p] minimum for honorary members. Broad stripes in magenta and chocolate were adopted as the colours for the club strip. The Skull and Crossbones may have disappeared at this point. It was hoped that with the merger there would be sufficient players to run a regular second team and fixtures were arranged.

Games were to alternate between Leam Terrace East and the Warwick County Cricket Ground, but it seems that most were played in Leamington. The opening week of the season was a trial match to decide the line-up. The first game for the new combined club was at home to Burton on the 29th September. It was played in bad weather and three players failed to show up. The teams eventually evened out at 14-a-side and the game ended in a draw with both sides scoring a try and 3 touchdowns. The line-up was: Richardson – R. Bullock, L. Bullock, C. Ricketts – G. Gill, Dene – Aitcheson, Godson, Hunt, Wheildon, Jackson, Burridge, Gascoyne, Glover

The second game was lost at Rugby and the first success came at home (in Warwick) the following week, against Rushden, when a try, to a disputed try, settled the game. There was also a fixture planned against Leicester that day but they failed to turn up because they missed their train. The Rovers drew Moseley in the Midland Counties Cup and the result followed the familiar pattern for this fixture with another heavy defeat. 1,500 people turned up at Leam Terrace to watch the game. They were disappointed by the Rovers’ performance, particularly from their backs, who were badly outplayed, but also with their poor sportsmanship in challenging every score. There were plenty of these – and 4 goals and 2 tries, against 1 try, secured the Birmingham side’s passage into the second round. They went on to beat Coventry in the final.

The first ever games against Warwick School (Past and Present) and Old Edwardians followed and both were won, Ricketts scoring 2 goals against Warwick. The return game against Rugby was drawn in favour of Rovers who shaded the “minors” in a game with no tries or goals. A disputed try, when playing with only 14 men, resulted in defeat at Kidderminster and there was the same outcome at Harborne when Rovers played two men short for the whole first half. Wins against Leamington College (12a-side), Coventry and Warwick Excelsior followed, although with the exception of Coventry, the opposition was not the best. Both sides claimed victory in the Coventry game, with a disputed try each, although Coventry also forced 6 touchdowns. Roger Bullock scored Rovers’ “try ‘ and he also claimed 3 against Excelsior.

A third game was played between the bona-fide residents of Leamington and Warwick on Boxing Day. Similar games had been held in 1880 and 1882, both of which were drawn. On this occasion the Leamington men came out on top by 2 tries to nil, with H. Bellot scoring both. Around 1,000 spectators attended and they were reported to have been better behaved than in the previous years. The sides were:

LEAMINGTON – Mitchell - Combe, J. Wilkins, H. Bellot, Barnside – G. Gill, Ivens – J. Randall, H. Wheildon, W. Gascoyne, C. Standbridge, Leach, Jenkins, C. Burridge

WARWICK – James Walsgrave – R. Bullock, A. Bullock, Richardson – A. Gill, Shaw – Hunt, Parsons, Bowen, E. Gill, Hall, Haydon, Wright, Walker, John Walsgrave

A general meeting was held early in the New Year to review the finances of the newly merged club and to promote a fund-raising concert at the Theatre Royal on 11th January. The position was regarded as very satisfactory, even though the club had inherited £12 in debts from the previous season. Unfortunately, things began to go wrong for the combined club from this point onwards with no wins recorded after Christmas, although a few results are missing. The second half of the season began with a narrow loss at Leicester, followed by a heavy defeat at Burton, an unlucky loss at home to Edgbaston Crusaders, who sneaked home thanks to a fluke try, and a narrow defeat to Redditch, with a weak side.

The highlight of the season was a prestige fixture against Middlesex Wanderers, a mid-week invitation side, on 20th February. The Courier bemoaned the state of sport in the town, with no town cricket club (although cricket was being played) and tardy support for athletics, horse racing and hunting. The paper hoped that a good gate for this football game would help raise the town’s profile. Admission was set at 6d or 3d with free admission for children and ladies. The take was a meagre £3. 8s and with expenses amounting to £3, the profit shared between the two sides was 4s [20p] each. The visitors’ rail fares from London exceeded £7, so they made a considerable loss. The game itself was played in good spirit and was won comfortably by the Wanderers.

