Midland Athletic
This next club is a strange one. Well, their name is. It is a bit misleading, in that their name is of a place they aren't even from. If you are from Ireland, you will know what I am talking about. Like any other country, their are different parts, and here in Ireland, it is no different. You have Dublin, which is the East Coast, then you have the West Coast, which consists of counties such as Galway, Sligo and Mayo. Then there is the South West, which is Cork and Kerry, then up north you have Donegal and Derry amongst other places. Wexford and Waterford make up most of the South while finally we have the Midlands, which consists of counties like Laois, Offaly, Longford and Westmeath, all of which are obviously in the middle of the country. This next club I am about to write about is actually named Midland Athletic, but they don't represent the midlands at all. In fact, they are from Dublin. Weird. But there's a reason for their name, and I will tell you as I tell you about their story and their time in the League of Ireland. Midland Athletic, you are up.
Founded in 1904, Midland Athletic were the football team that represented the Midland Great Western Railway, a company based in Dublin. With their origins they were naturally nicknamed the 'Railway Men' and competed in the Leinster Senior League up until their inclusion to the League of Ireland for the 1923 season, the second season of the competition. The club played their home games at The Thatch in Whitehall, Dublin.
In their first season, the club finished 9th in a 12 club league, winning seven, drawing two and losing thirteen. Most of their wins game against the three clubs that finished below them, Dublin United, Olympia and Rathmines Athletic, however their was won notable result, a 1-0 win at home to Shelbourne United, which stood out as Shelbourne United finished 4th that season. Their was also another notable result, one that Midland Athletic would probably rather forget and that was the 9-1 thrashing they received by eventual champions, Shamrock Rovers.
In the FAI Cup that year, Midland Athletic were knocked out, 4-0, in the first round by eventual winners, Alton United. It was an underwhelming first official season in League of Ireland football to say the least.
The next season in 1923-24, was even more underwhelming, with the club finishing rock bottom of the ten teams that competed in the League of Ireland that year. Winning just two games all season, (both wins coming against Pioneers) and losing the other sixteen, the writing was on the wall early on for the Dublin club. They also suffered some very heavy defeats, losing to Athlone Town, 6-0, Jacobs, 7-1 and Shelbourne FC, 6-0. Re-election was not going to come easy, and as predicted it didn't come at all, ending the clubs short stay in the League of Ireland. Ther
Their exit and that of Shelbourne United paved the way for two non-Dublin teams to enter the League. Corks, Fordsons became the first Munster side to enter the League of Ireland while Wicklow club Bray Unknowns entered as well.
Their second FAI Cup outing also ended early, with the club exiting in the first round once again, this time to Athlone Town, an actual Midlands club. They lost 2-0, and are one of the few clubs to have played in the FAI Cup but to have never won a tie.
Their legacy as a club in League of Ireland football is hardly one that many will remember, however, the legacy of a man who was one of the founding members of the club has done. Joe Wickham played centre back for the club, having worked as a supervisor for Midland Great Western Railway. He was a member of the side that lost to St James Gate in the Leinster Senior Cup final in 1920 and later become club secretary. He also briefly played for Frankfort and St James Gate, both before the League of Ireland had been created. A Phisboro man, he played for Bohemians B side and also became Bohemians honoury treasurer and secretary of their club.
He was also to become the General Secretary of the FAI from 1936 until his death in 1968, one that came while attending a match in Poland. Joe had become ill at half time and sadly passed away from a heart attack.
A man who wasn't afraid to stand up for football, he controversially backed the FAI in playing a match against Yugoslavia in 1955. Why was it considered controversial? Well, Yugoslavia at the time were a communist nation and Ireland were to be seen as anti-communist. The Catholic Church here at the time, were completely opposed to any type of communism appearing on this island. But even with pressure from the Catholic Church, Wickham helped make sure the game went ahead, and with 21,000 other people, he watched Ireland lose to Yugoslavia, 4-1, at Dalymount Park. It saw Wickham denounced from his own parish in Larkhill. It didn't seem to bother him, nor did it effect the influence he had on Irish football.
Wickham went on to form the Wexfords and District League in 1960, while also helping to form the Limerick Desmond League in 1966, cementing him as one of the most influential figures in domestic Irish football.
As I have pointed out already, Midland Athletic were hardly a club that many people will remember, nor one that, when they were playing, were setting a light the league. However, they do have their little bits of history, with the legacy of Joe Wickham always being attached to the club, while also causing confusion with their name. Well confusion to those who are from Dublin and the Midlands. Nevertheless, the will never be forgotten.