Most successful football team

[Barry Hayter]

Just noted an entry in the War Dairy for the 4th Battalion RWF (Pioneers) who recorded in May 1917;

The following shows the results of the Assocation Football matches played by the Battalion since it's arrival in France;

Played 28 games

Won 28

Goals for 143

Goals against 11

Pretty impressive!!!

[Gibbo]

Impressive record. Were there any ex professional footballers serving in that battalion? McCrae's Battalion (16th Royal Scots) were unbeatable up to 1 July 1916 but all their 1st 11 were professionals before the war.

McCrae's Battalion memorial

[PhilB]

The 1914-15 final 1st division league table:-

W L D F A W L D F A Pts

1. EVERTON 38 8 5 6 44 29 11 3 5 32 18 46

2. Oldham Athletic 38 11 5 3 46 25 6 6 7 24 31 45

3. Blackburn Rovers 38 11 4 4 51 27 7 3 9 32 34 43

4. Burnley 38 12 1 6 38 18 6 6 7 23 29 43

5. Manchester City 38 9 7 3 29 15 6 6 7 20 24 43

6. Sheffield United 38 11 5 3 28 13 4 8 7 21 28 43

7. Sheffield Wednesday 38 10 7 2 43 23 5 6 8 18 31 43

8. Sunderland 38 11 3 5 46 30 7 2 10 35 42 41

9. Bradford Park Avenue 38 11 4 4 40 20 6 3 10 29 45 41

10. West Bromwich Albion 38 11 5 3 31 9 4 5 10 18 34 40

11. Bradford City 38 11 7 1 40 18 2 7 10 15 31 40

12. Middlesbrough 38 10 6 3 42 24 3 6 10 20 50 38

13. Liverpool 38 11 5 3 45 34 3 4 12 20 41 37

14. Aston Villa 38 10 5 4 39 32 3 6 10 23 40 37

15. Newcastle United 38 8 4 7 29 23 3 6 10 17 25 32

16. Notts County 38 8 7 4 28 18 1 6 12 13 39 31

17. Bolton Wanderers 38 8 5 6 35 27 3 3 13 33 57 30

18. Manchester United 38 8 6 5 27 19 1 6 12 19 43 30

19. Chelsea 38 8 6 5 32 25 0 7 12 19 40 29

20. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 38 7 7 5 30 29 1 5 13 27 61 28

[PhilB]

And just so that you can check that your own salary is in line with the fellows you pay to watch, here are today`s Independent survey figures.

London - The average basic salary of a footballer in the English Premiership is £676 000 a year, or £13 000 per week, according to an exclusive survey of professional players by The Independent. That figure typically rises by between 60 and 100 percent when performance-related bonuses, including for actually playing, are added.

The basic pay represents an average rise in earnings of 65 per cent since 2000, the last occasion that a large-scale study was done. The average then was £409 000 a year, or almost £8 000 a week.

The average basic annual Championship salary is now £195 750, up from £128 000 six years ago, or an increase of 53 percent. The average in League One is now £67 850 (up from £54 600, or a rise of 24 percent), and in League Two £49 600 (up from £38 800, up 28 percent).

[Charles Fair]

Interesting, I guess the bulk of these must have been against other units of 47 Division. I will keep an eye out for results in War Diaries of other units in the Division

[armourersergeant]

Oh how wonderful it would be see those two clubs in the bottom three!!

Arm

[Steve Bramley]

And just why do Spurs fans hate the ******* so much?

[Desmond7]

For it is written in that archive of truth, scholarship and high repute .. Wikpedia .....

The first meeting between the two sides was a friendly on November 11, 1887, when Arsenal were known as Royal Arsenal. The match was abandoned 15 minutes before it was due to end "owing to darkness" with Spurs leading 2-1. The first League match between the two was in the First Division, on December 4, 1909; Arsenal won 1-0.

However, the fierce rivalry between the two teams did not begin until World War I. First, in 1913, Arsenal moved from their South London home of Woolwich to Arsenal Stadium, Highbury, just four miles from Tottenham's White Hart Lane. But the bad feelings were cemented in 1919 when the First Division was to be expanded by two teams. 19th-placed Chelsea were allowed to stay as they were relegated, but rather than the other relegated team – 20th-placed Tottenham – or Barnsley who were 3rd in the Second Division, it was decided that Arsenal would be promoted, despite them finishing 5th[1]. It is alleged that Arsenal chairman Sir Henry Norris used underhand dealings in order to bring this about, although nothing has been proven. Tottenham were promoted back into the top flight after taking the Second Division title the next season, and the rivalry has continued ever since.

[Steven Broomfield]

Can't imagine modern Premiership players at a game of Crown and Anchor, or Two-up......

[cockney tone]

Really interesting and informative thread, however;

Could members of the Forum please refer to the 'ruff types from Highbury' by their real name of the 'Woolwich Wanderers'

Regards,

Scottie

Life time supporter (sufferer) of the real 'Norf' London team.

[MartinWills]

I know the final of "The Dardanelles Cup" took place at Mudros in early 1916 it was run on a knock-out basis with something like 5 or even 6 rounds - I don't have details of the final to hand, however.

[Andrew Hesketh]

[Jonathan Saunders]

Oh how wonderful it would be see those two clubs in the bottom three!!

Arm

Surely you mean all three

[Roxy]

Got to agree with Jonathan there!

Roxy