As Notts County prepare to face Salford City, at Wembley Stadium, for the final spot in next season’s League One, one-hundred-and-thirty years ago they were mourning the passing of their early, famous sons, James ‘Jimmy’ Logan.

Two years prior to his passing, on 31 March 1894, Logan etched his name into County folklore when netting a hat-trick in the FA Cup final, leading his side to a 4-1 win over Bolton Wanderers.

The final back then was played at Goodison Park, home of Everton, and, en-route to final glory, County put Trentside neighbours, Nottingham Forest, to the sword in a third round replay.

The first game, at the City Ground, finished in a 1-1 draw, whilst in the replay, Logan opened the floodgates after just three minutes as County eased to a 4-1 win; Harry Daft netted the only goal of the semi-final success over Blackburn Rovers.

In the final itself, Arthur Watson gave County the lead after twenty minutes, which Logan doubled on the half-hour with his first of the afternoon.

By the time hour mark was breeched, County were out of sight, Logan adding two more in quick succession to put his side four goals to the good, and with it, a hat-trick; Jim Cassidy netted a consolation for Wanderers in the dying minutes.

Jimmy Logan was shy of his twenty-fourth birthday at the time of his FA Cup final heroics, born in Troon, Ayrshire, on 24 June 1870, to James and Elizabeth; growing up in Ayr, first on Waggon Road (1881 census), then Allison Street (1891 census), James Jnr married Mary Munro, of Calton, Glasgow on 9 January 1892 at the Kelvin Registration Office, Shamrock Street, Glasgow.

It was around the time of his marriage to Mary, that Jimmy was starting off in his professional footballing career, turning out first for his hometown club, Ayr, and in doing so, also made his international debut, netting in a 4-3 win over Wales.

A seemingly meteoric rise that year also saw him sign for Sunderland, playing a bit-part role in their 1892 Football League championship success; the roller-coaster continued for Logan as he then returned to Ayr, before returning to England and Aston Villa, during the 1892-93 season.

From there it would be a cross-midlands transfer next, Logan signing for Notts County, as his goalscoring exploits continued to make his name, but he seemingly didn’t stay in one place too long.

After County he’d go on to have brief spells with Dundee, Newcastle United, and finally, Loughborough, taking his total to eight clubs in five years, with the last being the place of his untimely passing.

Shortly before his twenty-sixth birthday, and in the aftermath of an away day at Newton Heath (now Manchester United), Logan contracted pneumonia, from which he died.

That day, Loughborough had realised upon arrival that they’d forgotten their strips, so had to play in the clothes they had on; a 2-0 defeat was made even worse by the atrocious weather of heavy rainfall for the entire ninety minutes.

Logan caught a cold that day and, despite shaking it enough to play in and score against Crewe Alexandra in a 4-1, final day victory, the cold returned, evolved into pneumonia, and he died shortly after, at the age of 25.

Logan made approximately 60 games in his short, yet varied professional career, netting around 50 goals, and will forever be remembered by those of a Notts County persuasion as the scorer of a hat-trick that gave them their first, senior trophy.

The 1894 FA Cup; now today, 130 years since his passing, County look to write another piece of history, with the hope of promotion to League One firmly in their sights.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @Official_NCFC Jimmy Logan (centre right) with the FA Cup in 1894.