Arbroath 36-0 Bon Accord
Encyclopedia
Arbroath 36–0 Bon Accord is the result of a football match between Arbroath
and Bon Accord
which took place on 12 September 1885. To this day it is the biggest ever win in professional football, and the second biggest win of all time.
which was played on 12 September 1885. Although Arbroath were only founded seven years earlier in 1878 they were already vastly more experienced than Bon Accord who were a cricket
team, Orion Cricket Club. They were mistakenly invited to enter the Scottish Cup instead of Orion F.C.
, an Aberdeen football club. The name "Bon Accord" was used to commemorate the watchword that initiated the storming of the Castle of Aberdeen during the Wars of Scottish Independence
. At the time, any Scottish-based team could enter the Cup without any previous experience. Today the requirements for entering senior competitions such as the Scottish Cup mean that the record is unlikely ever to be beaten.
Arbroath also ended last in the league table that season.
With the teams being so mismatched, it was likely that Arbroath would win easily, but even in those days when high scoring games were common the result was unprecedented.
Arbroath were 15–0 up by half time, and scored another 21 goals in the second half. The Scottish Athletic Journal at the time wrote The leather was landed between the posts 41 times, but five of the times were disallowed. Here and there, enthusiasts would be seen scoring sheet and pencil in hand, taking note of the goals as one would score runs at a cricket match." Referee Dave Stormont later claimed that had he taken a harder line with the Aberdeen team, Arbroath could have won 43–0. Stormont said: My only regret was that I chalked off seven goals, for while they may have looked doubtful from an offside point of view, so quickly did the Maroons carry the ball from midfield, and so close and rapid was their passing, that it was very doubtful whether they could be offside. It was claimed that Arbroath goalkeeper Jim Milne Sr did not touch the ball in the entire game and spent some of the match sheltering
from the rain under a spectator's umbrella.
18-year-old John Petrie scored 13 goals, still the record for most goals scored in a senior tournament, although it was equalled by Archie Thompson
when Australia
beat American Samoa 31–0 on 11 April 2001 in a qualifier for the 2002 World Cup
.
, Dundee Harp
were also playing in the first round of the Scottish Cup against Aberdeen Rovers. Dundee Harp beat Aberdeen Rovers 35–0. The referee noted 37 goals, but Harp’s secretary suggested a miscount must have occurred as he had recorded only 35. The match official, acknowledging it was difficult for him to keep accurate details during such a deluge of goals, accepted the lower tally and wired the official score of 35–0 to SFA headquarters.
Dundee Harp full back Tom O’Kane was an ex-Arbroath player and persuaded the Dundee club’s officials to send a telegram to his former colleagues at Gayfield Park
boasting of his team’s record breaking achievement. The Harp players and officials were not to know, however, that Arbroath had, on that same afternoon, actually gone one better against another unfortunate Aberdeen side. On receiving the Harp telegram, Arbroath officials took great delight in sending a reply boasting of the Angus side’s superior achievement. Both parties had a good laugh over the exchange of messages, each believing the other was playing a humorous trick. It was only when O’Kane arrived back in Arbroath on the late Saturday evening train that he discovered the truth. Locals were quick to tell him that the Arbroath result was no joke and Harp’s record-breaking claim was about to be lost. The following morning, O'Kane got up early and jogged the 18 miles along the coast to Dundee to alert Harp officials to the situation. The Dundonians now seriously regretted correcting the referee’s account of the goal tally.
9–1 in the second round, Dundee East End 7–1 in the third round before losing 5–3 to Hibernian
in the fourth round, scoring a total of 55 goals in that season's Scottish Cup. Two years later, on 3 September 1887, Arbroath played against the 'real' Orion F.C. in the Scottish Cup with a 20–0 win to Arbroath. Bon Accord competed in the Scottish Cup again in 1891 and 1903. In order to prevent such mis-matches occurring the SFA introduced the Scottish Qualifying Cup
in 1895, making high scoring matches a rarity in the modern game.
To celebrate the historic achievement of the scoreline, the Angus MSP
Andrew Welsh
tabled a motion in the Scottish Parliament
.
In December 2000 Romanian side Carpati Mirsa beat Avintul Dirlos 41–0 but the result was not ratified as it was not in a professional competition, so Arbroath maintained their record.
