GET TO THE RIGHT GROUND AND IN GOOD TIME

You have to be of a certain age to watch Pointless and at children's t.v. time, I would be surprised to hear of anyone under retirement age tuning in to Richard Osman and that Armstrong chap. My reader from Bucks, once a scholar in Derbyshire, pointed out that on Pointless there was a question on FA Cup final venues. There was WS, MS, OT and GP. (Know them?)
The pointless answer was RG and a clue was the first ground outside London to host the final in 1886.

To Chris' surprise it was the Racecourse Ground. Chris sent me that fact and I immediately thought Wrexham, but to his delight it was once the Derby County Football Club. Surely not, The Rams played at the Baseball Ground. Well not so at that time, although my "Official Illustrated History of the FA Cup" attributed to the late Bryon Butler, tells me it was played at the Baseball Ground! Wrong! Confused?

The 1886 final took place at the Oval, on April 3rd (0-0) and then Blackburn Rovers and WBA had to retire to a Midland venue on April 10th to help with attendance. 15,000 watch the first match and 12,000 saw Rovers beat Albion 2-0. So that didn't work. (WBA beat the Old Carthusians 1-0 on their way to final in the 5th round).

Apparently the Rovers, who were hot favourites and stacked full of "professionals", had watched the Boat Race during the chilly morning of the final, rushed their lunch and travelled to The Oval with barely enough time to change! The referee, Francis Marindin promised that the occasion deserved a special trophy and indeed, once Rovers wrapped up the tie, a celebratory shield was produced. Poor photo sorry.

This was the Rovers' third victory in succession, previously done by The Wanderers between 1876-8 but not since. In those three years Rovers played 22 ties, scored 87 goals, conceded 10 and were taken to a replay in the third final.

To sort out the Racecourse issue, this was the Derbyshire CCC ground between 1848 and 1939. Derby County FC played there between 1884-95 and of course the Cup Final graced its turf in 1886.
Two international matches were also played there in 1895 v Ireland when England won 9-0 and in 1911 again against Ireland on February 11th when England won 2-1.
By the way the Racecourse Ground, Wrexham has hosted many Welsh international matches!

MORE FACT:
When the Blackburn fans invaded London in 1884, the Pall Mall Gazette reported that "London witnessed an incursion of Northern barbarians, hot blooded Lancastrians, sharp tongued, rough and ready, of uncouth garb and speech. A tribe of Soudanese Arabs let loose inthe Strand would not excite more amusement and curiosity. Strange oaths fell upon Southern ears. Rovers met Queens' Park (Scotland) in this final and despite the Scots amazing skills, beat them 2-1.

Rovers, winners 1884. FA Cup is the little one.