Saturday, October 9 – 1897
The Liverpool committee acted wisely when they secured the Liverpool Athletic Grounds at Stanley for their Combination matches.
Ever since the Old Boys flitted from the district the residents have had no football worthy of the name, but at length there is a salutary revival which substantially began with the Liverpool v. North End Combination match on Saturday last, and it goes without the saying that with a continuence of such football as thenw as witnessed, the enclosure will before long, become an extremely popular week-end resort.
The game was an exceedingly fast one, the spectators being kept in suspense until the whistle blew for the stoppage of the game.
When it is mentioned that such players as Smith, Drummond, Tait, and Howarth were included in the visitors’ team it will be seen that the North End committee had spared nothing in their endeavour to capture a couple of points, and so it happened that after a most exciting game,
North End Reserve were returned victors by two goals to one.
(Liverpool Courier, 09-10-1897)
"Play Up, Liverpool" 