The season ended with cancellations against Coventry, because Rovers couldn’t field a side, and Kidderminster, because of a smallpox outbreak there. Against Moseley, the Rovers again struggled to field a team and had to borrow 7 players from Leamington Crusaders, but lost by a lesser margin than usual. The last game was also lost, against Leicester at home.

So, after all the early optimism, following the merger, the season tailed of badly, with Rovers finding it difficult to field 15 players, never mind a strong side. The new club seemed weaker that its two constituent clubs had been the year before. The overall record of known results is - won 8 drawn 2 and lost 11. Some second team games were played, against clubs such as Moseley, Edgbaston Crusaders, Alcester, Trinity College, KES Warwick and the Harriers.

South Warwickshire Rovers 1883-84

Elsewhere in the area, the Leamington Crusaders played regularly and won most of their games: defeating Emscote Rovers, Southam, Birmingham Swifts, Heathfield, Rugby Albion, Moseley Woodstock, Hillfield Rovers and Coventry St. Osbury’s. They even managed to beat Warwick Excelsior on the day they loaned Rovers seven players to play Moseley. Cubbington Crusaders, Leamington Excelsiors and Leamington Victoria played at least the odd game. There is no reference to The Volunteers.

1884-85: 2nd Midlands Final,

The Leamington and Warwick merger was not a success and after only one season the Warwick club re-formed, leaving the Rovers with liabilities of £30 to carry forward. On the field, things began well with a home win over Burton at Leam Terrace. The next games were lost by a disputed try against Coventry and to Redditch Albert, but Kidderminster Choir and Stoke were beaten in the opening rounds of the Midland Counties Cup in October. Form was patchy throughout the season, with good wins over Old Edwardians and Northampton Unity, a win and a loss against Moseley Woodstock, a draw against Edgbaston Crusaders (slightly in their favour) but heavy defeats at Moseley and Solihull. Wins at home to Kidderminster and Oriel College Oxford showed some improved form moving into March, when Rovers played Kidderminster again, this time in round three of the Midland Counties Cup, winning by 14-5. They received a bye into the final and as Moseley defeated Coventry in the other semi, the final was to be a repeat of the inaugural season of the Cup, three years earlier.

A special train was laid on for the final in Coventry and around 4,000 spectators turned up to watch what was predicted to be a one-sided affair. This proved to be the case and although the Rovers’ forwards held their own in the tight, Moseley were much quicker in the loose and had the advantage in the backs. Four goals and a try to four touchdowns was the winning margin. The Leamington line-up was: Bryan – G. Watkin, R. Bullock © Richardson, Ricketts – Gill, Ivens – Wheildon, Gascoyne, Standbridge, Southorn, Thomas, Randall, W. Barnacle and Brough.

The season ended ignominiously, when the week after the Cup Final, Rovers failed to turn up for their final home game against Rugby, leaving their visitors rather unhappy. A second Midlands Cup Final appearance suggests that it was a successful campaign and the known results show a respectable 12 wins, 1 draw and 9 defeats, with 3 of the losses coming against Moseley - the strongest team in the Midlands. However, reports suggest that the club was inconsistent and benefitted from a soft draw which enabled them to reach the Cup Final without encountering major opposition.

The re-formed Warwick club played at the Warwick County Cricket Ground and their results included a win and a loss against Moseley Woodstock and wins against the Volunteers, Alcester, Edgbaston Crusaders, Coventry Rangers and Banbury. The Boxing Day game between the “bona-fide” town selections went ahead and was won by Leamington. The two clubs played the following day and is reported as a win by Rovers and a draw by Warwick, who claimed a disputed try. The dispute carried over to a proposed fixture at the end of February, when Warwick requested that Rovers should replace their usual referee. Rovers declined and the game did not go ahead.

Holy Trinity Church (Beauchamp Avenue) formed a side this season and played on the Lillington Road. After games against Warwick and Rovers’ second teams, they appear to have progressed in the second half of the season, when they won and lost against Warwick and defeated Stratford Band of Hope (Wesleyans). Leamington College appear to have turned to the Association rules and played local school sides, but they also played Rovers and Holy Trinity under Rugby Rules and came out on top against the latter.

