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Jimmy Forrest (footballer)
Encyclopedia
James Henry Forrest was an English
footballer whose career spanned the transition from amateurism to professionalism in English football in the 1880s and 1890s. He played most of his club career for Blackburn Rovers
, whose early embracing of professionalism enabled them to become one of the major teams in English football, and with whom he appeared on the winning side in five FA Cup final
s (a joint record). He was the first professional
player to appear for England
for whom he made eleven appearances, as a half-back
.
when playing for Witton in 1880. By now he had left school and was working as a tape sizer in the cotton
trade. After moving on to play for King's Own Blackburn, he was eventually persuaded to join Rovers in January 1883.
At this time there was no organised league system, and Blackburn were restricted to friendly matches and cup tournaments, especially the Lancashire Senior Cup
and the FA Cup
, in which they had been finalists in 1882
.
In his first season
with Rovers, they reached the FA cup final with easy victories in the early rounds over Southport Central (7–0), South Shore (7–0), Padiham
(3–0) and Staveley (5–1), before meeting Upton Park
in the fifth round. This match was won 3–0 and was followed by a 1–0 semi-final
victory over Notts County
, thus setting up a final appearance against Scottish club Queen's Park
, who had defeated Rovers' local rivals, and cup holders, Blackburn Olympic
in the semi-final.
Forrest was called up for his first England
cap for their final match in the inaugural British Home Championship
against Wales
on 17 March 1884, still aged only 19, replacing Notts County
's Stuart Macrae
at left half
. According to Philip Gibbons in "Association Football in Victorian England", "the Welsh had few answers to the skilful England forwards" and England won by four goals (including a pair from William Bromley-Davenport
) to nil.
In the cup final
, played at the Kennington Oval on 29 March, Rovers lined up against a Queen's Park side, most of whom were Scottish
internationals. After half an hour of play in the final, Forrest (who was playing at right-half) "delivered an excellent pass" to Jimmy Brown
who rounded two defenders prior to crossing the ball into the Queen's Park goalmouth. The goalkeeper, George Gillespie, was unable to clear the ball which fell to Joe Sowerbutts who had only to apply the gentlest touch to help the ball between the posts. Shortly after, William Anderson
thought he had scored for the Scots but the goal was disallowed for offside
by referee Francis Marindin
. Forrest then scored Blackburn's second goal – after the ball was partially cleared by Gillespie it fell to Joe Lofthouse
who returned it into the goalmouth where Forrest was waiting to put the ball in the net. Forrest was almost certainly offside but, in the absence of an appeal by the Scots, Mandarin allowed the goal to stand. By half-time, Queen's Park had pulled a goal back through Christie. In the second half, both sides had goals disallowed for offside, but there was no further score, and Blackburn Rovers took the cup for the first time.
Forrest was aged 19 years and 277 days when he scored his first FA Cup final goal, making him the youngest FA Cup Final scorer at the time, a record he retained for 75 years, until Dicky Dorsett
scored for Wolverhampton Wanderers
in the 1939 FA Cup Final
.
In the 1884–85 FA cup
, Blackburn again came through the early rounds without difficulty, with a victory over Rossendale (11–0) before meeting local rivals, Blackburn Olympic
in the second round. Rovers won the derby match 3–2 in a tight game with a brace from Howard Fecitt and a third from Joe Sowerbutts. Rovers then easily went past Forrest's old club Witton (5–1) and Romford (8–0); a bye in round five saw them through to a sixth round meeting with West Bromwich Albion
. This resulted in a 2–0 victory for the cup holders, who then met Old Carthusians
in the semi-final, played on 7 March 1885. Rovers had little difficulty getting past the Old Boys 5–1 to set up a repeat of the previous year's final against Queen's Park, who had come through replayed matches against Notts County
and Nottingham Forest
in their last two rounds.
A week before the semi-final, Forrest was selected for the Home Championship match against Ireland, together with his Rovers team-mates, Herby Arthur
, Joe Lofthouse
and Jimmy Brown
. England beat the Irish with ease by four goals to nil, including a goal each from Lofthouse and Brown. The Rovers quartet retained their places for the next match, against Wales
, played on 14 March at Leamington Road
, Blackburn. England were "disappointing" and Wales returned home with a well-deserved 1–1 draw.
The next England match was a week later on 21 March against Scotland
to be played at The Oval
. Forrest and his three Blackburn colleagues were again selected for England. The Scottish officials complained as they argued that Forrest was a professional. At the time he was receiving £1 a week from Blackburn Rovers. Forrest was eventually allowed to play but he had to wear a different jersey from the rest of the team. Blackburn Rovers also had to agree not to pay him his wages in the week that he played for England, thus enabling Forrest to become the first professional to play for England. The match itself ended 1–1, with England's equalizer coming from Charlie Bambridge, thus allowing the Scots to claim the championship.
The 1885 FA Cup Final
, played at the Oval on 4 April, was against Queen's Park, whom Blackburn had beaten in the previous year's final. This time there was little controversy and it was soon clear that Rovers were the superior side, even though Queen's Park fielded six players who had appeared in the England versus Scotland match two weeks earlier. After 14 minutes, Forrest got the better of his marker Charles Campbell
and was able to fire Rovers in front from close range, after Jimmy Brown
's shot had come back off the goal-posts. Although Walter Arnott
did put the ball in the net just before half-time, referee Francis Marindin
disallowed the "goal" for hand-ball. The Scots continued to attack, but Rovers increased their lead on 58 minutes when Brown, "who had played throughout like a man inspired", added a second goal. From this point, Rovers controlled the game, and Queen's Park's efforts were to no avail. After the final whistle, the Scottish team were a little unhappy that Rovers had fielded players, including Forrest, whose amateur status was questionable – despite this, there was little doubt that professionalism was here to stay.
During the summer of 1885, there was further pressure put on the Football Association
to accept professionalism, culminating in a special meeting on 20 July, after which it was announced that it was "in the interests of Association Football, to legalise the employment of professional football players, but only under certain restrictions". Clubs were allowed to pay players provided that they had either been born or had lived for two years within a six-mile radius of the ground. There were also rules preventing professional players playing for more than one club in a season, without obtaining special permission, and all professional players had to be registered with the FA.
