South Yorkshire Times March 13th 1965
Denaby United’s Best Ever Team
How many football supporters are there to-day of the calibre of 71-years-old Conisbrough man Mr. Albert Taylor, and how many of them will remember in 50 years’ time the names of their present day idols?
In the early years of this century, Mr. Taylor, a lad in his early teens, walked the mile or so from his home in Hirstgate, Mexborough, to watch Midland Leaguers Denaby United. He made the journey every other week, come rain or shine, and on the Saturdays when Mexborough played away he watched Mexborough Town, then also in the Midland League.
What is more, he still recalls the individual players he cheered on as a youngster.
“I can recollect walking from Mexborough to Denaby as a lad 12-years-old,” Mr. Taylor, now of 18, Taylor Street, Conisbrough, told me.
THE OLD GROUND
“In those days Denaby played at the back of the Reresby Arms – not on their present ground at Tickhill Square. The greatest Denaby team in my opinion was that of 1908 when they were runners-up to Sheffield Wednesday Reserves in the Midland League. My brother Matt played for Denaby at one time, but this was the best team they ever had,” he said.
The team comprised: T. Hancock (later to play for Chesterfield); Chris Walsh, Bill Lawley (later of Barnsley); Joe Nimrod, Donald Lees (later Barnsley), Bill Westwood (later Bristol); D. Blackburn, E. Dyall, T. Docherty, J. Lavery and E. Hepinstall (both went to Swindon Town). Reserves were Chris Kelly, T. Tompkins and Roberts.
Mr. Taylor recalls the Mexborough Town team of that same year, 1908, as: E. Rounds (later Barnsley); F. Thackeray (later Sheffield Wednesday), Dave Murray (Leeds City F.C.); H. McNeil, W. Biggs (also “mine host” at the Bull’s Head, Mexborough), J. Gosling; forwards from V.S. Simpson, E. Gadsby (later Barnsley, and Cup Runners-up Medal Winner 1909-10), F. Connelly, W. Lumb and W. Hibbard. Reserves: J. Lowe and W. Hargreaves (later Grimsby Town).
CONGRATULATIONS
Mr. Taylor would doubtless also remember Herbert Garner, who played with Denaby United in the 1920-21 season, and who wrote from Leicester to United’s manager Mr. Les Cowley, congratulating Denaby on winning their first match of the season last month against Skegness.
Writes Mr. Garner, now living at 40, Paget Road, Leicester, “I was very pleased to see that you had won your last match, and that it was your first win this season. I follow your results every week.”
Mr. Garner explains that in the season he played for United “we were in the same position as you this season”. He goes on to recall some former Denaby and Mexborough players, including former Denaby secretary-manager, the late Mr. Matt Taylor, and R. Shepherd, H. Hamilton, R. Chantrey and Tim Peters.