There have been some strange going-ons in the long and varied history of football. One of those strange going-ons was back in 1911 when Grimsby Town met Croydon Common (below) in the First Round of the FA Cup. Grimsby were in the Midland League at the time – they had lost their Football League place at the end of the previous season but would gain their place back for the start of the next season – while Croydon Common were a Southern League side, the first professional club in Croydon, before Crystal Palace. Indeed 19 out of 20 Southern League clubs moved up to the Second Division; only Croydon Common didn't.
So the cup-tie was a long trip for the Londoners and on Saturday 14th January 1911 they made that long trip and were beaten 3-0 by Grimsby. But Croydon weren’t happy and protested to the FA with their complaints being two-fold.
First, their players had been left to wait outside in the freezing cold for ten minutes waiting for the second half to start while Grimsby had sat in the warmth of their changing-rooms changing the studs in their boots!
Second, it seemed that towards the end of the second half one of the linesmen handed his flag to a Grimsby official to take over from him as he had a train to catch! The FA upheld the protest, annulled the result of the match and ordered it to be replayed.
But things didn’t go too well for Croydon Common FC (nicknamed The Robins-see shirts). They made that long trip north again on January 26th for a Thursday afternoon kick off – and lost 8-1 this time!
The team formed in 1897 as an amateur church team competing in local leagues. They turned professional in 1907, joining the Southern League Second Division. A final place of third was achieved despite the stand at the Crescent being burnt down.
A move was made to the Nest (future home of Crystal Palace) in 1908 where promotion to the SL First Division was achieved. In the FA Cup, Football League members Bradford Park Avenue were beaten and Woolwich Arsenal taken to a replay before final defeat.
An immediate return was made to the Second Division after finishing second from bottom. At the new ground another main stand was damaged; the roof being removed in a gale.
Seasons of mid to high table finishes then followed until the 1913-4. when the championship was achieved again with only two defeats.
Again, Common's stay in the First Division resulted in a second from bottom placing. Relegation was not experienced due to the suspension of the League during World War One. In 1917 the club was finally wound up, the only First Division club not to return to action after the War. AND IN 1933.....
One of the greatest shocks in FA Cup history, Walsall beat Arsenal 2-0 at Fellowes Park, in a Third Round tie. Arsenal were the top dogs in England at the time - they won five League titles and two FA Cups in the 1930s - while Walsall were in the Third Division. Newcastle Utd, the holders, defending their trophy for the first time, went out to Leeds United 0-3 in the Third Round
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