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). Along with the other Town players, Naylor and Pearson Whites: Richardson (goal); Lee and Page (backs); Jones, were offered terms by the directors to remain with the Medhurst and Brookes (half-backs); Brindley, Pearson, Hatton, Nuneaton club, but did not accept, though most of the L. Turner, J. Harris and Holden (forwards selected from). players did. It is understood that Blackpool have promised to give the Nuneaton club some material assistance in Final Trial Game consideration of obtaining the two players. Considering the weather, there was a good attendance at Nuneaton Town’s final practice match, played at Manor Park. The play was much improved on the previous week, although New Centre-Half for Town FC the ground was in no fit state. Despite this, the game was of Nuneaton Town FC have secured the services of Bob all-round excellence and some clever football was seen. Trew, late of Redditch FC. Reds: Thomson; Lee and Page; Starling, Medhurst and Trew took part in the practice match at Manor Park on Brookes; Cooper, Dommett, Hatton, Turner and Bright. Saturday, and gave an outstanding display. The directors Whites: Lilley; Ward and Hudson; Johnson, Trew and Darlison; obtained his signature after the match. Gunn, Whitfield, Brindley, Hurst and Harris. He has had four and a half years experience in the The Whites were the most aggressive from the start, but Birmingham League and is a utility player, able to fill any could not penetrate the opposing defence, until, following a place in the half-back or forward line. He stands 5ft 9in, header by Gunn, Brindley headed in after Thomson had run and weighs 11 stone 8lbs. out and missed. Both left wings were conspicuous, especially the Whites, Hurst and Harris, who kept Lee and Starling continually on the alert. The combination of this wing pair Two Goalkeepers Signed was particularly good. Harris’ centres were without fault. The Whites added to their score through Whitfield, who Nuneaton Town have signed on Jack Thomson, a netted with a well directed long range shot. Thomson goalkeeper, who has played with Partick Thistle, Coventry found it impossible to save. Although nothing outstanding City and Plymouth Argyle. He is 27 years of age, 12 stone, characterised this first half, the play was of such a nature 6ft and has had eight years’ experience in first class as to repeatedly draw forth applause from the spectators. football. Last season he played with New York City, USA. Harris was perhaps the most noticeable player on the field, The Directors have also signed up Lilley, who last season his clever movement and splendid centring being particularly kept goal for Atherstone. prominent. Brindley, at centre-forward, played an excellent game, the feature of his play being his keenness and clever passing movements. Whites led 2-0 at the break. 1929-1930 A completely re-organised team appeared for the second half. A noticable absentee was “Rabbit” Johnson. Taken on Trial Match Preview the whole, the second half was not quite as interesting as A large number of applications for admission to the Town the first. Play took place mostly in the Whites’ half, but the Football Club have been received from amateur players in the attacking forward line could not score, mainly owing to lack Coventry, Leamington and Birmingham Districts. of finishing power. The only goal of the half was credited to 254 Nuneaton’s Footballing Heritage Nuneaton Town 1919-1937 Part 2 the Whites’ Gunn, who scored with a terrific drive from short Nuneaton Town v Hinckley United 02-09-1929 range after Morgan had partly cleared. Trew was an outstanding player during the second half and Nuneaton: Thomson; Lee and Page; Johnson, Medhurst and Brookes; was continually keeping his forwards well supplied. He was Barratt, Whitfield, Tuckley, Hurst and Bright. an exceedingly hard worker and on numerous occasions was Hinckley United: Rankine; Tilbury and Ward; Payne, Callaghan and Belben; Howells, Clack, Fieldhouse, Stirland and Townsend. the initiator of good movements. Hudson at left-back, a local product of the Sunday School League, was disappointing. His Nuneaton welcomed Hinckley United to Manor Park for clearing was faulty, as also was his attacking, although during the final of the Nuneaton Charity Cup. There was a good the second half he improved greatly. attendance. Darlison, a left-back, was a prominent player, his neat and Hinckley played better football from the start, having a better clever movements being particularly noticeable. Against understanding and combining well, although their finishing left Birmingham next week, the Town should be able to field a much to be desired. The game was end-to-end, with both goals strong side, and one that should gain the full two points. having narrow escapes. Nuneaton for the most part were slow, Nuneaton Town v Birmingham City A 31-08-1929 and played too individually and players were often robbed of the ball. The home team’s passing movements were also of a Nuneaton: Thomson; Lee and Page; Starling, Medhurst and Brookes; poor standard. Fieldhouse, the Hinckley centre-forward was a Barratt, Trew, Tuckley, Whitfield and Bright. constant source of danger to the home defence. Birmingham A: Slater; Booton and Bennett; Lakin, Place and Thomson pulled off a fantastic save before Hinckley opened Wallington; Burke, Merfitt, Cooper, Robinson and Hutchinson. the scoring after 30 minutes, through Townsend, who sent in Nuneaton welcomed Birmingham City A to Manor Park for the a well-directed cross-shot. The visitors added another goal first Birmingham Combination match of the 1929-30 season. through Fieldhouse, who headed home from a free-kick. There was a crowd of about 2,500. The state of the pitch was Nuneaton forced the pressure after the break and were mainly not conducive to good football, due to heavy rain. on the attack, but failed to finish their efforts. A goal by Tuckley Birmingham were first to attack, but Lee cleared. The visitors’ was disallowed for handball before Nuneaton reduced the approach work was good, but their finishing was not up to arrears through Tuckley, who netted with a fast drive following scratch in the early stages and Thomson had an easy time a free-kick inside the penalty area from Whitfield. Nuneaton’s in the Nuneaton goal. Lee and Page were responsible for a weak spot was their half-back line, who failed to keep up with number of Birmingham attacks being repulsed. the forwards. Their passing was erratic and they seemed to lose all sense of position. Nuneaton’s approach lacked cohesion and only Whitfield looked threatening for the home side. He was a constant Lee and Page gave creditable displays, but Thomson was source of danger to the Birmingham defence and shot perhaps the most prominent, his saves earning well-derved frequently and accurately. The home attackers were not applause from the spectators. The forwards lacked vitality receiving much support from the half-back line as they were and could do nothing right, although Tuckley and Whitfield pushed back too far, and too often, their passes went astray. were hard triers, but the former was tightly marked and only Birmingham scored first, 25 minutes after the start, Cooper had the occasional chance. Hinckley were excellent with their netting with little difficulty after he had forcibly pushed Lee most outstanding players being Rankine and Clack. off the ball. Nuneaton Town v Atherstone Town 09-09-1929 Nuneaton forced the pace and grabbed an equaliser four minutes later, when Tuckley converted a penalty kick. Both Nuneaton: Richardson; Lee and Page; Trew, Medhurst and Brookes; Harris, Whitfield, Tuckley, Price and Bright. goals had some narrow escapes, but both keepers, Thomson and Slater, were equal to the occasion and at half-time the Atherstone: Kester; Harrison and Terry; Higham, Ford and Finch; Albrighton, Gisbourne, Ison, Cross and Hollis. scores were tied at 1-1. Birmingham had the better of the play in the second half, Nuneaton welcomed Atherstone Town to