:1905–06 New Brompton F.C. season

New Brompton, founded in 1893,{{sfn|Mitchell|Reeves|Tyler|2013|p=140}} had played in the Southern League since the competition's formation in 1894.{{sfn|Blakeman|Robinson|2014|p=4}} The 1905–06 season was the club's 11th season in Division One, the league's top division, following promotion from Division Two at the first attempt in 1895. In the 1904–05 season New Brompton had finished 9th out of 18 teams in the division, only the third time in 11 seasons that they had finished in the top half of the league table.{{sfn|Blakeman|Robinson|2014|p=6}} At the time, only a handful of teams from the south of England played in the ostensibly national Football League, with most of the south's leading teams playing in the Southern League.{{sfn|Soar|Tyler|1983|p=177}}

The club did not employ a manager at the time and secretary William Ironside Groombridge had overall responsibility for the team. He was assisted by a trainer called F. Craddock.{{sfn|Triggs|1999|p=21}} James Barnes was chairman of the club's board of directors.{{Sfn|Bradley|Triggs|1994|p=392}} The team wore the club's usual black and white striped shirts.{{sfn|Triggs|1999|p=21}} Several new players joined the club prior to the season, including Bill Floyd, a full-back from Gainsborough Trinity,{{sfn|Bradley|Triggs|1994|p=40}} and three forwards, Bill Marriott from Northampton Town,{{Cite web | url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110460216|page=6| work = Nottingham Evening Post | access-date = 30 September 2022 | via = Newspapers.com|url-access=subscription | title = Sporting Notes| date =13 May 1905}} Jim Sheridan from Stoke,{{Cite web | url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110461211|page=17| work = Staffordshire Sentinel | access-date = 30 September 2022 | via = Newspapers.com|url-access=subscription | title = Filling the Gaps| date =19 August 1905}} and Harry Phillips from Grimsby Town.{{sfn|Bradley|Triggs|1994|p=40}} Walter Leigh, the team's top goalscorer of the previous season, moved on, joining Clapton Orient,{{sfn|Brown|2003|p=22}}{{Cite web | url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110627939|page=3| work = Nottingham Evening Post | access-date = 3 October 2022 | via = Newspapers.com|url-access=subscription | title = Sporting Notes| date =17 August 1905}} newly elected to the Football League Second Division.{{sfn|Mitchell|Reeves|Tyler|2013|p=166}}

File:QPRBrompton1905.jpg in the first game of the Southern League season.]]

The club's first match of the season, on 2 September, was away to Queens Park Rangers; Floyd, Phillips, Sheridan and Marriott all made their Southern League debuts for New Brompton.{{sfn|Brown|2003|p=23}} Queens Park Rangers scored two goals in each half to win 4–0; the correspondent for The Daily News stated that the home team were "the better side at every point" and well deserved their large victory.{{Cite web | url = https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000051/19050904/198/0011| work = The Daily News | access-date = 28 September 2022 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription | title = Rangers' Rousing Victory|page=11| date = 4 September 1905}} The first Southern League game of the season at New Brompton's ground, Priestfield Road, a week later against Bristol Rovers, resulted in a 3–0 win for the away team.{{sfn|Brown|2003|p=23}}{{Cite web | url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110402729|page=3| work = Derby Daily Telegraph | access-date = 29 September 2022 | via = Newspapers.com|url-access=subscription | title = Southern League: New Brompton v Bristol Rovers| date = 11 September 1905}} Phillips scored New Brompton's first Southern League goal of the season on 16 September and the team achieved their first victory, beating Northampton Town 2–0,{{sfn|Brown|2003|p=23}}{{Cite web | url = https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000051/19050918/190/0011| work = The Daily News | access-date = 29 September 2022 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription | title = Northampton Forwards Go to Pieces|page=11| date = 18 September 1905}} before losing again in their next game, a 4–0 defeat away to Portsmouth.{{Cite web | url = https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003216/19050924/623/0029| work = Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper | access-date = 30 September 2022 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription | title = Portsmouth Score Four Times|page=29| date = 24 September 1905}} After a goalless draw with Swindon Town, New Brompton were 15th out of 18 teams in the Division One table at the end of September.{{Cite web | url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110451000|page=4| work = Daily Telegraph | access-date = 30 September 2022 | via = Newspapers.com|url-access=subscription | title = Southern League| date =2 October 1905}}

