The 1897–98 Football League season was the 17th season of competitive association football and 6th season in the Football League played by Small Heath Football Club, an English football club based in Birmingham. They finished in sixth place in the 16-team division. Having failed to gain exemption from the qualifying rounds of the 1897–98 FA Cup, they entered the competition in the third qualifying round and lost that opening match to Burslem Port Vale. In local cup competitions, they lost to Walsall in the second round of the Birmingham Cup, were eliminated by West Bromwich Albion in the first round of the Mayor of Birmingham's Charity Cup, and reached the semi-final of the Staffordshire Senior Cup where they again lost to West Bromwich Albion.
Nineteen different players represented the club in nationally organised competitive matches during the season and there were thirteen different goalscorers. Walter Abbott was the top scorer with 19 goals, and he and wing half Thomas Dunlop played in every match. The match against Burnley attracted a crowd of 12,000, an improvement on the highest attendance in the previous two seasons.
Background Looking back at the 1896–97 season, the Sports Argus editorial expressed disappointment with the team's performance and dissatisfaction with the running of the club. At the start of the season, they had "confidently looked forward" to Small Heath reaching the test match positions, even if they proved unsuccessful therein. But the team's fine finish to the season on top of such a poor start made it "terribly aggravating to think that the least bit of extra effort earlier on in the season would in all probability have seen them a good second to [Notts] County." The club's failure to gain exemption from the qualifying competition of the FA Cup strengthened the writer's belief that "the club wants a thorough wakening-up".'Argus Junior' (24 April 1897). "Gossip". The Sports Argus (Birmingham): p.1. The club made a loss of £369 on the year, which the Dart suggested was due less to the effects of bad weather, as claimed in the annual report, than to a "penny wise and pound foolish" approach to the signing of players which they hoped would not be repeated in the season to come."No title". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.9. 23 June 1897.
Few players left during the close season. The ambitious and well-funded Bristol City, newly elected to the Southern League, signed both Tom Farnall and the promising Jack Jones on attractive terms, reported as £5 to sign, then 50s. during the playing season and 30s. in the summer. Had swift action not been taken by club officials, Walter Abbott would have made the same move.'Argus Junior' (28 August 1897). "Football Notes". The Sports Argus (Birmingham): p.1. Charlie Izon left for Walsall, and Denny Hodgetts, who had been reinstated as an amateur, offered his services, but "as he could not promise to play for them regularly", his offer was declined.'Retlaw' (3 September 1897). "Football Arrows". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.6.
The Dart'''s initial opinion was that the standard of replacement for Hodgetts, Jones and Farnall – "two or three players who have done well with local clubs have been signed up, and a smart left-wing forward in Kirton, of Lincoln City, has also been secured" – but as the directors preferred to spend their money on ground improvements, in the shape of the purchase of Aston Villa's old stands from the Perry Barr ground, rather than on "stars", these would be inadequate to return the club to the First Division."Sports Gossip". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.6. 6 August 1897. Having seen the new additions, they changed their mind. Although Hodgetts would be missed, Jack Kirton "appears to be a smart player, while the other new men secured are far from being 'duffers'", Billy Walton had recovered from the broken shoulderblade sustained the previous March, and apart from Jones and Farnall, "the whole of the other first team players from last season have signed again, and there is no reason why the Heathens should not render a good account of themselves" this season."Sports Gossip". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.6. 20 August 1897. Furthermore, "the Small Heath ground presents quite an imposing appearance now that it is adorned with the old Perry Barr grand stand, and as there is now plenty of covered accommodation for spectators the 'gates' should materially increase", and, as was pointed out later in the season, facilities for representatives of the press had also been improved."What we Hear". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.12. 14 January 1898.
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.Birmingham City. Historical Football Kits. Retrieved 12 February 2012
Review
September–October
Small Heath prepared for the new season with a friendly match at Coventry Road against a Burton Wanderers team made up largely of local youngsters. In front of only a couple of hundred spectators in "pelting" rain, Walter Abbott, Charlie Hare, and Wilson Lewis scored in a 3–1 win. The first League game took place a few days later at Wanderers' neighbours Burton Swifts. Fielding three debutants, Small Heath took a one-goal lead in the first half, then took advantage of the wind at their backs after the interval to extend their lead to three goals before Swifts scored a late consolation."Second Division". Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper (London): p.24. 5 September 1897. The Standard thought the team "unfortunate in scoring only two goals" in the first half, and two from Abbott in the second gave them a 4–0 victory in a friendly against Lincoln City At home to Leicester Fosse, in "delightful" weather in front of an 8,000 crowd, Hare scored the second-half winner after Fosse's Harry Smith had a goal disallowed for offside."Smallheath v. Leicester Fosse". Liverpool Mercury: p.9. 13 September 1897. The Leicester Chronicle felt that the Heathens' first goal "ought never to have been allowed in consequence of unfair charging", that there was nothing wrong with Smith's disallowed header, and that "Small Heath got the better of each decision"."Football Notes". Leicester Chronicle: p.6. 18 September 1897.
