Brierfield F.C.
| Full name | Brierfield Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | the Stumpites[1] | |
| Founded | 1882 | |
| Dissolved | 1895 | |
| Chairman | J. W. Midgeley[2] | |
| Secretary | J. M. Latham | |
|
| ||
Brierfield Football Club was an association football club from Brierfield, Lancashire.
History
[edit]The Brierfield club entered the Lancashire Senior Cup from 1882–83 to 1884–85, but suffered double digit defeats in its three ties,[3] ending with a 14–0 defeat to Preston Zingari.[4] After the 1884–85 season, the club resolved solely to rely on members as players rather than recruit outsiders, and it stepped back from the senior game.[5]
The club formally broke up after the 1887–88 season,[6] but was quickly resurrected, and was one of the founder members of the North-East Lancashire League in 1889–90,[7] It finished the season as the inaugural champions, leapfrogging Burnley Union Star by beating the Stars in the final match.[8] The club did not seek to step up to the Lancashire League, but was considered by the ambitious Union Star as a suitable member of a new Lancashire Alliance; however, as Union Star secured membership of the Lancashire League, any such plans were abortive.[9]
Despite a fortnight suspension in October 1892 for making illegal approaches to two players (Halstead of Bell's Temperance and Ireland of Oswaldtwistle),[10] the club remained a member of the North-East Lancashire League until 1894, when the competition merged with the Lancashire Combination, and Brierfield was one of the 14 clubs accepted as a member for 1894–95.[11] However the club withdrew before the season started, amid "dissensions" which saw most of the club's committee resign,[12] and the club join the Burnley & District League as an amateur outfit instead.[13] The club's competitive career concluded with a disastrous 12–0 defeat to Ashton North End in the Lancashire Junior Cup in January 1895[14] and its last activity was hosting an athletics sports that July.[15]
Colours
[edit]The club's colours were navy blue and white, from 1892 in the format of navy blue jerseys with a white sash, and white "pants".[16]
Ground
[edit]The club's ground was simply known as the Brierfield Football Ground; one indication of financial difficulties was shown when the club secretary was summoned to the assizes for non-payment of rent in 1894 - his successful defence was that the entire committee was responsible.[17]
Nickname
[edit]The club's nickname of the Stumpites was derived from the Brierfield Stump, a 2-ton water trough made of stone, which stood in the town's market square from the 1840s to 1942.[18]
Notable players
[edit]- James Cockshutt, who played for the club in 1892–93 and later for Grimsby Town[19]
- James McConnell, a former Burnley player[20]
References
[edit]- ^ "Review of the season". Burnley Express: 4. 26 April 1893.
- ^ "District News". Burnley Express: 2. 23 October 1889.
- ^ Small, Gordon (2008). The Lancashire Cup - a complete record. Hockley, Essex: Soccerdata. pp. 67–71.
- ^ "Preston Zingari v Brierfield". Preston Herald: 6. 8 October 1884.
- ^ "The Football Club". Burnley Express: 7. 29 August 1885.
- ^ "Breaking up of the Colne football club". Burnley Express: 8. 31 March 1888.
- ^ "North-east Lancashire Football League". Bacup Times and Rossendale Advertiser: 5. 4 May 1889.
- ^ "Football". Burnley Express: 4. 14 May 1890.
- ^ Tate, Dr Stephen. "The rise and fall of 'the Local Lads': A history of Burnley Union Star Football Club". Friends of Lancashire Archives. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
- ^ "Lancashire Association". Leeds Mercury: 7. 29 September 1892.
- ^ "Lancashire Football Combination". Manchester Evening News: 4. 8 June 1894.
- ^ "Notes on sport". Burnley Express: 6. 1 September 1894.
- ^ "Brierfield Football Club decision". Burnley Express: 6. 28 July 1894.
- ^ "Lancashire Junior Cup". Manchester Evening News: 3. 14 January 1895.
- ^ "Athletic sports and gala". Burnley Express: 3. 31 July 1895.
- ^ "Football". Burnley Express: 4. 7 September 1892.
- ^ "Colne Police Court". Burnley Gazette: 6. 3 March 1894.
- ^ "Brierfield Trough". Lancashire Evening Post: 4. 15 August 1942.
- ^ Lamming, Douglas (1985). A who's who of Grimsby Town AFC : 1890-1985. Beverley: Hutton. p. 28. ISBN 0-907033-34-2.
- ^ Simpson, Ray (2007). The Clarets Chronicles: The Definitive History of Burnley Football Club. Burnley: Burnley Football Club. p. 486. ISBN 978-0-9557468-0-2.