The great fallacy is that the game is first and last about winning. It is nothing of the kind. The game is about glory.
- Danny Blanchflower
Brilliant Burnley
Burnley fielded the same eleven for their second Easter game against Derby County. With three League games to go and Burnley six points above County in the relegation zone, the Clarets needed to secure the points today, or possibly face a relegation scrap in their final two League games. It was the last home game before the Cup Final and the home supporters wanted to see a good Clarets performance, before everyone set off to London for the Cup in just two weeks time. The Burnley faithful were not disappointed.
Burnley v Derby County, Turf Moor, Easter Saturday 11 April 1914, Kick-Off 3:00 pm
The Second Round Cup encounter with Derby had been a tight affair, Burnley winning 3-2, Teddy Hodgson scoring a hat-trick. Derby had come back at Burnley throughout that game. In the corresponding League match at the Baseball Ground in December, Burnley had lost 3-1.
Derby’s centre-forward, Henry Leonard who had missed the Cup-tie, was back in the side replacing Steve Bloomer. Derby’s leading scorer, the winger Horace Barnes was Burnley’s biggest threat. He had scored 25 League goals from the left wing but despite that Derby were bottom of the League, their defence having leaked goals all season. Jerry Dawson was still on the injured list but the news was good, he was undergoing light training on his injured leg and should be fit for the Cup Final. Ronnie Sewell kept goal for the Clarets for his fifth game in succession.
The one person all Burnley supporters were surprised to see was the match referee. Cup Final referee Herbert Bamlett marched onto the pitch in place of the scheduled referee, Bamlett stepping in at the last minute to replace the unwell Mr Hargreaves. According to Sportsman, “Bamlett was given a ‘cordial’ reception by the home crowd.”
The Teams lined up
Burnley: Sewell, Bamford, Taylor, Halley, Boyle, Watson, Nesbitt, Lindley, Freeman, Hodgson, Mosscrop.
Derby: Scattergood, Atkin, Waugh, Barbour, Buckley, Bagshaw, Reader, Moore, Leonard, Barnes, R.H. Callender.
Referee: Mr H. S. Bamlett (Gateshead)
Burnley captain Tommy Boyle lost the toss and the Clarets began playing toward the Cricket-Field End. It was bright, sunny and a slight wind blew toward the Bee Hole End as Derby began well and won a few of the early skirmishes. “The play was fast and of an excellent quality, with Burnley the more aggressive side,” said Sportsman. Derby attacked first through Barbour and then Leonard, Sewell pulling off two fine saves, Leonard putting the ball past Sewell only for his attempt to be ruled offside. On ten minutes Dick Lindley won the ball and passed inside to Freeman. The pair moved forward into the Derby half. They combined well passing the ball to each other as both cut through the half-back line. Lindley’s final pass to Freeman left him to dribble to the edge of the penalty area and fire a low shot past Scattergood, to great cheers around the ground. “It was one of the finest pieces of play seen for a long time,” enthused Sportsman. Derby came straight back at Burnley. After the re-start, Ronnie Sewell flying to his left, pulled off the save of the match, turning a certain goal around the post. “The pace was fast and of the highest order,” described Sportsman, the play moving from end to end.
Sewell was later injured when clearing the ball after coming into contact with Billy Watson’s elbow, but he was alright again shortly after. On 35 minutes, Watson began the move that led to Burnley’s second goal. Watson’s pass found Freeman in the centre-circle. He fed Mosscrop out on the right, Freeman running forwards as Mosscrop fought his way down the flank riding several flying tackles. Mosscrop saw the Burnley centre-forward signalling for the ball and placed the ball just in front of him, and Freeman from considerable range got in a fast screwing shot which entered the far corner of the net far beyond the reach of Scattergood. Two nil to Burnley! Four minutes before the interval, Derby pulled a goal back when Horace Barnes got in a fast shot which Sewell fisted against the crossbar but couldn’t prevent the ball going over the line and an exciting first half came to an end with Burnley leading 2-1.
The second half began quietly. Derby came out and their forwards looked for an equaliser but Scattergood had more work to do than Sewell. With twenty minutes gone, Dick Lindley had the ball and was tackled by one of the full-backs. Freeman running in, picked up the loose ball, slipped round a defender and had the ball in the net for his hat-trick! 3-1 to the Clarets! The home supporters were enjoying seeing the centre-forward on such great form. Derby pushed forward knowing they had to get something from the match or their season would end in relegation. A determined Tommy Boyle won the ball. Boyle fed Lindley and with his back to goal scored Burnley’s fourth with a sublime overhead kick. Derby’s defence were all over the place. Two minutes later it was Lindley again with a hard shot from ten yards out who found the back of the Derby net for his second goal after fine work by Freeman to make the score 5-1 in favour of the Clarets. Burnley had looked like they could score when they wanted and the second half had been an excellent team performance.
