If you go back far enough in history, you will find a number of bizarre stories about football matches, though maybe not one quite as strange as this.
Imagine the scene; Victorian England, 1894 to be precise and First Division sides Sunderland and Derby County were getting ready to start the match.
However, there was just one problem. The appointed referee, Mr. T. Kirkham was nowhere to be seen; Victorian rail delays were common at the time. As a result, it meant that a substitute referee had to step into his place.
To provide some background, Sunderland at the time was a team of top talents and considered to be the team of the 1890s, while Derby were still respectable.
Without the official referee having arrived, 5,000 spectators at Newcastle Road (Sunderland’s ground at the time)were getting restless and frustrated, so a local official was pulled from the stands so the game could begin.
How Events Unfolded
Sunderland’s Newcastle Road ground in 1895 – Thomas M. M. Hemy (complete name: Thomas Marie Madawaska Hemy) (1852-1931), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
As it was, Sunderland stormed into a 3-0 lead, dominating their opponents, playing high tempo football for 45 minutes, all but destroying Derby’s spirit.
However, at half-time Kirkham (the official referee), showed up and this is where things get interesting. Instead of thanking the substitute official, he asserted his authority, stating that the first half had to be replayed.
He argued that, seeing as though he was the official appointee, any play that occurred without his oversight was unofficial and did not count towards league standings.
For Derby, who were exhausted and demoralised saw this as a ‘get out of jail free’ card and agreed for the game to be restarted, giving them renewed optimism and a burst of adrenaline.
However, this didn’t last for long. The ‘second’ first half saw Sunderland score another three goals, with Jimmy Millar being a key player for them.
In the official second half or, ‘third half’, Sunderland ran riot against an away side who seemed to have almost completely given up. The hosts ran in another five goals as the match ended 8-0, despite 11 goals being scored in an unofficial capacity.
Controversial Press Reaction
As expected, the newspapers the next day had a lot to say on the matter. Sunderland’s dominant and impressive performance being completely overshadowed by the refereeing debacle and the officiating decisions that were made
The journalists called for more clarity on the ruling in situations like this, which led to a public outcry among fans.
Those who had seen the game first-hand didn’t seem quite sure what they had witnessed and were uncertain about what to think. For the few away supporters who made the long trip north it was a longer day than they expected with not a lot to be happy about.
It is no doubt a game that remains somewhat of a unique glitch in football history. Today, there are obvious protocols in place, should this happen. Usually, the Fourth Official or Senior Assistant Referee will step in; both of them being perfectly qualified to do so.