South Warwickshire Rovers 1884-85

1885-86: Rovers’ Finale

The shortage of match reports in the Leamington Courier turned into a total drought this season and nothing is recorded prior to Christmas. The first indication of what was going on came when their columnist OPQ reported early in the new year that Rovers had run out of money due to some members not paying their dues and had been forced to close down. He commented as follows –

“The chief reason for the splitting up of this once splendid club was due to the strange ideas some of its members had of “pecuniary liability”. Many there were who considered they had a perfect right to play but not pay. In other words, some members were to pay for the pleasure of other members. The club must pay for their jerseys, stockings, railway fares and their expenses and they were not even to pay their subscriptions. No club can exist without funds and the Rovers club was without funds and so…it naturally collapsed”

ALPHA, a later correspondent, thought that this verdict might have been hard on some of the poorer members of the club. He posed the question “How can a man pay for his jersey, stockings, and railway fares and lose his time on 30 bob a week?” This was a problem that had dogged the Rovers from the start. H.C. King had written to the paper about the non-payment of subscriptions as early as 1878 and it was reported in 1884-85 that the club had outstanding liabilites of £30. It seems that this debt became too much to sustain. There are reports that William Gascoyne, one of the founder members and stalwarts of the club, became bankrupt at the beginning of 1885, owing a large sum. It is speculation, but local economic conditions were difficult at this time and perhaps the persons the club could have expected to turn to for help were no longer willing or able to do so. The club may have struggled on and played the occaisional game up until Christmas, but the only fixtures identifed, against Northampton Unity and Rugby, were cancelled. They did come back together in March after “three months in abeyance” to play in the Midland Counties Cup against Warwick. The game was described as being very fast throughout but played in awful snowy conditions and was won by Warwick with the only try of the match.

South Warwickshire Rovers 1885-86

In September 1885 St John’s Church (Tachbrook Street) formed a club for their parishioners, aged 17 and over and set a subscription of 2/-. They became Leamington’s main team, in place of the Rovers, over the next few years. In this first season, they were captained by ex-Rovers player, William Barnacle, with W. White his deputy. They played their games on Tachbrook Road, which, it is thought, later became the base for Leamington’s Association team [and much later, Lockheed/AP]. St John’s also established a working men’s club around the same time, which might have been a source of recruitment for their football team. There are not many fixtures recorded for St John’s this season, but of those that are, they won 3 and drew 3. The last of these drawn games was against South Warwickshire Rovers in a warm-up game for their Midlands Cup tie against Warwick.

Leamington St John’s 1885-86

Warwick’s reward for beating the Rovers was to draw Moseley in the second round of the Midlands Counties Cup and they acquitted themselves very well, restricting the Brummies to only one try. The team was: Busby – Walker, Sidwell, James Walsgrove, John Walsgrove – H. Parsons, Hill – G. Parsons© Gurney, Butler, Hewitt, Hunt, Hall, Pinfold. George Gill refereed.

They played Moseley again the following week with similar line-ups and this time they lost more heavily, by 4 goals and a try. The results available for Warwick show that they had returned to their former strength and were now the top team in the area. The other local derby was the Boxing Day game between the de-facto residents of Leamington and Warwick. Played in Warwick, this was drawn with Ivens scoring a try for Leamington and Butler responding in kind for Warwick.

Nothing more was heard of the Holy Trinity side, which had prospered so well the previous season. However, The Buffs, who had played in 1880-81, completed their first full season. Their success was celebrated at a supper evening in the dining hall of Emscote Mills (Messrs George Nelson, Dale and Co) with 40-45 members sitting down to dine.

1886-87: St. John’s to the Fore

OPQ. was still lamenting the loss of the Rovers in his Courier jottings at the start of the season.

“Where, oh where are the Rovers gone to? …is football to be next door to a dead letter in Leamington?... why cannot Rovers be resuscitated; surely there is plenty of young blood and pluck in the Spa as well as skill in the football field with which to reconstruct the club?”

There was no sign of the club reappearing however, although Lionel Richardson and Thomas are reported to have appeared as Leamington players for the Midland Counties against Marlborough Nomads in December.