At Full Time: Burnley 5 (Freeman 3, Lindley 2), Derby 1 (Barnes).
Attendance: 19,000 (Gate Receipts of £423)
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Burnley had found the right kind of form, and according to the Burnley Express’s Sportsman, “Burnley were superb. Football the likes of which has not been seen at Turf Moor since the Bolton and Sunderland Cup-ties. Burnley were on the top of their form.” The team had not picked up any injuries and more importantly, the result meant Burnley had secured their place in the First Division for next season. The team could now focus all their efforts on preparing for the Cup Final in a fortnight’s time. In other news from Turf Moor, Ronnie Sewell who had been sought after by a number of First Division clubs had signed a new contract for the Clarets for next season.
Liverpool Investigation
The joint FA and Football League Commission investigating the Liverpool v Chelsea match, [of the previous season] concluded that no case was to answer regarding inducements not to play to their ability. The case had been brought by Mr H.G. Norris. (The Times 12/4/1914)
H.G. Norris was a sports journalist and director of Woolwich Arsenal when this game took place at Anfield in March 1913. Liverpool lost the match 2-1. Chelsea and Norris’s club, Arsenal were both battling against relegation. Norris claimed that Liverpool had not shown enough desire to win the match. The claim was brought before the Football Association and Football League and an investigation followed which dragged on through the 1913-14 season with the conclusion that there was no case to answer. The accusation Norris had made had incensed the Liverpool players. Liverpool’s, Ephraim Longworth writing in the Liverpool Evening Express of 5th April 1914 said, “…that Liverpool players deliberately lay down and allowed other sides to win…there is not an atom of truth in the suggestion.” At the end of the 1912-13 season, Arsenal had been relegated on 17 points, Chelsea staved off the drop and Burnley later took Arsenals place in the First Division.
Cup Final Week
After their encouraging victory over Derby County, the Clarets spent the following week at Lytham at their training base. One game stood between Burnley and the Cup Final, a League fixture against Manchester City at Hyde Road. The Sky Blues were in fifteenth position and had secured their place for next season so there was nothing riding on the result. Jerry Dawson was fit again and returned in goal after a five-match layoff with a leg injury, as his understudy Ronnie Sewell returned to the Reserves. John Haworth’s latest injury concern was Bert Freeman who had wrenched a knee against Derby the previous week after scoring four goals in the last two games. Freeman’s place was filled by Levi Thorpe.
The Burnley players arrived by train at Manchester Victoria station at 11:00 am on the Saturday morning. They enjoyed a light lunch in the city centre at the Mosley Hotel before setting off for Hyde Road in a fleet of taxis. One taxicab with Hodgson, Bamford, Halley and Thorpe in it had turned into Manchester’s Downing Street, close to the football ground, when the driver attempted to pass between a tramcar and a lorry. The taxi became jammed between the two vehicles. “Matters were quickly remedied, however the players being none the worse for their somewhat startling experience,” according to Sportsman. The players soon laughed it off but it could have been more serious. Summer-like weather greeted the players and Burnley’s travelling supporters on arrival at Hyde Road.
Manchester City v Burnley, Hyde Road, Saturday 18 April 1914, Kick-Off 3.00 pm
The teams lined up:
Manchester City: Smith, Henry, Fletcher, Hughes, Hanney, Hindmarsh, Cumming, Wynn, Howard, Browell, Dorsett.
Burnley: Dawson, Bamford, Taylor, Halley, Boyle, Watson, Nesbitt, Lindley, Thorpe, Hodgson, Mosscrop.
Referee: Mr J. T. Howcroft (Bolton)
Tommy Boyle lost the toss and Burnley faced the breeze and the bright sun as City kicked off. City had the better of the play in the opening phase and the Clarets had little in goal attempts in the first quarter of an hour. It was shortly after that disaster struck for the Clarets. City’s centre-forward, Fred Howard was running in on the Burnley goal to meet a centre from the right. Jerry Dawson went up to claim the cross but he collided with Howard’s knee which hit him in the side, in the ribcage. Dawson fell to his knees in agony. He went off the field clutching his ribs for attention for a long period. Boyle put Dave Taylor in goal, but later Dawson returned to the fray, not wanting to let his team mates down.