On 7 October, New Brompton lost 5–0 away to Millwall, the first time the team had conceded as many goals in a Southern League match since December 1903.{{sfn|Brown|2003|pp=21–23}} Two weeks later, they failed to score a goal for the sixth time in eight Southern League games and were defeated 6–0 by Tottenham Hotspur, the team's biggest defeat of the season. The correspondent for the Daily Telegraph said that New Brompton had been "completely outplay[ed]".{{Cite web | url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110397501|page=10| work = Daily Telegraph | access-date = 29 September 2022 | via = Newspapers.com|url-access=subscription | title = Southern League| date = 23 October 1905}}{{sfn|Elligate|2009|p=162}} The team ended the month with their second Southern League victory of the season, a 2–1 win over Brentford. The first match of November, however, resulted in another defeat as New Brompton lost 4–1 to Norwich City;{{sfn|Brown|2003|p=23}} the result left New Brompton 16th in the table. Their record of having conceded 28 goals in 10 games was by far the worst in the division; no other team had conceded more than 20 and only one other had conceded more than 16.{{Cite web | url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110636898|page=9| work = Western Daily Press | access-date = 3 October 2022 | via = Newspapers.com|url-access=subscription | title = Southern League| date =6 November 1905}} The team's winless run continued for the rest of the month as they drew with Plymouth Argyle and Southampton and lost to Reading.{{sfn|Brown|2003|p=23}} John Campbell, a former Scottish international forward newly signed from Hibernian,{{Cite web | url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110637530|page=3| work = East Kent Gazette| access-date = 3 October 2022 | via = Newspapers.com|url-access=subscription | title = Football Jottings| date =25 November 1905}}{{sfn|Joyce|2004|p=50}} made his debut against Reading.{{sfn|Brown|2003|p=23}}

New Brompton began December with a game away to Watford; they twice took the lead only for Watford to equalise and the game ended in a draw.{{Cite web | url = https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000986/19051204/104/0006| work = Athletic News | access-date = 4 October 2022 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription | title = Watford and Brompton Score Twice|page=6| date = 4 December 1905}} The team lost their next two games, away to West Ham United and at home to Fulham.{{sfn|Brown|2003|p=23}} On Christmas Day, New Brompton beat Brighton & Hove Albion 1–0; Campbell scored the winner from a penalty kick, his first goal for the club.{{sfn|Brown|2003|p=23}} New Brompton ended 1905 with a 2–0 home defeat to Queens Park Rangers; John Martin, normally a full-back, played as goalkeeper in place of Fred Griffiths. The Athletic News referred to this as a trial arrangement, but Martin retained the position for most of the remainder of the season.{{sfn|Brown|2003|p=23}}{{Cite web | url = https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000986/19060101/085/0006|page=6| work = Athletic News | access-date = 3 October 2022 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription | title = Rangers Rout New Brompton| date = 1 January 1906}} The reporter for the Athletic News wrote that on the whole New Brompton played as well as their opponents but that their forwards "proved quite incapable of turning to account the many openings which fell their way".

File:Priestfield1906.jpg

New Brompton's first Southern League game of 1906 was away to Bristol Rovers, who were reduced to ten men before half-time when their goalkeeper went off injured. For the second time in three games, Campbell scored the winning goal with a penalty kick.{{sfn|Brown|2003|p=23}}{{Cite web | url = https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000986/19060108/086/0006| work = Athletic News | access-date = 4 October 2022 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription | title = Bristol Rovers Disappoint|page=6| date = 8 January 1906}} The team next beat Northampton Town, the only time during the season that they won two consecutive Southern League games.{{sfn|Brown|2003|p=23}} New Brompton's next game drew an attendance reported at 5,500, the largest of the season at Priestfield Road; the Athletic News attributed the large turnout to "the recent smart performances of the local eleven".{{Cite web | url = https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000986/19060129/076/0006| work = Athletic News | access-date = 4 October 2022 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription | title = Portsmouth's Lucky Win|page=6| date = 29 January 1906}} The match, however, ended in the first of two consecutive 1–0 defeats for New Brompton.{{sfn|Brown|2003|p=23}}

