Mexborough & Swinton Times, June 1, 1907

Denaby Football Clubs Project.
Splendid Commodious Stand in Prospect.
Mr C Bury Explains the Scheme
A Question of Guarantors.
A Management Committee Appointed.

At the annual general meeting on Thursday night, Mr C. Bury, a prominent member of the club, explained in full the proposal to erect a commodious stand on the ground, together with the means of carrying out the scheme. This was accepted readily by a very good company, and there was little difficulty in obtaining a number of gentlemen ready to lend their assistance to what is a serious financial undertaking, the expenditure involving nearly £300.

Altogether the meeting was a decided success and should indeed mark an epoch in the history of this enterprising club. The account of last season’s work was also satisfactory.

Mr Chas. Bury was the chairman, and there was an excellent attendance of the club supporters, in the Lodge room of the Reresby arms, Denaby Main; Mr T. Peters, the general secretary, being also present.

Creditable Performances.

Mr Peter’s report made very satisfactory reading, both from the financial and the playing. In the latter respect the Midland league team, he said, had done better than ever. In the league’s 38 matches 19 had been won, 10 drawn, and 9 lost, 78 goals scored again 46 goals.

In the English cup competition they had got into the fourth round, and had scored 20 goals against 12; in the challenge cup they had scored four goals against six. The full record was: – played 49, won 23, drawn 15, lost 11: 102 goals for, 64 goals against. The reserve team had not been so successful. It’s record was: 28 played, 8 won, six drawn, 14 loss, 50 goals for, 67 against.

Finished “Square.”

The balance sheet showed an income of £542 6s 7½d, which included gate receipts to the amount of £473 11s 4 ½d., Subscriptions amounted to £63.15s 3d and “Tommy” Tomkins transfer fee was £5.

On the other side the expenditure was £541 8s 6½d., £287.15s 4d has been spent in players wages, referees had cost £18 7s., Travelling expenses amounted to £61 5s 8d, teas and refreshments were represented by the sum of £39 0s 6 ½d; the general expenses were £140 8s 6 ½d.

The chairman described both reports as exceedingly satisfactory. They had, he reminded them commerce started the season with a deficit of £50, which was now practically wiped off, and they had finished the season square; a state of things which had not previously been obtained. They had been helped splendidly by a cheque from Mr W. H. Chambers to the extent of £25 (applause). He moved the adoption of the report and trusted they would do even better next year. – Mr Astbury seconded, and it was carried.

Larger Committee Wanted.

The chairman introduced a very important question. At the last meeting they had decided that the management committee should consist of from 3 to 5 members with the officials. During the season they had discovered that this number was not sufficient to cope with the work, and the committee had been enlarged to 9. Mr Dunn had suggested a further revision of rules for their consideration so that the committee might be extended even further. They had got through the work very well last season. He did not see why a committee even of a dozen should impede the work.

As they knew it had been suggested they should have.

A Stand at Denaby.

In keeping with the place. It was not a light project, it was a costly piece of work. It was time they had a stand, they were progressing – at any rate, he did not see why they should not progress. When they had a wet day the spectators crowded into the little stand until it was absolutely full. They would derive a good revenue in this way in wet weather.

Wanted: Guarantors.

Of course, they realised that if they got a stand they would want money, and it would be necessary to have guarantors to the amount between £200 and £300. The idea therefore, was that the management committee should render themselves liable for the stand. He fought there would be little difficulty in getting a dozen members to stand security for £20 each. Therefore, he did not think it would be fair that these gentlemen should be debarred from having something to do with the management of the club with which she was risking his money.

Mr R. Dunn said that the chairman had stated the case completely, except that each man on the committee should be prepared to deposit £5 in case of necessity.

The chairman explained that the management committee would to a man be liable to the extent of £20 for this stand and £5 for the club generally.

Mr R. Dunn further remarked pointedly that they did not want supporters who carried their enthusiasm in their pockets.

Mr A. Robinson: Well, of course, it depends on a man’s “wherewithal.” He did not think that money made sport. But in the case of guarantors he thought that if they risked loss they should have the chance of gain. It appeared that while the committee were responsible for debts, the whole of the club pocketed the profits – if they were any.

Mr Dunn: Ah now you have said it, if there are any. (Laughter) he pointed out that the matter could not be put off; it must be decided that night.

Mr H. H. Wray: I think you can find guarantors who will be willing to accept responsibility for a definite time, but not indefinitely.

