DOCSLIB.ORG

Nuneaton Borough 1937-1945 Contents

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Nuneaton Borough 1937-1945 Contents Nuneaton’s Footballing Heritage Nuneaton Borough 1937-1945 Contents Page No. Introduction .................................................................................. 3 1937-1938 ..................................................................................... 5 1938-1939 ..................................................................................... 25 1939-1940 ..................................................................................... 50 1940-1941 ..................................................................................... 73 1941-1942 ..................................................................................... 74 1942-1943 ..................................................................................... 87 1943-1944 ..................................................................................... 103 1944-1945 ..................................................................................... 120 Acknowledgements ....................................................................... 138 Nuneaton Borough 1937-1945 Introduction Nuneaton’s fate was really sealed when the clubs decided by a big majority not to increase the League from20 to 22 clubs. THE NEW FOOTBALL CLUB ... “We shall come to a definite decision next Tuesday night,” Application To Be Made To Birmingham Combination Mr Payne said when asked what the prospects for the future were. “A lot will depend upon the Corporation and how much With regard to the new Football Club, to be known as they will charge us now for the use of the ground.” the Nuneaton Borough Football Club, negotiations have He definitely stated that the club would not consider been commenced with the Nuneaton Corporation for rejoining the Birmingham and District League. the lease of the Manor Park ground for next season, and the club has applied for admission to the Birmingham Borough FC To Approach Council Combination for next season. About Ground This formation of a new club followed quickly on the decision of the shareholders of Nuneaton Association May Run An Amateur Side Football Club Company, Ltd., to wind up that company. Steps towards the re-organisation of senior football in At the meeting when that decision was come to, it will be Nuneaton were taken at a private meeting of persons remembered, it was stated by the Chairman, Alderman interested in the Nuneaton Borough FC, held at Manor Park Pembleton, that the Nuneaton Corporation were most on Tuesday night, and provided that the Corporation is anxious that there should be a Nuneaton football club prepared to rent the ground on reasonable terms, the club playing on the Manor Park ground next season. will definitely function next season, most probably as a It was also announced that steps were to be taken purely amateur organisation. forthwith to consider the formation of a new Company This was considered the only real way of re-building the club by a group of local gentlemen. – to start modestly all over again and develop according to Mr Fred Payne, one of those interested in the new project, the support forthcoming. said in an interview they were now awaiting the result of The object of the meeting was to consider the future of the the negotiations with the Corporation. They had already club, following upon its application for admission to the applied for admission to the Birmingham Combination. Birmingham Combination having been refused. There was a movement on foot, he understood, to extend The possibility of applying for re-admission into the the Birmingham Combination to twenty-two clubs. Birmingham and District League was thoroughly gone into, and facts and figures presented, but after lengthy deliberation the idea was given up as impracticable, but Combination Application Rejected Mr F. J. Perry was instructed to write to the secretary of the “At the moment I don’t know what we shall do. We are Birmingham Combination stating that should any vacancy holding a meeting next Tuesday