1939-45 THE WAR YEARS

 

It was confirmed at the AGM that all current members of committee would continue in office. The only changes in membership related to Old Esconians who were denied re-election. Aldermere and Stockport Seconians were promoted to the First Division with Cheadle Heath Nomads and Monton relegated. Woodbourne made an application to move from the Third to the Second Division and were admitted. R.F. Hartley of Stockport Georgians was appointed president. The existing Committee Members were all available to continue in office.

 

An Executive Meeting was held on the 31st August and a discussion took place concerning the grave crisis unfolding in the world and it was decided that all matches up to the 9th September be cancelled and in the event of war being declared another meeting would be called. As the inevitable happened it was recommended to clubs that the League be suspended until such time as the authorities gave permission to resume activities and the competition would then continue in a modified form.

 

It was agreed at a further meeting on the 14th September that the League arranged friendly games between clubs and a controlling committee took charge of wartime football, with Gary Drummond responsible for compiling the fixtures throughout the war years. Teams were grouped in three regional divisions of ten teams. Unfortunately, due to withdrawals and failures to play games the first series of games was abandoned. It was agreed with the county associations that their competitions be suspended

 

A scheme was implemented to provide dartboards and footballs for serving units at home and overseas and the fund raised £35-8-4d for this purpose. Parcels were dispatched to commanding officers of units in the UK and one to the Cheshire Regiment in France before Dunkirk. Another found its way to Egypt. Replies were received from all recipients, and it is interesting to quote a letter received from Alan Gifford, who was stationed with the Royal Naval Reserve at Port Tewfik on the Suez Canal in Egypt, it reads as follows: -

 

“I beg to acknowledge receipt of the football and dartboard. To yourself, the Committee and the League, I tender my sincere thanks for your kind thoughts which actuated the gift.

 

Incidentally, the ball will receive its baptism on Sunday afternoon, when the United Services team meet the local Egyptian champs. I think we shall lower their colours.

 

The dartboard is already in use, and I will hold myself responsible for its return to the League as a souvenir after the war.

 

The lads, here, endorse my hearty thanks and reciprocate your good wishes. May the L&CAFL go from strength to strength.

 

I read the notes in the Football Chronicle about the Inter league match with the LAL with interest. It’s good to know that even Hitler & Co cannot stop the L&C League functioning. Come to think about it, Germany wasn’t a very constructive member of the other League (of Nations).

 

Please convey to all old friends in the League my kind regards and the hope of a happy reunion in the not-too-distant future.

 

Yours faithfully

 

Alan E. Giffard

Stockport Georgians”

 

A game was arranged with the LAL for Boxing Day at the YMCA which ended in a 3-3 draw, with the gate proceeds, amounting to £12-7-6d, donated to the British Red Cross.

 

The Chairman reported that he had written personal messages of good luck coupled with the best wishes of the League to eighty players from the League known to be serving in the forces.

 

A second series of games was arranged after Christmas with thirty teams arranged in three groups of ten. There were to be no championship, but the six sectional leaders were to play off in a knock-out competition. The semi-finalists were Stockport Seconians, South Salford, MEC and Bradford Parish.

 

The Final was to be between MEC and Bradford Parish, who had to withdraw at the last moment due to a shortage of players. Unfortunately, teams were forced to leave the competition, one example being Aldermere who lost fifteen players to national service and their ground to the plough.

 

The Annual Dinner was cancelled and replaced by a hot pot and smoking concert. It was reported that two hundred and twelve games were arranged during the first series with the aim of providing sporting enjoyment for those not yet called to the greater cause.

 

The 1940 season started with the following clubs in competition: -

 

Bramhall

Cheadle Hulme

East Chorlton

MEC

Monton Amateurs

Old Standians

Old Urmstonians

Sale Amateurs

RAPC

South Manchester

South Salford

Stockport College SU

Stockport Georgians

Stockport Seconians.

