Episode Summary
Hosts
Graham Dunn, Jamie Rooney
Phil Craig
Guest(s)
Release Date
22 June 2023
Duration
72 min
In this episode of By Far The Greatest Team, hosts Graham Dunn and Jamie Rooney are joined by Philip Craig to explore the remarkable story of West Auckland 1909–1911, as part of a double header alongside River Plate’s “La Máquina” era.
Long before FIFA’s World Cup, there was the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy — an international tournament held in Turin that invited Europe’s best to compete. When England’s FA declined to send a representative, an extraordinary twist of fate saw West Auckland FC, a small team of miners from County Durham, chosen to represent the nation.
What followed became football folklore. Against odds no bookmaker would touch, West Auckland defeated elite Italian and Swiss clubs to win the 1909 tournament — and then returned two years later to defend their title, beating Juventus 6–1 in the 1911 final. Their feat was so improbable that many doubted it had ever happened — until records confirmed the miners’ miracle.
The hosts retrace how the team funded their own journey, the myths surrounding their selection, and the tragic story of the missing trophy. They also reflect on the wider legacy of working-class football, community pride, and how this forgotten tale predated the global era of the game by decades.
Takeaways
West Auckland’s triumph was the ultimate underdog story — miners turned world champions.
The Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy predated and inspired the idea of a global football competition.
Their victory over Juventus remains one of English football’s most romantic tales.
The players’ working-class roots symbolised the heart and humility of early football.
West Auckland’s legacy reminds us that greatness isn’t measured by fame or fortune — but by courage and pride.
West Auckland 1909–1911: The Miners Who Beat the World
In the early 1900s, when international football was still in its infancy, a team of Durham miners wrote one of the sport’s greatest fairy tales. West Auckland FC, an amateur side from County Durham, were mistakenly invited to represent England at the 1909 Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy — a tournament now regarded as football’s first World Cup.
With no professional backing, they raised funds from their community, travelled across Europe by train and boat, and faced elite opposition from Italy, Germany, and Switzerland. Against all logic, they triumphed — defeating Switzerland’s FC Winterthur to win the tournament.
Two years later, they returned to Turin to defend their crown — and did so emphatically, thrashing Juventus 6–1 in the 1911 final. For a team of coal miners, it was an unimaginable feat: twice champions of the world before FIFA had even conceived its own competition.
Their story didn’t end in glory, however. Financial hardship saw the original trophy pawned and later stolen, vanishing into history. Yet the legend of West Auckland endured — a timeless symbol of the game’s humble origins and the extraordinary power of belief.
In the long arc of football history, few teams better capture the spirit of greatness against the odds. West Auckland’s miners didn’t just win matches — they won hearts, setting the tone for every underdog tale that followed.
Main Topics
Iconic Moments
The origins and purpose of the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy
How West Auckland were selected to represent England
The miners’ journey to Turin and self-funded travel
Triumph over elite European clubs and Juventus in 1911
The social and cultural legacy of working-class football heroes
The mystery of the stolen Lipton Trophy and its symbolic meaning
West Auckland win the 1909 Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy
The miners fund their own passage to Italy
The 1911 6–1 victory over Juventus in the final
The theft and disappearance of the original Lipton Trophy
The 1990s reconstruction of the trophy and revival of their legacy
Notable Manager
Robert “Bob” Jones (player-coach)
Notable Players
Bob Jones, Charlie Hogg, Thomas Grey, Fred Proud, Joseph “Taddy” Gill, Albert Ekins, Robert Nicholson, Christopher Owens, Henry Agnew, Thomas Lunn, John Proud
Style of Play
2-3-5 formation, direct play, physical endurance, pressing and second balls, counter-attacking, team cohesion
West Auckland’s approach was defined by grit, unity, and astonishing self-belief. Playing in a classic 2-3-5 formation, they relied on physical endurance, organisation, and direct play — a style typical of the early 20th century, yet elevated by sheer determination and teamwork.
Their defensive core was rugged but disciplined, led by captain Bob Jones, while the forwards attacked with speed and simplicity. The emphasis was on pressing high, winning second balls, and countering through swift, vertical transitions. In an age before tactical sophistication, West Auckland’s strength lay in their understanding of one another — forged not on training grounds, but in the coal mines of County Durham.
Against more technically skilled European opponents, they compensated with stamina, courage, and adaptability. Matches were often played on uneven pitches in challenging conditions, but the team’s cohesion and fighting spirit gave them a psychological edge. Their resilience against Juventus and FC Winterthur exemplified how hard work could overcome class and privilege.
West Auckland didn’t play the most beautiful football, but they embodied its purest values: passion, honesty, and collective will. In every sense, they were the people’s champions — the blueprint for all future underdog stories.
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