Heroes & Villains > Heroes Discussion
South African tour of 1899
dave.woodhall:
John Russell (who else) has unearthed a load of information about this. I'll post it when I return.
eliotpollak:
Excellent
dave.woodhall:
John, God bless him, "couldn't find much." This is his 'not much' about an obscure friendly from the century before last.
Report 30 June 1899 Arrangements have been made for the visit of a Kaffir football team to England next season. The visitors will tour under the auspices of the Orange Free State Club.
Their opening match will be against AV in Aeptember and a fixture has also been settled with Sheffield United. The Kaffirs will play in Bristol and then tour South Wales. The team is said to be strong, the players being of splendid physique.
report 19 August 1899 ... the opening engagement will be with AV in the first week of September. W.Williams of Llanelly is acting for the visitors and has arranged over 40 fixtures with the crack combinations in England and Scotland. The Kaffir team who with reserves will number 18 are first class players with wonderful staying powers
Report 29 August 1899 The football match arranged between Aston Villa and the Kaffirs for Friday (September 1st) has been indefinitely postponed on account of the team having missed their connection in CAPETOWN, due, it is thought to the floods. They do not arrive until next week.
(So the cancellation was nothing to do with the fact that Villa were due at Sunderland on Sat Sep 2 - what sort of team were the villa going to put out? - JR)
A decided compliment was on Monday (20th November 1899) paid to Wheldon the tricky AV forward by the Kaffirs who played a game with the Villa at Aston in aid of the local Reservists fund.
They averred that Wheldon was "the mightiest football chief they had ever seen", and indeed some of his passing work amazed most of the crowd. The Kaffirs, who paid their own expenses to Birmingham so that the gross great receipts might go to the fund, were beaten by 7 goals to 4."
Just as fascinating is the next item...
"Howard Spencer, the Aston Villa player who received a kick on the knee at Liverpool has been found extremely lame.......
"When he reached Birmingham the limb was so stiff that he could not walk home, and there being no cabs, he had to stay at a neighbouring hotel.
"He will probably be out of the team for two or three weeks"
The Kaffir story continues....
"The Kaffirs, who are making a long tour of the country visited Portsmouth on Wednesday (6 December 1899) and were entertained by the Portsmouth Reserves at Fratton Park. The Africans had not much idea of football, and although Portsmouth took matters very calmly, they won by 7 goals to 3."
They then played Bristol City at St. Johns Lane, Bristol on New Years Day 1900 at 2.15. The pre-match publicity states, "they have been touring England, Scotland and France and although the do not profess to be quite the equals of AV, Sunderland and other clubs of note they have had the honour of playing against them."
Rudy Can't Fail:
Brilliant.
Woofles The Wonder Dog:
Please pass on a doff of the cap to John.
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