Referees came under a great deal of abuse at this time, and newspaper reporters did not mince words in describing them as "disgraceful". It was not unusual for teams to leave the field as a protest against poor decisions. One reads, for example, of a match between Bangor and Beaumaris Grammar School in 1883. With Bangor leading 14-nil the schoolboys retired from the field ten minutes from time because of "unfair play! by their opponents.
Another amusing incident occurred later in the season when Bangor, having run onto the field, were told that their opponents would not be turning up. It was the rule in those days that when the visiting team failed to put in an appearance, the home side simply had to score through the undefended goal in order to win the match. The ball was tapped from player to player down the field, the centre-forward being finally entrusted with the honour of placing the ball between the posts -but he shot wide! Unfortunately one is not told whether Bangor claimed the match, or whether their opponents claimed a draw.
Football made tremendous progress during the 1885/86 season. Clubs sprang up throughout the district -Mountain Rovers, St James's, Victoria FC, Bethesda Rovers, CH Ogden's XI, Brynmeurig Blues, Hirael, Portdinorwic and Vaynol Park. Meanwhile, Bangor Athletic, as the city team was then known, was more than holding its own, and against Beaumaris they won by "11 goals and 3 disputed ones to nil". The Bangor goalkeeper found so very little to do that "he did not even take off his overcoat and gloves".
The prolonged feud between Bangor and Caernarfon grew very bitter in 1885. During a challenge cup-tie on the city ground, the Bangor full-back received a severe blow under the jaw, while others were "brutally kicked about the shins". Bangor eventually won 4-0, and as they made their way to the changing room, dirt and stones were hurled at the Canaries. The principal recipient was the goalkeeper, whose face and clothing, we are told, "were besmeared with objectionable". It was also reported that Bertie Newton, the Caemarfon captain, was ashamed to go home after being so badly beaten.
When Bangor visited Caernarfon later that season~ the visiting players were pelted with "sods and other objectionable missiles by scores of roughs". Matters became so bad that the referee had to escort the Bangor players off the field. The Caernarfon team then had the audacity to ask the referee whether they could "stay on the pitch for the remaining time and to score goals".
This was not the only match to end prematurely. When Bangor travelled to Colwyn Bay for the first round of the North Wales Challenge Cup in 1885, the game was abandoned 30 minutes from the end as the home side ran out of footballs, two having burst during the course of the match.
Two outstanding Bangor players at this time were Billy Lewis, who went on to gain 30 Welsh international caps, and Humphrey Jones, who was awarded 15. Among other notable players were Sebastian Willman, an old Friars boy who also played for Wales, EH Ridge, a solicitor in the town, AT Hay, a master at Friars School and a fine local cricketer, and HC Vincent, the well-known Bangor solicitor who became Mayor of Bangor and in later life was knighted for political services. These old players can still be seen today in faded photographs with their heayy moustaches, their Newgate fringes, their brown boots and their shorts extending well below the knees. It is hard to believe that they could play well, but they were fine athletes who played their hearts out and were proud to wear the colours of Bangor.
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