The new rules caused problems for some clubs in the 1885–86 FA cup
tournament, especially those who had recruited large numbers of players from Scotland. Leading teams, including Bolton Wanderers
and Preston North End
, were disqualified for fielding ineligible players. As a consequence, many minor teams were able to progress into the later rounds, including Brentwood who Blackburn Rovers met in the sixth round. A 3–1 victory took Rovers through to a semi-final against the last surviving totally amateur side, Swifts
who included England internationals Charlie and Arthur Bambridge
, and George Brann
. Despite this, Swifts presented no more of a challenge than Rovers' earlier opponents and after a 2–1 victory in the semi-final, played at the County Cricket Ground, Derby
on 13 March 1886, they were through to the final, where they were to meet West Bromwich Albion
.
Forrest was prevented from playing for England against Ireland in the opening match of the 1886 British Home Championship
as this was played on the day of the FA cup semi-final. He regained his place for the next matches, against Scotland on 27 March 1886 which ended 1–1 and Wales two days later, which was won 3–1.
The 1886 FA Cup Final
against West Bromwich Albion was played at the Kennington Oval
on 3 April 1886. Although Blackburn fielded seven players who had appeared in the two previous finals, whereas Albion had reached the final for the first time, the two sides were evenly matched and the game ended goalless. The replay took place at Derbyshire County Cricket Club
's Racecourse Ground in Derby
, the first time an FA cup final had been played outside London. Although Albion started the match continually attacking the Rovers goal, eventually Blackburn's experience began to show. Joe Sowerbutts added to his goal in the 1884 final by scoring the first after 26 minutes before Jimmy Brown, who had scored in the 1885 final added a second with seventeen minutes to go. Blackburn Rovers had thus become one of only two clubs (the other was Wanderers
) to win the cup in three consecutive seasons.
Blackburn Rovers started their campaign
to claim the FA cup for a record fourth time with a bye as their first round opponents Halliwell withdrew. In the second round, they were drawn to play in Scotland
against the previous season's Scottish Cup
finalists, Renton
based in the village of Renton, West Dunbartonshire. The first match ended in a 2–2 draw with Renton causing one of the biggest shocks for years when the Scottish club won the replay 2–0.
Forrest was selected for all three matches in the 1887 British Home Championship
. The matches against Ireland and Wales resulted in easy victories with scores of 7–0 and 4–0 respectively, but in England's final match of the tournament against Scotland played at Leamington Road
, Blackburn on 19 March 1887 the Scots won 3–2 and went on to claim the championship.
In the 1887–88 FA Cup
campaign, Rovers had an easy passage through the early rounds with victories against other Lancashire
clubs, including Blackburn Olympic
(5–1), Accrington
(3–1) and Darwen
(3–0), before they were drawn against Derby Junction
who were appearing in the FA cup for the first time. Rovers were defeated 2–1 in the sixth round match which was played at the Derby Arboretum
.
As a result of Rovers' relative lack of success, none of their players were selected to represent England in the 1888 British Home Championship
, with Forrest losing his place to Wolverhampton Wanderers
's Harry Allen
.
followed by a further meeting on 17 April at Manchester's Royal Hotel. The first season
of the new Football League began a few months later on 8 September with Blackburn Rovers as one of the twelve original member clubs. Rovers’ first league game took place on 15 September 1888 when they shared ten goals in a "thrilling" match with Accrington
. Forrest made 19 league appearances as Blackburn finished the first league season in fourth place, a long way behind the champions Preston North End
, who were now by far the strongest club in England, justly earning them the title of "The Invincibles
".
In the FA cup
, after a victory over Accrington and a "walkover" past Swifts, Blackburn defeated Aston Villa
8–1 in the third round (with four goals from Jack Southworth
) before going out in the semi-final to Wolverhampton Wanderers
after a replay. Forrest was recalled to the England team for the match against Scotland
on 13 April 1889 which ended in a 3–2 victory for the Scots.
The 1889–90
season saw a modest improvement in Rover's league performance with a third place finish, with Forrest only missing one match. The FA cup
saw victories over Sunderland
and Grimsby Town
, before defeating Bootle
7–0 in the third round, with a hat-trick
from Nat Walton
. The semi-final
saw a re-run of the previous year's match against Wolves, but this time Rovers reached the final with a 1–0 victory with Southworth the scorer. Before the cup final, Forrest (together with Rovers team-mates Billy Townley, Joe Lofthouse
, John Barton
and Nat Walton
) was selected for the England match against Ireland
on 15 March 1890. Because of the crowded fixture list, England also played a match against Wales on the same day. The match against Ireland ended in a 9–1 victory for England, with a hat-trick from Fred Geary
. This was Forrest's final appearance for England, in an international career which spanned seven seasons in which he played eleven times, with six victories, three draws and two defeats, both against Scotland.
The cup final
was played at the Kennington Oval on 29 March 1890 against The Wednesday who were the champions of the Football Alliance
which had been set up to provide competition for clubs excluded from the Football League. Rovers put out a team of players most of whom were England or Scotland internationals, although Wednesday had England internationals Edward Brayshaw and Billy Betts
in their defence. From the kick-off, the Rovers forwards had the Wednesday defence under pressure which led to Jack Dungworth handling the ball on the edge of his goal area in the sixth minute. Forrest took the free kick which fell to Billy Townley whose shot took a deflection for the first goal. Further goals from Nat Walton and Townley gave Rovers a 3–0 lead at half-time. The second half continued with Rovers on top with Jack Southworth
adding a fourth goal in the fiftieth minute before Albert Mumford was able to score for Wednesday. Further goals from Townley and Joe Lofthouse
in the last 15 minutes gave a winning scoreline of 6–1 to Rovers. Townley had thus become the first player to score an FA cup final hat-trick. According to Gibbons, "the Blackburn side had given one of the finest exhibitions of attacking football in an FA cup final, with England internationals Walton, Townley, Lofthouse and John Southworth at the peak of their form."