On eighteen minutes, City had a throw-in and the ball was crossed into the Burnley penalty area by Dorsett. The ball looked to be going out of play but Wynn reached it and hooked the ball back and over an outstretched Dawson and into the net. It was clear that the injury to Dawson was more serious and he was in pain. On 25 minutes Dawson could stand it no longer and left the field. Tommy Boyle put Dave Taylor back in the goal and the Clarets resumed with ten men for the rest of the game. Burnley attacked down both flanks, seeking the equaliser. Mosscrop being cheered when he weaved his way past three City defenders in succession before finally losing the ball. Eleven minutes before the interval, Howard popped up again scored past Taylor for City’s second and at half-time the home side led Burnley, 2-0.
During the interval it was reported that Dawson was suffering no more than a bruised rib, “and that the injury was not so serious as first feared,” according to Sportsman. John Haworth took no chances however and Dawson remained in the dressing room and Dave Taylor wore the green jersey for the second half.
City’s numeric advantage gave them more of the play though the Clarets did often threaten. In one Burnley attack through Billy Watson the Burnley half-back was fouled by Henry. The normally quiet Watson was incensed, “and assumed a threatening attitude toward the culprit, but Mr Howcroft intervened and the players shook hands,” noted Sportsman. Twenty minutes into the second half, Billy Nesbitt centred accurately for Teddy Hodgson to head in and pull a goal back for the Clarets to make it 2-1 to City. After the goal, Burnley looked more composed with ten men, but a City attack thirty minutes into the half saw them restore their two goal lead when Browell scored. City wrapped up all the points three minutes later when Browell headed his second goal and City’s fourth goal past a befuddled Taylor.
At Full Time: Manchester City 4 (Browell 2, Wynn, Howard), Burnley 1 (Hodgson)
Attendance: 25,000
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Kestrel in the Burnley News was outraged at the rough tactics of the hosts. “One can only compare City with Sheffield United for rough play except that the Hyde Road men were even the more deliberate in their actions. I have rarely seen three more deliberate fouls than those on Dawson, Lindley and Watson but also the easy way in which the referee [from Bolton] took the City tactics was very surprising.” The City full-back, Henry, was identified as the main perpetrator. “…first charging Lindley in the back and then kicking him on the ankle… on one occasion Henry had his legs around Hodgson’s neck,” according to Kestrel.
On the confrontation between Henry and Billy Watson…
“One knows Watson is not easily aroused to retaliation but there was little wonder that he should raise his fists when Henry deliberately kicked his legs from under him as he [Watson] had beaten two players in a dribble. The two players stood up threateningly; there was a scuffle between them and a half-dozen other players. No blows were actually struck but it was pretty close. On the edge of the disputing band stood the referee, arms folded making no effort to bring the matter to an end. Then when tempers had simmered down and the players had separated, he called Watson and Henry together and persuaded them to shake hands.” (Burnley News 22/4/1914)
Burnley reserves v Manchester City reserves at Turf Moor.
In the reserve match at Turf Moor against Manchester City, Burnley gave debuts to four newcomers. Thompson of Bedlington, Green of Congleton, John Heaton of Padiham and John Mitton the former Portsmouth player. Burnley beat City 2-1, Green scoring on his Clarets debut, and the other goal scored by Burnley full-back Bob Reid.
Back to Lytham
Figure 36: Burnley Players Train on the Green on Lytham Seafront.
Figure 37: Burnley Players Outside Gaskell’s Hotel in Lytham.
After the defeat at Hyde Road, the Burnley players travelled straight back to Gaskell’s Temperance Hotel on Clifton Street in Lytham for a weekend of rest followed by five days of Cup Training. The Final now had even greater prominence following the announcement made in The Times and other national papers on Saturday the 18th of April;
KING TO ATTEND CUP FINAL
“The King has indicated his intention to be present at the Cup Final. His Majesty will have to leave at half-time and the Cup and medals will be presented to the winning team by Lord Derby.” It was also stated that the normal Royal day-wear of dress coats was toned down to fit the occasion, “silk hats won’t be worn but bowler hats and short coats.” (The Times 18/4/1914)
As Prince of Wales, and like his father, The King had a keen interest in horses. He played tennis and golf but his real passions were sailing and shooting. He was an excellent shot, once bagging 1,000 birds in six hours. In later life he had taken up stamp-collecting and built one of the finest collections in England. He had visited several rugby internationals at Twickenham but had seen little association rules football.