The team's winless Southern League run extended to four games with defeats away to Luton Town on 17 February and Brentford on 3 March.{{sfn|Brown|2003|p=23}} New Brompton then defeated Tottenham Hotspur, who were second in the league table ahead of the game,{{Cite web | url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110747132|page=4| work = Midland Daily Telegraph | access-date = 5 October 2022 | via = Newspapers.com|url-access=subscription | title = Football League Tables| date = 5 March 1906}} at Priestfield Road. Paddy Travers scored the only goal to give his team what the Daily Telegraph{{'}}s reporter described as their best result of the season; the writer praised the New Brompton defence as "very sound".{{Cite web | url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110747041|page=5| work = Daily Telegraph | access-date = 5 October 2022 | via = Newspapers.com|url-access=subscription | title = Southern League| date = 6 March 1906}} After this victory, the team played five more games in March and failed to score in any of them.{{sfn|Brown|2003|p=19}} After a goalless draw at home to Norwich City, they lost 5–0 away to Plymouth Argyle. According to the Athletic News, New Brompton were "quite outclassed" by Plymouth and "had [Plymouth] doubled the number of their goals they would have occasioned little surprise".{{Cite web | url = https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000986/19060319/122/0006| work = Athletic News | access-date = 5 October 2022 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription | title = Argyle Win Readily at Home|page=6| date = 19 March 1906}} Three further defeats left New Brompton bottom of the table at the end of March.{{sfn|Brown|2003|p=19}}{{Cite web | url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110768850| work = Daily Telegraph | access-date = 5 October 2022 | via = Newspapers.com|url-access=subscription | title = League Championships| date = 2 April 1906}} Goalkeeper Harry Metherell, who had played one Southern League game two years earlier but not been included in the team since, was included in the line-up against Reading and retained his place for the rest of the season.{{sfn|Brown|2003|pp=21–23}}

After five games without scoring, New Brompton defeated Watford 2–0 in the first match of April.{{Cite web | url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110769770|page=16| work = The People | access-date = 5 October 2022 | via = Newspapers.com|url-access=subscription | title = New Brompton v Watford| date = 8 April 1906}} Their next two games resulted in goalless draws against Brighton & Hove Albion and West Ham United;{{sfn|Brown|2003|p=23}} the Athletic News was again critical of New Brompton's forwards against West Ham, saying that the team's "lack of success was mainly due to the inability of their front line to accept the gifts which the fortune of the game offered".{{Cite web | url = https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000986/19060423/126/0006|page=6| work = Athletic News | access-date = 5 October 2022 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription | title = No Goals at Gillingham| date = 23 April 1906}} New Brompton's final game of the season was away to Fulham, who had already clinched the championship of Division One,{{Cite web | url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110351650|page=3| work = Westminster and Pimlico News | access-date = 28 September 2022 | via = Newspapers.com|url-access=subscription | title = Fulham Champions of the Southern League| date =27 April 1906}} and resulted in a 1–0 defeat.{{sfn|Brown|2003|p=23}} New Brompton finished the season 17th out of 18 teams in the league table, above only Northampton Town.{{sfn|Blakeman|Robinson|2014|p=7}} The team had failed to score in eight of the last nine games of the Southern League season;{{sfn|Brown|2003|p=23}} the final total of 20 league goals was half the figure recorded in the previous season and the lowest figure New Brompton had registered in 12 seasons of competitive football.{{sfn|Blakeman|Robinson|2014|pp=4–7}}

;Key

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

• In result column, New Brompton's score shown first
• H = Home match
• A = Away match

{{col-2}}

• pen. = Penalty kick
• o.g. = Own goal

{{col-end}}

{{main|1905–06 Southern Football League#Division One}}

{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL|

|float=left

|teamwidth=auto

|title=Southern League Division One final table, bottom positions

|use_goal_average=yes|winpoints=2

|highest_pos=15

|team15=EXE|name_EXE=Swindon Town

|team16=REA|name_REA=Brighton & Hove Albion

|team17=BRE|name_BRE=New Brompton

|team18=GIL|name_GIL=Northampton Town

|win_EXE=8|draw_EXE=9|loss_EXE=17|gf_EXE=31|ga_EXE=52

|win_REA=9|draw_REA=7|loss_REA=18|gf_REA=30|ga_REA=55

|win_BRE=7|draw_BRE=8|loss_BRE=19|gf_BRE=20|ga_BRE=62

|win_GIL=8|draw_GIL=5|loss_GIL=21|gf_GIL=32|ga_GIL=79

|update=complete|title_source={{sfn|Blakeman|Robinson|2014|p=7}}

}}

{{-}}

New Brompton entered the 1905–06 FA Cup at the first-round stage, where they played at home to fellow Southern League Division One club Northampton Town. New Brompton took the lead in the first half and, although their opponents equalised after the interval, Marriott scored a winning goal for the home team.{{Cite web | url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110396549|page=15| work = Staffordshire Sentinel | access-date = 29 September 2022 | via = Newspapers.com|url-access=subscription | title = New Brompton v Northampton| date =13 January 1906}} In the second round, New Brompton played at home to another Southern League Division One team, Southampton; the match finished 0–0, necessitating a replay at the Dell. Southampton scored the only goal of the second game in the final minute to eliminate New Brompton from the competition.{{Cite web | url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110630714|page=7| work = Birmingham Gazette and Express | access-date = 3 October 2022 | via = Newspapers.com|url-access=subscription | title = Bravo, Brighton!| date =8 February 1906}}

;Key

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

• In result column, New Brompton's score shown first
• H = Home match
• A = Away match

{{col-2}}

• pen. = Penalty kick
• o.g. = Own goal

{{col-end}}

;Results{{sfn|Brown|2003|p=23}}

File:Percy Barnfather 1906.jpg made 24 appearances during the season.]]

