Bob Brown (Victorian footballer)
Encyclopedia
Robert "Bob" Brown was an English professional footballer who played as an outside-forward for various clubs at the end of the 19th century, including three years in the Football League
with Burton Wanderers
and a year at Southampton
in 1897–98
, where he helped win the Southern League
championship.
and his professional football career started when he joined Burton Wanderers
in July 1894 for their first season in the Football League Second Division
. Over the next three season, Brown rarely missed a match, making a total of 87 league and FA Cup
appearances. At the end of the 1896–97
season, after finishing second last in the League, they were voted out.
In May 1897, Brown was given a trial by Southern League
champions Southampton
and travelled to Hampshire
with Arthur Chadwick
of Burton Swifts
. Despite being described in the local press as "an average type player", Brown was signed on a professional contract and made his debut at inside-right in a 2–0 defeat at Tottenham
on the opening day of the season, 18 September 1897. Brown retained his place for the next match before giving way to Willie Naughton
.
Brown returned in January 1898, now playing at outside-right, ousting Jimmy Yates
from the side and went on to make a total of twelve league appearances, scoring twice (in consecutive matches in April). Brown also made one FA Cup appearance, when he replaced the injured Joe Farrell
in the semi-final
replay against Nottingham Forest
, when the "Saints" were rather controversially eliminated when goalkeeper George Clawley
had his eyes "choked with snow" in a blizzard and conceded two goals in the final minutes of the game.
In the 1898 close-season, Southampton signed Tom Smith
and Brown was released. He then had seasons at Bristol Rovers
, where he was known by the nickname 'Daddy' Brown, and Queens Park Rangers
, before winding up his career at Swindon Town
.
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
with Burton Wanderers
Burton Wanderers F.C.
Burton Wanderers were a football club from Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, England that spent three seasons in The Football League. In 1901, the club merged with Burton Swifts and formed a new club, Burton United.-History:...
and a year at Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
in 1897–98
Southern Football League 1897-98
The 1897–98 season was the fourth in the history of the Southern League. Southampton won the Division One championship for the second successive season.-Division One:Division One featured one new club, Bristol City, who were newly-elected....
, where he helped win the Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
championship.
Football career
Brown was born in LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and his professional football career started when he joined Burton Wanderers
Burton Wanderers F.C.
Burton Wanderers were a football club from Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, England that spent three seasons in The Football League. In 1901, the club merged with Burton Swifts and formed a new club, Burton United.-History:...
in July 1894 for their first season in the Football League Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
. Over the next three season, Brown rarely missed a match, making a total of 87 league and FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
appearances. At the end of the 1896–97
1896-97 in English football
The 1896–97 season was the 26th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Aston Villa became the second team to complete "the Double" of winning the Football League Championship and the FA Cup. No other team would complete the double for 64 years.The Cup Final was played on 10 April...
season, after finishing second last in the League, they were voted out.
In May 1897, Brown was given a trial by Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
champions Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
and travelled to Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
with Arthur Chadwick
Arthur Chadwick
Arthur Chadwick was a professional footballer whose playing career included spells at Portsmouth and Southampton, before going on to be manager at Exeter City, Reading and Southampton...
of Burton Swifts
Burton Swifts F.C.
Burton Swifts were an English football club from Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire. The club ceased to exist in 1901 when they merged with Burton Wanderers to form Burton United.-History:...
. Despite being described in the local press as "an average type player", Brown was signed on a professional contract and made his debut at inside-right in a 2–0 defeat at Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
on the opening day of the season, 18 September 1897. Brown retained his place for the next match before giving way to Willie Naughton
Willie Naughton
William A. "Willie" Naughton was a Scottish professional footballer, who played as an outside-forward for various clubs in Scotland and England in the 1880s and 1890s, including Celtic, Stoke and Southampton...
.
Brown returned in January 1898, now playing at outside-right, ousting Jimmy Yates
Jimmy Yates
Jimmy Yates was an English professional footballer who played as a right winger in the 1900 FA Cup Final for Southampton.-Playing career:...
from the side and went on to make a total of twelve league appearances, scoring twice (in consecutive matches in April). Brown also made one FA Cup appearance, when he replaced the injured Joe Farrell
Jack Farrell (footballer)
John "Jack" Farrell was an English professional footballer who played as a forward. Farrell played in the Football League for Stoke and New Brighton Tower and played a major part in Southern league club Southampton's major cup runs at the turn of the 20th Century.-Early career:Farrell was born in...
in the semi-final
FA Cup Semi-finals
The FA Cup Semi-finals are played to determine which teams will contest the FA Cup Final. They are the penultimate phase of the FA Cup, the oldest football tournament in the world.- Location :...
replay against Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
, when the "Saints" were rather controversially eliminated when goalkeeper George Clawley
George Clawley
George Clawley was an English professional goalkeeper who played for Stoke, Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries...
had his eyes "choked with snow" in a blizzard and conceded two goals in the final minutes of the game.
In the 1898 close-season, Southampton signed Tom Smith
Tom Smith (footballer born 1877)
Thomas "Tom" Smith was a professional English footballer who played at outside-right for various clubs around the turn of the 20th century.-Football career:...
and Brown was released. He then had seasons at Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
, where he was known by the nickname 'Daddy' Brown, and Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
, before winding up his career at Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
.
Honours
SouthamptonSouthampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
- Southern LeagueSouthern Football LeagueThe Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
champions: 1897–98Southern Football League 1897-98The 1897–98 season was the fourth in the history of the Southern League. Southampton won the Division One championship for the second successive season.-Division One:Division One featured one new club, Bristol City, who were newly-elected....