South Yorkshire Times – February 23, 1952
Looking Back on 50 Years of Midland League Football At Denaby
Old and New Go Hand in Hand in This United Jubilee Year
For the smaller fry of professional football these are as desperate days as ever they were. Save football, perhaps, nothing has changed. Denaby United, in this season 1951-52, celebrate their 50th year of membership of the Midland Counties Football League. The supreme need is still money. Average “gates” are half what they should be to keep Midland League football at Tickhill Square. So far there have been no slots in the arm from transfers.
Remarkable Record
A contemporary story—but the old one. Denaby United have a remarkable record of turning against adversity. And that record begins with affiliation.
United were in the Sheffield Association League with Barnsley, Mexborough, Gainsborough, Rotherham, and Chesterfield reserves. They missed Midland League football and Sheffield Alliance football before they brought Midland League football to Denaby, playing before 50 or 60 spectators a match. The days of Hancock, Lawley and Lavery, J. Whitehouse, Hy. Whitehouse, and E. Rhodes. Chapman, McNeil, Thorne and Hardy. The club had had its beginning at the “Odd’s” and a playing pitch nearby. Fond first secretary, who had to a pound from the “levy.” P. Rosewarne was “Jim Hancock’s” later arms the transfer to the Herry Arms, Tickhill Square, in which the late Mr. W. Chambers, then general manager of Denaby and Cadeby Collieries, figured so prominently, came in about 1915-11.
First captain of Denaby United, “Staff” Lawley, went to Stanley for £40 in 1907-8 to help the club out of its difficulties even in those early days, but there were days of industrial upset. There were hard times—and there were some good ones.
Clubs in the League
The club’s financial difficulties were not helped by the distances they had to travel. Consider the composition of the League. Derby County Res., Sheffield Wednesday Res., Grimsby Res., Lincoln City Res., Sheffield United Res., Whitwick Leicestershire, Doncaster Rovers Res., Chesterfield Res., Barnsley Res., Walsall, Worksop, Newark, Hinckley, Leicester Fosse A., Nuneaton, Gainsborough and Burton United Res.
“Staff” Lawley, now 78, will tell you how on one occasion at Walsall there was a whip round to buy United bread and beefier kit they carried about in a hamper.
Those were the days when you could buy a pocket watch for 2s. 3d., a tweed suit for 37s. 6d., when tea was 1s. a gallon and you could go to New York by “steamer” (saloon) for £13! It is recorded that in October 1902, when Denaby drew 0-0 with Sheffield United Reserves at Tickhill Square, the “gate” was £7—“deemed satisfactory, though not good.” A glimpse again of the trend.
Bill Lawley stayed a season with Barnsley. A full back he was played at inside-left; the full-back who kept him out was Chris Welsh—and Welsh returned to Denaby with Lawley. Bill worked out of the pit for three years but returned to his former job, playing for United until 1905. For two years he was trainer and a Martinet for discipline. In 1910 he went to Frickley. Jim Hancock, too, was at Frickley, Denaby, Mexborough, Chesterfield, South Kirkby. He came back to Denaby as Manager in 1921—the man who brought him was Mr. “Billy” Astbury, one of the most efficient financial secretaries United have ever had. He brought Jim back to help once more in difficult times.
“Names” in History
There are scores of “names” in Denaby football—Dickie Dunt, Tom Peters, Jack Barlow, Tom Clayton, Herbert Casworth, Tom Swinbourne, George Worthington, Harry Harrisons, Arthur Davis, Albert Mason, Horace Kelly, Ben Kelly, Albert Taylor, Herbert Wood. This brief note could not hope to include them all, nor does it set out to do so. But they are not forgotten.
The “old” stand at Tickhill Square was taken from the Heresy Arms ground and was erected by the weller Company. The west stand at £384 and money had to be raised by competitions run by Mr. Astbury. He still has the figures each one showing the remarkable initiative and determination. The “safety” stand, a concrete structure erected in 1920-21.
Denaby Main Amateurs were instituted in 1912 to provide “a nursery” for aspiring Midland League players. “Billy” Astbury, then secretary, made a profit of £50 and Jim Kennedy to Rotherham £200; to Wakefield Trinity £40 and William Croy for Rotherham Rovers for £40; 2s. 7d. Walter Bussey to Stoke for £250; Fred Hurst to Sheffield Wednesday.
In season 1928-29 the club was in debt to the extent of £250. A local tradesman loaned the club £150 and by the end of 1929-30 the debt had been cleared, new stands erected and many ground improvements effected—plans and ideas of Mr. William Coates.
The new stand, purchased from Robinson Bros., of Denaby, was acquired through loans from 20 supporters. It was erected by voluntary labour supervised by Walter Coates, W. Pearson and Joe Nimrod. Cost was £120 plus £15 for dismantling and laying on the site. The deal was negotiated by Billy Astbury.
All in United’s Colours
These football names are but a few which will be familiar to the older generation. There are many others. Teddy Glennon, Tommy Harrop for whom the club got no fee, Jack Lavery, Tommy Tompkins, Chris Kelly, Les Hoften, George Blackburn, Tom Kelly, Frank Heptinstall, William Marshall, Ernie Wilson, Ernest Westwood, Cocky Bennett, Teddy Dale, Billy Westwood, Walter Arnold, Donald Lees, Arthur Wharton, Jack Westwood, Jimmy Massey, Fred Thompson, George Hardy, Fred Brown, Sam Cowan, Bisby, Cliff Woodhead—all donned United’s colours. Bill Lawley and Jim Hancock as trainers of Teddy Hancock—Liverpool, Burnley, Luton, Lincoln, Gainsborough, who has played in First, Second and Third Division football, gave great service to the club and both received benefits for their loyalty. At one time—during 1903-09 Denaby U. had 10 players with Second Division and experienced international honours.
The best team ever? “Billy” Astbury offers Hancock, Welsh and Lawley; Nimrod, Lees and Arnold; Lindley, Tompkins, Dockery, Lavery and Heptinstall. The best of Denaby’s star-studded products? Bill Lawley offers Les Hoften, Jim Hancock—Jimmy Harrop (Villa, Liverpool—and England).
Denaby have never won the Midland League. They were runners-up to Sheffield Wednesday Reserves in season 1907-8 with 54 points. They were third in season 1922-23 with 57. Their lowest—1938-39—eighth.
Events of recent years are more readily related to mind. More United “names”—like Brannon, Boot, Hinchliffe, Burbanks, Siddall, Clarke, Guest, Wilcox, Attwell, Ardron—were all transferred from this Midland League club. In the Presidency now is Sam Peck, secretary-manager is former player, Matt Taylor, chairman is Clarence Sanderson and financial secretary Percy Harrison. Present skipper is Jack Williams of Mexborough.
A splendid supporters’ club flourishes and its assistance to the football club has frequently underlined by club officials.
But these are preliminary glimpses into the past and for them we are deeply indebted to the kindness of the courtesy of Mr. Astbury himself, to Mr. Hancock, Mr. Lawley and the bard, Mr. Davis and Mr. Harrison.
There is no attempt to present a comprehensive story of Denaby United; space limitations are the obvious barrier. But in this Jubilee Year it is fitting to look back on the achievements—and the difficulties—of the past. In football—and at Denaby—past and present go hand in hand.