The general meeting of St John’s took place prior to the season commencing and the Rev W.G. Wise was elected as President, with J. Stanley as Treasurer and H.R. Bird as Secretary. Two former Rovers players led the side, with Arthur Dawkes their captain and H. Southorn his deputy. Harry Wheildon and Teddy Ivens played on in the forwards. The team showed signs of development as they began the season with a series of wins: over Dudley Victoria (twice), Coventry 2nd, and Stratford, before facing Warwick at the end of November. A large crowd assembled for what was now the local derby between the premier sides of the two towns. Warwick won with a try scored by Wallsgrave.

The annual bona-fide game between the two towns was scheduled to take place, but there were severe snowstorms on Boxing Day and it appears that the game was scratched. The snow continued during early January, causing more cancellations, so when St John’s took on Warwick in the return fixture on 22nd January, a large and expectant crowd came out to see them play. Busby scored a try for Warwick and Humphriss got one back for St John’s, to achieve an honourable draw. St John’s later played Coventry Albion in round 1 of the Coventry Junior Challenge Cup and lost narrowly by one try. They also entered the Midland Counties Cup under the name of South Warwickshire Rovers and were completely overpowered by Rugby, who achieved a record score, with 5 goals and 7 tries. Rugby went on to reach the final. The team against Rugby was: Richardson, A Dawkes, Godfrey, F. Fessey, H Dawkes – Bull, Ivens – Middleton, P. Southorn, H. Humphries, Hunt White, Morris, W. Bird, Flood

Warwick appear to have been playing at a good level and they recorded wins over Stratford, West Bromwich and Worcester, the latter in the first round of the Midland Counties Cup. In the second round they played Coventry and despite a snowstorm in March, over 1,000 turned up to the game and saw Coventry win comfortably, by 2 goals and 4 tries. Warwick played a total of 16 games, winning 10 and drawing 2. Other teams playing regularly this season included the Emscote Buffs and Warwick Warriors. The Parish Church fielded a side and their one recorded result was a win over Allesley Park College at Leam Terrace.

Leamington St John’s 1886-87

*played as SW Rovers

1887-88: Derby day trouble

Arthur Dawkes and P. Southorn were re-elected as captain and vice-captain of St John’s. Their season began with two wins over Southam, before facing local rivals Warwick on 10 December. It was a very rough game with a lot of spectator trouble. St John’s managed to finish on top with a goal and a try to a goal. They lined up as follows: H. Dawkes – A. Dawkes, H. Timins, F. Fessey, W. Ballard – H. Horley, W. Astill – H. Watson, J. Morris, H. Knight, B. Wright, W. White, P. Southorn © H .Humphriss, W. Bird

The annual Boxing Day game between the residents of the two towns was played in front of a boisterous crowd. It was a controversial match, with Parsons and John Kilder scoring for Warwick before the break and Leamington coming back strongly in the second period, but unable to break through. The game ended early due to crowd encroachment onto the pitch and it was discovered that Warwick had fielded 16 men for part of the game. It was therefore declared a draw. The teams were –

WARWICK – H. Perkins – J. Walter, T. Sidwell, T. Busby, L. Bostock - T. Hill, W. Watts © - F. Buller, H. Hunt, J. Kilder, John Kilder, J. Thompson, H. Parsons, T. xxx, J .Walsgrove LEAMINGTON – H. Horley – W. Ballard, A. Dawkes, F. Fessey, H. Smith, W. Astill, E. Ivens – W. White, H. Watson, Batchelor, R. Rayner, T. Ledbrooke, J. Harrison, R. Bird, H. Southorn ©

This appears to be the last of the Boxing Day games, the overall results of which were

Boxing Day games

Later in the season there was a loss and draw against Stratford and two wins over Moseley Harlequins, the second game being in the first round of the Midland Counties Cup, when St John’s again played as South Warwickshire Rovers. In the second round they drew Dudley at home and in a keenly contested game, in front of a large number of spectators, a single try was decisive in favour of the visitors. Overall it was a good season with recorded results showing 7 wins and a draw to 3 defeats. The second team played regularly under captain Hugh Dawkes and they won most of their games.

