Phoenix Bessemer Football Club was an English association football club based in the large town of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England.

Phoenix Bessemer
Full namePhoenix Bessemer Cricket and Football Club
Founded1876
Dissolved1883?
GroundThe Ickles

History

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The club was in origin the works outfit of the Phoenix Bessemer steel company (formerly Messrs Steel, Tozer, and Hampton),[1] spun out of the cricket club, and claimed a foundation date of 1876.[2] The club may have started playing under Sheffield Rules, although by 1876 they were nearly indistinguishable from the association football laws.

The club entered the FA Cup in 1882. Its 8–1 win over Grimsby Town during that seasons FA Cup competition is still its opponents record biggest defeat.[3]

The club's FA Cup appearance seems to be the last of the club in football, as there are no further records of matches.

Colours

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The club played in navy blue.[4]

League and cup history

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Phoenix Bessemer League and Cup history[5][6][7]
Season FA Cup
1882–83 3rd Round

Records

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References

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  1. ^ "Football". Sheffield Independent: 7. 31 August 1878.
  2. ^ Alcock, Charles (1879). Football Annual. p. 101.
  3. ^ It is unclear what the score was, but was likely to have been 8-1. Football: A Weekly Record of the Game (29 November 1882, p. 140), the Sheffield Daily Telegraph (27 November 1882, p. 7) and the Leeds Mercury (27 November 1882, p. 7) all record the score as 8-1; the Hull News (2 December 1882, p. 6) does not give a score, but implies that it was 8-1, as it records the half-time score as being 5-1; while the Sheffield Independent (27 November 1882, p. 4 and 2 December 1882, p. 12) records the score as 7-1, with the half-time score being 4-1, and the Derbyshire Times (2 December 1882, p. 6) just gives the score as being 7-1. It was not, however, 9-1, as often recorded.
  4. ^ Alcock, Charles (1880). Football Annual. p. 97.
  5. ^ "The website for the English football association, the Emirates FA Cup and the England football team".
  6. ^ "Club Phoenix Bessemer, England".
  7. ^ "Football Club History Database - Phoenix Bessemer".