Southport Visiter, 1st December 1888

On Tuesday, what was announced as the match of the season took place, when a team hailing from Blackburn, including such noted players as Suter, Jimmy Brown, Forbes, and Fecitt, met the Central on the Sports Ground. The tradesmen who are prevented from attending the Saturday afternoon matches evidently appreciated the efforts of the Central Committee to provide for their amusement, for fully 800 spectators assembled to witness the encounter. It was anticipated by those present that the game was sure to be a good one, and that the visiting team would be on the right side at the finish. Such, how- ever, was not the case, as after twenty minutes good play the visiters saw that they had met more than their match, and to a certain extent seemed to cease their exertions. It was a pity that the eleven sent did not comprise more of the Rovers first team, as the Central players were in capital form, and would have rendered a good account of themselves against the crack club. The whole of the forwards played a grand game, and simply made rings round their opponents. Mullin, Duncan, Graham, and Lea-Jones were frequently applauded for their good dribbling, and Taylor played by far and away the best game I have ever seen him. Milne, of the Bolton Wanderers, did a vast amount of good work, and he would be a valuable help to the Central team, if his services could be requisitioned. The match, as all footballers know, terminated in a decisive victory for the home team by seven goals to nil. At the conclusion of the game the footballers and a number of their friends sat down to a capital tea at the Shakespeare Hotel. “Gussy” was there, and he says the sooner the Blackburn team comes again the better, as they are the most jovial lot he has ever entertained. After the meal Joe Sourbutts proposed a “hop”, and, as Walmsley maneuvered on the piano in captial style, the terpsichoreanists – how’s that for high – enjoyed themselves heartily. Short speeches by Mr Smith, Mr. Mitchell, secretary of the Blackburn Rovers, and Mr Watson, all of which tended to show that the Central was the coming crack club of Lancashire, followed, and then several songs were given by Mr. Lamonby, Mr. Mullin, Mr. Forbes, Mr, Chadwick, and Mr. Owlibus, which tended to make the evening most enjoyable. This is how every match should conclude, and I hope that the next time the Blackburn team plays in Southport I may be there to see.