The King’s attendance would be the first time a reigning monarch had attended a Cup Final. It raised the stakes of the game massively. The King’s presence would mark the Final as a history-making event. The King coming to watch the people’s game. The winning team captain would receive the trophy from Royal hands for the first time. Cup history would be made, headlines written and photographs taken that would be wired around the Empire. That news must have played hard on the mind of the Burnley players as they prepared by the seaside for the Final. Goalkeeper Jerry Dawson had his own concerns, nursing his aching ribs, courtesy of Fred Howard’s knee. Dawson had only just returned to the Burnley first team after recovering from a leg injury in the Semi-Final and had less than a week to prove his fitness or could miss out on a place in the Final.
Burnley’s Cup Final opponents Liverpool had played their final away game of the season at Middlesbrough where they had been thumped 4-0. The club had rested several of their key players; Campbell, Lacey, Sheldon and Longworth in their preparation for the final. But not their influential captain. On the long train journey home to Merseyside, the Liverpool captain Harry Lowe had injury problems of his own. Lowe had retired for the second half of the Middlesbrough match nursing a damaged knee.
Cup Final Tickets
Burnley had sold out their allocation of seated tickets, the club announcing that no tickets for the reserved positions were now left. The club reported it had sold all its seating allocation at The Palace including 2,500 covered stand seats at five shillings and 5,000 uncovered seats at five shillings. 8,000 ground tickets had also been sold. These figures didn’t include those turning up to pay on the day at the park entrance (6d to enter the park) and a further shilling to stand on the terracing. Burnley could have as many as 18 – 20,000 supporters inside the Crystal Palace watching the match. 120 saloon parties had been pre-booked with the train companies in Burnley for local businesses, firms, clubs, pubs and factory social clubs going to the Final. Burnley’s four main Cup tour organisers, Abraham Altham’s, Thomas Cook’s, Whittakers’ and The Co-operative Society, all reported strong demand.
Monday 20th April 1914
On Monday evening the King and Queen attended the opening concert of the opera season at Covent Garden. Nelly Melba, the Australian soprano made her entrance to rapturous applause for the opera, La Boheme, conducted by Mr Albert Coates. The following day, Tuesday, The King and Queen made a three-day visit to Paris where they were greeted by the French President, Raymond Poincare. The Royal Family stayed at the Elysee Palace until Friday morning, their visit helping build a new spirit of ‘entente cordiale’ between Britain and France. The Royal couple would return to England early on Friday evening for Royal engagements and for the King’s visit to the Cup Final on the Saturday afternoon.
Liverpool Set Off For London
The Liverpool team set off for London on Monday morning and set up their training headquarters in Chingford at the Royal Forest Hotel. The team had stayed at the same hotel for the Semi-Final match against Aston Villa at White Hart Lane.
On the teams departure from Liverpool, a supporter had scribbled Liverpool 2, Burnley 1 on the side of their carriage. Harry Lowe, the Liverpool captain said, “We mean to win, but so too do Burnley. However all things being equal, I fancy we shall just pull it off.” The Reds Irish forward, Bill Lacey said, “I think we ought to bring it off, but you never can tell.”
There would be no ‘hard’ training at Chingford, the players merely resting there in view of Saturday’s strenuous game.
It was too hot for training according to ‘Centaur’ in Wednesdays Daily Express,
“The orders for them were to take it easy…their ‘work’ yesterday afternoon consisted of strolling about the golf course.” Centaur described the current warm spell and, “If the weather continues as at present, a society for the prevention of cruelty to professional footballers may be formed at once and an appeal made to the Football Association to allow Burnley and Liverpool to play the Cup Final at six o’clock in the morning.”
Figure 38: The Liverpool Squad
Back Row L to R, Speakman, McKinley, Lacey, Nicholl
Middle Row T. Watson (manager) Fairfoul, Pursell, Campbell, Lowe, McConnel (Trainer), E.A. Bainbridge
Front Row L to R, Metcalf, Sheldon, Miller, Ferguson, Longworth
Dawson’s Injury News
On Wednesday April 22nd it was stated in the Burnley Express that Dawson’s injury was, “…to his cartilage and not actually to the ribs There is considerable soreness but his breathing was much better yesterday morning (Tuesday) in fact he was allowed to indulge in a little ball practice. Trainer Edwards expects him to play on Saturday but Sewell will be held in readiness. The team are enjoying golf, badminton and boating and indulging in gentle football kicking and taking brine baths.”
The April Heat-Wave.
The newspapers reported that there had been no cloud over Britain for three days. At Lytham, the Burnley players enjoyed 12 hours of sunshine and it was 70 degrees in the shade, remarkable temperatures for April. In London, temperatures reached 74 degrees and it had not rained for a week.
