1899-00 Season Summary

Highlights

Leicester Fosse finished 5th in the Football League Second Division.

Loughborough finished bottom of the Football League, conceding 100 goals in 34 games, winning only a single game and collecting only 8 points of a possible 68, arguably the worst record in the history of the League. This season saw their record League defeat, 12–0 at Woolwich Arsenal; due to financial constraints the team consisted of four professionals and seven amateurs and their travelling expenses were paid for by Arsenal. After failing to gain re-election to the League in 1900, the club applied for acceptance back into the Midland League, but failed to turn up for the fixtures meeting on 9 June. On 29 June a meeting was held when it was decided that the club was defunct.

Whitwick staged the Second Division match between Loughborough and Burslem Port Vale after the Athletic Grounds, Loughborough was closed following crowd trouble.

Leicester Fosse Reserves finished bottom of the Midland League, finishing the 24 match campaign with just 9 points.

The number of clubs affiliated to the Leicestershire Football Association fell during the 1899-1900 season. This was attributed to the war [Second Boer War], which had taken away from football a great deal of support. It was hoped that this would be a temporary matter.

Gates had increased in all local competitions, with the exception of the Rolleston Charity Cup competition, which had proved not so successful as in former years from a financial point – the grant from the charity to the association did not cover expenses..

The Senior Cup was won by Hinckley Town, the Junior Cup by Burbage United and the Shield by Loughborough Forest Rovers. In each case the winners had secured the trophy for the first time in their history. The Rolleston Cup was held by Whitwick White Cross, who also won the Loughborough Cup, Whitwick Cup and were Coalville Charity Cup finalists.

An improved system of registering players was introduced which was appreciated by the leagues, although it entailed considerable more work by the Association. The total number of players registered by the Association was 3,653.

J Lakin [Shepshed Town] had a leg amputated following a tragic accident in a Whitwick Charity Cup tie.

Coalville Town and Hinckley Town both successfully applied to join the Midland League in 1900-01.

Mr J E Carpenter, of Leicester was appointed linesman for the 1900 English Cup Final at Crystal Palace – Bury beat Southampton 4-0 in front of 68,000 spectators.

Football Saturday – 2 December 1899 – raised money for the Army Reserve Relief Fund. In Leicester alone between £80 and £90 per week was required to relieve the wives and families of those reservists left destitute by the recalling of their husbands “to the colour.” Black Week (10-17 December 1899) took place just a few days later when the British suffered three devastating defeats in the Second Boer War at the battles of Stormberg, Magersfontein and Colenso. In total, 2,776 British soldiers were killed, wounded and captured during this period.

Mr. D. D. Stewart, a former secretary of St. Mary’s Victor FC, died on the front line in the Boer War.

National Cup Competitions

Regional & National Leagues

Leicestershire Cups

Leicestershire Leagues

Other Cup Competitions

Friendly Matches

Additional Information