Mr John then moved: “that rules 2 and 3 shall be made into one, and shall read: the club shall have a board of directors, a management committee, who shall consist of 12 persons or more not including the president, treasurer, and secretary, who shall be ex officio members, with full power to act in the control of the business of the club, and they shall assemble once a week. They shall be prepared to stand security for £5 for the club, and be responsible for the erection of a stand to the extent of £20 each, such guarantee to be called a ‘stand committee,’ this guarantee to be at an end when the stand is paid for.”

Mr. G. L. Robinson seconded the resolution, and it was carried with only one dissentient, Mr A. Robinson.

Election of Officers.

Mr Dunn propose that Mr Chas. Bury be the president of the club. Mr G. L. Robinson seconded, and Mr Bury was the elected president amid a hearty round of applause.

As several of the vice presidents were transferred to the management committee or the board of directors, a host of others were nominated and approved. The secretary, Mr T. Peters was reappointed, the chairman speaking warmly of his services in the past. Mr W. Wright, the past treasurer, was unable to spare the time to act again, and Mr R. Mills was appointed in his stead, regret being expressed for Mr Wright’s retirement.

The Guarantors Forthcoming.

Then came the election of the gentleman upon whom is to rest the responsibility for the new undertaking and also the finances of the club generally, the management committee. The following list of names was submitted and approved by the committee: – Messrs J. Asher, T. Anthony, A. Robinson, J. D. Atkinson (Mexborough, R. Lapridge W. Astbury H. Mason, A. Lawley, W. Wright, Ben Turner, W. Cooper E. Sheldon and E. Watson.

The Stand Scheme Defined

The chairman said the stand scheme was at present “only in the air,” but the idea was that the stand should attain the divisions 60ft by 26 ft.

A voice: 90 feet.

The chairman: No. 90ft would cost too much.

Continuing, he said the lower half of the stand would be about 14ft broad, and the whole of the accommodation would be under cover, the standing portion providing room for about 350 people. The back half, also 13 feet broad, would be provided with seating accommodation, and would be placed at such a height that the people could see over the heads of the standing crowd. This part would hold a little over 300. The supports for the seats would be of brick. Underneath the seats there would be two dressing rooms and accommodation for the referee and the committee. The back of the stand would be match boarded. In time, probably they would have hot water washing arrangements and there would be a comfortably appointed pressbox. (Applause) He did not know what it was going to cost. It all depended on the gentleman who sent in the tenders. He had been told by those who had had to do with the large grounds that the stands were generally the most profitable of the club’s properties. There was certainly no reason why they should lose by it.

Plans were being prepared, and would shortly be circulated among the members of the club. Soon he hoped they would be passed at Doncaster, and they would have the stand built by the 1st of September. Of course that would be very quick work, but they should have it up before the cold weather came on. (Applause)

Mr Dunn, Mr Mills, and himself had seen Mr Chambers on the subject the previous day, if their presence of Mr Pope, a director of the company, and they had asked for the money to carry out the scheme. Mr Pope had agreed, stipulating that interest should be paid, and they had left it at that, agreeing to pay off the money as quickly as possible year by year. Of course, all the money earned by the stand would be devoted to that purpose.

This exhausted the agenda.

A Local Nomination.

Mr Dunn announced that the club had nominated Mr T. Athron for a position on the management board of the Midland league, and he trusted for the success of the candidture. Mr Dunn also brought the meeting to a conclusion by proposing a hearty vote of thanks to Mr W. H. Chambers and the directors of the colliery company for the loan of the money to build the stand. They could take it from him (the speaker) that the man who had “worked his plough” was Mr Chambers. Mr Wray seconded, and it was carried unanimously.

The Players

The secretary announced that the following all players had been induced to re-sign: W. Lawley , J. Hancock J. Nimrod, E. Dyal, L. Mosley, H. Wright W. Marshall and A. McGuinness.

The signatures of the following players had also been obtained: E. Marsden and T. Sherman (Central Albion), E. Mcgowan and B. mcgowan (Heely Friends), A Betts (Oxford Street), J. Ball and L. Hoften (Worksop), G. Blackburn (Worksop West End), S. J. Webster. (Heeley St Peter’s), T. Dyal (Ecclesfield), W. Caladine (Whittington Exchange), D. Hill (Conisborough United), W. Horton (Oak Street), F. Binns, T. Holroyd, E. Beetenson (Darfield), G. Middleton (Woodman Inn), J. Jones (Dronfield Town). Lawley was again reappointed captain of the first team, and Hancock vice captain.