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The 1894–95 season was the 14th season of competitive association football and third season in the Football League played by Small Heath F.C., an English football club based in Birmingham. In 1893–94, Small Heath finished in second place in the divisional championship and gained promotion by defeating Darwen 3–1 in a test match. The club had struggled financially during the season, and there were suggestions that it might have disbanded had promotion not been secured. In their first season in the First Division, they finished in 12th place in the 16-team division, thus avoiding the possibility of relegation via the test matches. Small Heath entered the 1894–95 FA Cup at the first round proper, and for the second consecutive year lost in that round to the eventual losing finalists, who this season were West Bromwich Albion. In local competitions, they were eliminated in the semi-final of the Birmingham Senior Cup, also by West Bromwich Albion, and lost to Aston Villa in the final of the Mayor of Birmingham's Charity Cup. The committee opted not to compete in the United Counties League, a supplementary competition. Twenty-one different players represented the club in nationally organised competitive matches during the season and there were nine different goalscorers. Two players, Bill Purves and – for the third consecutive season – Billy Ollis, appeared in every League match, and none of the first-choice eleven missed more than four League matches. The top scorer, for the second year running, was inside-forward Frank Mobley with 13 goals. The match against Sunderland attracted a crowd estimated at 15,000, around double the highest attendance from previous years. ==Background== Having won the inaugural Second Division title in 1892–93 but missed out on promotion via the test match system, in 1893–94 they finished second in the division and were promoted to the First Division by defeating Darwen 3–1 in the test match. The club had been in financial difficulty during the season, and the ''Birmingham Daily Post'' speculated that failure in the test match "would in all probability have meant the disbanding of the club". The accounts showed income of £1,816 and expenditure of £2,039, a deficit of £222 on the year. Nevertheless, in preparation for the new season, the club began work on a grandstand and relaid the pitch. All the regular first-choice players signed on again for the new campaign, apart from goalkeeper George Hollis. Of the less regular team members, Bernard Pumfrey left for Midland League club Gainsborough Trinity,〔Matthews (1995), ''Complete Record'', p. 118.〕 William Reynolds and Gilbert Smith were released to join Birmingham & District League club Berwick Rangers,〔Matthews (1995), ''Complete Record'', pp. 119, 125.〕 and Chris Charsley retired from League football to concentrate on his police career.〔Matthews (1995), ''Complete Record'', p. 78.〕 Small Heath signed the former Sunderland full back Jack Oliver, whom they had failed to recruit earlier in the season, and forward Charlie Letherbarrow from Walsall,〔Matthews (1995), ''Complete Record'', p. 106.〕 but those were the only major signings. The squad was boosted by players from local football, who included Alec Leake, Bill Lewis and a young Billy Pratt.〔〔 Alfred Jones continued as secretary-manager, and Caesar Jenkyns retained the captaincy.〔Matthews (1995), ''Complete Record'', pp. 8–9.〕 There were no changes to the team's kit of light blue shirts with navy collar trim, cuffs and pocket, white knickerbockers and navy socks.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Birmingham City )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「1894–95 Small Heath F.C. season」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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