1933 – Doing The Double
Winning the I Zingari league cup and Division Two title
I Zingari league final tables 1932/33
It had been a dizzying dozen years since the formation of Formby FC. Moving through three leagues, by 1931/32 they were ensconced in Division Two of the three-division I Zingari League. (I Zingari in Padanian Italian dialect means ‘the Gypsies’. It is also the name of two amateur cricket clubs in England and Australia, founded in the 19th century to foster amateur participation in sport. The Liverpool league’s name makes reference to their spirit of amateur competition.)
It was a cracking debut season for the Squirrels, winning 19 out of 26 league games and finishing second. The hefty 73% win rate was to stand as the club record until 2012/13.
The next season, 1932/33, had not only a dynamic league campaign that ended with them capturing the hot spot but also their most extensive cup forays to date. They came straight out of the gate with a show of force, scoring fourteen goals in the first three games to be top of the table.
New territory was marked on 22nd October 1932 as the Squirrels entered the FA Amateur Cup, their first time in a national competition. Preston Grammar School Old Boys were top of the Lancashire Amateur League (Northern Section) but that was no preparation for a visit to Brows Lane where they were absolutely whupped. The mighty Jack Fay had scored four by half time and added a fifth in the second half as part of a 6-1 romp.
The Lancashire Amateur Cup campaign was also a rampage, scoring 22 goals in the first four rounds. The opening game at Bolton SSOB was a 7-0 goal riot, including four from Rawsthorne on his debut. Squirrels’ goalie Jack Leary played a big part in it too, making a flying leap to save a penalty from the top left corner. It was one of three spot kicks he faced that November and he saved them all. For the second year running it was all Merseyside teams in the semi finals and Formby fell 2-1 at the hands of perennial rivals Marine.
The third round of the Liverpool Amateur Cup was reached but on 25th February 1933, a week after the Marine defeat, Formby were knocked out by The Pemblians in their first home defeat of the season. Although they were from the division above, the Pemblians had lost 12 of their 16 games and so the Squirrels could be forgiven for expecting more.
As clubs are dumped out of cups they traditionally keep their chin up by declaring they are turning their attention to the league. Formby did this but also had their eye on the last remaining cup; the I Zingari League Challenge Cup.
The campaign started late with a preliminary round tie on New Year’s Eve 1932 at Third Division leaders North Western. Formby players met under the clock at Lime Street station to travel together whilst a band of stalwart Squirrels supporters got the tram out to Old Swan’s Green Lane terminus to see the home side’s brisk attacking form.
The hero of the day was keeper Jack Leary ensuring Formby held strong against the strikes and the wind to secure a 1-0 lead at half time. With the wind in the Squirrels’ favour in the second half, the elements let Jack Fay complete his hat trick in the 4-0 win.
Formby had drawn seven of their eight cup ties away. It didn’t necessarily cost the club financially as the I Zingari league cup gave all gate monies to charity. Nonetheless, the element of home support was important so it was a relief to not only get a Third Division side but a home game for the First Round.
New Brighton Baptists came to Brows Lane on 21st January 1933, second in their table to North Western. With the homesters forced to play three reserves it was a closer affair than the North Western game. Coming into the second half 1-1, the Baptists hammered forward but once again keeper Jack Leary was outstanding. Formby then took the initiative and in the dying minutes Jack Fay headed home the winner.
As league cups progress the higher sides predominate, but even that tendency didn’t prepare Formby for their pairing with the team who topped the First Division, West Derby Union.
Formby had evolved into an effervescent fighting force and, despite facing the leaders of the division above, they really took the game to Union. The Squirrels had the ball in the net at the Brows Lane end in the opening minutes on 11th February, rapidly capitalising to go in 3-1 up at half time. Theie lead was nearly reduced in the second half with a Union penalty but it crashed off the bar, and though the rebound was netted the goal was disallowed.
Formby took control and simply pummelled Union 6-1. Amidst Jack Fay’s hat trick was his 40th goal of the season. Having so convincingly booked their place in the quarter finals Formby could see the glint of multiple silverware on the horizon as their league campaign forged ahead.
The picture below shows the squad a year or two later with Fay in the centre of the front row with the ball.
Formby FC, some time 1933-1938
A month later, on 11th March 1933, Cadby Hall came calling and despite being another First Division outfit the Squirrels also knocked them for six. Jack Fay, somewhat inevitably, netted half the home side’s tally in a 6-2 thrashing. Oddly, for the second consecutive game of the competition this one also had the visitors going 3-1 down then have a potentially game-changing shot crash off the Brows Lane end bar.
Late in the second half the visitors got the chance to reduce their arrears with a penalty but, incredibly, Leary saved his fifth successive spot kick. Though reduced to ten men the Squirrels more than held their own and sailed through to the semis.
Back into league games, a week later Formby visited their chief promotion rivals Maghull, losing the tight contest 2-1. The consolation goal was Jack Fay’s 44th of the season. Soon afterwards a knee injury ended his playing for the rest of the term, missing out on the final thirteen games as a player, though he was on the sidelines with a walking stick. They suffered a second successive defeat against Olympic, although there was consolation in Jack Leary saving his sixth successive penalty.
The league campaign concluded on 25th April and the men from Brows Lane had only lost four of their 24 games. At the end, Formby and Maghull were tied for points. The Squirrels had won one more game and had by far the better goal average but the rules decreed that the two sides had to have a play off to see who would be promoted.
The league cup semi final at Bromborough Pool on 29th April was Formby’s tenth game of the month. Pool were a stoically mid-table side from up in the First Division but despite the busy schedule Formby had sustained their form, winning seven of those nine April games.
Kicking off up the slope, Formby went ahead in the seventh minute from the prolific Rawsthorne, Wady later doubling the tally with a mopped up rebound. The slope did not give benefit in the second half, often making the ball run away from the Formby men. Pool came on the attack but Formby’s defence was more than up to the challenge, the only threat coming late but a desperate lunge of the foot from Leary preserved the clean sheet. The 2-0 result put them through to the final against yet more middling First Division opposition in the shape of Earle.
Before that it was, coincidentally, Earle’s ground in Wavertree that provided the neutral territory for the league playoff with Maghull. As befitted two tightly matched sides trying to separate themselves, it was a close contest. Formby took a one goal lead but in the failing light of the final minute Maghull grabbed an equaliser. With the encroaching darkness of those unfloodlit days extra time was out of the question, meaning another game would be played two days later. Unfortunately for the Squirrels that was 5th May, the night before the league cup final.
This time Formby came through to win 2-1 and get automatic promotion for the only time in their history until 2013. (There have been seven successful applications to higher leagues and two promotions from lower finishes; conversely, in 2012/13 we won the title with promotion denied due to ground grading, and the following year came second to win automatic promotion but disbanded before the following season began).
The next day Formby took their weary legs to the cup final. They valiantly pushed but the game finished 2-2. This was not only the days before penalty shootouts but even before cup final replays were universal, and Formby and Earle shared the trophy, six months each.
It is the only league and league cup double Formby have ever won. In 1949 they won their other league and cup double, topping the Liverpool County Combination and hoisting the Liverpool Amateur Cup.