In Other News
Mad Women Destroy £250,000
At the meeting of the State Assurance Company in Liverpool yesterday, the chairman stated that the total insurance losses attributed to the militant suffragettes during 1913 were estimated at £250,000. (Daily Express 22/4/1914) By April 1914, the suffragettes had been responsible for over a hundred acts of ‘outrage’ including; bombings, arson, window-breaking and the disruption of sporting events.
American Marines Land at Vera Cruz
American Marines from two US battleships, Utah and Florida, landed at the port of Vera Cruz and had seized the Custom House. They sustained 24 casualties in the fire-fight and four marines were killed in fierce fighting. A German steamship heading for Mexico, the Ypiranga has arms and ammunition aboard that the Mexicans purchased some time ago. After a unanimous vote in the House of Representatives, the members give President Wilson the mandate he needed. He has instructed Rear-Admiral Fletcher to, “use his discretion, but prevent the guns reaching General Huerta.”
The Final Tie – Mr Morrell’s Invitation
(Letter to the Editor of The Burnley News)
“Sir. A great many of your readers will be coming to London on Saturday to see the match; and if any of them would like to spend a part of their morning in seeing over the Houses of Parliament I shall be very glad to have the privilege of meeting them and showing them over. I propose to be at the big gates leading into the Palace yard at 9:00 am on that day when I shall be pleased to see any of my friends and constituents who are able to be there and take them over the buildings. If you could send me a post-card to 44 Bedford Square so I know what numbers to expect.”
Former Burnley Captain Drops into Poetry
In Wednesday’s Burnley Express, former Burnley captain and goalkeeper James McConnell writing from Massachusetts in the USA said, “Though many miles away from Turf Moor, we have many anxious moments on Saturday afternoons awaiting the results of the football matches in England.” McConnell penned the following poem;
Then up, lads and at it,
Though cold be the weather;
And if by perchance
You should happen to fall,
There are worse things in life
Than a tumble on heather,
For what is life
But a game of football.
Now up in London town, my lads
So you know what waits for you
You’ve been very near it once before,
Though it slipped you very true
But now your chance has come my boys
Set about it like good men
And do the work you never shirk
We have faith in you now as then.
Thursday 23rd April
Thursday was St George’s Day and it had been a duller day in London and rained slightly but not much. The Daily Express forecaster predicted that Liverpool would beat Burnley in the Final, despite the Clarets beating the Reds more convincingly over the course of the season. The Liverpool team had attended the Hackney Empire in the evening. There was further news on the King’s attendance at the Final. The King would attend the match and stay until the end but was scheduled to leave before the presentations, but if His Majesty’s other engagements permitted, he would stay and present the trophy and medals but any speeches would be dispensed with.
Winston Churchill’s driver fined for speeding
At Bow Street Police Court, Winston Churchill’s chauffer was in the dock accused of speeding. The offence had taken place in St. James’s Park where three park-keepers timed Churchill’s car travelling over a one-furlong distance at 17 miles per hour. This contravened the speed limit of 12 mph in the park. Churchill’s witness was a detective-sergeant who told the court that he was sat next to the driver of the vehicle and at no time did he go over the limit. Churchill was not present in court and the driver who had a similar motoring speeding offence from the previous month was fined 40 shillings plus costs.
Burnley Team Return From Lytham
Burnley’s training regime at Lytham had included several activities, “The most stimulating day at Lytham when a sea breeze tempered the heat of a powerful sun. For the greater part of the week there has been a dead calm and much of the Burnley players time has been spent sailing. Rowing has formed a new and decidedly beneficial feature and the arms have been brought into play by liberal exercise at golf. There has been much walking and practically no ball practice.” (Daily Express 24/4/1914)
The players travelled back to Burnley from Lytham on Thursday afternoon and stayed overnight at Cronkshaw’s Hotel, their home training headquarters. “Tommy Boyle is quite himself again,” said Sportsman, “but the Burnley team will not be named until Saturday morning”
Friday 24th April 1914
The Burnley Team Depart
Huge Scenes at Station
From early on Friday morning, crowds began gathering at Burnley Bank Top railway station to wish the team good luck and see them off to London. The scene resembled that which greeted the team after their win at Goodison Park in the Semi-Final. The streets leading up to the station were packed with hundreds of well-wishers. The Burnley party of about 40 people; players, trainers, directors, and wives, arrived at 10:00 am. When they appeared on the platform they were given a hearty reception and Jerry Dawson whom it thought would not be fit to travel, was given the warmest cheer. All the players looked fit and well including Ronnie Sewell, Bob Reid and Levi Thorpe, the three reserves. The players wives travelled in the clubs saloon carriage together and were all joyous and happy. Before the Clarets set off on the 10:16 am train, Burnley captain Tommy Boyle told the press at Bank Top Station that, “all the men were well and in the pink of condition,” he said, “every man will try hard and I believe Burnley will win.”