Forrest continued to play at the centre of Blackburn's defence for the 1890–91 season
, forming a settled half-back line alongside fellow internationals Jack Barton
and Geordie Dewar
. Forrest only missed one league game as Rovers ended the campaign in sixth position. Once again, Rovers' priority was in the FA cup
. In the first round they went past Middlesbrough Ironopolis
3–0 in a replayed match to set up a meeting with Chester
in the second round. Jack Southworth
netted his fourth hat-trick of the season in a 7–0 victory over his former club. Victories over Midlands clubs, Wolverhampton Wanderers
and West Bromwich Albion
set up Rovers' sixth appearance in the cup final, to be played at The Oval
on 21 March 1891, against Notts County
who had defeated Rovers 7–1 in the penultimate league match on 14 March. Despite this Rovers were expected to win the final as they were the holders and fielded seven of the previous year’s winning side, including Forrest, already with four cup winners medals. Blackburn dominated the early stages of the game with Dewar scoring after eight minutes. Goals from Jack Southworth and Billy Townley gave a half-time score of 3–0 to Rovers. Although County pulled a goal back in the second half, Rovers were able to defend their lead and thus claimed the cup for the second consecutive year, the fifth time overall. Forrest thus became the third player to win five FA cup finals, after Arthur Kinnaird
and Charles Wollaston
.
Rovers' defence of the FA cup faltered at the second round stage where they suffered their first cup defeat for three seasons, against West Bromwich Albion, who went on to claim the trophy in the final
. The half-back line-up of the previous season was broken up as a result of injuries to Barton and Dewar, and Rovers finished the 1891–92 season
in ninth place having conceded 65 goals, with only Accrington
and Darwen
conceding more.
For the 1892–93 season
, Barton was replaced by Geordie Anderson and the trio of Forrest, Anderson and Dewar were to remain at the heart of the Rovers' defence for the next three seasons, during which their league campaigns ended with finishes in ninth, fourth and fifth places respectively. Although Rovers reached the FA Cup semi-finals
in 1893 and 1894, their cup-winning exploits were over until 1928
.
Forrest remained at Rovers until October 1895, when there was an acrimonious parting of the ways; Forrest claimed that the committee at Rovers had asked him to revert back to amateur status in order to save paying him a wage, a charge that was vigorously denied by the club. He moved to Darwen
after twelve eventful seasons which had not only seen five FA cup victories, but also the move from amateur to professional football and the creation of the Football League.
in time for the 1895–96 season
. One of the first games he played for his new club was against Rovers in a friendly at Barley Bank. He played for Darwen for one season scoring one goal before retiring from the game.
He returned to Blackburn Rovers as an administrator, before becoming a director of the club in 1906. His son, James Henry Forrest, played for Rovers for four seasons in the 1920s. Jimmy Forrest died on 30 December 1925, aged 61.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer whose career spanned the transition from amateurism to professionalism in English football in the 1880s and 1890s. He played most of his club career for Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
, whose early embracing of professionalism enabled them to become one of the major teams in English football, and with whom he appeared on the winning side in five FA Cup final
FA Cup Final
The FA Cup Final, commonly referred to in England as just the Cup Final, is the last match in the Football Association Challenge Cup. With an official attendance of 89,826 at the 2007 FA Cup Final, it is the fourth best attended domestic club championship event in the world and the second most...
s (a joint record). He was the first professional
Professional sports
Professional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, are sports in which athletes receive payment for their performance. Professional athleticism has come to the fore through a combination of developments. Mass media and increased leisure have brought larger audiences, so that sports organizations...
player to appear for England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
for whom he made eleven appearances, as a half-back
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
.
Early days
Forrest was born in Blackburn and began playing football at school. By the time he was twelve, he was captain of local side Imperial United. He was first spotted by Blackburn RoversBlackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
when playing for Witton in 1880. By now he had left school and was working as a tape sizer in the cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
trade. After moving on to play for King's Own Blackburn, he was eventually persuaded to join Rovers in January 1883.
At this time there was no organised league system, and Blackburn were restricted to friendly matches and cup tournaments, especially the Lancashire Senior Cup
Lancashire Senior Cup
The Lancashire County Football Association Cup , is a football knockout tournament involving teams from Lancashire, England and surrounding areas. It is a County Cup competition of the Lancashire County Football Association and involves Premier League clubs and Football League clubs...
and the 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...
, in which they had been finalists in 1882
1882 FA Cup Final
The 1882 FA Cup Final was contested by Old Etonians and Blackburn Rovers at the Kennington Oval. Old Etonians won 1–0, the only goal scored by Reginald Macaulay...
.
In his first season
FA Cup 1883-84
The Football Association Challenge Cup 1883–84 was the thirteenth staging of the FA Cup, England's oldest football tournament. One hundred teams entered, sixteen more than the previous season, although three of the one hundred never actually played a match....
with Rovers, they reached the FA cup final with easy victories in the early rounds over Southport Central (7–0), South Shore (7–0), Padiham
Padiham F.C.
Padiham Football Club are an English football team based in Padiham, Lancashire. As of 2011–12, they play in the Premier Division of the North West Counties League.-History:...
(3–0) and Staveley (5–1), before meeting Upton Park
Upton Park F.C.
Upton Park Football Club were an amateur football club from Upton Park, London in the late 19th and early 20th century, now defunct. As well as being one of the fifteen teams that played in the inaugural FA Cup, they also represented Great Britain at the 1900 Summer Olympics football tournament,...
in the fifth round. This match was won 3–0 and was followed by a 1–0 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 :...
victory over Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
, thus setting up a final appearance against Scottish club Queen's Park
Queen's Park F.C.
Queen's Park Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland. The club are currently the only amateur club in the Scottish League; their amateur status is reflected by their motto, Ludere Causa Ludendi – to play for the sake of playing.Queen's Park are the oldest...
, who had defeated Rovers' local rivals, and cup holders, Blackburn Olympic
Blackburn Olympic F.C.
Blackburn Olympic F.C. was an English association football club based in Blackburn, Lancashire in the late 19th century. Although the club was only in existence for just over a decade, it is significant in the history of football in England as the first club from the north of the country and the...
in the semi-final.
Forrest was called up for his first England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
cap for their final match in the inaugural British Home Championship
1884 British Home Championship
The 1884 British Home Championship was the inaugural international football tournament, played between the Home Nations of the British Isles which at the time made up the constituent nations of the United Kingdom; England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland...
against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
on 17 March 1884, still aged only 19, replacing Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
's Stuart Macrae
Stuart Macrae
Stuart Macrae was an English international footballer, who played as a half back.-Career:Born in Port Bannatyne on the Isle of Bute, Macrae played for Notts County, and earned five caps for England between 1883 and 1884....
at left half
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
. According to Philip Gibbons in "Association Football in Victorian England", "the Welsh had few answers to the skilful England forwards" and England won by four goals (including a pair from William Bromley-Davenport
William Bromley-Davenport (1862-1949)
Brigadier-General Sir William Bromley-Davenport DL KCB CMG CBE DSO TD was a British soldier, footballer and Conservative politician....
