Historic find on 120th anniversary of move to College Road
Northern Premier League Premier Division Marine announces the amazing discovery by renowned Everton memorabilia collector Dr David France in Arizona, USA of a 1903/04 Marine season ticket.
In mint condition, the ticket, measuring only 3 x 2 inches, is in booklet form with the cover made of card with four inside printed paper pages.
On making the discovery whilst reviewing some of his Everton collection Dr France decided to post it to his friend and Marine fan Peter Mills who lives in Crosby.
Marine was founded in 1894 and issued the ticket to members ahead of the start of the I Zingari 1903/04 Division 1 season just after the move to their new ground in College Road Crosby.
Honours are listed as I Zingari Division 2 champions 1902 and Division 1 champions in 1903.
On the inside first page travel to College Road is advertised as Trains to Crosby (L & Y Ry), or Overhead Railway and Electric Car. Team colours are described as Black and Old Gold with Dressing Rooms adjoining the Ground.
Marine’s fixtures for the 1903/04 season are scheduled with the first game being a friendly against Liverpool Reserves (to celebrate the opening of their new ground) whilst league fixtures included Anfield, Waterloo Ramblers, Valkyrie and Melrose.
The inside second page lists I. Bridge as the President with 22 Vice Presidents many of them the founders of Marine in 1894 who as shopkeepers in South Road set up the football club so that their sons could play in the team.
Marine Chairman Paul Leary said:
“This is an amazing find on the 120th anniversary of our move to College Road and I thank Dr David France for making the discovery and for sending the season ticket to Marine fan Peter Mills. Peter is now the proud owner of this important piece of Marine history and I also thank him for taking photographs of the ticket which is in fantastic condition. Peter brought the ticket to Marine’s home game last Tuesday and proudly showed off his prized possession to admiring Mariners.
It is quite incredible that the season ticket issued to member and supporter John Douglas in the summer of 1903 has now been discovered in the USA, as was the watch presented to retiring Marine player Walter Quayle in 1909 that was discovered in California just two years ago.”
Dr David France has kindly provided the following information about the influential John Douglas:
“Douglas was a groundbreaker at Stanley Park with both St Domingo and Everton. Thought to have had Scottish roots, he was one of the original cricketers and footballers associated with St Domingo Methodist New Connexion Chapel. As a result, he was an eminent figure in the early days of Merseyside football both as a player and a member of the Everton club. His first reported outing was in a 0-2 defeat by St John’s Bootle at Stanley Park in early 1880. After a handful of senior appearances at left-back between 1880 to 1882, Douglas preferred to turn out for the club’s second XI as an outside-left, captain, and mentor to younger players. He hung up his boots prior to the club’s decision to join the Football League in March 1888.”
Paul Leary added:
“The information provided by Dr France is quite incredible that Douglas too was actively involved in the formative years of Marine Football Club as well as his influence previously in Everton’s very early days. This adds even more interest to what is an amazing discovery and especially with it coinciding with our 120th anniversary at College Road.”