The Burnley players all very looked smart in their suits, wearing matching claret and blue ties. But only nine of the eleven first team players were present. It was known Eddie Mosscrop was being picked up at Wigan station, but where was Bert Freeman? A phone call was made to the station master at Burnley Barracks station and Freeman was found on the platform there.
The train bearing the name plate, “East Lancashire’s Hope” pulled in and the Burnley party climbed onboard, the first four carriages reserved by the football club. When all were onboard, the carriage doors were slammed shut and the stationmaster raised his flag for the train driver to pull out. The Burnley players waved to the crowd from the carriage windows and the train slowly left the packed platform, to a sea of raised hats, waved handkerchiefs, cheers and hurrahs. As the train picked up speed over the viaduct, five fog detonators that had been placed on the rails, went off in a succession of loud booms that echoed across the town.
Dawson’s Injury Concern
The only Burnley player over which there was any concern was goalkeeper Jerry Dawson. Dawson was still suffering from badly bruised ribs. He had some ball practice at Lytham but the Burnley Express reported on the 25th April that, “he is not sure of himself and Sewell is being prepared for an emergency.”
Friday’s Manchester Guardian also picked up on Dawson’s injury, “It is stated that Sewell may play in place of Dawson who was injured the previous Saturday. [That information may show that the decision to replace Dawson with Sewell was not the shock news it was thought to be in some sources. Dawson had been suffering for the past month, first with a leg injury from the first Semi-Final game and then the rib injury he sustained at Manchester City. It would only have been common sense to have Sewell on standby for the Final.]
Burnley Reserves also were playing Bradford City in the Central League at Valley Parade on Saturday afternoon and Burnley’s third choice goalkeeper would have been told he was needed for the match to play in Sewell’s place.
Burnley Blind Enthusiast
The Manchester Guardian told the story of a Burnley supporter, a blind paper boy who had not missed a League match or Cup tie all season, “He has expressed his intention of going to London last night to ‘see’ the Final. So interested was he a few years ago when the ‘snowstorm’ match was played, he was then living at Blackburn, that he walked all the way and went on the ground as soon as the gates opened. He got wet to the skin but walked it back to Blackburn. That’s enthusiasm. He’s a merry chap and can always be heard behind the Bee Hole goal. (Manchester Guardian 24/4/1914)
Up West On A Friday Night
Figure 39: Charterhouse Square and Hotel, Smithfield (2014)
Figure 40: The London Palladium Programme 1914
After a lunch served on the train, the Burnley party arrived at London’s Euston railway station at 4:00 pm. A fleet of taxis decorated in the club colours was waiting and drove the party to Smithfield and The Charterhouse Hotel where they stayed for three nights. The hotel was Burnley’s regular base for matches in the capital. An early evening dinner was arranged at 5:00 pm where the team were joined by the former Burnley captain, Alec Leake, who was now the head coach at Crystal Palace F.C. Leake passed on his knowledge of The Palace facilities, the ground and of his experiences in the Cup. Before he left, Leake bade the Burnley team and party goodbye and said, “May I wish you from the bottom of my heart the very best of luck.” (Daily Express 24/4/1914)
As usual on a Friday evening, London was bustling. As the weekend began, the streets were thronged with commuters making their way home, theatre-goers arriving and tourists taking in the sights including the newly arrived contingent from Burnley. At 6:30 pm, The King and Queen returned from their visit to Paris at Victoria Station. Before that, the Burnley party departed Charterhouse Square for the first house show at the London Palladium to see the variety performance, ‘Town Topics.’ The comedy show starred George Robey - ‘The Prime Minister of Mirth’ along with Ella Retford, whose big hit was, ‘She’s a Lassie from Lancashire’ and Billy Williams - ‘When Father Papered the Parlour.’ Other classic musical-hits; ‘Boiled Beef and Carrots’, ‘Daisy, Daisy,’ Keep Right On to The End of the Road, and ‘Who’s your Lady Friend’ were performed during the show.
Across town at the Holborn Empire, Londoners were amazed as the worlds first colour film, ‘The World, The Flesh and the Devil,’ was screened in Kinemacolour, while at His Majesty’s Theatre in Haymarket, George Bernard Shaw’s play, Pygmalion was staged for the first time. In Covent Garden at the Royal Opera House, the Australian soprano, Nelly Melba, was on her fifth performance in a week. Front row seats at the opera costing one guinea. ‘Hello Ragtime’ was playing at the London Hippodrome, while all through the West End; noisy café’s belted out ragtime hits like Irving Berlin’s, ‘Alexander’s Ragtime Band.’
