Denaby F.C.

May 1914
Denaby Football Club.

Owes £503

But made a profit last season

The Annual meeting of the Denaby Main Football Club was held in the Large Hall, Denaby main, on Tuesday evening, Mr W.H. Chambers presiding over a representative attendance.

Mr J. H. Dunk, one of the auditors, presented the statement of account is, which showed the club to be in the following position:

Income for the year amounted to £95 15s 1 1/2d and expenditure to £97 8s 5 1/2d. Leaving a balance owing to this secretary of £1 18s 4d. Some of the clubs old debts had however been paid during the year as current expenses, and so on the actual years working there was a profit of £6 6s  8d..

The gate receipts amounted to £31 19s 2d , the proceeds of whist drives and dances to  £11 4s 5d, donations and subscriptions £14 17s  11d and proceeds of an open-air dance on account of the guarantors of the stand £28 2s 10d

The principal items of expense were £32 4s 10d for travelling expenses, £23 3s 0d for printing and insurance, and £28 2s 10d , which was handed over to the Denaby Colliery company in respect of the stand Account.

Mr Dunk proceeded to read a list of the outstanding debts of the club, totalling £503 6s 7d, the principal items being as follows:

Denaby colliery company, old debt                £ 75 15s 4d

Stand account for September 1913                £ 18   0s  3d

Outstanding balance or stand account            £273 15s 0d

Deficits due to treasurers                               £66 13  2d

Due to stand guarantors                                 £63  3s 10d

Grimsby football club                                     £10   0s  0d

Players wages unpaid                                     £37   12s 8d

Mr H. H. Ray                                                   £33 19s 9d

On the proposition of Mr E Robinson, seconded by Mr GL Robinson, the statement was adopted.

Secretary’s Report

The secretary, Mr T Clayton, said he had pleasure in presenting a most satisfactory report, which had been given of the club’s working for a number of seasons. They finished with a profit on last years working of over £5, thanks largely to special efforts which were made to raise funds, and they were hoping to be able to raise further funds by promoting sports this summer.

The players he said had been very loyal to the club, and when there was no money for them they had played and paid their own expenses without any grumbling. They had entered the Sheffield Association League, and finished fourth. (Applause). This year they proposed to run a second team in the South Yorkshire league, and also to enter the Montagu Charity cup competition. He had signed several of the old players on for next season and together with some good local lads they were hoping to field a very good team next season.

He would like to point out that the season tickets had sold very badly, and the committee occasionally had trouble in making the team up because of the difficulty some of the players experienced in getting away from working time for the earlier matches. If the officials would help them out a little in this matter they would be grateful.  

With regard to the stand he was sorry to say the guarantors had had to pay the full amount due from them that year.

The report was also accepted

Election of Officers

Proceeding election of officers, it was proposed that Mr W. H. Chambers be re-elected president.

Mr Chambers however declined on the ground of preoccupation with other business. He was unable to get to any of the meetings of the club except the annual meeting, and he felt it was important that the club should of a president who could devote some time to the interests of the club, and attend its meetings in order to guide its course. Although he withdrew from the presidency, his interests in the club would not be at all abated. (Applause.)

The name of Mr HW Smith was then submitted, but Mr Smith declined to stand.

Pressed by Mr Chambers, Mr Smith said, “the thing that worries me is the £503″ (Laughter)

Mr Chambers: that is a legacy that has been handed down by those were gone before us, and we must make the best of it. If the committee and everybody else were afraid of that we should soon be stopped.  As long as the creditors allow us to go on, we shall go on.

Mr Smith: and if the creditors come to me, who am I to go to? (Laughter.)

Mr Chambers; They can’t come to you. All they can do is to declare the Denaby main Football Club bankrupt, and then you break up and start it at some other club. (Laughter.)

Eventually Mr Smith consented to accept the position, and returned thanks for his election.

It was decided to enter the Sheffield Association league, the Sheffield challenge cup, the Wharncliffe Charity Cup, and the Montagu Charity Cup.