The Leadgate Exiles And Leadgate Park Riot 25th October 1890

The Leadgate Exiles And Leadgate Park Riot

Leadgate Exiles and Leadgate Park together were unique in a way! As most of the villages in the area had a football team of sorts, but few could boast of having two and both being members of the Northern League. Leadgate was a village that definitely could. The leading contender in this bit of history was

Leadgate Exiles Home Groud Is Marked With An Red X

The Leadgate Exiles played their home games on a pitch which was in a field opposite the Brooms Church Avenue

Leadgate Exiles who’s ground was opposite Brooms R.C. Church, they were a Catholic team, left footers among a sizeable Irish population. The next was Leadgate Park, their fierce local rivals, who were principally Protestant and who’s ground was off Durham Road, Leadgate.

In the 1890s Consett and the surrounding area’s were a bustling hive of Industry with the Steel Works and the local mines. The men worked hard but also played hard too. The Football Leagues were finding their feet, and the North was the place to be.

History Was Made

This bit of history started when they were drawn together in the second round of the Durham Challenge Cup which was to be played on the afternoon of Saturday 25th October 1890,

The week before the Tie, the game had been the primary topic of local conversation, bets being laid freely on the result and the utmost enthusiasm prevailed among the numerous patrons of each club. The feelings held by the two teams became all too clear on the afternoon of the game. Four thousand spectators crowded into Leadgate Park’s ground on Durham Road.

John Campbell born 1870 and played football for Sunderland FC scored the first hat-trick in the Football League in his first season of 1890-91 He died at the young age of 36

John Campbell played football for Sunderland FC and scored the first hat-trick in the Football League in his first season of 1890-91 was overshadowed by Leadgate Exiles beating Leadgate Park.

On this day in the Football League, the same number of spectators watched Bolton Wanderers play Sunderland. The achievement of John Campbell who became the first Sunderland player to score a Football League hat trick, had been overshadowed by events at Leadgate, which were to prove more memorable.

Full Scale Riot

During the game, as you can imagine, there was very little love lost between the two sides. Tensions were running high throughout the entire match. Leadgate Exiles won the Tie 2-1. During the after-match celebrations, a good deal of drink and badinage was indulged in by both sets of supporters. Still, at 10.30 pm in the Bradley Arms (Which is now the Sportsman’s Arms), the Leadgate Exiles headquarters, celebrations turned nasty. A violent disturbance of the peace by a crowd turned into a bloodbath and a full-scale riot. The female portion of the community, appeared in that respect to be the worst offenders.

Police Summoned

The police had to be called out but, unfortunately, the first two officers who arrived, led by Sgt. Nicholson were soon involved in quelling the mob. They managed to get one man, Joseph Carr into handcuffs. Carr’s brother then armed himself with a stout stick and completely smashed up the front of the pub and ran off, with the police giving chase.

In the Bradley Arms, the mayhem continued. Unfortunately, the officer guarding Carr, was beaten and thrown to the ground. Carr, still handcuffed, escaped with his accomplices.

With the disturbance still increasing, and several fights occurring on the main street, the word was despatched again to Consett. Inspector Benzies and four of his constables hastened to Leadgate. They stated that the village was in an uproar with people openly fighting in the streets and alley-ways. The police made several charges on the howling mob and eventually succeeded in dispersing the crowd. Two of the ring leaders, Wheatley and Curry, were arrested and taken to the Consett lock-up.