1889–90 Small Heath F.C. season

[2] After Leek pulled out of their visit to Small Heath in January 1889, the Birmingham Daily Mail opined that it was "becoming the exception rather than the rule to keep a Combination fixture", and its management needed to consider its future.[7] New arrivals included Fred Heath, "a fast runner and a good dribbler [who] centres while running at full speed" who was seen as Hill's replacement,[8] fellow forward Billy Pratt, full-back Walter Gittins and backup goalkeeper Francis Banks.[15] For the third Alliance match in succession, Small Heath let slip a lead, as their visit to Walsall Town Swifts finished at one goal apiece,[16] and September ended with a 3–1 defeat of Burslem Port Vale in a "somewhat dull" friendly.[23] The 18-year-old Billy Walton made a "not conspicuously successful" debut:[24] Walton had attended the 1886 FA Cup semi-final as a supporter of the then Small Heath Alliance, was to play for the club for fourteen years, helped clear snow from the pitch so that the official opening of the St Andrew's Ground in 1906 could go ahead, was present at the 1931 and 1956 FA Cup Finals, and attended St Andrew's until not long before his death in 1963.[10] The comfortable victories continued at home to Grimsby Town in the Alliance, courtesy of a steadfast defence, two goals from Devey, and one by Heath,[27] and then in the next round of the Cup, by four goals to nil at home to Walsall Town Swifts, on a pitch covered in a combination of snow, slush and mud on which "occasionally one of [the players] would take an involuntary slide of about a dozen yards, and then sit down with a force and a directness that must have been surprisingly sad."[28] Small Heath, without Charsley, Short, Walton and Will Devey, could field only ten men for their rearranged visit to The Wednesday, top of the table and a particularly strong side at home.Jenkyns took over the captaincy, and he, Speller and reserve goalkeeper Francis Banks performed well, but the team was overwhelmed; the result, a 9–1 loss, in which Small Heath's only goal was scored by Wednesday's Teddy Brayshaw, remains a club record defeat.The play in a goalless first half suggested the players had enjoyed their Christmas festivities, but after the interval, Small Heath began to press, and came out winners by three goals to one.[33] Will Devey was able to return to the attack, but his brother and Jenkyns were replaced in the half-back line by Morgan and Charlie Simms for the match at home to Crewe Alexandra; further depleted when Harry Morris left the field through injury, Small Heath lost 2–0.[35] A 4–0 defeat of Notts Jardines in a friendly "played in the most apathetic manner"[36] preceded the first round proper of the Association Cup, against London Cup-holders Clapton; the Birmingham Daily Post warned that the visitors, "somewhat of an unknown quantity", should not be taken lightly.The home players were more accustomed to the conditions, and this told in the end; despite the sound defensive work of Charsley, Speller and Heath, Wolverhampton scored twice, and went through to the last eight of the competition.Will's eleven lost by a single goal to Lancashire,[58] and Ted's beat the London Association at Kennington Oval in a match reduced to 30 minutes each way because of heavy snow.[62][63] Playing against the wind at home to Sunderland Albion, Small Heath conceded three early goals; on change of ends the visitors' defence stood firm, apart from one "magnificent shot" by Will Devey.[67] On the Saturday, in an improved performance, they came off worse in an open, attacking game at Darwen,[66][68] and on Monday at Newton Heath, they equalled their record defeat set only a few months earlier,[30][69] a series of results that confirmed their finishing the season in the bottom four.In an encounter described by the Birmingham Daily Post as "perhaps the closest and most exciting ever played on the field", Aston Villa drew 2–2 with a Small Heath eleven including St George's centre forward John Devey, older brother of Will and Ted and future England international.[83] New arrivals included forward Charlie Short, who had played one match for Small Heath in March before finishing the season with Unity Gas, full-back Tom Bayley from Walsall Town Swifts, and goalkeeper Charles Partridge from Wednesbury Old Athletic.
Head and shoulders of a young, clean-shaven man with dark hair parted on the left of centre. He is looking to his right, and is wearing a light-coloured sports shirt with dark collar and trim.
Fred Wheldon scored 113 goals from 175 Alliance, League and FA Cup matches for Small Heath.