The visit to West Bromwich Albion in the first round of the Mayor of Birmingham's Charity Cup gave the 2,000 spectators more goals than they might have expected. Small Heath led 3–1 at the interval, but the home side brought the scores level after 90 minutes, and scored three times more during extra time to win the tie 7–4. Back in the League, Small Heath secured a "deserved" victory at Loughborough by two Billy Walton goals to nil. The highlight of the first ten minutes was the goalkeeping of Loughborough's Godfrey Beardsley, who "repulsed shot after shot", yet Walton's two scoring shots were "weak, and the second was disputed"."Loughborough v. Smallheath". Liverpool Mercury: p.10. 20 September 1897. The home side lost Arthur Shaw through injury after only a few minutes."Loughborough v. Small Heath". The Standard (London): p.7. 20 September 1897. The win completed a sequence of nine away wins in the league, begun in January, which () remains a club record.Wins . FL125.co.uk. The Football League. Retrieved 6 September 2017. Small Heath finished September with a fourth consecutive League win. Hare scored twice in the first half, either side of Tom Leigh's goal for Burton Swifts, but despite "press[ing] incessantly" in the second half, were unable to increase their lead."Smallheath v. Burton Swifts". Liverpool Mercury: p.10. 27 September 1897. The Owl commented favourably on a positive start to the season, the form of Charlie Hare and the ability of full-back Arthur Archer, but warned they needed to beat the likes of Manchester City and Burnley before starting to think about promotion."Fitful Football". The Owl (Birmingham): p.12. 1 October 1897.
Walton's second-half equaliser from a corner earned Small Heath a draw at Darwen, where the Owl suggested they needed "a little more dash and go in front of goal"."Darwen v. Smallheath". Liverpool Mercury: p.9. 4 October 1897.'Captain Forward' (8 October 1897). "League Tit-Bits". The Owl (Birmingham): p.4. At home to Gainsborough Trinity on the Tuesday, they led 4–3 at the interval, despite losing Jimmy Inglis to injury, and that was the final score."Smallheath v. Gainsborough Trinity". Liverpool Mercury: p.11. 11 October 1897. The Dart reported that "the attendances at Coventry Road this season have been most satisfactory, and the directors of the club are on the very best of terms with themselves as a consequence."'Retlaw' (15 October 1897). "Football Arrows". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.6. The visit to Blackpool, who before the game had won only once this season, produced a first defeat,'Observer' (23 September 1897). "Notes and Comments". The Northern Echo (Darlington): p.3. and an unexpectedly heavy one, for Small Heath, who showed "neither dash nor combination" as Hare scored their only goal in reply to the home side's four."Blackpool v. Small Heath". The Standard (London): p.8. 18 September 1897. Without both Hare and Inglis for the opening round of the Staffordshire Senior Cup, Small Heath nevertheless beat a full Wolverhampton Wanderers first team by three goals to two, Wilson Lewis scoring twice. The Owls 'Captain Forward' reiterated his praise of Archer, as "one of the best defenders the Club has ever had, [who] on this occasion was on splendid form."'Captain Forward' (22 October 1897). "League Tit-Bits". The Owl (Birmingham): p.7.
Despite still being unable to field a full-strength team, and with players in unaccustomed positions, Small Heath's winning ways continued at home to Newton Heath. A crowd of 6,000 saw Lewis open the scoring with a tap-in after an earlier goal had been disallowed for offside, then William Bryant tied the scores just before half-time. Soon after the interval, Lewis "whizzed" a second goal into the net, and Abbott hit the post, before Bob Donaldson's apparent equaliser was disallowed, again for offside."Small Heath v. Newton Heath". Manchester Guardian: p.7. 25 October 1897.'Retlaw' (22 October 1897). "Football Arrows". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.6. The Small Heath club had complained bitterly about their failure to be awarded exemption from the qualification process for the 1897–98 FA Cup, particularly as their less successful neighbours Walsall were exempted. Drawn to visit Burslem Port Vale in the third qualifying round, the club's directors made a "tempting" but unsuccessful offer to the host club to switch the venue to Coventry Road.'Captain Forward' (5 November 1897). "League Tit-Bits". The Owl (Birmingham): p.4. In a result that "could scarcely be credited in Birmingham until the evening papers confirmed it", Port Vale won by two goals to one.'Retlaw' (5 November 1897). "Football Arrows". The Birmingham Pictorial and Dart: p.6. Off the field, the club announced that the local schools league were to be allowed to play matches at the Coventry Road ground before their own fixtures.'Captain Forward' (29 October 1897). "League Tit-Bits". The Owl (Birmingham): p.4.
November–December