Burnley Supporters Depart
The majority of the cotton mills in Burnley closed on Friday night at 6:00 pm and wouldnt re-open until Monday morning, some had even closed until Tuesday. A large proportion of the towns population would make the journey to see the Final, predominantly male supporters but there were a number of females,
“Most of the excursionists carried the Burnley colours in their headgear or button-holes whilst the women enthusiasts in many cases wore costumes in which the Burnley colours were the dominant note. Fourteen special trains left Friday night with approximately a thousand on board each train.” There was no worry about the future and the crowds that departed during the night were boisterously happy. The local Co-operative Society in Burnley ran a special train with about a thousand people on board. Every seat at the Palace was sold a month ago and you couldn’t get one even if you offered two guineas.” (Manchester Guardian 25/4/1914)
The cost of the going to the Cup Final would have been expensive, with the cheapest train ticket costing 12 shillings for a day return, (Altham’s price - GNR and other train company prices may have been slightly cheaper.) A day out would have been the equivalent to almost a weeks pay for a manual worker, but this was the Cup Final, and money was found, somehow. “To go to London was the only thing thought of, even if sideboards and pianos were sold to pay the expenses.” (Manchester Guardian)
“Despite the depression in the cotton trade in consequence of which the mills are running short time, the bookings have been unusually heavy and scenes unprecedented in the history of Burnley excursions were seen at Bank Top and Manchester Road stations last night,” said the Burnley News.
By the time the pubs and clubs had called last orders in Burnley, thousands of supporters started making their way to Burnley’s five railway stations to catch the overnight trains. Up to 12,000 people, more than a tenth of the population left on the overnight trains and they were joined by another 4,000 who departed early the following morning. “There was lusty cheering at the stations as the trains departed and much playing of the various instruments which made excruciating music,” said the Manchester Guardian. The main overnight route taken was via the GNR East-Coast line via Wakefield a journey time of six hours that would see the claret and blue army arrive at London King’s Cross, St Pancras and Marylebone stations around dawn.
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Liverpool Supporters Depart
There were similar scenes in Liverpool. At Liverpool Lime Street and Central stations, thousands queued at midnight for the special trains. People joined at Birkenhead, Woodside, Bootle, Huyton, Earlestown and St. Helens. More trains departed at midnight for London from Warrington, Wigan and Manchester. One of the liveliest departures was a party of Liverpool dock workers and their wives. While waiting for their 11:00 pm train at Alexander Dock station, they danced on the platform to the strains of concertinas. Thomas Cook and Son, told the press that 25 hotels had been booked for the weekend and over 30 restaurants reserved. Cook’s were expecting a large number of visitors that would decide to stay in London until Monday or Tuesday.
The Burnley Cup Team
The Burnley team, a set of lads
Who always play the game
And season after season they
Keep adding to their fame.
For stamina no one can beat,
They never do give up;
That’s the reason why, I think,
They’ll win the English Cup.
In goal there’s Jerry Dawson
Who’s very hard to beat;
He does his work in splendid style,
And does it very neat.
Then there’s Bamford and there’s Taylor,
Two backs of great renown
Who in the tightest pressure
They can always hold their own.
In Halley, Boyle and Watson,
Three half-backs really fine;
No matter who they play against,
They’re always sure to shine.
In the centre there is Freeman,
Who leads the forwards well;
About his speed and shooting
Many goalkeepers can tell.
On the left there’s Hodgson and Mosscrop
Two of the very best
Who never give the opposing backs
A single minute’s rest.
At inside-right there’s Lindley who’s very clever too;
He plays with head as well as feet
And passes very true.
The last to praise is Nesbitt
A youngster who is fast
And though he is not quite a star
He’s a trier to the last.
Now the Burnley boys are going strong
I think you will agree
And why they should not win the Cup
I really cannot see.
(By G.W. Burnley Express, April 1914)
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Final Preparations At The Crystal Palace
The Times described the final preparations that had been made at the Crystal Palace on the Friday. “The Royal Box, gay with crimson covered rails and the Royal Arms is in the Pavilion Stand between stands A and B in the middle of the west side of the ground so that the sun is behind it in the afternoon. The Royal Party is expected to number fourteen. The King will not pass through the Palace on his way to the ground. He comes as a guest of the Football Association and not the Crystal Palace Company.”
