Nuneaton’s Footballing Heritage Nuneaton Borough 1945-1958 – Part 1 Contents Page No. 1945-1946 ..................................................................................... 3 1946-1947 ..................................................................................... 32 1947-1948 ..................................................................................... 57 1948-1949 ..................................................................................... 80 1949-1950 ..................................................................................... 106 1950-1951 ..................................................................................... 137 1951-1952 ..................................................................................... 165 1952-1953 ..................................................................................... 192 1953-1954 ..................................................................................... 222 Acknowledgements ...................................................................... 255 Nuneaton Borough 1945-1958 – Part 1 (Smethwick), Hadley Castle (Wellington), Hednesford Town, Nuneaton People Queue For Houses Kettering, Moor Green, Walsall Wood and Worcester City. “Absolutely Distressing Cases,” Says Mayor On a ballot being taken Hednesford and Moor Green were Nuneaton’s latest and longest queue is for homes. Since elected to fill vacancies caused by the dropping out of Aston publication in last week’s “Observer” of the Mayor’s Villa and West Bromwich Albion. statement that it was hoped to have many temporary Hinckley United informed the meeting of the difficulties they bungalows completed in 12 weeks’ time, hundreds of were experiencing in regard to a ground, but stated they were home-seekers have been flocking to the Council House contacting Barwell United for the use of their ground. The to make their claims. club was given seven days in which to notify the League as to The result has been, on occasions, a long queue along whether they had been successful or not in their ground quest. the vestibule of the Council House. Should they not be successful, Worcester City, who came next The points scheme, under which houses will be allocated in voting for the vacancies, will take their place. to applicants on the most equitable basis, has been There was a long discussion on the question of professional approved by the Borough Housing Committee, and a players’ wages, and it was agreed to insert a rule in the fresh form has to be filled up by applicants so that they League rules that the maximum wage be £2 per match. can be listed in order of merit under the scheme. On the question of charges of admission to grounds, the The people who have rushed to the Council House to meeting agreed that there should be a minimum ground press their claims have found that they have to fill up the charge of 1s., with a reduced figure for ladies and boys. new form. As soon as people realised that houses were likely to be Hinckley’s Difficulties soon available they were quickly on track again,” the All efforts to obtain a suitable ground having failed, Mayor, Councillor C. J. S. Dickens, told an “Observer” Hinckley United FC will not participate in the reporter. Birmingham Combination next season, but will maintain “There are some absolutely distressing cases in their membership ready to commence operations twelve Nuneaton. The need is appalling. The Town Clerk’s Dept., months hence. under Mr. Harrison, has put in a tremendous amount It is believed that Worcester City will take their place. of work in connection with the re-housing scheme. It is perfectly true that, as far as the Corporation is concerned, we are all ready to do our part. The rest is entirely up to the Ministry concerned.” Borough FC Appoint Player-Manager Northampton Town Half-Back Hednesford and Moor Green Elected to Birmingham Combination Arthur Harris, the Northampton Town and former Southend United The annual meeting of the Birmingham Combination right-half back, has been appointed Football League was held at the Crown Hotel, Corporation player-manager of Nuneaton Borough Street, Birmingham and there was a large attendance of club FC, and will be solely responsible representatives. for building up the playing strength In view of the Central League’s decision to restart next of the club for their return to the season, Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion intimated that Birmingham Combination next they would be unable to continue, but when they were in a season. position to do so they were prepared to come into line with Harrris, who is already in negotiation with several well-known their third teams. English League players whom he hopes to sign within the New clubs applying for membership were: Bermid Sports course of the next few days, is no stranger to Manor Park. 3 Nuneaton’s Footballing Heritage Nuneaton Borough 1945-1958 – Part 1 He was a regular member of the Borough’s last Birmingham Combination side, and played for the Borough in the Much Sought-After Irish Goalkeeper Obtained final game last season – in the replayed cup-tie against In the face of keen competition from English League Haunchwood Institute. Borough FC directors got him to sign clubs, Arthur Harris, the Borough player-manager, has on the dotted line in face of competition from Northampton signed a young six-foot goalkeeper whom he thinks Town and Coventry City, who were both anxious to obtain his should hit the high-spots. services for next season. He is Patrick Gildea, a 20-year-old Irish lad, who played in His Career several games for Liverpool last season. A native of Longford and now residing at Bedworth, Harris, Another new signing is Norman Greenaway, an inside- after playing in local schoolboy football, joined the Exhall forward or half-back, who made twenty appearances in Colliery side in the C and NW League, and in 1935 signed the Northampton Town team last season. professional forms for Southend United. Harris has also snapped up two of Baginton AWA’s men – He remained with the seaside club until the outbreak of war, W. Beanfoy, a left half-back, and Dennis (Jerry) Hayfield, and was captain of the side. He played for the Borough in its an inside-forward. last season in the Birmingham Combination as a guest player, Other players he has signed include R. J. Warner, a centre- but the next season went to Northampton Town, which club half back from Coventry City A and Farndon, a goalkeeper, he has assisted for the past five seasons with great success. who has had trials with West Bromwich Albion. The The directors feel they have done a good stroke of business capture of Bolan and Gardner, the Northampton Town in securing the services of Harris as player-manager, and are inside-forwards was announced last week. confident in his ability to get a really strong side together. Of the local players, Harris expects much from David Lapworth, the outside-left, for whom he has obtained a Coley and Stepens good inside man; and Dickie Mason, the Haunchwood The club had also held out strong hopes that both Coley and Institute player. Stepens, his Northampton Town half-back colleagues, would sign, but recently they have become redundant at their place of employment and may have to rejoin the Royal Air Force, FA Cup Draw: Borough Away To Hednesford from which they were released for essential war work. Both Nuneaton Borough have been drawn away to have now left the town. Hednesford Town in the FA Cup on September 22. R. Mason Report The winners meet Worcester City or Birmingham Incidentally, the report that Richard Mason, the Haunchwood Transport at home in the next round. Institute centre-half back, has signed for Atherstone Town, is contradicted by the Borough FC secretary, Mr Ron Talbot, who states that Mason signed Birmingham Combination Borough Secretary Resigns forms for the Borough some time ago. After occupying the position for the past two years, Mr Mason is an outstanding local player and had a big hand in Ron Talbot has resigned from the secretaryship of the Haunchwood’s success in winning the championship of the Nuneaton Borough FC. Nuneaton Combination during the past two seasons. He was asked by the Board of Directors to reconsider his decision, but did not see his way clear to do so, Northampton Town Forwards For Borough and the Directors had no alternative but to accept his It is the policy of Arthur Harris, Nuneaton Borough FC resignation. It is understood that Mr A. V. Barnett, of player-manager, not to indulge in wholesale signings, Cranville, Highfield Road, has been asked to accept the but to concentrate on filling the key positions in the position and has agreed to do so. Birmingham Combination side with men personally known to him. Borough’s First Practice Match: August 11th 1945 In furtherance of that policy, he announces having signed on professional forms two inside men – L. A. Two players who took the eye most in Borough’s first practice Bolan, formerly of Tottenham Hotspur and Southend match at Manor Park on Saturday, were Watson, the Newport United, and F. C. Gardner. Both were with Harris at County goalkeeper, and Dickie, outside-right, of Port Vale. Northampton Town last season, so that he is well aware The former showed splendid form in goal, his clever of their capabilities. anticipation being one of the features of the game. Dickie and young Morrow, of last season’s Boys’ team, played 4 Nuneaton’s Footballing Heritage Nuneaton Borough 1945-1958 – Part 1 delightfully together and interchanged positions to