THE SOUTHPORT STORY by Michael Braham
Part One: In The Beginning
It was on Thursday 12 th November 1881 that Southport played its first Association Football match.
Although association football was played in the town's private schools in the late1870’s the original Southport Football club began as a rugby team. The 'handling code” had been played competitively since 1872 in Southport and there were teams under the titles of Southport Olympic, Southport Wasps, Southport Hornets and The Grasshoppers.
Southport Football Club, who had been in existence for some seasons, arranged rugby fixtures for 1881-82. After some heavy defeats, the last recorded being on 15 th October when Wavertree prevailed, the club switched to association football. On 12 th November, six of that team lined up when Southport played Bootle “second” in their first match under Association Rules. Bootle took the lead but Jackson shot “a capital goal to equalize” The Southport team was S.Platt (Goal), B Pidduck, JG Howard(Backs) P.Edwards, F Jackson and TB Burnett(Captain) (Halves), JR Topliss and F Holden(Rights) W Platt(Centre) J Melross and J. Sykes (Lefts). The Southport Visiter commented “that the team will no doubt render a good account of themselves when they get over the difficulty of hands off and forget the rugby rules” The following week Southport lost by “one goal and one disputed goal to nil” at Burscough.
Most of the club’s rugby players made the witch to the “round ball game” and Dalby, Irving and Morris were also lured over to soccer from Southport Hornets.
Ralph Rylance did more than anyone to establish association football in the town. He came to Southport from Blackburn where he was employed by a firm of solicitors. Before moving he played for the Blackburn Law team, a noted eleven in those days. He played for the “Lawyers” against Southport in our third engagement. The Blackburn Club displayed superior skil and thrashed Southport 7-0. Performances soon improved with Ralph Rylance now playing for Southport and Tranmere Rovers were beaten twice whilst the Tradesman of Southport and Liverpool Excelsior were both overcome 7-0. However, little interest was shown in Southport’s matches compared with Southport Olympic who played on an adjoining pitch at Scarisbrick New Road. Spectators left the football field when Olympic began playing. It was not even possible to buy a football in the town and Ralph Rylance had to bring three footballs from his former club.
Up For The Cup
The 1882-83 season was preceded by an exhibition match between the two famous Blackburn Clubs - the Rovers and Witton - at the Athletic Society's Sports. This match created considerable interest and encouraged by this, Southport joined both the Lancashire and English Football Associations and entered the Football Association, Lancashire and Liverpool and District Challenge Cups. At the club's A.G.M. in September, held at the Bold Arms Hotel, Charles Scarisbrick was re-elected President, W. J. Connell, Treasurer and Ralph Rylance was elected Captain. A full list of fixtures was arranged with teams such as Bootle, Everton, Wirral, Liverpool Rovers, Birkenhead and Bolton Olympic.
The competitive element of the cup-ties aroused most interest. On 7th October, Southport entertained Liverpool Ramblers in their first ever F.A., or English Challenge Cup tie as the competition was called for years. This game was watched by 300 spectators including many women supporters and resulted in a 1-1 draw, Ambler scoring for Southport following a neat pass from Arthur Dalby. In the replay, Southport were weakened by the non-arrival of one of their best forwards and goalkeeper, Platt, missed the train.
"The Reds" had to play two substitutes and because of the re-organisation lost 4-0. ln the Lancashire Challenge cup, after easily accounting for Stacksteads, 4-0, Southport, now playing the six forward game lost 5-4 in a thriller at Rishton.
The rules of the game were somewhat different at that time. The game was rough with little combined play. Penalties were as yet unknown and the charging of goalkeepers was not only permissable but relished with delight by the forwards.-The players boots were of the ordinary every day variety and spikes in place of studs were not uncommon.
Games were often spoilt by colour clashes. When Southport visited Birkenhead Association they were placed at a disadvantage with the home side, who a]so wore scarlet shirts and the ground was covered with long grass- on other occasions home games were interrupted when the ball was kicked into adjoining gardens and the players had to argue with irate householders.
The highlight of the 1883-84 season was the English Cup clash with Blackburn Rovers at their Leamington Road ground. Rovers won 7-0 but Southport were far from disgraced.
In the 1884-85 season the club merged with the Southport Athletic Society. The team moved to the Sports Ground, Sussex Road, and training took place at the Circus Field, Eastbank Street , every Tuesday evening. Also it was unanimously decided to change their red jerseys for red and white striped flannel shirts.