) to nil.
In the cup final
1884 FA Cup Final
The 1884 FA Cup Final was contested by Blackburn Rovers and Queen's Park at the Kennington Oval. Rovers won 2–1, with goals from Joe Sowerbutts and Jimmy Forrest; Robert M Christie scored for Queen's Park.-Teams:*Played March 29, 1884...
, played at the Kennington Oval on 29 March, Rovers lined up against a Queen's Park side, most of whom were Scottish
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
internationals. After half an hour of play in the final, Forrest (who was playing at right-half) "delivered an excellent pass" to Jimmy Brown
James Brown (footballer born 1862)
James Brown was an English association football player of the Victorian era. Born in Blackburn, he played for Blackburn Rovers and was part of the team that won the FA Cup in three successive seasons between 1884 and 1886 , as well as appearaing on the losing side in 1882...
who rounded two defenders prior to crossing the ball into the Queen's Park goalmouth. The goalkeeper, George Gillespie, was unable to clear the ball which fell to Joe Sowerbutts who had only to apply the gentlest touch to help the ball between the posts. Shortly after, William Anderson
William Anderson (Scottish footballer)
William Anderson was a Scottish international footballer who played as a right winger. He played club football for Queen's Park and appeared in the sides that won the Scottish Cup in 1881, 1882 and 1884, and finished as runners-up in 1884 and 1885...
thought he had scored for the Scots but the goal was disallowed for offside
Offside (football)
Offside is a law in football which states that if a player is in an offside position when the ball is touched or played by a teammate, he may not become actively involved in the play...
by referee Francis Marindin
Francis Marindin
Colonel Sir Francis Arthur Marindin, KCMG served with the Royal Engineers and was a key figure in the early development of association football. He was later knighted for his work in public services....
. Forrest then scored Blackburn's second goal – after the ball was partially cleared by Gillespie it fell to Joe Lofthouse
Joe Lofthouse
Joseph Morris "Joe" Lofthouse was an English footballer.-Playing career:Joseph Lofthouse was born in Blackburn on 14 April 1865. A talented footballer he joined Blackburn Rovers...
who returned it into the goalmouth where Forrest was waiting to put the ball in the net. Forrest was almost certainly offside but, in the absence of an appeal by the Scots, Mandarin allowed the goal to stand. By half-time, Queen's Park had pulled a goal back through Christie. In the second half, both sides had goals disallowed for offside, but there was no further score, and Blackburn Rovers took the cup for the first time.
Forrest was aged 19 years and 277 days when he scored his first FA Cup final goal, making him the youngest FA Cup Final scorer at the time, a record he retained for 75 years, until Dicky Dorsett
Dicky Dorsett
Richard "Dicky" Dorsett was an English footballer, who played as a striker. Dorsett was sometimes known as "the Brownhills Bomber" after his birthplace of Brownhills, West Midlands....
scored for Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
in the 1939 FA Cup Final
1939 FA Cup Final
The 1939 FA Cup Final was contested by Portsmouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Wembley. Portsmouth won 4–1, with goals from Bert Barlow, John Anderson and two by Cliff Parker...
.
In the 1884–85 FA cup
FA Cup 1884-85
The Football Association Challenge Cup 1884–85 was the fourteenth staging of the FA Cup, England's oldest football tournament. 114 teams entered, 14 more than the previous season, although 9 of these never actually played a match.-First round:...
, Blackburn again came through the early rounds without difficulty, with a victory over Rossendale (11–0) before meeting local rivals, Blackburn Olympic
Blackburn Olympic F.C.
Blackburn Olympic F.C. was an English association football club based in Blackburn, Lancashire in the late 19th century. Although the club was only in existence for just over a decade, it is significant in the history of football in England as the first club from the north of the country and the...
in the second round. Rovers won the derby match 3–2 in a tight game with a brace from Howard Fecitt and a third from Joe Sowerbutts. Rovers then easily went past Forrest's old club Witton (5–1) and Romford (8–0); a bye in round five saw them through to a sixth round meeting with West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
. This resulted in a 2–0 victory for the cup holders, who then met Old Carthusians
Old Carthusians F.C.
Old Carthusians Football Club is an association football club whose players are former pupils of Charterhouse School in Godalming, Surrey, England...
in the semi-final, played on 7 March 1885. Rovers had little difficulty getting past the Old Boys 5–1 to set up a repeat of the previous year's final against Queen's Park, who had come through replayed matches against Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
and 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...
in their last two rounds.
A week before the semi-final, Forrest was selected for the Home Championship match against Ireland, together with his Rovers team-mates, Herby Arthur
Herby Arthur
William John Herbert Arthur, known as Herby Arthur was an English football player who played for Blackburn Rovers, as well as the English national side.-External links:*...
, Joe Lofthouse
Joe Lofthouse
Joseph Morris "Joe" Lofthouse was an English footballer.-Playing career:Joseph Lofthouse was born in Blackburn on 14 April 1865. A talented footballer he joined Blackburn Rovers...
and Jimmy Brown
James Brown (footballer born 1862)
James Brown was an English association football player of the Victorian era. Born in Blackburn, he played for Blackburn Rovers and was part of the team that won the FA Cup in three successive seasons between 1884 and 1886 , as well as appearaing on the losing side in 1882...
. England beat the Irish with ease by four goals to nil, including a goal each from Lofthouse and Brown. The Rovers quartet retained their places for the next match, against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
, played on 14 March at Leamington Road
Leamington Road
Leamington Road was an English football stadium situated in Blackburn, Lancashire. Blackburn Rovers played there from 1881 until 1890, when they relocated to Ewood Park, where they have remained ever since....
, Blackburn. England were "disappointing" and Wales returned home with a well-deserved 1–1 draw.
The next England match was a week later on 21 March against Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
to be played at The Oval
The Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
. Forrest and his three Blackburn colleagues were again selected for England. The Scottish officials complained as they argued that Forrest was a professional. At the time he was receiving £1 a week from Blackburn Rovers. Forrest was eventually allowed to play but he had to wear a different jersey from the rest of the team. Blackburn Rovers also had to agree not to pay him his wages in the week that he played for England, thus enabling Forrest to become the first professional to play for England. The match itself ended 1–1, with England's equalizer coming from Charlie Bambridge, thus allowing the Scots to claim the championship.
