1.6.16

The Oval, 1869-70 season




Having secured the use of the Surrey County Cricket ground at Kennington Oval The Wanderers put it to good use for the 1869-70 season.
Contemporary reports reveal that the Association game was still very much in its infancy. More than one of these fixtures was played between unevenly matched teams who failed to field eleven players.
Of the 19 known matches to have taken place at The Oval that season Wanderers featured in 15. They won 9 of these games and scored 29 goals.
The Wanderers had not yet reached their zenith. During the following 2 years football would undergo significant advances with the introduction of the FA Cup and international matches. The Oval would then assume the mantle of England's premier football venue.
Let's take a look at the first season:


09.10.69
Wanderers
0
2
West Kent
23.10.69
Wanderers
0
2
Old Etonians
27.10.69
Wanderers
3
0
Rochester
06.11.69
Wanderers
2
1
Upton Park
10.11.69
Wanderers
2
1
Royal Engineers
13.11.69
Civil Service
0
1
West Kent
20.11.69
Wanderers
0
0
Gitanos
01.12.69
Wanderers
4
2
Civil Service
04.12.69
Wanderers
2
0
Hampstead Heathens
11.12.69
Wanderers
1
2
Crusaders
14.12.69
Wanderers
1
2
Desperadoes
18.12.69
Civil Service
1
2
Old Harrovians
15.01.70
Wanderers
1
1
Gitanos
19.01.70
Wanderers
1
0
Harrow Pilgrims
22.01.70
Wanderers
3
0
Civil Service
29.01.70
Civil Service
0
2
West Kent
26.02.70
Wanderers
7
0
Forest
05.03.70
English
1
1
Scotch

19.03.70
Wanderers
2
1
Hampstead Heathens




Postponements/ cancellations:

24.11.69
Wanderers
P
P
Crystal Palace
05.02.70
Civil Service played a scratch team instead of the advertised match with Old Etonians
12.02.70
Civil Service
P
P
Old Harrovians

English v Scotch was arranged for this date…
12.02.70
English
P
P
Scotch

Postponed due to frost.
19.02.70
Wanderers
P
P
West Kent

Result or whether played unknown:

18.12.69
Gitanos
?
?
Harrow Pilgrims
05.03.70
Civil Service
?
?
Crusaders
14.03.70
Civil Service
?
?
Royal Engineers

Advertised but not played:

21.12.69
Gitanos
v
Bedouins

Played at Blackheath.
08.01.70
Wanderers
v
Brixton
12.01.70
Wanderers
v
Bedouins