Over a year after the building began, Darwen Jubilee Tower was officially opened on September 24th 1898. This picture was taken on the opening day and to the left is the celebratory bonfire assembled by the local schoolchildren in the picture. The metal and glass dome at the top of the tower was blown off in a gale in 1947 and replaced by a replica in 1972. Darwen Tower continues to survey much of Lancashire from a distance to this day from its lofty perch. © Cottontown

Rovers had been due an improvement in league form for quite a few years and after their last minute stay of execution the season before they improved markedly in 1898/99. Geordie Anderson would stay on for another two seasons before leaving Rovers for good in 1901 as the final link with the Cup-winning 1891 side. The most obvious improvement was in that they scored over 50% more league goals than the season before and after three years without any player scoring ten or more league goals; suddenly they had three players doing it in the same season. Leading the way with fourteen goals was Danny Hurst, originally brought in the season before as one of the many frantic signings that it was hoped would help the club avoid relegation. This was to be his best season for Rovers before he left for Workington in 1900.

Behind him on twelve goals was Ben Hulse, the Scouser was another player brought in the season before and would also leave in 1900. Rounding off the trio of double figure men was Tommy Jackson who had been brought in from Padiham but after scoring ten goals lost his centre forward position to Hulse and was released at the end of the season. Whereas the goalscoring figures improved, the defence was still as porous as a sponge. Other than a 6-2 loss at West Brom however, there were to be no disgraces for Rovers this year. The presence of the nineteen year old Bob Crompton as the regular left back meant there was some steel and skill added to the defence.

Irritatingly Burnley won both league games 2-0 and finished in third place, the highest position they would manage before World War One. Doing the double over the other local rivals of Bolton Wanderers may have been some source of comfort. Crowds at Ewood generally improved but there tended to be some wild variations. After 15,000 turned up for the visit of Sunderland, only 5,000 bothered to turn up when Stoke arrived the next month. They finished the season in sixth, a huge improvement over the previous shocker of a season although they were well off the pace set by the eventual league winners, Aston Villa.

Although the league form improved the FA Cup was almost a carbon copy of twelve months previous as Rovers once again got kicked out in the first round on Merseyside. This time it was the red half, Liverpool that administered a goodbye in the form of 2-0. So, all in all, a much improved season and reasons to be optimistic as the team looked forward to a season that would begin in one century and end in the next. Poor Tom Wilkie, a Scottish goalkeeper way before that breed had to put up with constant ribbing and jokes about them on Saint & Greavsie, had to leave after having two shocking games which then seemed to drain him off all confidence. As he couldn’t be risked in goal again for Rovers he was sent packing to Glasgow Rangers where his career did improve at least slightly. In came Bill Williams, a right winger from Everton and another winger in the shape of Arnold Whittaker, who would play 250 league games over the next nine seasons for Rovers before returning to the club he had come from, Accrington Stanley.