The 1885 FA Cup Final
1885 FA Cup Final
The 1885 FA Cup Final was contested by Blackburn Rovers and Queen's Park at the Kennington Oval, a repeat of the previous year's final. Rovers won 2–0 in their second successive FA Cup Final victory, with the goals coming from Jimmy Forrest and James Brown.-Teams:*Played April 4,...
, played at the Oval on 4 April, was against Queen's Park, whom Blackburn had beaten in the previous year's final. This time there was little controversy and it was soon clear that Rovers were the superior side, even though Queen's Park fielded six players who had appeared in the England versus Scotland match two weeks earlier. After 14 minutes, Forrest got the better of his marker Charles Campbell
Charles Campbell (footballer)
Charles Campbell was a Scottish footballer of the 1870s and 1880s who played for, and captained, Queen's Park and the Scotland national team....
and was able to fire Rovers in front from close range, after Jimmy Brown
James Brown (footballer born 1862)
James Brown was an English association football player of the Victorian era. Born in Blackburn, he played for Blackburn Rovers and was part of the team that won the FA Cup in three successive seasons between 1884 and 1886 , as well as appearaing on the losing side in 1882...
's shot had come back off the goal-posts. Although Walter Arnott
Walter Arnott
Walter Arnott was a Scottish all-round sportsman born in Glasgow.-Football:Arnott played for Queen's Park and the Scotland national team....
did put the ball in the net just before half-time, referee Francis Marindin
Francis Marindin
Colonel Sir Francis Arthur Marindin, KCMG served with the Royal Engineers and was a key figure in the early development of association football. He was later knighted for his work in public services....
disallowed the "goal" for hand-ball. The Scots continued to attack, but Rovers increased their lead on 58 minutes when Brown, "who had played throughout like a man inspired", added a second goal. From this point, Rovers controlled the game, and Queen's Park's efforts were to no avail. After the final whistle, the Scottish team were a little unhappy that Rovers had fielded players, including Forrest, whose amateur status was questionable – despite this, there was little doubt that professionalism was here to stay.
During the summer of 1885, there was further pressure put on the Football Association
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
to accept professionalism, culminating in a special meeting on 20 July, after which it was announced that it was "in the interests of Association Football, to legalise the employment of professional football players, but only under certain restrictions". Clubs were allowed to pay players provided that they had either been born or had lived for two years within a six-mile radius of the ground. There were also rules preventing professional players playing for more than one club in a season, without obtaining special permission, and all professional players had to be registered with the FA.
The new rules caused problems for some clubs in the 1885–86 FA cup
FA Cup 1885-86
The Football Association Challenge Cup 1885–86 was the fifteenth staging of the FA Cup, England's oldest football tournament. One hundred and thirty teams entered, sixteen more than last season, although seven of the one hundred and thirty never actually played a match.-First round:-First Round...
tournament, especially those who had recruited large numbers of players from Scotland. Leading teams, including Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
and Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
, were disqualified for fielding ineligible players. As a consequence, many minor teams were able to progress into the later rounds, including Brentwood who Blackburn Rovers met in the sixth round. A 3–1 victory took Rovers through to a semi-final against the last surviving totally amateur side, Swifts
Swifts F.C.
Swifts Football Club were a football team based in Slough, England.The club were founded c.1868 and played their home matches on a ground near The Dolphin public house, Slough...
who included England internationals Charlie and Arthur Bambridge
Arthur Bambridge
Arthur Leopold Bambridge was an English footballer who made three appearances either as a full back or as a right winger for England between 1881 and 1884...
, and George Brann
George Brann
George Brann was an English amateur cricketer and footballer who had a long career with Sussex County Cricket Club at the end of the 19th century, and played three matches for the England national football team.-Education:...
. Despite this, Swifts presented no more of a challenge than Rovers' earlier opponents and after a 2–1 victory in the semi-final, played at the County Cricket Ground, Derby
County Cricket Ground, Derby
The County Cricket Ground, usually shortened to County Ground and also known as the Racecourse Ground, is a cricket ground in Derby and has been the home of Derbyshire County Cricket Club since at least 1871. As the name implies it originally hosted horse racing.It also held the games of Derby...
on 13 March 1886, they were through to the final, where they were to meet West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
.
Forrest was prevented from playing for England against Ireland in the opening match of the 1886 British Home Championship
1886 British Home Championship
The 1886 British Home Championship was the third annual international football tournament played between the British Home Nations. As common for the time, the matches were punctuated by some high scorelines and for the first time two teams finished level on points at the top of the table, thus...
as this was played on the day of the FA cup semi-final. He regained his place for the next matches, against Scotland on 27 March 1886 which ended 1–1 and Wales two days later, which was won 3–1.
The 1886 FA Cup Final
1886 FA Cup Final
The 1886 FA Cup Final was contested by Blackburn Rovers and West Bromwich Albion at the Kennington Oval. The match finished goalless, Albion wanted to play extra time but Blackburn Rovers declined, meaning a replay was necessary....
against West Bromwich Albion was played at the Kennington Oval
The Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
on 3 April 1886. Although Blackburn fielded seven players who had appeared in the two previous finals, whereas Albion had reached the final for the first time, the two sides were evenly matched and the game ended goalless. The replay took place at Derbyshire County Cricket Club
Derbyshire County Cricket Club
Derbyshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Derbyshire...
's Racecourse Ground in Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
, the first time an FA cup final had been played outside London. Although Albion started the match continually attacking the Rovers goal, eventually Blackburn's experience began to show. Joe Sowerbutts added to his goal in the 1884 final by scoring the first after 26 minutes before Jimmy Brown, who had scored in the 1885 final added a second with seventeen minutes to go. Blackburn Rovers had thus become one of only two clubs (the other was Wanderers
Wanderers F.C.
Wanderers Football Club is an English amateur football club, based in London, that plays in the Surrey South Eastern Combination. Founded as Forest Football Club in 1859, the club changed its name to Wanderers in 1864....
) to win the cup in three consecutive seasons.