night, when a definite occur during the season the club would be prepared to decision, either one way or the other, will be made.” consider taking over fixtures. This statement was made to an “Observer” reporter by A deputation consisting of Mr H. Watkins, who presided, Mr Mr Fred Payne, when commenting upon the failure of Fred Payne and Mr Fred Perry, was appointed to interview the Nuneaton Borough FC to gain admission to the Birmingham Town Clerk with regard to the use of Manor Park. Combination, at the annual meeting on Wednesday night. The running of a purely amateur side was next considered The clubs applying for membership were Bournville Athletic and favourably received by the meeting, and the probability (who finished bottom and had to apply for re-election), now is that the club may apply for membership of the Central Nuneaton Borough, Coventry A, Jack Moulds FC and Kettering. Amateur League. Bournville were re-elected and Coventry City A were elected It was felt that a really good amateur side, built around those as new members to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation players who rendered the club such valuable assistance last of Leamington Town. season, could be got together. 3 Nuneaton’s Footballing Heritage Nuneaton Borough 1937-1945 Such a team, it was thought, would do well, and that the public These appointments were announced at a meeting of the would give more support to a team with prospects of doing club on Monday night. The committee will be Messrs. S. J. well in amateur circles than an amateur side operating with Butler, G. Till, F. Watkins and E. K. Brown. possibly very little success in a professional organisation. It was reported that the club’s application to enter the More Local Flavour Leicestershire Senior Cup had been accepted. A point raised in favour of the Central Amateur League was Mr Osborne stated that the following players had been signed that there would be more local flavour about games than in to date:- Goalkeepers: A. W. Wyatt (Bedworth Town), R. Copson the Birmingham and District League. and R. Chandler; backs: C. Parkinson, D. C. Seabrook, W. Whitehouse and Goode; half-backs; Albrighton, Reg Irons, Cup ties would also be entered, including, maybe, the N. Pinnegar; forwards: Price, H. Tebbett, M. Lawrence, Amateur Cup, and it should be possible to stage some very R. Tromans, R. Cobley (Hinckley United), whose brother is the interesting games at Manor Park. Aston Villa full-back, D. J. Talbot (Leamington Town), W. Meads At the moment, however, a good deal rests with the (who formerly represented Atherstone Town and last season Corporation – whether they will be prepared to favourably was a prolific goalscorer for Herberts), W. Johnson (Nuneaton consider the club’s application for the use of the ground at Town and Hinckley United), E. D. G. Merry and Gibson (Hinckley rent, which, as an amateur organisation, they can reasonably United). The club has other players in view. be expected to pay. First Practice Match – New Players Signed On If a favourable decision is reached another meeting will be called, and the committee’s ideas put into operation. Nuneaton Borough FC officials have been very busy these last few days signing players and preparing for the first Full Season’s Fixtures Assured practice match on Saturday, and some important captures A full season’s programme of football is assured for Nuneaton have been made. Borough FC at Manor Park next season. These include Miller, a goalkeeper, late of Bishop Auckland, Following upon the club’s admission to the Central Amateur FA Amateur Cup winners, who had obtained an appointment League at Leicester on Saturday, Mr F. J. Perry immediately in Nuneaton; Meacham, a centre-forward, of Barking Town, set to work compiling his fixtures. and who has played in FA Amateur trial games, Hughes, outside-left, who last season assisted Willington in the The first four League games next season – there are intervals North Eastern League; Morris, an outside-left, who assisted for cup-ties – are all at home, the first match of the season Coventry City last season; Les Hudson, last