South Yorkshire Times June 5 1965
ASSESSING DENABY UNITED’S CHANCE OF SECURING
RE-ELECTION TO LEAGUE
Keen competition expected from two senior clubs
The fate of Midland League club Denaby United in the league they helped to found, and more recently to re-form after its breakdown, seems currently to hang poised on a razor’s edge.
This year, for the second successive season, Denaby have finished at the bottom of the Midland League. Consequently they have to apply for re-election.
Success seemed to be a foregone conclusion, until the recent news that at least two Football League clubs are seeking Midland League membership for their reserve sides. Now there must be doubts.
LONG SERVICE
But this week Denaby’s chairman, Mr. Eddie Langford, told me: “I believe we have a fairly good chance of being re-elected, being old established league members.
“The important thing is that if we do get back in, we cannot afford to finish at the bottom of the league next season.”
It is understood that definite applications for membership have come from Fourth Division Lincoln City and Third Division Scunthorpe, together with Boston United, newly formed since their previous spell as Midland League members.
It is possible that these applications could be favoured by some clubs, out to swell gates with comparatively big names – and that could mean exit Denaby United, even though one club – Bourne Town – have dropped out of the 22-strong competition.
LARGER?
There has been talk of a reduction of league membership to only 20 – that would surely settle Denaby’s fate – but it seems equally possible that it could be increased, perhaps to 24, to accommodate new entries without any “sackings”.
Those are the possibilities which may well be resolved at the Midland League’s next meeting in Worksop in mid-June.
One man who is reasonably confident that Denaby will be shown the consideration they deserve is Mr. S. Peck, honorary member of the Denaby club, and a member of the Midland League management committee for the past two years.
He said quite simply this week: “I am pretty confident that Denaby will be successful in gaining re-election.”
Denaby’s case rests on two simple facts. First, that their record in the league is a creditable one until the misfortunes of the last two seasons – even as bottom club they fought hard and produced some good football. Second, that if it hadn’t been for Denaby United, and clubs like them, there may well have been no Midland League. United were not only founder members of the original league, but were also among only five clubs to sponsor its re-formation less than half-a-dozen seasons ago.