Blackburn Rovers started their campaign
FA Cup 1886-87
The 1886–87 Football Association Challenge Cup was the sixteenth FA Cup, England's oldest football tournament. One hundred and twenty-four teams entered, six fewer than last season, in addition to four of the one hundred and twenty-four never actually playing a match.-First Round:-Replays:-Second...
to claim the FA cup for a record fourth time with a bye as their first round opponents Halliwell withdrew. In the second round, they were drawn to play in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
against the previous season's Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
finalists, Renton
Renton F.C.
Renton Football Club was a prominent team in the early history of Scottish football. The club was based in the village of Renton, West Dunbartonshire...
based in the village of Renton, West Dunbartonshire. The first match ended in a 2–2 draw with Renton causing one of the biggest shocks for years when the Scottish club won the replay 2–0.
Forrest was selected for all three matches in the 1887 British Home Championship
1887 British Home Championship
The 1887 British Home Championship was the fourth international football tournament between the British Home Nations. Played during the second half of the 1886–87 football season, the competition was won by Scotland for the fourth consecutive time...
. The matches against Ireland and Wales resulted in easy victories with scores of 7–0 and 4–0 respectively, but in England's final match of the tournament against Scotland played at Leamington Road
Leamington Road
Leamington Road was an English football stadium situated in Blackburn, Lancashire. Blackburn Rovers played there from 1881 until 1890, when they relocated to Ewood Park, where they have remained ever since....
, Blackburn on 19 March 1887 the Scots won 3–2 and went on to claim the championship.
In the 1887–88 FA Cup
FA Cup 1887-88
The Football Association Challenge Cup 1887–88 was the seventeenth staging of the FA Cup, England's oldest football tournament. One hundred and forty-nine teams entered, twenty-five more than last season, although four of the one hundred and forty-nine never actually played a match.-First...
campaign, Rovers had an easy passage through the early rounds with victories against other Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
clubs, including Blackburn Olympic
Blackburn Olympic F.C.
Blackburn Olympic F.C. was an English association football club based in Blackburn, Lancashire in the late 19th century. Although the club was only in existence for just over a decade, it is significant in the history of football in England as the first club from the north of the country and the...
(5–1), Accrington
Accrington F.C.
Accrington Football Club were an English football club from Accrington, Lancashire, who were one of the founder members of The Football League. Accrington F.C. was formed following a meeting at a local public house in 1876...
(3–1) and Darwen
Darwen F.C.
A.F.C. Darwen is a football club from Darwen in Lancashire, North West England. The team, formed in 1870 as Darwen F.C., currently play in the Division One of the North West Counties League. They play their home games at the Anchor Ground.-History:...
(3–0), before they were drawn against Derby Junction
Derby Junction F.C.
Derby Junction F.C. were an amateur football club in Derby, England. They were active in the 1880s and 1890s, notably being founder members of the Midland League in 1890 and FA Cup semi-finalists in 1888. They played at Derby Arboretum....
who were appearing in the FA cup for the first time. Rovers were defeated 2–1 in the sixth round match which was played at the Derby Arboretum
Derby Arboretum
Derby Arboretum is a public arboretum and park in the city of Derby in England. It was the first publicly owned, landscaped, urban, recreational park in England. It is located in the Rose Hill area, about a mile south of Derby city centre. After many years of neglect, the Arboretum has recently...
.
As a result of Rovers' relative lack of success, none of their players were selected to represent England in the 1888 British Home Championship
1888 British Home Championship
The 1888 British Home Championship was the fifth edition of the annual international football tournament played between the British Home Nations...
, with Forrest losing his place to Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
's Harry Allen
Harry Allen (footballer)
Harry Allen was an English international footballer, who played most of his career for Wolverhampton Wanderers, and was their captain.-Career:...
.
Football League era
In the spring of 1888 the leading professional clubs in Lancashire and the West Midlands agreed to inaugurate a league tournament in order to develop the level of competition between clubs above friendly matches and appearances in cup tournaments. The new league was set up following meetings at Anderson's Hotel in London on 23 March 1888 on the eve of the 1888 FA Cup Final1888 FA Cup Final
The 1888 FA Cup Final was contested by West Bromwich Albion and Preston North End at the Kennington Oval. Preston were strong favourites for the Cup, having set a record which still stands today by beating Hyde 26-0 in the first round, and were so confident of overcoming West Bromwich Albion in the...
followed by a further meeting on 17 April at Manchester's Royal Hotel. The first season
1888-89 in English football
The 1888–1889 season was the 18th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:A new competition, The Football League, started this season...
of the new Football League began a few months later on 8 September with Blackburn Rovers as one of the twelve original member clubs. Rovers’ first league game took place on 15 September 1888 when they shared ten goals in a "thrilling" match with Accrington
Accrington F.C.
Accrington Football Club were an English football club from Accrington, Lancashire, who were one of the founder members of The Football League. Accrington F.C. was formed following a meeting at a local public house in 1876...
. Forrest made 19 league appearances as Blackburn finished the first league season in fourth place, a long way behind the champions Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
, who were now by far the strongest club in England, justly earning them the title of "The Invincibles
The Invincibles (football)
In English football, "The Invincibles" has been used to refer to either the Preston North End team of the 1880s, or the Arsenal team of the 2003–04 season...
".
In the FA cup
FA Cup 1888-89
The FA Cup 1888–89 was the eighteenth edition of the world's oldest football knockout competition, The Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup....
, after a victory over Accrington and a "walkover" past Swifts, Blackburn defeated Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
8–1 in the third round (with four goals from Jack Southworth
Jack Southworth
John Southworth , was a footballer who played in the early days of professional football for Blackburn Rovers and Everton as well as being capped three times for England...
) before going out in the semi-final to Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
after a replay. Forrest was recalled to the England team for the match against Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
on 13 April 1889 which ended in a 3–2 victory for the Scots.
The 1889–90
1889-90 in English football
The 1889–90 season was the 19th season of competitive football in England. Preston North End were Football League champions for the second successive season while The Wednesday finished top of the newly formed Football Alliance. Blackburn Rovers won the FA Cup....
season saw a modest improvement in Rover's league performance with a third place finish, with Forrest only missing one match. The FA cup
FA Cup 1889-90
The 1889–90 FA Cup was the nineteenth season of the world's oldest football knockout competition, The Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup....
saw victories over Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
and Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
, before defeating Bootle
Bootle F.C.
