Nuneaton’s Footballing Heritage Nuneaton Borough 1958-1970 – Part 1 Contents Page No. Introduction ................................................................................ 3 1958-1959 ................................................................................... 5 1959-1960 ................................................................................... 35 1960-1961 ................................................................................... 66 1961-1962 ................................................................................... 95 1962-1963 ................................................................................... 120 1963-1964 ................................................................................... 150 1964-1965 ................................................................................... 176 1965-1966 ................................................................................... 205 Acknowledgements .................................................................... 235 Nuneaton Borough 1958-1970 – Part 1 All Stars Match obliged to seek a stronger league for their second team than the Warwickshire Combination. A Danger Sign to Borough FC They may apply for membership of the Central Alliance, Unless there were hundreds upon hundreds of people who which is operated from Nottingham. bought tickets and did not use them, Borough FC is not likely If they leave the Warwickshire Combination they are liable to to benefit to any great extent financially as a result of the another fine – this time up to £25. Borough v All Stars’ match at Manor Park. For although conditions were ideal – it was fine and warm – AGM: Supporters Saved Boro’ the attendance was only in the region of 3,000. This despite the fact that the All Stars’ team included some of the finest It was disclosed at the annual meeting of Nuneaton Borough ex-footballers in the country. AFC this week, that as a result of donations from the Supporters’ Club and the Supporters’ Auxiliary Association, This fact should be noted by those people who imagine that totalling £3,300, the club had been able to break even Southern League football will attract “gates” of 4-5,000. financially last season. Increased Prices The chairman of the directors, Mr Reg Carris, said it had been a shocking season from the playing point of view, and expressed Although prices had been increased from 1s. 3d. and 2s. 6d. thanks to his fellow directors for having stuck to the club to 2s. and 3s., and boys from 6d to 1s. 3d., the total proceeds through such difficult times. He also expressed thanks to the for the match could not have greatly exceeded £300. members of the club staff for all the hard work they had put in. If all the expenses of the game were to be borne by the sponsors then the profit, which is to be devoted to Encouraged the Borough FC will certainly not amount to anything Mr Carris especially praised the work put in by the approaching the £200 expected. Supporters’ Club and by the Auxiliary Association and said their wonderful support had encouraged the directors to seek The game was one-sided for the All Stars won 8-2. The admission to the Southern League and they faced the future winners put on a delightful show. Borough just weren’t in the with quiet confidence. game in the first half and were trailing 5-1 at half-time. They improved slightly in the second half and scored once to the Mr J. G. Till, a retiring director, was re-elected to the Board. Mr All Stars’ three. A. A’Ness, who was recently co-opted to the Board, was also elected a director of the club. Except that on three occasions they managed to strike the woodwork, Borough were outplayed in all departments. The Resignation All Stars gave Borough an object lesson in positional play and on how to make goalscoring look easy. Owing to continued ill-health, Mr W. Barrs tendered his resignation as a director and wished the club every success ‘Match of Century’ Produced £2 0s. 5d. in the future. Mr Barrs’ resignation was accepted with regret, and in recognition of his past services he was elected a life It is understood that the ‘Match of the Century’ – the member, along with Messrs. H. Watkins and A. Barnett. All Stars XI v Nuneaton Borough – in aid of Nuneaton Mr R. Carris was re-elected chairman of the Board, and other Borough FC funds, resulted in a profit of £2 0s. 5d. officers re-elected were: Vice-chairman, Mr F. J. Perry; hon. A cheque for that amount has been received by the treasurer, Mr Roy Tromans; hon. secretary, Mr P. Osborne. Borough club. It was reported a letter had been received from the secretary of the Central Alliance stating that the club had been Central Alliance For Borough Reserves? accepted as members of the Northern Section of that league Having resigned from the Birmingham League after being for the coming season. refused permission to play their reserve side in that It was agreed to send a letter of resignation to the competition, it is likely Nuneaton Borough FC directors will be Warwickshire Combination. 