MINERS BECOME WORLD BEATERS

West Auckland lift the Cup!

Probably the most bizarre story involving the Northern League took place at the end of the previous decade. A millionaire businessman, Sir Thomas Lipton, who had interests in Britain and Italy, decided to put up a trophy which would become known as the first World Cup and be played for in Italy.

Germany and Switzerland sent their top professional sides but the FA, showing typical foresight, declined. A Lipton employee who refereed in the NL is thought to have been involved in sourcing a replacement and chose West Auckland despite their finishing 10th out of 12 at the end of 1909.

This team of miners had problems raising the funds but eventually went.

They beat Stuttgarter Sportfreunde 2-0 and the Swiss FC Winterthur in the final also 2-0.

As the holders they were invited back two years later and this time beat FC Zurich 2-0 and Juventus in the final 6-1!

There was a £40 shortfall on the expenses and a loan was arranged with the landlady of the club’s headquarters, the Wheatsheaf Hotel, with the trophy as security. It remained with her for 50 years until in 1960 club officials tracked her down in Liverpool and bought the trophy back to go on display in the working men’s club.

In 1994, it was stolen and never recovered but as it was insured a replica was made and again displayed at the club.

In 1982, the BBC made a film about the whole episode entitled “A Captain’s Tale” starring Dennis Waterman.

New team

As the new decade kicked off, Bishop Auckland won their second successive championship of the NL and would add another and a runners-up spot before the Great War broke out. It will be noted that the world champions managed to climb into fifth place. In 1912 they left the competition never to be seen again until West Auckland Town arrived in the 1930s.

In 1910-11, Eston United, one of three new teams in the NL and who had just lost 6-0 to Clapton in the FA Amateur Cup Final, won the championship at the first attempt.

Willington joined the following season and came fifth, second and first in successive seasons.

Sadly every clubs’ progress was halted by the outbreak of the First World War although the NL lasted a season longer than most, including the Isthmian League.

Running the competition in 1914-15 was not easy as Eston, Grangetown and South Bank all withdrew during the season leaving just nine clubs at the end and a game between Esh Winning and Stockton was not played at all.

By this time South Bank led the points table despite finishing last in the final season but Stockton and Bishop Auckland had also passed the 500 mark and led the 40 clubs who had played in the league since its formation.

For consistency, ignoring the departed big sides, the newcomers Willington led the way although Bishop Auckland and South Bank showed best having played so many games. Craghead United had also done well but left after a short stay.

For goals scored Stockton could not be bettered as they closed in on the magic thousand.

In the 1909-10 FA Cup Bishop Auckland got through to the first round at the expense of South Bank after a replay which was the only performance of note before the War. Sadly Bishops were hammered by Football League second division side Bradford Park Avenue 8-0.

However, the FA Amateur Cup yielded more success as might be expected.

South Bank got to the Final in 1909-10 losing 2-1 to RMLI Gosport and Bishops were runners-up the next year, losing 1-0 to Bromley.

It was an all NL Final the next year with Stockton beating Eston United 1-0 after a 1-1 draw.

In 1913-14, Bishops won the Cup beating Northern Nomads 1-0 but lost by the same score against Clapton the following year in a much-reduced competition due to the outbreak of hostilities.

World Cup winners West Auckland could not translate their global success nationally. In three attempts they never got past the third round, losing twice to Bishops and once to Eston United. ISTHMIAN LEAGUE In the Isthmian League the competition was still in its embryonic stage and Bromley won the championship for the second successive year before finishing in the bottom half the next season, having four points deducted and leaving the competition.

Unlike the Northern League, only four seasons were managed before war broke out and these were dominated by the capital-based Scots London Caledonians FC. Clapton had won the title in 1910-11 with Caledonians last, but Caledonians would win the final three championships up to the war.

Membership of the Isthmian League was far more stable than their Northern counterparts with Woking arriving, Tunbridge Wells coming and going and New Crusaders joining for the last season before the war.

Impressive

So it was the Scots who led the points table with Clapton and Ilford close behind.

Bromley’s short-lived appearance kept them on top of the consistency league but a fairer guide showed Nunhead, London Caledonians, Clapton and Ilford as the most impressive.

Although Ilford topped the goals list, Leytonstone and Nunhead were shown to be the highest scorers game to game.

Clapton were often close to the firstRound of the FA Cup during the years before the war but London Caledonians got through in 1912-13, losing 3-1 to Wolves.

Isthmian clubs were now starting to feature prominently in the FA Amateur Cup.

In 1909-10 Clapton reached the semis, as did Ilford the following year when the Cup was won by Bromley, beating Bishop Auckland 1-0 in the final.

Clapton and Bromley both reached the semis in 1911-12 when Oxford City lost 1-0 to South Bank in the final. Dulwich Hamlet were in the quarterfinals which was the best performance by the league the following year and, in the much reduced competition before the war, Clapton beat Bishops 1-0 in the final with Ilford and London Caledonians both reaching the semis.