Bootle Football Club is an English football club based in Bootle, Merseyside. The club are currently members of the North West Counties League Premier Division and play at New Bucks Park.-Previous clubs in Bootle:...
7–0 in the third round, with a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
from Nat Walton
Nat Walton
Nathaniel "Nat" Walton was an English international footballer, who played as an inside forward.-Career:Born in Preston, Walton played professionally for Blackburn Rovers, and earned one cap for England in 1890....
. 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 :...
saw a re-run of the previous year's match against Wolves, but this time Rovers reached the final with a 1–0 victory with Southworth the scorer. Before the cup final, Forrest (together with Rovers team-mates Billy Townley, Joe Lofthouse
Joe Lofthouse
Joseph Morris "Joe" Lofthouse was an English footballer.-Playing career:Joseph Lofthouse was born in Blackburn on 14 April 1865. A talented footballer he joined Blackburn Rovers...
, John Barton
John Barton (footballer)
John Barton was an English footballer. He played at international level once for England while on the books of Blackburn Rovers....
and Nat Walton
Nat Walton
Nathaniel "Nat" Walton was an English international footballer, who played as an inside forward.-Career:Born in Preston, Walton played professionally for Blackburn Rovers, and earned one cap for England in 1890....
) was selected for the England match against Ireland
Ireland national football team (IFA)
The Ireland national football team represented Ireland at association football, it was organised by the Irish FA , and is the fourth oldest international team in the world. It mainly played in the British Home Championship against England, Scotland and Wales...
on 15 March 1890. Because of the crowded fixture list, England also played a match against Wales on the same day. The match against Ireland ended in a 9–1 victory for England, with a hat-trick from Fred Geary
Fred Geary
Fred Geary was an English professional footballer who played at centre forward for Everton in the 1890s, and made two appearances for England, scoring a hat-trick on his debut....
. This was Forrest's final appearance for England, in an international career which spanned seven seasons in which he played eleven times, with six victories, three draws and two defeats, both against Scotland.
The cup final
1890 FA Cup Final
The 1890 FA Cup Final was contested by Blackburn Rovers and The Wednesday at the Kennington Oval. Blackburn won 6–1, with goals from William Townley , Nat Walton, Jack Southworth and Joe Lofthouse. The Wednesday's goal was scored by Albert Mumford....
was played at the Kennington Oval on 29 March 1890 against The Wednesday who were the champions of the Football Alliance
Football Alliance
The Football Alliance was an association football league in England which ran for three seasons, from 1889–90 to 1891–92.It was formed by 12 clubs as a rival to the Football League, which had begun in the 1888–89 season, also with 12 member clubs...
which had been set up to provide competition for clubs excluded from the Football League. Rovers put out a team of players most of whom were England or Scotland internationals, although Wednesday had England internationals Edward Brayshaw and Billy Betts
Billy Betts
William "Billy" Betts was a Sheffield born English football player who played for The Wednesday, as well as the English national side. Betts played as a centre-half and made a total of 143 appearances in two spells for The Wednesday, scoring four goals.-External links:***...
in their defence. From the kick-off, the Rovers forwards had the Wednesday defence under pressure which led to Jack Dungworth handling the ball on the edge of his goal area in the sixth minute. Forrest took the free kick which fell to Billy Townley whose shot took a deflection for the first goal. Further goals from Nat Walton and Townley gave Rovers a 3–0 lead at half-time. The second half continued with Rovers on top with Jack Southworth
Jack Southworth
John Southworth , was a footballer who played in the early days of professional football for Blackburn Rovers and Everton as well as being capped three times for England...
adding a fourth goal in the fiftieth minute before Albert Mumford was able to score for Wednesday. Further goals from Townley and Joe Lofthouse
Joe Lofthouse
Joseph Morris "Joe" Lofthouse was an English footballer.-Playing career:Joseph Lofthouse was born in Blackburn on 14 April 1865. A talented footballer he joined Blackburn Rovers...
in the last 15 minutes gave a winning scoreline of 6–1 to Rovers. Townley had thus become the first player to score an FA cup final hat-trick. According to Gibbons, "the Blackburn side had given one of the finest exhibitions of attacking football in an FA cup final, with England internationals Walton, Townley, Lofthouse and John Southworth at the peak of their form."
Forrest continued to play at the centre of Blackburn's defence for the 1890–91 season
1890-91 in English football
The 1890–91 season was the 20th season of competitive football in England.-Events:Everton started the 1890–91 season in superb form with five straight victories, with Fred Geary scoring in each of the first six matches...
, forming a settled half-back line alongside fellow internationals Jack Barton
John Barton (footballer)
John Barton was an English footballer. He played at international level once for England while on the books of Blackburn Rovers....
and Geordie Dewar
Geordie Dewar
George "Geordie" Dewar , was a Scottish footballer who played in the early days of professional football for Blackburn Rovers as well as being capped twice for Scotland...
. Forrest only missed one league game as Rovers ended the campaign in sixth position. Once again, Rovers' priority was in the FA cup
FA Cup 1890-91
The FA Cup 1890–91 was the twentieth edition of the world's oldest football knockout competition, The Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup....
. In the first round they went past Middlesbrough Ironopolis
Middlesbrough Ironopolis F.C.
Middlesbrough Ironopolis Football Club were an English association football club which briefly played in the Football League in the 1890s. Their entire history was played out during the Victorian era in Middlesbrough....
3–0 in a replayed match to set up a meeting with Chester
Chester City F.C.
Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
in the second round. Jack Southworth
Jack Southworth
John Southworth , was a footballer who played in the early days of professional football for Blackburn Rovers and Everton as well as being capped three times for England...
netted his fourth hat-trick of the season in a 7–0 victory over his former club. Victories over Midlands clubs, Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
and West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
set up Rovers' sixth appearance in the cup final, to be played at The Oval
The Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
on 21 March 1891, against Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
who had defeated Rovers 7–1 in the penultimate league match on 14 March. Despite this Rovers were expected to win the final as they were the holders and fielded seven of the previous year’s winning side, including Forrest, already with four cup winners medals. Blackburn dominated the early stages of the game with Dewar scoring after eight minutes. Goals from Jack Southworth and Billy Townley gave a half-time score of 3–0 to Rovers. Although County pulled a goal back in the second half, Rovers were able to defend their lead and thus claimed the cup for the second consecutive year, the fifth time overall. Forrest thus became the third player to win five FA cup finals, after Arthur Kinnaird
Arthur Kinnaird, 11th Lord Kinnaird
Arthur Fitzgerald Kinnaird, 11th Lord Kinnaird KT was a principal of The Football Association and a leading footballer....
and Charles Wollaston
Charles Wollaston
Charles Henry Reynolds Wollaston was an English footballer for Wanderers F.C. and England.Wollaston played for Wanderers in the first FA Cup Final in 1872 and scored in the second final of 1873. In all he won five winner's medals, the first player to achieve this feat.He earned four caps for...
