by strap »
20 Feb 2018 11:50
Silver Fox strap Other crucial games tonight have Sunderland at Bolton and Barnsley entertain Bolton. What would be the best results combination? RFC win and the other 2 games end in draws?
That's a tough fixture list for Bolton
I think I concur with your thinking though
Oh yes, just seen the error!! Poor old Bolton being forced to play 2 first XI games on the same day! Apologies, it's Burton at Barnlsey of course.
Actually for those interested, RFC really did have to play 2 first XI fixtures on the same day. I kid you not. On 13/041898 we were drawn away to Trowbridge Town in the Bristol Charity Cup semi-final - I believe this was the only date Trowbridge could manage. However, our original fixture list had us down to entertain Gravesend United in a Friendly match, (they were a fellow Southern League Division One rival at the time). Loath to pass up on the gate money, the game went ahead as advertised but obviously we had to out out a reserve XI. Gravesend didn't take the match too seriously either, including 4 reserves in their line-up. Didn't do them any harm though as they cantered into a 2-0 lead at half time and managed to hold onto the lead at the final whistle. Sadly I've not been able to find the RFC line up that day, nor the attendance, so no idea whether the match was considered worthwhile. The 1st XI fared better winning 1-0 at Trowbridge to make the final. That didn't go to plan though as we lost 0-3 to Warmley at Bristol St George's ground.
We actually lost our last 5 games of that season, yet somehow still managed to finish 5th of 12 in the Southern League, and 3rd of 8 in the Western League Professional Division, (Warmley finished 6th). As well as being losing finalists in the Bristol Charity Cup, we also made the semi-finals of the Wellingborough Charity Cup, losing 0-3 to Kettering at home. It should be said that the WCC only had 3 rounds in total including the final, so not as good as it sound reaching the semis!
Funnily enough the very next season there were 2 instances of RFC playing 2 nominally 1st XI games on the same day - and they were only 3 days apart! Those 4 games were in 4 different competitions too - United League and a Friendly on 08/03/1899 and Southern League and Bristol Charity Cup on 11/08/1899. We fielded predominantly reserves in the Friendly (v Black Watch, drew 0-0), and in the BCC (v Staple Hill, won 5-1).
You never heard of players whinging about fatigue in those far off days!