season’s full-back; being Leicestershire Nomads at Manor Park. T. H. Goode, right-half, late of Hinckley United; J. H. Bailey, At a meeting of the club committee on Monday night, it inside-right, who has played for Atherstone Town and has was decided to enter the Birmingham Senior Cup, the FA had a trial with West Bromwich Albion; S. Marshall, who Amateur Cup, and the Leicestershire Senior Cup, in addition played for the club last season; T. Bedward, a local player; to local cup competitions, so that there will be a full and Cotterill, a prolific scorer in the Coventry and North programme of games. Warwickshire League last season. There are at present twelve teams in membership of the The officials are to be congratulated on obtaining such players league, so there will be 22 League games. The full list of as Miller, Hughes, Meacham and Cotterill, along with such fixtures will be published as soon as the cup games have favourites as Tebbutt, Tromans, Parkinson and Albrighton. been fixed up. Much is expected of the other players. Roberts is a strong Mr Alf Smith has been appointed trainer, with Mr H. Hall as his hard-working centre-half, and Gibson a speedy winger from assistant. Hinckley United. The committee also met representatives of the old The following teams have been selected for the first trial Supporters’ Club and put forward suggestions which the game on Saturday, kick-off 3-15pm. Blue and Whites: Miller; representatives will carry back
Load more

Recommended publications
  • A Foot Ball G W Z ?£
    HENRY D. MEYER 5018a No. Kingsliigtwwy Blvd. St touis 15, Mo. U. S. A. HENRY D. MEYER 7410 OliM Or. A p t B Hazelwood, Missouri 63042 U.SA •/ i Group II, No. 2 A Price 10 cents \ L > - ' H o # 'al S o c c e r A FOOT BALL G W Z ?£ - m C o n t a in in g t h e OFFICIAL RULES .AAfERic^N vSpopts P u b l is h in g Co. ;!:■ ' 21 Warren Street New YorK « n»ni .r. nimtwiw mi w»k* iiuu hmhwh ununm, „ 1 11 ii( : J’ A. G. S pa ld in g & B r o s . • v, MAINTAIN THCIR OWN HOUSCS , FOR DISTRIBUTING THE A. S p a l d in g COMPLETE LINE OF <\ A t h l e t i c G o o d s , IN THE FOLLOWING CITIES N E W Y O R K C H IC A G O SAN rRANCtSCO 1 0 .3 0 So. W » k » a Arm. n m u i s i . 130-1 AO Geary Str**l ST. LOtHS. MO. "V l-JI W»rt 4H « . 413 North Ik tn lk SI. SEATTLE. WASH. M W A R K . N. J . KANSAS CITY. MO. V I I S m * 4 A t o i m 043 BrM4 UrM l 11X0 Grant A y**** LOS ANGELES. CAL. BOSTON. MAM. DENVER. COU 433 SM tk Spring SI. lit rnttril SIt n i 1010 Arapaho* Str**t B I H A IO . N. V. CINCINNATI, O. MILWAUKEE. WIS.
    [Show full text]
  • Three Day Golfing & Sporting Memorabilia Sale
    Three Day Golfing & Sporting Memorabilia Sale - Day 1 Tuesday 04 December 2012 11:00 Mullock's Specialist Auctioneers The Clive Pavilion Ludlow Racecourse Ludlow SY8 2BT Mullock's Specialist Auctioneers (Three Day Golfing & Sporting Memorabilia Sale - Day 1) Catalogue - Downloaded from UKAuctioneers.com Lot: 1 Lot: 8 Fine Badminton Boxed set c1900 – comprising a pair of Early Slazenger’s “Demon― fishtail wooden convex tennis matching wooden rackets with oval shaped grips, (5x vertical racket c1900 – original thick heavy gut stringing ( distressed) strings broken to the one and 1 v/string broken on the other) – some wear to the head – hence well used pair of take apart wooden posts, net and guy ropes, tube of Estimate: £50.00 - £75.00 shuttlecocks together with the original fitted pine case with hinged lid to reveal original label, shuttlecock rack for 8 c/w shuttlecocks and 1931 original Slazenger invoice for 3x Doz Lot: 9 Shuttlecocks – overall 36x 7x 13.5― Hazell’s Streamline Blue Star wooden tennis racket c/w racket Estimate: £100.00 - £150.00 press – replaced stringing, original leather grip – good transfers hence overall (G) c/w SBK racket press (2) Estimate: £150.00 - £175.00 Lot: 2 Pair of early badminton one piece rackets c1890s – period stringing c/w original white leather bound grips – some wear Lot: 9a and a minor chip to the inside of one racket. Unusual pair of wooden tennis rackets c1885 – with rounded Estimate: £50.00 - £60.00 head, concave wedge, brass neck collar and small round handles.
