Highlights
Leicestershire were represented by 7 (seven) clubs in the FA Cup – Barwell Swifts, Coalville Albion, Coalville Town, Hinckley Town, Hugglescote Robin Hood, Leicester Fosse, and Loughborough. Ony Leicester Fosse reached the round 1, where they were eliminated by Southampton.
Gresley Rovers carried off the Senior Cup. Castle Donington once more held the Junior Cup, after an absence of two or three seasons from the final — an unusual occurrence, for Castle Donington and Oakham Rovers won the Leicestershire Shield.
Loughborough Charity Cup raised more than any other Charity Association in the county.
The Hinckley & District and Loughborough & District Leagues established ‘Second Divisions’.
Hinckley Free Press introduced a weekly Football Skills Competition.
A meeting of representatives of Melton football clubs was held in November 1898 at the Wheatsheaf Hotel for the purpose of establishing a local league or charity competition.
Leicester Fosse were fined £50 plus costs for poaching goalkeeper Godfrey Beardsley from Loughborough and a further £10 for recruiting ‘amateur’ former England keeper Billy Rowley as his substitute. The fall out from the Beardsley and Rowley affairs rocked both clubs to their very foundations.
Following intolerable abuse from a handful of spectators the referee abandoned the Loughborough v Coalville Town on Leicestershire Senior League game at half-time. Loughborough were found guilty of grave misconduct by Leicestershire Football Association and as a punishment the Athletic Grounds were closed from 23 January to 3 February.
The Athletic Grounds were again closed for the first 10 days of the 1899-00 season resulting from a Leicestershire Football Association report from the match official at the home Second Division game against Gainsborough Trinity was alleged to have been assaulted by spectators who resented his decisions.
National Cup Competitions
Competition | Winner | Runner-Up | |
Sheffield United | Derby County | Barwell Swifts (2QR) Coalville Albion (2QR) Hinckley Town (1QR) Hugglescote Robin Hood (1QR) Leicester Fosse (5QR) Loughborough (4QR) | |
Doncaster Rovers | Ilkeston Town | Leicester Fosse Reserves 12th ou of 14. |
Regional & National Leagues
Competition | Winner | Runner-Up | |
Manchester City | Glossop North End | Leicester Fosse 4th out of 16 Loughborough Town 16th out of 16 | |
Doncaster Rovers | Ilkeston Town | Leicester Fosse Reserves 12th out of 14 |
Leicestershire Cups
Competition | Winner | Runner-Up |
Gresley Rovers | Coalville Town | |
Hinckley Town | Nuneaton Town | |
Castle Donnington | Whitwick White Cross | |
Gresley Rovers | Swadlincote Town | |
Oakham Rovers | Loughborough Forest Rovers | |
Loughborough Emanuel | Quorn Havelock | |
Barrow Rising Star | 17th Regimental District | |
Whitwick White Cross | Coalville United |
Leicestershire Leagues
Competition | Winner | Runner-Up |
Boundary Albion | Moira Rovers | |
Burbage United | Stoney Stanton | |
Stoney Stanton Reserves | Hinckley Victor | |
Market Harborough | 17th Regimental District | |
Granby-road School | Not Known | |
Imperial | Belggrave United | |
Swadlincote Town | Gresley Rovers | |
17th Regimental Depot | Not Known | |
Whitwick White Cross | Hathern Victoria | |
Loughborough Corinthians | Loughborough Forest Rovers |
Other Cup Competitions
Competition | Winner | Runner-Up | |
Nottingham Forest | Burton Swifts | Leicester Fosse (R!) | |
Aston Villa | Port Vale | Leicester Fosse (R1) Lougghborough (R1) | |
Not completed | Not completed | Not Known | |
Swadlincote | Stanton | Woodville Town (R1) | |
Rushden | Kettering | Loughborough (R1) | |
Foleshill Great Heath | Fazeley Swifts | Hinckley Granville (R1) | |
Nuneaton Town Reserves | Foleshill St Paul’s | Burbage United (SF) | |
Aston Villa Reserves | Wolverhampton Wanderers Reserves | Swadincote Town (R1) Whitwick Town (R2) | |
Friendly Matches
Match Reports |
Additional Information
News Stories |