The Times went on to describe the grounds, “The Crystal Palace grounds are just now beautiful with all the spring flowering shrubs and trees in flower. Just inside the Sydenham gate by which the royal party will enter is a magnolia tree in full and very abundant blossom. Thence the drive winds past the lily tank, the surface of which is covered by lily beds just now. The wide park like stretches if undulating turf are brilliantly emerald at this time of the season with an abundance of blossoms of berberry, magnolia, lilac and flowering cherries. Above the cycle track past the Eddystone Lighthouse and across the Grand Avenue with its lines of Plane trees to the Pavilion stand, The King will have an opportunity to see it at its best.” (The Times 24/4/1914)
Precautions Against Suffragists
The Times also gave details of the security arrangements at The Palace. “Unusual precautions have of course, been taken to protect the Palace and the football stands against danger from suffragists. Ever since the attack on the Rokeby Venus* all the entrances into the Palace grounds as well as the doors from the grounds into the Palace itself, have been closed at 7 o’clock each evening. It was thought best not to allow any persons in the grounds after it grew dusk. Since it was intended that the King intended to be present at the Cup Final, precautions have been increased and the structures about the football ground in particular have been under close watch by night and day.”
“The Crystal Palace grounds offer an obviously tempting mark to a suffragist with a taste for outrage, filled as they are with a number of buildings of all sorts and sizes which must be necessarily be difficult to keep under surveillance. The temptation to incendiarism may be diminished by a suspicion that not a few of the buildings could be destroyed without exciting any great public grief.” (The Times 25/4/1914)
The Football Association and the Crystal Palace company faced with the Royal party’s security would be taking no chances. A large security presence was in evidence at the Palace on the day of the match. “A small army of men had been engaged at the Palace to prevent any suffragette disturbances,” said the Burnley News. There were a large number of police surrounding the Pavilion and also stationed around the pitch.
There was another visitor to Sydenham, a regular at this time of the year. “Those who go to the Palace today may have a chance to hear the cuckoo, for the birds were calling yesterday for the first time this year on the wooded slopes of Sydenham Hill almost as if they had come on purpose to see the match. This is four days earlier than their arrival last year.” (The Times 25/4/1914)
Liverpool Are Cup Favourites
The Daily Express, the Daily Mirror and now the Times all favoured Liverpool to win the Final. “In the preliminary ties, Liverpool certainly distinguished themselves more than their opponents.” That was an interesting analysis bearing in mind Liverpool’s drawn game at Anfield with Barnsley, then a win over the Gillingham, a draw and a replay against West Ham and 2-1 victory over QPR. Three clubs who were not in the Football League at the time. The first time Liverpool had met a First Division side was in the Semi-Final against Cup holders Aston Villa. “Their [Liverpools] victory was a magnificent achievement,” lauded The Times.
Burnley meanwhile had beaten four First Division sides along the way - then a record which The Times had clearly overlooked...
“Burnley have no such triumph to their credit in the Cup competition. They beat Sunderland, last years finalists in the replay on their own ground after a drawn game at Roker Park, but this and other victories were won by a process of ‘plugging away,’ helped by all the good luck that was going. In view of these circumstances, Liverpool are the favourites...” (The Times 24/4/1914)
That article would have made welcome reading for any of the Burnley party travelling to London on Friday afternoon. It would have incensed any Burnley supporters reading it and would have certainly brought a reaction from the Burnley players had they seen it. It would have given the unfancied Burnley, all the motivation to win the match they needed.
As the Burnley players returned to Charterhouse Square after their visit to The Palladium and an early night, they knew tomorrow might be their only chance. Two Burnley players knew what tomorrow would bring. Full-back Dave Taylor had tasted victory in the Cup Final three years before with Bradford City. He already had a winner’s medal. In 1910, Tommy Boyle had played at The Palace in the Final, his Second Division Barnsley team drawing 1-1 with Newcastle United. After Barnsley had led for much of the game, Boyle had seen victory snatched away from him in the final minutes following a disputed offside goal. The following week, Barnsley lost the replay 2-0 at Goodison Park. Boyle knew he might not get a third chance. It had to be tomorrow or nothing.
In Burnley, working late in the Burnley Express newspaper offices, before he caught one of the overnight trains, Sportsman had finished his copy and was searching for the right headline for Saturday’s Cup Final special edition. After some deliberation, the words finally came. He used a form of Lord Nelson’s rallying call to his forces on the eve of the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Four words that said everything;
BURNLEY EXPECTS – THE CUP
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(*The Rokeby Venus is a 17th century painting of a nude by Velazquez that hangs in the National Gallery. On the 10th March 1914 the painting was slashed by suffragette Mary Richardson in protest over the recent arrest of fellow suffragist Emmeline Pankhurst.)