Mexborough and Swinton Times May 21, 1921
Denaby United Club
Pays its Way in Difficult First Season
£100 to the Good
The annual meeting of the Denaby United Football Club was held on Friday. There was a very good attendance.
Mr GT Worthington presented a balance sheet for the past season, and this should a credit balance of £118. The income was £2093.14s 1d, the two largest items which were gate receipts of £1,624 14s 1d, and subscriptions £308. On the expenditure side the item of wages stood at £774 16s 6d, that for travel expenses £206 and that for transfer fees £25.
The actual balance in hand, said Mr Worthington was £88, but they had in hand ground tax tickets assets worth £30. There were one or two debts outstanding.
At the beginning of the season the Denaby Cricket Club paid for a lot of the work carried out on the ground, and in addition to that item there were amount owing by the old football club to the Denaby and Cadeby Colliery Company, and to the local tradesmen, both debts been about 10 years old.
The president (Mr H.C.Harrison), said that every reason to be satisfied with the balance sheet. He had the debts to which the secretary and referred to, the President thought the Cricket Club were not going to ask the Football Club to repay the money until the latter were in a good position to do so; the Cricket Club realise that the Football Club had been working under great difficulties. As a debt to the Collieries Company and in 10 years, he thought it might easily go on a bit longer; the same remark applied to the money owing to the tradesmen.
The balance sheet was adopted.
The Chairman then review the past season. He thanked all those who had been instrumental in electing him Present after Mr Smith’s departure, on behalf of of the Club, he desired publicly to thank Mr Smith for the efforts he had put forward both in connection with forming the club, and with helping to pilot it through its first season.
The club are very grateful to the local public for the manner in which it had given its support. The club that carried on under great difficulties. They had entered the league rather late in the season, and had not had the same opportunity for securing players that other clubs had. From a playing point of view their season had been a poor one. There was never any question about the position they occupied in the league. There were definitely and decidedly at the bottom. (Laughter.) They did not win many points, but they want – what he thought would prove of great value to them – a reputation amongst little for sportsmanship. – (Hear, hear). That, they will find, was worth quite a number of points. Further they succeeded in establishing the fact that Midland League Football was appreciated in Denaby Main, and at a club which, though it one last, was doing its best, could always command support. The sporting public of Denaby Main had shown that it deserves something better in the way of football and had been given last season. They, as a club, were going to do all they could see to it that next season the public at something better.
After naming individually a large number of people to whom the club were particularly indebted, the Present remark that they are practically secured the services of another team manager in Mr J Hancock. He thought an apology was due to Mr Swinburne, the present team manager, for the manner in which the factor Mr Hancock’s perspective appointment have been brought to his notice, and he attended the apology on behalf of of the club.
In conclusion the Present appeal to all connected with the club to pull together. The club had a fine opportunity for making good next season. Preparations are already on foot, and he hoped that by next season at this time, the team would have established for itself a playing record second to none.
Mr Harrison was re-elected president, Mr T Swinburne secretary, Mr RV Bedford assistant secretary, Mr GT Worthington treasurer, and message J Dunk and P Chambers auditors.