Darlington St. Augustine's F.C., 1904–05. Back row from the left: JW Gannon (honorary secretary), T Rodgers (captain), G Adams, P Murphy, H Sheardown, I Rule, R Guthrie, W Heslin (trainer). Front: J Prior, E Hanlon, W Birbeck, J Shackleton, J Payne, J Walton, F Seal, W Gannon (honorary treasurer).
The club was founded in 1882 by William Nolli,[1] a Scotsman who had moved to Darlington to run the Old Dun Cow pub.[2] Nolli claimed to have played with Hibernian and, unable to find an association club in Darlington, he recruited players from St Augustine's Church in order to form a side.[3] Nolli himself playing at centre-half.[4]
Within a year the rival Darlington F.C. had been founded, and the two clubs met in the Cleveland Cup final in 1886–87; although the Saints were narrow favourites, Darlington won 4–1 in a replay after a 0–0 draw,[5] both games taking place at Middlesbrough Ironopolis' Linthorpe Ground; the Saints being handicapped in the replay by losing its favourite forward O'Hara on the eve of the match, and conceding no less than three own goals.[6]
However the Saints would win the competition in 1888–89, coming from behind against Redcar & Coatham to win 5–1 at Stockton, Nolli (the club captain) being carried shoulder-high on the club's return to Darlington.[7]
Despite this success, it was not considered a big enough side to be invited in March 1889 to play in the first Northern League; it was however made first reserve,[8] and the Saints were duly elected as members in June.[9] The club took full advantage by importing a number of players from Scotland, and won the league on goal average from Newcastle West End. The club crucially beat West End 4–1 at home in its final match,[10] but West End only needed a point at Darlington in its final match to take the title. However West End only turned up with 10 men, and Darlington won 3–0, to hand the Saints the title.[11]
It was the high point for the Saints, as the expense of running an 18-match competition prevented the chances of earning money from fixtures against clubs from wider afield, and there was some doubt as to its continuing.[12] With financial problems, the Saints had to release many players, including goalkeeper Shaw, whose replacement Sweenie was not of the appropriate standard.[13] By the end of the season the club's attendances had gone from in the thousands to 6-700[14] and with still half-a-dozen matches remaining the club had run out of money - wages were £301 against gate income of £320 - and players agreed to play out the season for free.[15] Having finished bottom of the League, the club was forced to apply for re-election, but was voted out in favour of Sheffield United.[16]
The club re-joined the Northern League in 1893, but by this time the chief clubs had joined the Football League, and the competition had lost its primacy. It had a brief Indian summer at the turn of the century, coming 2nd in the League in 1900–01, four points behind champions Bishop Auckland after the 20 games, but 1 point ahead of Darlington;[17] the club also won the Cleveland Cup the same season by beating the Middlesbrough A side 2–0 in the final,[18] successfully retaining the trophy with a 1–0 final win over the same side.[19] 1901–02 also saw the club's best run in the FA Cup, reaching the fifth and final qualifying round, but the Saints lost 4–2 at Bishop Auckland.[20]
The Saints finished bottom of the Northern League in 1914–15, and although it played charity matches in 1915–16, it did not re-emerge after the First World War. The final reported match was a 3–1 defeat at Darlington in a match raising funds for the injured former Saints player Will Heslop.[21]
Colours
The club normally played in green and white,[22] having plain white jerseys until December 1889, when it adopted green and white stripes.[23] By 1890 however the club was wearing plain green.[24]
Ground
The club's ground was Chesnut Grove, off Chesnut Street, and for its first decade the club used the facilities at the Bridge Hotel.[25]
