Rovers Birthday…

[Mattyblue]

To be fair it would’ve been 150 years of a slip up. 

Unless there’s written minutes etc from the time, aren’t we just looking at the age old issue of conflicting historical accounts? The Maltese cross shirt is another example.

A very interesting little nugget here SG, but I doubt any records are going to be officially corrected…
 

Edited March 28, 2022 by Mattyblue

[Oldgregg86]

Does anyone know the significance of the Maltese cross connected with the schools that eventually became apart of our kit

[AllRoverAsia]

8 minutes ago, Oldgregg86 said:

Does anyone know the significance of the Maltese cross connected with the schools that eventually became apart of our kit

''This famous Lancashire club was formed by John Lewis and Arthur Constantine, old boys from the famous Shrewsbury public school. They won support from local businessmen at a public meeting held at the St Leger Hotel in November 1875. According to the 1905 Book of Football (researched by Jonathon Russell) the original minute book records that "the colours be white jersey, blue and white skull cap, trousers optional" and "that a Maltese cross be worn on the left breast." This motif was worn by both the Shrewsbury and Malvern school teams and two former Malvernians played in that first team alongside the two old Salopians, so there is a clear link with these public schools.''

''This account of the club's first colours is contradicted by an account found in the Blackburn Standard, January 6 1894, discovered by Kjell Hanssen, which states: The club was founded in December 1874 at the St Leger Hotel, in King William street as “The Rovers Football Club, Blackburn.” Mr Thomas Greenwood was elected captain, Walter Duckworth secretary, and Johnny Lewis treasurer. The dress decided upon at that time was navy blue and white quartered jersey, white knickers, and navy blue hose; it is the same yet (1894), but the blue is a lighter shade. Photographic evidence shows the team in navy/white in 1878 and the contemporary Charles Alcock's Football Annuals confirm these colours were worn until 1881.''

EDIT: I haven't actually answered your question! Onwards ..........

Edited March 28, 2022 by AllRoverAsia

[lraC]

Interesting stuff. I know the centenary season was celebrated in the promotion winning 1974/75 season. If we earmark the 2024/25 season, does that not cover all bases? 

[AllRoverAsia]

15 minutes ago, Oldgregg86 said:

Does anyone know the significance of the Maltese cross connected with the schools that eventually became apart of our kit

Shrewsbury School -  The kit of many of the sports teams shows a cross from the crown in the school's coat of arms, which is a practice that has been in place for at least 150 years. 

 

[broadsword]

15 hours ago, Claytons Left Boot said:

If it turns out to be 1874, Gregg, just cut off your forefinger and put a ‘4’ on your thumb. Simples. 

Or just put a minus one on your thumb if you're squeamish

[Riversider28]

If you search online to see which football clubs were founded in 1874 there is no mention of us, it clearly has it in 1875. The mystery continues.....

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

It's now becoming more apparent that the year of our founding should read 1874 on our famous Badge.

I refuse to believe these early written references all got it wrong,quite exciting revelation this.

The oldest Rovers Team Photo known to exist taken in 1878,the markings on the shirts are numbers identifying the Players...

Edited March 28, 2022 by SIMON GARNERS 194

[rigger]

This is getting like a Crystal Palace messageboard.

[had.e.nuff]

2 hours ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

It's now becoming more apparent that the year of our founding should read 1874 on our famous Badge.

I refuse to believe these early written references all got it wrong,quite exciting revelation this.

The oldest Rovers Team Photo known to exist taken in 1878,the markings on the shirts are numbers identifying the Players...

I bent these lads were not worried about which side the blue was on

[bluebruce]

1875 may refer to when we officially came into being, ie registered whatever documents may have been required, if they were required with the sport being so nascent. But, perhaps when its charter/constitution was drafted and signed or whatever. A date of 1874 may have been used initially due to the story of when the meeting was, and 1875 applied retroactively when the question was put under a bit more scrutiny.

Clubs tend to be proud of being long-lived, so I doubt we started stitching a later year onto our crest without good reason.

[bluebruce]

2 hours ago, had.e.nuff said:

I bent these lads were not worried about which side the blue was on

Judging by that photo, nope they weren't!

On a related but unrelated note, I bet John Lewis et al would be amazed to know what their little meeting was setting into motion. A local institution that would carry a legacy for (hopefully) over 150 years and become a multimillion pound enterprise, with tens of thousands of fans, maybe hundreds of thousands over the years, who hold it dear to their chests.

[perthblue02]

On 27/03/2022 at 23:42, Roving Mick said:

 I'm also interested to to find out the 'exact' location of the Leamington Street ground and what we were originally called.  Was it Blackburn Rovers, or just Rovers?

 

Not a definitive answer, but some pretty close guess work in this thread

 

[Upside Down]

On 28/03/2022 at 10:54, JHRover said:

Whatever it is it needs nailing down with the 150th anniversary coming soon. Would be an epic slip up to get that one wrong.

It's highly likely that the current regime would totally fuck that up.

[Upside Down]

On 29/03/2022 at 02:32, bluebruce said:

1875 may refer to when we officially came into being, ie registered whatever documents may have been required, if they were required with the sport being so nascent. But, perhaps when its charter/constitution was drafted and signed or whatever. A date of 1874 may have been used initially due to the story of when the meeting was, and 1875 applied retroactively when the question was put under a bit more scrutiny.

Clubs tend to be proud of being long-lived, so I doubt we started stitching a later year onto our crest without good reason.

I think that is more likely the reality of things. 

I got the impression that the first meeting was to propose and flesh out the notion of forming a football club.

If that was Christmas 74' then the actual official founding would not be until 1875.

As you say, we have had 1875 as part of our crest for a long time. 

 

Oh, and as I suspected we always played in blue and white.

Edited March 29, 2022 by Upside Down

[Herbie6590]

Happy Birthday Rovers…possibly…

 

 

[Herbie6590]

 

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Again...are we one year to late?

[Upside Down]

7 hours ago, Herbie6590 said:

Happy Birthday Rovers…possibly…

 

 

Note the blue and white shirts. 

[rigger]

10 hours ago, Herbie6590 said:

 

We don't give a damn,

we don't give a shite, 

We'll even go to jail, 

For the boys in blue and white.