The Parish Church again fielded a team and after Christmas they beat Long Itchington, and Banbury Rovers, but lost to Stratford Athletic Club. They also played St John’s second team which fielded a number of first team “ringers” and although St John’s won, referee Arthur Dawkes declared the game a draw, as he felt the Parish side were “off their guard” when the only try was scored. They played St John’s first team later in the season and went down narrowly. St Paul’s also had a side and Warwick St. Nicholas played Whitnash. Napton Rovers played a local derby against Stockton Blue Lias Raiders

Leamington St John’s 1887-88

*Played as SW Rovers

In Warwick, Emscote Buffs rebranded themselves as Warwick Buffs and they were the equals of the Town side, who struggled and lost both to the Buffs and to St John’s. Unfortunately, they failed to show up for their Midland Counties Cup tie against Rugby in March. Warwick Avon Rovers played Coventry Godiva Rovers in the Coventry and District Junior Cup with the Coventry side winning with the only try of the game. Warwick Unity was another new side

1888-89: St John’s outstanding

St John’s had an outstanding season. They won all their games before Christmas, except for a match at Avon Rovers, which was abandoned due to “disputations and quarrelling” with the umpires. The result of another game, against Vale of Evesham (the Worcestershire Cup holders) was disputed, after it was abandoned due to bad light. Evesham claimed a draw but St Johns, who were leading, claimed a win. The line-up in the opening game against Rugby Rovers was: F. Fessey – H. Smith, A. Dawkes, W. Ballard, W. Varney – H. Horley, H. Dawkes – W. White, R. Atkins, A. Price, W. Watson, W. Kerr, W. Durham, Knight, Kenning

A rather belated general meeting of the club was held on 19th November at the Westminster Coffee Tavern to elect officers for the season. Arthur Dawkes was again chosen as first team captain with Henry Horley his deputy. Robert Atkins was elected as second team captain with Alec Cash as his deputy. Frank Fessey was club secretary. Games were played at Tachbrook Road

Leamington St John’s 1888-89

*Played as SW Rovers

The winning streak continued after Christmas and culminated with victory over Warwick, in round one of the Midland Counties Cup, reversing the result of 1886. Reports describe them as being either Leamington or South Warwickshire Rovers, but it was clearly the St John’s side. They dominated the first half into the wind and led through “minors” and were expecting to win comfortably with the conditions in their favour in the second half. However, a try by Busby gave Warwick a surprise lead. Leamington fought back with the “artful dodger” Hugh Dawkes racing along the touchline to make the equalising score and a few minutes later he made a break and passed to Gibbs for him to run in for a second try. This prompted a pitch invasion and then constant encroachment over the goal-line, preventing Warwick the opportunity to equalise in the final minutes. The reward, was to play Moseley at home in the next round and as usual the Leamington side was heavily beaten, with Moseley totting up 5 goals and 4 tries as they swamped the locals in the second half. Moseley went on to win the Cup, beating Leicester in the final and this appears to have ended St John’s season with 13 wins and a draw and just the one known defeat.

St John’s again fielded a regular second team and they played Godiva Rovers, Warwick St Paul’s, Coventry Harlequins, Southam, Coventry Juniors and Coventry Rangers, winning or drawing most of their games. They also played two new local sides – Emscote White Stars and Hillside Rovers, who appear to have been based in Lillington. Leamington College had a full programme but played mainly Association rules and the Parish Church continued to play. Very little was heard of the Warwick Town side, other than the Midlands Cup game and Avon Rovers and Warwick Buffs appear to have been more active. The Buffs were in fact making great progress and won 11 of 17 games and suffered only I defeat, at Leicester.

A point scoring system was introduced this year, however results still tended to be recorded under the old system. The NZ Maoris visited England, to become the first overseas tourists. They played an amazing total of 74 games (winning 49 and drawing 5) plus more on the way here and on the way home. Two games were played against the Midland Counties.

1889-90: Town Club formed

Four years on from the demise of the Rovers, there was a new Leamington town club. A first meeting was held in the Westminster Coffee Tavern on 29th July 1889, when it was agreed that a new club should be formed and that a deputation should seek out “a corps of honorary members” to support it. A second meeting took place on 9th August at the Town Hall. General Ratcliffe presided. This was well attended and the following officers were elected - J. Hincks (President), P. Southorn (Treasurer) P. Gibbs (Secretary), and Messrs Fessey, Edelman, R. Bird, Raynor, Rowlands, Buncher, Mann, Watson and Boulter (committee members). Arthur Dawkes was elected as captain with G. Hincks his deputy. Kerr was appointed as captain of the second team with Hugh Dawkes his deputy. The new club was to be known as Leamington Town Football Club and would play its games on the Tachbrook Road ground, previously used by Leamington St John’s. It was decided that the club should affiliate to the Rugby Union and take part in the Midlands Counties Cup. The club colours were to be a black jersey with a two-tailed Lion emblem, surrounded by the initials of the club. Players’ subscriptions were set at £5 rather than the more customary £2/10d to ensure that rail fares and other expenses could be covered.

