1884–85 Eastville Rovers F.C. season
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox football club season
|club = Eastville Rovers
|season = 1884–85
|image =
|image_size =
|alt =
|caption =
|mgrtitle = Captain
|manager = Bill Somerton
|stdtitle = Ground
|stadium = Three Acres
|pattern_b1 = _goldrightsash
|leftarm1 = 000000
|body1 = 000000
|rightarm1 = 000000
|shorts1 = 000000
|socks1 = 000000
|prevseason = 1883–84
|nextseason = 1885–86
}}
The 1884–85 season was the second to be played by the team that are now known as Bristol Rovers, and their first playing under the name Eastville Rovers.
Season review
As well as a new name, the team moved to a new ground known as Three Acres in the Ashley Down area of Bristol,Byrne & Jay (2003), p.29 and appointed Bill Somerton as captain.Byrne & Jay (2014), p.10 As with their previous season, the club played only friendly matches. Boxing, Cricket and Rugby were the most popular sports in Bristol at the time, and only a small number of association football teams played in the city, limiting the potential opposition for Rovers.Byrne & Jay (2003), p.28
The full details of the games played this season are not known, but they suffered a 7–1 defeat at the hands of Warmley some time before a second eleven lost 2–1 to the same opposition on 8 November 1884.{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000035/18841111/007/0005 |title=Football |date=11 November 1884 |work=Bristol Mercury |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }} Two matches were scheduled against Gloucester, in Gloucester on 27 December and in Bristol on 7 February,{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000325/18841121/029/0004 |title=Association Matches |date=21 November 1884 |work=Gloucester Citizen |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }} and there were also games played against Bristol Wagon Works, Clifton Wanderers, Melksham, Right Against Might, St George, and Wotton-under-Edge.
In addition to these games, a match was arranged against a team in Cardiff, but this had to be cancelled when the Rovers team refused to travel on the Aust Ferry.Byrne & Jay (2003), p.30
Known results
=First team=
=Second team=
| class="wikitable"
!Date!!Opponent!!Venue!!Result!!Notes | ||||
| 8 November | Warmley 2nd XI | Warmley, Gloucestershire | Lost 1–2 | |
| 29 November | Warmley 2nd XI | Purdown, Bristol | Drew 0–0 | {{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000264/18841204/015/0003 |title=Football |date=4 December 1884 |work=Western Daily Press |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }} |
References
{{reflist|30em}}
Bibliography
- {{cite book |last1=Byrne |first1=Stephen |last2=Jay |first2=Mike |title=Bristol Rovers Football Club: The Definitive History 1883–2003 |year=2003 |publisher=Tempus |location=Stroud |isbn=0-7524-2717-2}}
- {{cite book |last1=Byrne |first1=Stephen |last2=Jay |first2=Mike |title=Bristol Rovers: The Official Definitive History |year=2014 |publisher=Amberley |location=Stroud |isbn=978-1-4456-3619-1}}
{{Bristol Rovers F.C. seasons}}
{{1884–85 in English football}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:1884-54 Eastville Rovers F.C. season}}