    [Show full text]
  • 44 Small-Sided Soccer Games
    44 Small-Sided Games Free Email Newsletter at worldclasscoaching.com Table of Contents Page 4 Transitioning from goal to goal Dashurim Karanez Page 6 2 v 2 + 2 Support Play Page 7 2 v 2 Continuous with Transitional Outlet Player Page 8 3 v 3 Inside the Penalty Area Page 9 3 v 3 Plus Target Players Page 10 4 Goal Game Tom Gass Page 11 4 v 4 plus 2 to End Zone Tim Root Page 13 4 v 4 + 4 Corner Targets Page 14 6 v 3 Battles - Possession Based Small-Sided Game Page 15 Attack in Behind the Defense Page 16 Small-Sided Attacking Chris Kouns Page 18 Attacking the Offside Line Geoff Meiss Page 21 Chaos Page 22 Complex 5 v 2 Transition Gabriel Celante Page 25 Three Team Game Page 26 Support Behind and Beyond Striker Page 27 Four Goal Game Page 28 1 v 1 to Two Goals Page 29 Endzone Game Randy Pruitt Page 30 1 v 1 Building to 4 v 4 NEC Nijmegan Page 31 Functional Training Page 32 On the 3 Man Per Venzel Page 33 Pass and Switch with Teammate in Zone Page 34 Play into the Target Player James F. Kirk Page 36 Possession v Pressure Rob Parker Page 37 Possession with a Twist Rob Parker Page 38 Playing into a Lone Striker Page 39 First Time Shooting Dennis Hillyard Page 41 3 v 3 Plus Target Players Steve Murray Page 44 Shooting Drill Shooting Drill Page 45 Small-Sided Game for 8 Players Page 46 Linking Play with the Forwards and Midfield John McCloskey Improving Combination Play Page 47 Transition to Attack Loy Urbina Page 48 Passing for Penetration Loy Urbina Page 49 Possession with a Twist Page 50 Spreading the Field and More Page 53 Attacking when Opponents are “In Balance” Page 54 4 Goal Game within a 3v3 with End Zones Stevie Grieve Page 55 Tactics and Fitness: Match Game 4 v 4 + 4 Vassilis Papadakis Page 57 The Perpendicular Game Page 58 The Throw-in Game Page 59 Transitional Game by the Brazilian Way Gabriel Celante Page 60 Functional Training for the 2 Center Mids Page 61 5 v 5 Gary Eyles Page 62 9 v 9 Minus 1 Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • The Classified Encyclopedia of Chess Variants
    THE CLASSIFIED ENCYCLOPEDIA OF CHESS VARIANTS I once read a story about the discovery of a strange tribe somewhere in the Amazon basin. An eminent anthropologist recalls that there was some evidence that a space ship from Mars had landed in the area a millenium or two earlier. ‘Good heavens,’ exclaims the narrator, are you suggesting that this tribe are the descendants of Martians?’ ‘Certainly not,’ snaps the learned man, ‘they are the original Earth-people — it is we who are the Martians.’ Reflect that chess is but an imperfect variant of a game that was itself a variant of a germinal game whose origins lie somewhere in the darkness of time. The Classified Encyclopedia of Chess Variants D. B. Pritchard The second edition of The Encyclopedia of Chess Variants completed and edited by John Beasley Copyright © the estate of David Pritchard 2007 Published by John Beasley 7 St James Road Harpenden Herts AL5 4NX GB - England ISBN 978-0-9555168-0-1 Typeset by John Beasley Originally printed in Great Britain by Biddles Ltd, King’s Lynn Contents Introduction to the second edition 13 Author’s acknowledgements 16 Editor’s acknowledgements 17 Warning regarding proprietary games 18 Part 1 Games using an ordinary board and men 19 1 Two or more moves at a time 21 1.1 Two moves at a turn, intermediate check observed 21 1.2 Two moves at a turn, intermediate check ignored 24 1.3 Two moves against one 25 1.4 Three to ten moves at a turn 26 1.5 One more move each time 28 1.6 Every man can move 32 1.7 Other kinds of multiple movement 32 2 Games with concealed
    [Show full text]
  • 501. PORTSMOUTH Small Mag Photo Autogr Min £4 : Phil Gunter 502
    501. PORTSMOUTH small mag photo autogr min £4 : Phil Gunter 502. PORT VALE v Blackburn 56-7 min £3.50 503. PORT VALE autos on page from album circa 1934 13 autos inc Vickers & Rhodes min £18 504. PRESTON v Huddsfld 1938 Cup Final min £130 505. PRESTON large mag a/photo v Newc U auto Dave Wilson & Frank Clark min £4 506. QUEENS PARK R v B’ham 51-2 nof min £4 507. QUEENS PARK R v Bris C 46-7 tc min £5 508. QUEENS PARK R v Cardiff 50-1 min £4 509. QUEENS PARK R v Exeter 54-5 min £3 510. QUEENS PARK R v Hinckley Ath 62-3 FAC at White C. min £3 511. QUEENS PARK R v Hull 49-50 tc min £4 512. QUEENS PARK R v Hull 51-2 tc min £3.50 513. QUEENS PARK R v Southend Res 63-4 tc min £3 514. QUEENS PARK R auto on small white card Hogan Ephraim min £4 515. QUEENS PARK R small mag photo autogr min £4 Mike Keen 516. QUEENS PARK R small mag photo autogr min £4 Ron Hunt 517. QUEENS PARK R small mag photo autogr min £4 Jimmy Langley 518. QUEENS PARK R small mag photo autogr min £4 Mark Lazarus 519. QUEENS PARK R small mag photo autogr min £4 Morgan twins & Alec Stock signed by all 3 520. QUEENS PARK R glossy photo 10 x 8 Gerry Francis autogr min £5 521. RANGERS ticket v Airdrie 98-9 SLCSF mi n £3 522.
