WHEN FOOTBALL BEGAN

  MAGNIFICENT VILLA Aston Villa 9 Notts County 1 Villa – Allen 3, Hunter 2, Green 2, Hodgetts, own goal) County – own goal These two teams met at Perry Barr to play off a League fixture. About 4,000 people were attracted to the ground by the probability of witnessing a close and exciting game. In this hope they were disappointed, for the game from the kick-off to the finish was most one-sided, the visitors being outplayed by the home team. In the first half, Villa scored four times and in the second half scored five, the County only making a single point, obtained through a miss kick by Coulton. Archie Hunter kicked off, and the Villa at once attacked, but were kept at bay by Tom McLean. They returned to the assault, and Hunter made a fine shot, which Holland, the goalkeeper, partially saved, but Allen, rushing in, drove the ball through the post five minutes after the start. For some minutes, the County waged equal war with the home side, whose goal was attacked, but...

 The scorer of the first ever league hat-trick today in 1888 celebrated so wildly afterwards he was dropped from the Burnley team and later transferred. FIRST LEAGUE HAT-TRICK -15 September 1888 Bolton 3 (Brogan, Davenport, Cooper)  v.  Burnley 4 (Tait 3, Poland) Just like the previous weekend, Bolton, wearing white shirts, dark-blue shorts and socks, were to race into a three-goal lead before ultimately losing a thrilling encounter. Barbour set Wanderers rolling with a first minute effort that flashed just wide. Tyrer then shot just over and on five minutes some lovely play by Roberts set up Brogan for the opening goal. The scorer shortly after barged Bill Smith over the line as he collected a high cross, but had done so from an offside position and Burnley, wearing striped blue-and-white shirts, dark-blue shorts and socks, escaped. It was Davenport who ‘registered the second point’, arriving ‘like a steam train’to hit ‘a splendid shot’, reported the  Accrington Tim...