The 1888–89 season was the sixth to be played by the team that is now known as Bristol Rovers, and their fifth playing under the name Eastville Rovers. It was significant as being the first season in which the club won a trophy, taking the Gloucestershire Cup title in just the second year of the tournament's existence.
Season review
Before the season began, Fred Channing was re-elected as club captain, with W.J. Somerton continuing in his role of vice captain. S. Burgess and W. Braund were re-elected as second XI captain and vice captain respectively, and W.S. Perrin was confirmed as the club's secretary and treasurer. The start of the second Gloucestershire Cup tournament was deferred until January due to some clubs being unhappy with the interference the competition had caused with the regular club match schedule the previous season.
The draw for the first round of the Cup was made on the 13 December. Eleven teams entered the competition this year, four more than in its inaugural season, and Eastville Rovers were paired with St Agnes in one of three ties in the opening round. The other fixtures were Warmley v Old Boys, Q.E.H. (who had been known as Globe F.C. until this season) and Clifton v St George. Southville, Wick & Doynton, St Simon, Kingswood, and Craigmore College were all given byes to the second round.
Rovers were victorious against St Agnes, earning them a second-round tie against tournament newcomers Wick & Doynton. This game was played in Warmley, and refereed by world-famous cricketer W. G. Grace, but following a 2–1 defeat to the Eastville club the home team appealed the result, claiming that proper procedures hadn't been followed when appointing the match official. The Gloucestershire FA upheld the complaint and the game was replayed two weeks after the original tie with a new referee taking charge. The standard of the officiating of the replayed match was the subject of some criticism, both by the local press and the crowd in attendance on the day, but the outcome was an identical result to when the game was played originally.
A goalless draw against Kingswood in the semi-final led to a replay on the Chequers Ground, which looked like ending in another stalemate until Walter Perrin grabbed a late winner for Eastville. This earned them their first appearance in the final, where they would face pre-match favourites, and one of the strongest teams in the Bristol area, Warmley. Perrin was again the hero in the final, scoring the only goal at the St George Cricket & Football Club in front of an estimated 3,000 spectators.
Results First team Gloucestershire Cup RoundDateOpponentVenueResultScorersNotes126 January 1889St AgnesAshley Hill, BristolWon 3–1Higgins (2), LaurieByrne & Jay (2003), p.31216 February 1889Wick & DoyntonWarmley, GloucestershireWon 2–1Higgins, Attewell2 (replay)2 March 1889Wick & DoyntonWarmley, GloucestershireWon 2–1Attewell, PerrinSemi-final16 March 1889KingswoodThe Downs, BristolDrew 0–0 Semi-final (replay)30 March 1889KingswoodKingswood, BristolWon 1–0PerrinFinal6 April 1889WarmleySt George, BristolWon 1–0Perrin
Club matches DateOpponentVenueResultScorersNotes29 September 1888KingswoodKingswood, BristolWon 8–0Taylor (2), Hodgson (3), Cade (3)6 October 1888WarmleyThe Downs, BristolWon 3–1 Higgins, Taylor 213 October 1888St GeorgeSt George, BristolWon 2–0Laurie, Perrin20 October 1888Old Boys, Q.E.H.Three Acres, BristolWon 9–1 3 November 1888CliftonGloucestershire County GroundLost 0–3 10 November 1888Swindon TownSwindon, Wiltshire Lost 0-71 December 1888CliftonGloucestershire County GroundDrew 3–3Taylor, Higgins, Horsey15 December 1888St GeorgeSt George, BristolDrew 0–0 22 December 1888KingswoodThe Downs, Bristol 29 December 1888Old Boys, Q.E.H. Won 3-1 5 January 1889WarmleyWarmley, GloucestershireLost 1–3Higgins12 January 1889St GeorgeSt George, BristolDrew 3–3 19 January 1889SouthvilleThree Acres Won 1–0 Channing see Western daily press 23 Jan 18899 February 1889Swindon TownGloucestershire County GroundWon 6–1Taylor (3), Perrin (2), Francis
Second team DateOpponentVenueResultScorersNotes29 September 1888Kingswood second XIThe Downs, BristolWon 2–1Farrell (2)13 October 1888St SimonThe Downs, BristolWon 4–1Moorhouse (2), Wicks, Ashley20 October 1888Old Boys, Q.E.H. 2nd XIThe Downs, BristolWon 1–0 27 October 1888St George ReservesSt George, BristolLost 2–5 10 November 1888St George ReservesSt George, BristolLost 0-4 17 November 1888Kingswood CongregationalKingswood, BristolLost 0-5 see Western Daily Press 20 11 1888 24 November 1888St George ReservesThree Acres, BristolLost 0-3 One goal was disputed1 December 1888St ThomasThree Acres, BristolWon 15–0Lane (3), Ashley (3), Welham (3), Rodburn (2), Laurie (2), Poulson, Smith15 December 1888St George ReservesThree Acres, BristolLost 1–6 St George played with 10 men22 December 1888Kingswood second XIKingswood, Bristol 5 January 1889St SimonEastville Park, BristolWon 3–1A. Laurie, Smith9 February 1889DolphinThe Downs, BristolDrew 1–1
Statistics Friendly matches are not included in this section. + Match recordCompetitionHomeAwayTotalPWDLFAPWDLFAPWDLFAGloucestershire Cup101000440072541072
+ GoalscorersPlayerGoalsLeagueCupTotalBill Higgins–33Walter Perrin–33Albert Attwell–22Frank Laurie–11
Cumulative record The total cumulative record of Eastville Rovers up to the end of the 1888–89 season is shown below. This is calculated by adding the numbers in the section above to the total games played last season. Friendly matches are not included in this table, and games held at neutral venues are considered to have been played away from home.
As of the summer of 1889, Rovers' competitive matches had all been played in the Gloucestershire Cup.
+ Match recordCompetitionHomeAwayTotalPWDLFAPWDLFAPWDLFAGloucestershire Cup201114440072641186
References
Bibliography