    [Show full text]
  • Nuneaton Town 1919-1937 Part 2 Contents
    Nuneaton’s Footballing Heritage Nuneaton Town 1919-1937 Part 2 Contents Page No. 1929-1930 ..................................................................................... 254 1930-1931 ..................................................................................... 277 1931-1932 ..................................................................................... 300 1932-1933 ..................................................................................... 324 1933-1934 ..................................................................................... 346 1934-1935 ..................................................................................... 371 1935-1936 ..................................................................................... 400 1936-1937 ..................................................................................... 437 Acknowledgments ........................................................................ 458 Nuneaton Town 1919-1937 Part 2 A number of these players have been selected for the two Nuneaton Town Stars Leave For Blackpool sides which will appear in the first trial game at Manor Park George Naylor, Nuneaton Town’s centre-forward of the on Saturday. past season, and who had 54 goals to his credit, and Reds: J. L. Thomson (goal); Ward and Cashmore (backs); Harold Pearson, the goalkeeper, have both signed for Johnson, Black and Rollason (half-backs); Barratt, Pearce, Blackpool, the Second Division club, for next season. Tuckley, Whitfield, Hurst, Bright (forwards selected from).
    [Show full text]
  • Squall, Issue Six – Fair
    ISSUE SIX FAIR 1 THE SQUALL Matt Thacker It’s six and out for The Squall. This sort code 40-05-17 and account number will be our final issue although if 71515942, or you can pay via PayPal to circumstances demand that it returns paypal.me/thesquall. Any money paid into at some point, we will be back if we can either of these accounts will be used for make it work. We set up The Squall six the sole purpose of paying writers who long lockdown months ago as a digital have written for The Squall. football magazine to give freelance writers a forum for their work. Not just October 2020 so they could get paid to write, but so they had something to aim for, a sense of job satisfaction at a time when such We are very grateful to all of the people satisfaction was in short supply. The who have waived fees and donated to return of football, however fragile, has The Squall since we announced the meant more work for freelancers. project. Special thanks go to: Nick Ames, Philippe Auclair, John Brewin, Kieran We hope that The Squall has managed Canning, James Corbett, John Cross, to showcase great football writing on Martin da Cruz, Miguel Delaney, Andrew subjects you are unlikely to read about Downie, Peter Drury, Ken Early, Emmet anywhere else, and that you enjoy our Gates, Sasha Goryunov, John Harding, final offering, the “Fair” issue. Simon Hart, Gary Hartley, Ian Hawkey, Frank Heinen, Tom Holland, Adam Hurrey, Initially The Squall was supported by Elis James, Neil Jensen, Samindra Kunti, Blizzard writers waiving fees as well as Jonathan Liew, Simon Mills, James by generous contributions from readers, Montague, David Owen, MM Owen, supporters and quizzers.
