Chester St Oswalds F.C.

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Chester St Oswalds
Full nameChester St Oswalds Football Club
NicknameSaints
Founded1883
Dissolved26 January 1892
GroundExton Park, Chester

Chester St Oswalds F.C. were a football club based in Chester, England.

Contents

History

The club was formed by Mr L Bebbington as some point in 1883. [1] It entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1887–88, which was the last year before the introduction of qualifying rounds. The club was drawn to visit Chirk in the first round, and Cross gave the Saints the lead, but Chirk came back to win 4–1. [2]

It also entered the Welsh Cup in 1887–88 and 1888–89, losing both of its ties; it did get through to the second round in 1888–89 after Crewe Athletic scratched from its first round tie on turning up at Chester, so the tie was played as a friendly, the Saints winning 5–1. [3]

A Special General Meeting in July 1887 lists the club captain as John Thompson, with vice captain Tom Pixton, and Mr Bennion as reserve captain. Prior to this John Boardman had been captain for two seasons. In 1889 Francis Jayne the Bishop of Chester became patron of the club and contributed towards it financially, but on the basis that the club would fight against the evils of professionalism. [4]

Its best run in the qualifying rounds came in 1889–90, losing 3–0 against Chester FC in the third. [5] [6] Its stance against professionalism proved disastrous as, without attractive opponents, the club ran out of money, and was dissolved on 26 January 1892 due to financial difficulties. [7]

The St Oswalds name was revived in June 1898 when Chester P.S.A. changed their name. [8]

Colours

The club adopted white and blue vertical stripes in July 1887. [9]

Ground

The club originally played on the Roodee, [10] but moved to Exton Park in Parkgate Road in July 1887. [11] The club lost the use of the ground at the end of the 1887–88 season, [12] but quickly found a new one on the same site before the start of the next. [13]

League history

SeasonLeague
DivisionPWDLFAPtsPos
1898-99 [14] West Cheshire League Division 120441234581210

Cup history

SeasonCompetitionRoundOppositionScore
1887-88 FA Cup 1R Chirk 1-4
1888-89 FA Cup 1QR Over Wanderers 5-1
Welsh Cup [15] 1RCrewe Athletic5-1 [16]
2R Northwich Victoria 1-2
Cheshire CupSF Crewe Alexandra 1-4 [17]
1889-90 FA Cup 1QR Druids 4-0
2QR Shrewsbury Town 6-1
3QRChester0-3
1890-91 FA Cup 1QRChester0-6
1891-92 FA Cup 1QR Nantwich 0-3

Honours

Notable players

References

  1. Live, Cheshire (30 November 2007). "City's roots run deep but dates are valid". chesterchronicle. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  2. "Chirk v Chester St Oswald's". Manchester Courier: 3. 17 October 1887.
  3. Rhyl Record and Advertiser: 4. 20 October 1888.{{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help) One report gives the score as 5–0.
  4. "Dr Jayne and Football Professionalism" . South Wales Echo . No. 1583. 14 September 1889. p. 4. Retrieved 2 May 2020 via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. "ASSOCIATION 1\IATCHES.|1889-11-18|South Wales Daily News - Welsh Newspapers". newspapers.library.wales.
  6. "Football Club History Database - Chester St Oswald's". www.fchd.info.
  7. "Dissolution of the Chester St. Oswald's Football Club" . Manchester Evening News . No. 7145. 27 January 1892. p. 2. Retrieved 2 May 2020 via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. "[No title]|1898-06-15|The Chester Courant and Advertiser for North Wales - Welsh Newspapers". newspapers.library.wales. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  9. "Chester St Oswald's Club". Chester Chronicle: 6. 30 July 1887.
  10. "St Oswald's v Northwich Victoria (2nd team)". Chester Chronicle: 2. 5 October 1884.
  11. "Chester St Oswald's Club". Chester Chronicle: 6. 30 July 1887.
  12. "En passant". Athletic News: 1. 22 May 1888.
  13. "Chester St Oswald's Football Club: Annual Meeting". Cheshire Observer: 5. 11 August 1888.
  14. "West Cheshire League 1892-1915". www.nonleaguematters.co.uk. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  15. "Year-by-year". www.welshsoccerarchive.co.uk. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  16. "--------_----FOOTBALL.j|1888-10-20|Denbighshire Free Press - Welsh Newspapers". newspapers.library.wales. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  17. "Football notes" via British Newspaper Archive.
  18. "Welsh Newspapers Online ATHLETIC NEWS. I|1903-05-02|Cheshire Observer – Welsh Newspapers Online". newspapers.library.wales. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  19. "The Life of Charlie Parry". www.toffeeweb.com. Retrieved 12 March 2020.