Birch F.C. was an English rugby and association football club from Rusholme, founded in around 1870 as a club playing originally just the association code.[1]
| Full name | Birch Football Club |
|---|---|
| Founded | c. 1870 |
| Dissolved | 1890s |
| Ground | Longsight Cricket Club |
History
editBy 1878, the club mostly played rugby only, but in April 1878 played a friendly against Queen's Park because "it has lately been practising the dribbling as well as the Rugby game",[2] due to a former Queen's Park player (James Strang) joining the club. The club entered the FA Cup the next season, but scratched when drawn at home to Darwen.[3]
In October 1878, the association part of the club broke away to form Manchester Wanderers[4][5] while the Birch club joined the Rugby Football Union.[6] In 1881 Birch was a founder member of the Lancashire County Rugby Football Union.[7]
The club ceased to exist in the 1890s.[8]
Ground
editThe club played at the Longsight Cricket Ground.[9]
Notable players
editThomas Slaney, the first Stoke City manager, guested for the team against Queen's Park.
References
edit- ^ "Birch Football Club v Rusholme Grammar School". Manchester Courier: 7. 1 March 1870.
- ^ "Birch 0-6 Queen's Park". The Sportsman: 3. 8 April 1878.
- ^ "report". Bell's Life: 5. 23 November 1878.
- ^ James, Gary (2014). "The Emergence of an Association Football Culture in Manchester 1840–1884". Sport in History. 34: 49–74. doi:10.1080/17460263.2013.873075. S2CID 145361026.
- ^ "report". Athletic News: 2. 23 October 1878.
- ^ Alcock, Charles (1879). Football Annual. London: Cricket Press. p. 29.
- ^ Marshall, Francis (1892). Football: the Rugby Union Game.
- ^ Stewart, Ant. "Rusholme Ruffians".
- ^ "Birch club". Guardian: 7. 8 October 1877.
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