It would seem, given the names of the persons involved, that the new club was built on the outstanding success of Leamington St John’s the previous year and that it was seen as the way forward in re-establishing Leamington as a force in the game. OPQ. welcomed the revival of the club in his jottings column, but warned that it would require the “nicest management” to prevent it breeding ill-nature and the internal disputes which had led to the demise of the Rovers”. He commented that it had come to his attention already that the proposed club “has caused disgust, by slighting some of the best known friends to football in the town”. In support of the finances of the new club, two public concerts were held at the Royal Assembly Rooms in Bath Street on 21st and 22nd October. Various musical and comedy sketches were performed.

The first game was against the old nemesis, Moseley. On a cold windy day and as so many times before, the Moseley players ran through the Leamington defence to score at will as the Spa team collapsed in the second half. The second game was away at Birmingham’s second club, Edgbaston Crusaders, and these other old opponents were an easier challenge and were beaten by 2 goals and a try to a goal. Wins against Queens College and Wolverhampton followed and after this the club played its first home game, on 2 November, against the Old Crocks, an invitation side of former Rovers players, with a sprinkling of Warwick men. A close game was drawn in favour of the Town side who added 4 touchdowns to a try apiece. The line-ups were -

LEAMINGTON – Passman – A. Dawkes © Franklin, Whitby, H. Dawkes, - Horley, Rowlands – Buller, Kerr, Burton, George, Watson, Edelmann, Jeffrey, Hincks

OLD CROCKS - Fessey – Sidwell, Barnacle, Walker – Ivens, Gill © - W. Gascoyne, Standbridge, Hunt, J. Gascoyne, Mundy, Burridge, Lyne, Wheildon, White

Lincoln College, Oxford was defeated in the next game and the season continued well throughout the winter. Games were won and lost against Handsworth and Stourbridge after Christmas and a 3,000-crowd turned out to see the away game against Leicester, which was lost by 3 tries to nil. Nottingham was beaten in the first round of the Midland Counties Cup at the beginning of March and in the second round, the following week, Stourbridge were the opponents. Having already had two close games earlier on, the same was expected this time and so it proved, with Stourbridge sneaking home for what was described as a fluky win, with the only try of the game awarded when one of the Leamington players was obstructed. The line-up against Stourbridge was: Passman - Gibbs, A. Dawkes ©, H. Dawkes, Fessey – Horley, Hutchins – Edlmann, White, Canning, Kerr, Watson, Powell, Jeffries and Wheildon

Of the known results, there were 12 wins against 7 losses, with 2 draws. Although this had been a fairly successful first season on the field, all did not appear to be well off it. The Courier referred to a succession of poor attendances which meant the club was finding it hard to cover its costs. These were noted in the paper on 22nd February, when it was detailed that total receipts were £52 against expenditure of just under £50, leaving only a small balance. With £14 owing on the rent of the pitch and away trips by train to Nottingham and Leicester coming up (likely to cost around £9) the club was in difficulties and it put out a plea for some generous people to come forward and help it through its first season. This provoked a response in the letters column, questioning whether it was justifiable for the club to pass it’s hat around the town because couldn’t meet its c0sts through its own efforts.

Leamington Town 1889-90

Leamington Albions was another new club in the town this season. They played at Lillington or on Tachbrook Road and established themselves as Leamington’s second side. Their origins are not known. They entered the Coventry & District Junior Challenge Cup and after defeating Coventry Lord Street in a replay, they met Coventry Godiva Rovers in the semi-final, which they lost. Their known results are given below. Warwick continued to put out a team and in addition to beating Leamington Albions in a bad-tempered early season game, they drew with Stratford in November and met Edgbaston Crusaders in the Midlands Counties Cup on 1st March. Avon Rovers was another club in action in Warwick.

Leamington Albions 1889-90

Part 1: Origins to 1882
Part 2: 1882 to 1890
Part 3: 1890 to 1898