Black Arabs F.C. season 1883-84

The Black Arabs season 1883-84 was the first played by the team that would later become Bristol Rovers. This was the only season that they used the name Black Arabs, the name being changed to Eastville Rovers for the following season.

The team wore a predominantly black kit, from which they took their name, with a gold sash.

Results

Black Arabs F.C. were not part of a league, and only played friendly matches during their first season. There is no record of the goalscorers from this season, and some match results have also been lost over time.

The first match was against Wotton-under-Edge on 1 December 1883 and two days later the Dursley Gazette carried the following report:

Football: Wotton-under-Edge v Black Arabs (Bristol). A match under association rules has been played at Wotton-under-Edge between these clubs, resulting in the defeat of the visiting team. The home team were in every point superior to their antagonists and after a one-sided game Wotton were declared victors by six goals to nil. —Dursley Gazette, 3 December 1883, reproduced in Byrne & Jay (2003).

Date Opposition Venue Result 1 December 1883 Wotton-under-Edge Away Lost 0-6 22 December 1883 Warmley Away Lost 1-3 12 January 1884 Bristol Wagon Works Away 19 January 1884 Bristol Wagon Works Home 26 January 1884 Warmley Home Lost 0-4 16 February 1884 Wotton-under-Edge Home Lost 0-2 1 March 1884 Bristol Wagon Works Away Postponed 8 March 1884 Bristol Wagon Works Home Won 3-0 15 March 1884 Right & Might Home 22 March 1884 Right & Might Away See also History of Bristol Rovers F.C. 1883-84 in English football Source Byrne, S & Jay, M (2003): Bristol Rovers Football Club, The Definitive History 1883-2003. ISBN 0-7524-2717-2