File:FredGriffiths.jpg played 18 times. At the time, goalkeepers wore the same colours as their teammates.{{sfn|Davies|2003|p=51}}]]

During the season, 23 players made at least one appearance for New Brompton. Joe Walton made the most; he played in 36 of the team's 37 competitive games, missing only one league game. Travers and Joe Elliott also made 30 or more appearances and four others played more than 25 times. Two players made only one appearance each: Albert Webb and a player recorded only as Page.{{sfn|Brown|2003|p=23}} Marriott was the top goalscorer; he scored four times in the Southern League and once in the FA Cup.{{sfn|Brown|2003|p=23}} His total of five goals was the lowest with which a player had finished a season as top scorer in the club's history.{{sfn|Brown|2003|pp=12–23}} Arthur Beadsworth scored four goals and two players scored three each; no other player scored more than once.{{sfn|Brown|2003|p=23}}

{{refbegin}}

FW = {{Fb position, HB = {{Fb position, GK = {{Fb position, FB = {{Fb position

{{refend}}

At the annual meeting of the Southern League, the member clubs voted unanimously to increase the number of teams in Division One and New Brompton were re-elected to the division for the subsequent season.{{sfn|Blakeman|Robinson|2014|p=7}}{{Cite web | url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/134335896|page=6| work = Grimsby Evening Telegraph | access-date = 30 October 2023| via = Newspapers.com|url-access=subscription | title = The Southern League| date =28 May 1906}} The team's performance improved slightly in the following season, as New Brompton finished 16th in a 20-team division.{{sfn|Blakeman|Robinson|2014|p=7}} The club, which changed its name to Gillingham in 1912,{{sfn|Elligate|2009|p=102}} remained in the Southern League Division One until 1920 when the entire division was absorbed into the Football League to form its new Third Division.{{sfn|Elligate|2009|p=97}}

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book

| last1 = Blakeman

| first1 = Mick

|first2= Michael|last2= Robinson

| title = Non-League Football Tables 1889–2014

| publisher = Soccer Books Limited

| year = 2014

| isbn = 978-1-86223-299-0

}}

• {{cite book

| last1 = Bradley

| first1 = Andy

|first2= Roger|last2= Triggs

| title = Home of the Shouting Men: Complete History of Gillingham Football Club 1893–1993

| publisher = Gillingham F.C.

| year = 1994

| isbn = 0-95233-610-3

}}

• {{cite book | last = Brown | first = Tony | title = The Definitive Gillingham F.C.: A Complete Record | publisher = Soccerdata | year = 2003 | isbn = 978-1-8994-6820-1 }}
• {{cite book |last=Davies |first=Hunter |title=Boots, Balls and Haircuts: An Illustrated History of Football from Then to Now |isbn=978-1-84403-261-7 |year=2003 |publisher=Cassell Illustrated }}
• {{cite book | last = Elligate | first = David | title = Gillingham FC On This Day | publisher = Pitch Publishing | year = 2009 | isbn = 978-1-9054-1145-0}}
• {{cite book | first=Michael|last=Joyce | title=Football League Players' Records 1888 – 1939| publisher=Soccerdata| year=2004| isbn=1-899468-67-6}}
• {{cite book | last1 = Mitchell | first1 = Colin| last2 = Reeves | first2 = Jon| last3 = Tyler | first3 = Daniel | title = The History of English Football Clubs | publisher = New Holland Publishers | year = 2013 | isbn = 978-1-78009-449-6 }}
• {{Cite book|last1=Soar|first1=Phil|first2=Martin|last2=Tyler|title=Encyclopedia of British Football|year=1983|publisher=Collins Willow|isbn=978-0-0021-8049-8}}
• {{cite book | first=Roger|last= Triggs | title=Images of England: Gillingham Football Club| publisher=Tempus Publishing Ltd | year=1999| isbn=978-0-75241-567-3}}

{{Gillingham F.C. seasons}}

{{1905–06 in English football}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1905-06 New Brompton F.C. season}}

Category:Gillingham F.C. seasons

GNew Brompton Fc Season, 1905-06