Newspaper clipping reading "It is pleasant news to hear that the benefit to Christopher Charsley, the Small Heath goalkeeper, proved a substantial one, for he has always been one of the most straightforward and gentlemanly of our players, and has done the club of his adoption splendid service during the five years for which he has played for it. He has been an amateur without reproach, and always a great favourite with a crowd who are strong in their expression of likes and dislikes. Small Heath will miss him greatly, as he has saved them from many a severe thrashing; though from the composition of their team for next season the probabilities are that they will not have to depend so much on a goalkeeper to win matches for them as formerly, and their position in the Alliance is almost sure to be enhanced. The prospects of the Coventry Road club are brighter now than at any former period of their history, and Detective Christopher Charsley has had not a little to do with their success."

Tribute to Charsley from the Birmingham Daily Post , May 1890 [ 65 ]
Alfred JonesCoventry RoadFootball AllianceFA CupSecond round properWolverhampton WanderersBirmingham CupWest Bromwich AlbionWarwick CountyWill DeveyDarwenHome colours1890–91association footballSmall Heath F.C.Small HeathBirminghaminaugural season1889–90 FA CupFootball Leaguecup competitionsfriendly matchesWalter Gittinsfull-backFred Spellercentre forward1888–89 seasonlimited companythe CombinationBirmingham Daily MailBirmingham Daily PostwingerFred HeathforwardBilly PrattgoalkeeperFrancis BankscaptainknickerbockersBirmingham St George'sChris Charsleyreserve teamBirmingham General HospitalWilton LinesBootleInvinciblesPreston North Endthe Football Leaguefriendly matchEddy StanleyThomas DavenportWalsall Town SwiftsBurslem Port ValeSunderland AlbionThe WednesdayOldbury TownAssociation CupNottingham ForestBilly WaltonSt Andrew's Ground1956 FA Cup FinalsWednesbury Old AthleticGrimsby TownTeddy BrayshawLong Eaton RangersCharlie SimmsCrewe AlexandraHarry MorrisreplayNotts JardinesLondon CupClaptonPall Mall GazetteFred Wheldontheir own groundleft halfManchester Football AssociationJack HallamAston VillaEnglandSinger'sLancashireLondon AssociationKennington OvalNewton HeathDerby Junctionre-electionKidderminster HarriersJohn DeveyAnfieldCounty Cricket GroundStafford RangersassistWalsall CupCharlie ShortTom BayleyCharles Partridge1889–90 Football AllianceG. ShortStanleyW. DeveyDavenportBrayshawJenkynsHallamWheldonWilcoxE. DeveyMorrisNewton Heath LYRMidland LeagueWaltonBurton Swifts£15 10sBenefit matchAllianceArchibald BartonFull backEdward ClarkeTed DeveyCaesar JenkynsFrederick HeathGeorge ShortErnie WattsLeslie WilcoxBirmingham City F.C. seasonsNewspapers.com1891–921892–931893–941894–951895–961896–971897–981898–991899–19001900–011901–021902–031903–041904–051905–061906–071907–081908–091909–101910–111911–121912–131913–141914–151919–201920–211921–221922–231923–241924–251925–261926–271927–281928–291929–301930–311931–321932–331933–341934–351935–361936–371937–381938–391939–401945–461946–471947–481948–491949–501950–511951–521952–531953–541954–551955–561956–571957–581958–591959–601960–611961–621962–631963–641964–651965–661966–671967–681968–691969–701970–711971–721972–731973–741974–751975–761976–771977–781978–791979–801980–811981–821982–831983–841984–851985–861986–871987–881988–891989–901990–911991–921992–931993–941994–951995–961996–971997–981998–991999–20002000–012001–022002–032003–042004–052005–062006–072007–082008–092009–102010–112011–122012–132013–142014–152015–162016–172017–182018–192019–202020–212021–222022–232023–242024–251889–90 in English football1888–89Qualifying roundsNorthern Leaguenational teamHome ChampionshipBurnleyEvertonEastville Rovers (Bristol Rovers)Sheffield UnitedRoyal ArsenalSt. Mary's (Southampton)