Corinthian's goalkeeper Tom Rowlandson had also played for Newcastle and Sunderland in the seasons prior,[4] making a single league appearance for Newcastle in October 1905, where they beat Nottingham Forest 3-2.[5]
It was the second time of the year that Newcastle had played Corinthian, the first being their annual match on 2 January at St James's Park, in which Newcastle won 3-0 in front of a poor attendance of 5,000.[6]
Match
Newcastle sent 14 players to London to compete in the match, although did not choose the starting line-up until the morning of the match.[7] The admission cost was sixpence.[1]
Despite the weather, where it rained for the entirety of the game, the match was described as "a great success".[8] During the first half, the tabloids reported that "it was anybody's game, but the professionals were able to stay the pace longer than their opponents", suggesting that Newcastle were able to win relatively easily.[9]
Although it was acknowledged that Newcastle deserved the win, it was disputed that they deserved a win by a three-goal margin, particularly as Corinthians "held their own" in the first half and went into half-term with the score 1-1. Fatigue and fitness reduced their effectiveness of pace, while lack of training with the amateurs compared to the physically fit professional Newcastle side cost showed as the game wore on. The opening stage of the match had been contested with "tremendous pace" which ultimately took its toll on Corinthians, with weak finishing and a tired defense. Out of all the amateurs, only the half-backs appeared as fit at the game's conclusion as when it commenced, while Timmins and Norris had "rarely played better". Goalkeeper Tom Rowlandson made "many fine saves", although did not have much chance of saving the five goals he let in.[8]
Due to what was described as an "enormous crowd", the takings for the match equaled around £1,000 (equivalent to £128,500 in 2023) that was donated to charitable causes.[10]
The Shield in its first iteration came to an end after this match in 1907 due to a rift within the Football Association which saw the creation of the Amateur Football Association.[14] The Shield was replaced in 1908 by the FA Charity Shield which rather than the best amateur side pitted the Football League winner against the winners of the Southern Football League and then later against the winner of the FA Cup.