    [Show full text]
  • The Origins and Development of Association Football in Nottinghamshire C.1860-1915
    The Origins and Development of Association Football in Nottinghamshire c.1860-1915 Andrew Charles Cennydd Dawes Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for PhD Degree awarded by De Montfort University Submission date: April 2017 Contents Page Number Abstract 5 List of Tables and Figures 6 List of Abbreviations 6 Acknowledgements 7 Introduction 8 Football and History 9 Nottinghamshire 18 Professionals and Amateurs 22 Pride of Place: City and County 32 Sources and Methodology 40 Title and Structure of Thesis 44 Chapter One - The Emergence of a ‘football kicking fraternity’, c.1860-1880 49 The Foundations of Football in Nottinghamshire 54 Developing Networks 63 Rules, Officials, Players and Tactics: Towards Uniformity 77 Conclusion 91 Chapter Two - Nottinghamshire, its Press and the FA Cup: ‘Bringing professionalism to the front, 1880-1885’ 95 The Press, Local Patriotism and the FA Cup 100 The Clubs, the County FA and Professionalism 117 2 ‘It works in Cricket, why not Football?’ Nottinghamshire and Professionalism 124 Conclusion 135 Chapter Three - A Footballing Culture, c. 1885-1892 138 The Press and Football in Nottinghamshire 142 Establishing Respectability 152 Popular Culture and Fundraising 161 ‘Lamb-like’ Nottingham 164 Nottinghamshire and Developments in English football 172 Conclusion 185 Chapter Four - Football, Loyalties and Identity in Nottinghamshire c. 1890- 1900 187 City, Identity and Sport 189 Winning the Cup 193 Town, City and County 202 Nottingham as a Regional Football Capital 215 Conclusion 221 Chapter Five - Narrowing ambitions, widening horizons: Nottinghamshire football, 1900-1915 225 Nottinghamshire and English Football’s New Wave 228 The Press and Nottinghamshire Football 248 Nottinghamshire and English Football’s ‘Great Split’, 1907-14 253 Trade and Tours 267 Conclusion 278 3 Conclusion 281 Appendices 295 Bibliography 313 4 Abstract Home to two of the oldest football clubs in the world, Nottinghamshire was a hub of the association game.
    [Show full text]
  • It's a Man's Game: English Football and Socio-Cultural Change
    London School of Economics and Political Science It’s A Man’s Game: English Football and Socio-Cultural Change Ian S. Andrews Thesis submitted to the Department of Social Policy, the London School of Economics and Political Science for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, London, January 2013 Declaration I certify that the thesis I have presented for examination for the PhD degree of the London School of Economics and Political Science is solely my own work other than where I have clearly indicated that it is the work of others (in which case the extent of any work carried out jointly by me and any other person is clearly identified in it). The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. Quotations from it is permitted, provided that full acknowledgement is made. This thesis may not be reproduced without the prior consent of the author. I warrant that this authorisation does not, to the best of my belief, infringe the rights of any third party. I declare that my thesis consists of 75,035 words. Statement of use of third party for editorial help I can confirm that my thesis was copy edited for conventions of language, spelling and grammar by Transformat Ltd. 1 Abstract This thesis sets out to explain the limited representation of English players in Premiership football. As a nation, England appears to be producing an insufficient number of players who are believed capable of playing at the highest level of the game. Available data has suggested that less than 40% of footballers who started Premier League games in recent years are English.
    [Show full text]
  • Mullocks Specialist Auctioneers & Valuers
    Mullocks Specialist Auctioneers & Valuers The Clive Pavilion Ludlow Racecourse Football & Rugby Memorabilia Bromfield, Ludlow Shropshire SY8 2BT Football & Rugby Memorabilia United Kingdom Started 09 Jun 2016 10:30 BST Lot Description 1999 Wales vs South Africa signed rugby programme - commemorating the opening match at the New Millennium Stadium Cardiff 1 signed by François Pienaar, Colin Charvis, CP Wyatt, D Young, Neil Jenkins, Gareth Thomos, +3 members of the Wales management team including Mark Davies, (VG) Note it also commem ...[more] 2x Wales vs Italy signed rugby programmes - to incl '02 played at The Millennium Stadium and signed by 11 players to their profiles to 2 include Nathan Budgett, Martyn Williams, Barry Williams, Spencer John, Kevin Morgan, Stephan Jones, Tom Shanklin, Scott Quinnell, Daffyd James, Craig Morgan and Iest ...[more] 3x Wales signed rugby programmes from the 1970s and early 80s to incl Wales Under 25 v Fiji signed by Gareth Edwards to the cover, 3 and JPR Williams, Alan Toovey, G Turner, G Howells, Derek Quinnell, Allan Martin, Mervyn Davies to their player profiles, Welsh XV vs Canada signed by Barry John, John B ...[more] 3x Wales signed rugby programmes from the 1970s to include vs Ireland' 73 signed to the cover by 3 players including Philips Llewellyn 4 plus JPR Williams, Mervyn Davies, Phil Bennett, their player profiles plus several signatures by Wales and Ireland to the team line-ups including Willie John McBride ...[more] Collection of various Welsh Rugby Union programmes from the 1970s onwards to incl 4x Final Trials from '70 to '78 one signed by Ken 5 Jones and John Williams, JPR Williams International XV vs Bridgend XV '76, London Welsh American tour '76 and Welsh Clubs XV vs France Amateur's '06 overall (G) (7) Collection of Wales vs Overseas Int.