The record for highest victory in a senior football competition was set on 31 October 2002 when the Malagasy
club AS Adema
beat SOE Antananarivo
149-0
in the national championship. SOE scored own goals throughout the match as a protest to a referee decision in a prior match.
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BON ACCORD:
GK
Andrew Lornie
DF
David Donoghue
DF
James Connell
DF
Brendan Keeley
DF
Ian Whelan
MF
Keith Lowry
MF
Eamon Sutty
MF
Richard Doherty
MF
Larry Behan
MF
Conor Conorson
FW
Joe McManus
Manager:
Arbroath F.C.
Arbroath F.C. are a Scottish football club currently playing in the Scottish Second Division. They were founded in 1878 and currently play their home matches at Gayfield, Arbroath, Angus. They play in maroon strips, and are nicknamed "The Red Lichties" due to the red light that used to guide...
and Bon Accord
Bon Accord F.C.
Bon Accord were a football team from Aberdeen, Scotland who suffered the worst defeat in any British senior football match, losing 36–0 to Arbroath on 12 September 1885 in a first round match of the Scottish Cup...
which took place on 12 September 1885. To this day it is the biggest ever win in professional football, and the second biggest win of all time.
Background
Arbroath were drawn against Bon Accord in the first round of the Scottish CupScottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
which was played on 12 September 1885. Although Arbroath were only founded seven years earlier in 1878 they were already vastly more experienced than Bon Accord who were a cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
team, Orion Cricket Club. They were mistakenly invited to enter the Scottish Cup instead of Orion F.C.
Orion F.C.
Orion Football Club were a Scottish football team who played in the city of Aberdeen between 1885 and 1903.They were one of the three clubs who merged on the 14th of April 1903 to form the current Aberdeen F.C.; the other two being Aberdeen and Victoria United.Orion won two Northern League...
, an Aberdeen football club. The name "Bon Accord" was used to commemorate the watchword that initiated the storming of the Castle of Aberdeen during the Wars of Scottish Independence
Wars of Scottish Independence
The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of military campaigns fought between the independent Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries....
. At the time, any Scottish-based team could enter the Cup without any previous experience. Today the requirements for entering senior competitions such as the Scottish Cup mean that the record is unlikely ever to be beaten.
Arbroath also ended last in the league table that season.
A record breaking game
Arbroath were 15–0 up by half time, and scored another 21 goals in the second half. The Scottish Athletic Journal at the time wrote The leather was landed between the posts 41 times, but five of the times were disallowed. Here and there, enthusiasts would be seen scoring sheet and pencil in hand, taking note of the goals as one would score runs at a cricket match." Referee Dave Stormont later claimed that had he taken a harder line with the Aberdeen team, Arbroath could have won 43–0. Stormont said: My only regret was that I chalked off seven goals, for while they may have looked doubtful from an offside point of view, so quickly did the Maroons carry the ball from midfield, and so close and rapid was their passing, that it was very doubtful whether they could be offside. It was claimed that Arbroath goalkeeper Jim Milne Sr did not touch the ball in the entire game and spent some of the match sheltering
from the rain under a spectator's umbrella.
18-year-old John Petrie scored 13 goals, still the record for most goals scored in a senior tournament, although it was equalled by Archie Thompson
Archie Thompson
Archibald Gerald Thompson is a New Zealand-born Australian professional football player, currently playing for Melbourne Victory in the Hyundai A-League, where he holds the League all time scoring record...
when Australia
Australia national football (soccer) team
The Australia national association football team represents Australia in international association football competitions. Its official nickname is the "Socceroos"...
beat American Samoa 31–0 on 11 April 2001 in a qualifier for the 2002 World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
.
Unlikely coincidence
On the same day, 18 miles away in DundeeDundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
, Dundee Harp
Dundee Harp F.C.
Dundee Harp F.C. are a defunct Scottish football club that were based in the city of Dundee. Founded in 1879, the team went out of business in 1897.-History:...
were also playing in the first round of the Scottish Cup against Aberdeen Rovers. Dundee Harp beat Aberdeen Rovers 35–0. The referee noted 37 goals, but Harp’s secretary suggested a miscount must have occurred as he had recorded only 35. The match official, acknowledging it was difficult for him to keep accurate details during such a deluge of goals, accepted the lower tally and wired the official score of 35–0 to SFA headquarters.