3 Nuneaton’s Footballing Heritage Nuneaton Borough 1958-1970 – Part 1 Borough Signings Report For Training Gateman For 39 Years One of Nuneaton Borough’s most loyal and enthusiastic supporters, Mr Charles Cecil James Morris, of 25, Clifton Road, Stockingford, has been a gateman at Manor Park since the ground was opened in 1919. Although he enjoys watching boxing, football has always been Mr Morris’ Dillon, former Peterborough United goalkeeper (left), Staples, former main sporting interest. Swansea Town and Weymouth wing-half or full-back and Roy Manning, A native of Coalville, he who were with the Borough players who turned out for training on played left full-back for Tuesday night. Photo: Nuneaton Observer Coalville Town Reserves in the Leicestershire Senior League for several seasons. Southern League Switch A miner for many years, Mr Morris started work at the age Kent FA and Wales FA bans on Dover, Folkestone, of 12 at Snibston Colliery. His first job was to couple tubs. Tunbridge Wells, Bexley Heath and Llanelly, means Later he worked at Whitwick Colliery as a pony driver. the Southern League’s two divisions are reduced to 18 He came to Nuneaton 48 years ago to work at Arley Colliery, and 17 clubs. Also, Exeter are switched from Borough’s and afterwards went to Stanley’s pit where he met with section to the other zone. a serious accident in 1917, sustaining a broken thigh, a compound fracture of the leg and a smashed ankle, when he was buried by a fall of coal and rock. As a result of his ‘Town Big Enough For Better Football’ injuries he was unable to work for four-and-a-half years. Says Supporters’ Club vice-chairman He returned to Stanley’s Colliery as a “screens” foreman in 1921, and remained there until the pit closed down At the Nuneaton Borough Supporters’ Club AGM, it was in 1924. He was employed as a watchman during the decided to make a donation of £130 to the parent club to dismantling of the pit. cover the cost of the fines for leaving the Birmingham League and Warwickshire Combination. With the closing of Stanley’s pit, Mr Morris left the mines and worked at Stanley’s brickyard for over 20 years. His The balance sheet showed that the club had cash in hand last job before retiring in 1948 was at the saw mills of of £350. During the year, £300 in cash and kind had been Morgan and Clark, Nuneaton. donated to the parent club. Mr and Mrs Morris have been married for 53 years. They Mr T. Aucott (chairman), who presided claimed they were giving have two daughters living, four grandchildren and one more than a useful service to the parent club. He appealed to great-granddaughter. members to recruit one more member each. That would not only double their strength, but in all probability their fund- raising schemes would gain more strength as a result. Final Trial Match Mr E. J. Roberts (vice-chairman), in praising the efforts of the player-manager Angus Morrison, said the town was big Centre-forward Problem enough for better class football. That it took the probable attack over an hour to score against Referring to the successful time they had under a previous moderate opposition in last Saturday’s trial match at Manor player-manager, Mr Colin Lyman, he hoped Mr Morrison Park pinpointed what may be Nuneaton Borough’s weakness would emulate what Mr Lyman did. in the season ahead. In appealing to the Supporters Club for support, Mr Morrison Delighted as they were with the brand of soccer served up by said the goal nets were in a shocking state. They also needed the experienced new boys, 1,800 spectators – surely a record new kit and balls. The total cost would be about £100. for a Manor Park trial match crowd – waited and wondered Officers re-elected were: Mr Alf Barnett (president); Mr T. when, if ever, the ball would find the net. It was all so “pretty- Aucott (chairman) and Mr W. Dove (secretary-treasurer). pretty” grand stuff to watch, without the goalscoring punch. 4 Nuneaton’s Footballing Heritage Nuneaton Borough 1958-1970 – Part 1 Talented Attack Keepers In Form And that may well be player-manager Angus Morrison’s chief All three goalkeepers, Turner, Fearn and Simpson, who took problem in the coming months, particularly in finding a goal- part in the trial, showed great promise. This all-important hungry leader for his obviously talented attack. post, with which Borough had difficulty last season, appears Tried as leader, Willie Muir, while adequately fitting in with to be more than adequately filled, remembering that two the polished approach work of the smooth-running line, more experienced keepers, Ken Grieves, still on cricketing seldom produced the match-winning shot essential in a duties with Lancashire and Bernard Dillon, did not take part. centre-forward’s armoury. Of the game itself, the possibles (mostly last season’s players) On the other side, Roy Manning, who distinguished gave a spirited display for the first 20 minutes or so, and held himself last season with his cannon-ball shooting, had few their own against more distinguished opposition.