.
Rovers' defence of the FA cup faltered at the second round stage where they suffered their first cup defeat for three seasons, against West Bromwich Albion, who went on to claim the trophy in the final
1892 FA Cup Final
The 1892 FA Cup Final was contested by West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa at the Kennington Oval. West Bromwich Albion won 3–0, with goals by Jasper Geddes, Sammy Nicholls and Jack Reynolds...
. The half-back line-up of the previous season was broken up as a result of injuries to Barton and Dewar, and Rovers finished the 1891–92 season
1891-92 in English football
The 1891–92 season was the 21st season of competitive football in England.-Events:Three new clubs joined the Football Alliance, following the expansion of the Football League to 14 teams, and the defection of Sunderland Albion to the Northern League...
in ninth place having conceded 65 goals, with only Accrington
Accrington F.C.
Accrington Football Club were an English football club from Accrington, Lancashire, who were one of the founder members of The Football League. Accrington F.C. was formed following a meeting at a local public house in 1876...
and Darwen
Darwen F.C.
A.F.C. Darwen is a football club from Darwen in Lancashire, North West England. The team, formed in 1870 as Darwen F.C., currently play in the Division One of the North West Counties League. They play their home games at the Anchor Ground.-History:...
conceding more.
For the 1892–93 season
1892-93 in English football
The 1892–93 season was the 22nd season of competitive football in England.-Events:The Football League and the Football Alliance formally merged, and so the Football League Second Division was formed, consisting mostly of Football Alliance clubs...
, Barton was replaced by Geordie Anderson and the trio of Forrest, Anderson and Dewar were to remain at the heart of the Rovers' defence for the next three seasons, during which their league campaigns ended with finishes in ninth, fourth and fifth places respectively. Although Rovers reached the FA Cup semi-finals
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 :...
in 1893 and 1894, their cup-winning exploits were over until 1928
1928 FA Cup Final
The 1928 FA Cup Final was contested by Blackburn Rovers and Huddersfield Town at Wembley Stadium. Blackburn won 3–1, with goals from Jack Roscamp and Tommy McLean...
.
Forrest remained at Rovers until October 1895, when there was an acrimonious parting of the ways; Forrest claimed that the committee at Rovers had asked him to revert back to amateur status in order to save paying him a wage, a charge that was vigorously denied by the club. He moved to Darwen
Darwen F.C.
A.F.C. Darwen is a football club from Darwen in Lancashire, North West England. The team, formed in 1870 as Darwen F.C., currently play in the Division One of the North West Counties League. They play their home games at the Anchor Ground.-History:...
after twelve eventful seasons which had not only seen five FA cup victories, but also the move from amateur to professional football and the creation of the Football League.
Darwen
Forrest joined Second Division DarwenDarwen F.C.
A.F.C. Darwen is a football club from Darwen in Lancashire, North West England. The team, formed in 1870 as Darwen F.C., currently play in the Division One of the North West Counties League. They play their home games at the Anchor Ground.-History:...
in time for the 1895–96 season
1895-96 in English football
The 1895–96 season was the 25th season of competitive football in England.-Events:Loughborough replaced Walsall Town Swifts in the Second Division.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour...
. One of the first games he played for his new club was against Rovers in a friendly at Barley Bank. He played for Darwen for one season scoring one goal before retiring from the game.
Later career
After his playing days ended, Forrest became licensee of the Audley Arms Hotel in Blackburn before becoming the landlord of the County Arms on Darwen Street, Blackburn for many years. He later joined a firm of shuttle peg makers, joiners and mill furnishers.He returned to Blackburn Rovers as an administrator, before becoming a director of the club in 1906. His son, James Henry Forrest, played for Rovers for four seasons in the 1920s. Jimmy Forrest died on 30 December 1925, aged 61.
Honours
Blackburn RoversBlackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
- FA CupFA CupThe 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...
winner: 5 times, joint record (18841884 FA Cup FinalThe 1884 FA Cup Final was contested by Blackburn Rovers and Queen's Park at the Kennington Oval. Rovers won 2–1, with goals from Joe Sowerbutts and Jimmy Forrest; Robert M Christie scored for Queen's Park.-Teams:*Played March 29, 1884...
, 18851885 FA Cup FinalThe 1885 FA Cup Final was contested by Blackburn Rovers and Queen's Park at the Kennington Oval, a repeat of the previous year's final. Rovers won 2–0 in their second successive FA Cup Final victory, with the goals coming from Jimmy Forrest and James Brown.-Teams:*Played April 4,...
, 18861886 FA Cup FinalThe 1886 FA Cup Final was contested by Blackburn Rovers and West Bromwich Albion at the Kennington Oval. The match finished goalless, Albion wanted to play extra time but Blackburn Rovers declined, meaning a replay was necessary....
, 18901890 FA Cup FinalThe 1890 FA Cup Final was contested by Blackburn Rovers and The Wednesday at the Kennington Oval. Blackburn won 6–1, with goals from William Townley , Nat Walton, Jack Southworth and Joe Lofthouse. The Wednesday's goal was scored by Albert Mumford....
& 18911891 FA Cup FinalThe 1891 FA Cup Final was contested by Blackburn Rovers and Notts County at the Kennington Oval. Blackburn won 3–1, their second consecutive FA Cup Final victory, with goals by Geordie Dewar, Jack Southworth and William Townley. James Oswald scored Notts County's goal.-Teams:*Played 21 March...
) - Lancashire Senior CupLancashire Senior CupThe Lancashire County Football Association Cup , is a football knockout tournament involving teams from Lancashire, England and surrounding areas. It is a County Cup competition of the Lancashire County Football Association and involves Premier League clubs and Football League clubs...
: 1884 & 1885