Dundee Harp full back Tom O’Kane was an ex-Arbroath player and persuaded the Dundee club’s officials to send a telegram to his former colleagues at Gayfield Park
Gayfield Park
Gayfield Park is a football stadium in Arbroath, Scotland. It is the home ground of Arbroath F.C.The stadium is situated on the sea front, to the west of Arbroath harbour, on the southern edge of the town. There is no other football stadium in Europe which is as close to the sea; it is only away...
boasting of his team’s record breaking achievement. The Harp players and officials were not to know, however, that Arbroath had, on that same afternoon, actually gone one better against another unfortunate Aberdeen side. On receiving the Harp telegram, Arbroath officials took great delight in sending a reply boasting of the Angus side’s superior achievement. Both parties had a good laugh over the exchange of messages, each believing the other was playing a humorous trick. It was only when O’Kane arrived back in Arbroath on the late Saturday evening train that he discovered the truth. Locals were quick to tell him that the Arbroath result was no joke and Harp’s record-breaking claim was about to be lost. The following morning, O'Kane got up early and jogged the 18 miles along the coast to Dundee to alert Harp officials to the situation. The Dundonians now seriously regretted correcting the referee’s account of the goal tally.
Aftermath
In the following rounds of the Scottish Cup, Arbroath beat local rivals Forfar AthleticForfar Athletic F.C.
Forfar Athletic Football Club are a Scottish semi-professional football club from the town of Forfar, Angus. They are members of the Scottish Football League and currently play in the Second Division...
9–1 in the second round, Dundee East End 7–1 in the third round before losing 5–3 to Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
in the fourth round, scoring a total of 55 goals in that season's Scottish Cup. Two years later, on 3 September 1887, Arbroath played against the 'real' Orion F.C. in the Scottish Cup with a 20–0 win to Arbroath. Bon Accord competed in the Scottish Cup again in 1891 and 1903. In order to prevent such mis-matches occurring the SFA introduced the Scottish Qualifying Cup
Scottish Qualifying Cup
The Scottish Qualifying Cup was a football competition played in Scotland between 1895 and 2007. During that time, apart from a brief spell in the 1950s, it was the only way for non-league teams to qualify for the Scottish Cup...
in 1895, making high scoring matches a rarity in the modern game.
To celebrate the historic achievement of the scoreline, the Angus MSP
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
Andrew Welsh
Andrew Welsh (politician)
Andrew Paton Welsh is a Scottish politician. He was educated at Govan High School and Glasgow University.Andrew Welsh was the Scottish National Party Member of Parliament for the House of Commons constituencies of South Angus from 1974 to 1979, East Angus from 1987 to 1997 and Angus from 1997 to...
tabled a motion in the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
.
In December 2000 Romanian side Carpati Mirsa beat Avintul Dirlos 41–0 but the result was not ratified as it was not in a professional competition, so Arbroath maintained their record.
The record for highest victory in a senior football competition was set on 31 October 2002 when the Malagasy
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
club AS Adema
AS Adema
AS ADEMA Analamanga is a Malagasy football club based in Ivato, Madagascar near Antananarivo. They have won the THB Champions League championship on two occasions, in 2002 and 2006...
beat SOE Antananarivo
SOE Antananarivo
Stade Olympique de l'Emyrne Antananarivo is the football section of a Malagasy sports club based in Antananarivo, Madagascar. They won the THB Champions League in 2001 and were runners-up in the Coupe de Madagascar in 2003....
149-0
AS Adema 149–0 SO l'Emyrne
The world record for the highest scoreline in football , recognised by The Guinness Book of Records, is 149-0, set on 31 October 2002. AS Adema, of Toamasina in Madagascar, beat their arch-rivals Stade Olympique de L'Emyrne as the result of a pre-determined protest by SOE over refereeing...
in the national championship. SOE scored own goals throughout the match as a protest to a referee decision in a prior match.
Match details
| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> | ARBROATH: | |||
| GK | Jim Milne Sr. | |||
| DF | Bill Collie | |||
| DF | Tom Salmond | |||
| DF | Hen Rennie | |||
| DF | Jim Milne Jr | |||
| DF | Dyken Bruce | |||
| MF | John Petrie | |||
| MF | Johnny Tackett | |||
| FW | Jim Marshall | |||
| FW | David Crawford | |||
| FW | Daniel Neil | |||
| Manager: | ||||