    [Show full text]
  • A Complete History of Southport Football Club
    A COMPLETE HISTORY OF SOUTHPORT FOOTBALL CLUB Compiled By Rob Urwin Southport FC Programme Editor 1 IN THE BEGINNING It was Thursday 12 th November 1881 when Southport played its first Association Football match. Although association football had been played in the town's private schools in the late 1870’s the original Southport Football club began as a rugby team. The 'handling code” had been played competitively since 1872 in Southport and there were teams under the titles of Southport Olympic, Southport Wasps, Southport Hornets and The Grasshoppers. Southport Football Club, who had been in existence for some seasons, arranged rugby fixtures for 1881-82. After some heavy defeats, the last recorded being on 15 th October when Wavertree prevailed, the club switched to association football. On 12 th November, six of that team lined up when Southport played Bootle “second” in their first match under Association Rules. Bootle took the lead but Jackson shot “a capital goal to equalise” The Southport team was S Platt (Goal), B Pidduck, JG Howard (Backs) P.Edwards, F Jackson and TB Burnett(Captain) (Halves), JR Topliss and F Holden (Rights) W Platt (Centre) J Melross and J. Sykes (Lefts). The Southport Visiter commented “that the team will no doubt render a good account of themselves when they get over the difficulty of hands off and forget the rugby rules” The following week Southport lost by “one goal and one disputed goal to nil” at Burscough. Most of the club’s rugby players made the switch to the “round ball game” and Dalby, Irving and Morris were also lured over to soccer from Southport Hornets.
    [Show full text]
  • THE SOUTHPORT STORY by Michael Braham in The
    THE SOUTHPORT STORY by Michael Braham In The Beginning It was on Thursday 12th November 1881 that Southport played its first Association Football match. Although association football was played in the town's private schools in the late1870‘s the original Southport Football club began as a rugby team. The 'handling code“ had been played competitively since 1872 in Southport and there were teams under the titles of Southport Olympic, Southport Wasps, Southport Hornets and The Grasshoppers. Southport Football Club, who had been in existence for some seasons, arranged rugby fixtures for 1881-82. After some heavy defeats, the last recorded being on 15th October when Wavertree prevailed, the club switched to association football. On 12th November, six of that team lined up when Southport played Bootle —second“ in their first match under Association Rules. Bootle took the lead but Jackson shot —a capital goal to equalize“ The Southport team was S.Platt (Goal), B Pidduck, JG Howard(Backs) P.Edwards, F Jackson and TB Burnett(Captain) (Halves), JR Topliss and F Holden(Rights) W Platt(Centre) J Melross and J. Sykes (Lefts). The Southport Visiter commented —that the team will no doubt render a good account of themselves when they get over the difficulty of hands off and forget the rugby rules“ The following week Southport lost by —one goal and one disputed goal to nil“ at Burscough. Most of the club‘s rugby players made the witch to the —round ball game“ and Dalby, Irving and Morris were also lured over to soccer from Southport Hornets. Ralph Rylance did more than anyone to establish association football in the town.
    [Show full text]