 

It was decided to run a subsidiary competition in addition to the league fixtures and the teams were split into four groups with the four group winners contesting the semi-finals. Sale Amateurs and RAPC reached the Final.

 

In view of the success of the competition Committee agreed to continue with league fixtures and a subsidiary competition in 1941. The clubs competing in this season were: -

 

Bramhall

East Chorlton

MEC

Metro-Vicks

Monton Amateurs

Old Flixtonians

Old Standians

Old Urmstonians

RAF

RAPC

South Manchester

Stockport Seconians

 

Messrs Mitcheson, Gordon and Moult resigned from the controlling Committee and were replaced by Messrs, Wray, Dyson and Westall.

 

Players were experiencing difficulty in replacing their kit and boots in view of the rationing of clothing during the war. Committee were requested to enquire whether clubs could purchase kit in bulk and surrender fewer clothing coupons, in other words obtaining a discount. The question does not seem to have been answered. 1942 saw a reduction in the number of competing clubs to: -

 

Bramhall

MEC

Metro-Vicks

Monton Amateurs

Old Standians

RAPC

Shirley Institute

South Manchester

Stockport Seconians

 

A number of teams made approaches to join the competition in 1943 and Manchester University, MUTEC and RAMC Davyhulme were elected to join Bramhall, MEC, Monton Amateurs, Old Stretfordians, Old Urmstonians, RAF, RAPC, Shirley Institute and Stockport Seconians. RAPC won the competition from Bramhall. Inter league games were played against the Rochdale SS League in 1942 and 1943.

 

In 1944 Old Stopfordians and Manchester YMCA joined the last season’s teams in the competition apart from Old Stretfordians and RAMC Davyhulme, who withdrew. The competition was won by Bramhall from Manchester YMCA.

 

A favourite ground to visit was RAMC at Davyhulme Hospital, which had been requisitioned by the American forces, who after the game allowed the home and visiting teams to enjoy a meal, free from any form of rationing, in the mess. 

 

1945-46 SEASON

 

The Chairman reviewed the position between peacetime and the wartime league and the outlook for the forthcoming season. It was decided that it would not be appropriate to attempt peacetime football, but to continue to play on a wartime basis.

 

In season 1946-47 the competition would be confined to members of the League and any subsequent new members, and should pre-war clubs fail to take up membership they would have to submit themselves for re-election in later seasons.

 

The meeting also carried the motion that the existing Committee would be re-elected en bloc.

 

Clubs were given until August to indicate their ability to field teams and participate in fixtures, which would be split into two halves.

 

Matches commenced on the 22nd September with teams playing each other once in the first series of games. Committee recognised that continuity had only been maintained by the efforts of club officials and examples are shown below with their clubs competing in this series of games: -

 

Bramhall (H.&R. Croft)

Cheadle Hulme (H. Gibbons)

MEC (A. Davy)

Monton Amateurs (R. Wallace & G. Drummond)

MUTEC

Old Stopfordians (I. Duncan)

Old Urmstonians (G. Sansome)

RAPC (Capt. G. Mitchell)

Rusholme (W. Gregory)

Shirley Institute (L. Ogden)

South Manchester (C. Wagner)

South Salford (J. Rogerson)

Stockport College (R. Walmsley)

Stockport Georgians (N. Burdett)

Stockport Seconians (H. Westall)

 

The second series of games commenced on the 12th January and included Old Standians and Old Stretfordians in addition to the above. In view of the interest shown by clubs it was agreed to form a Reserve ‘A’ Division.

 

The annual Boxing Day fixture with the LAL was arranged once again and resulted in a win for the League, who fielded many new faces apart from Rogerson and Dargie of South Salford and Garrett of Old Stopfordians who were regulars before the war.

 

Before the commencement of the second series of matches, Committee reported on the success of the peacetime venture with its main objective to continue to provide soccer recreation for its members in the services, when stationed in the locality or at home on leave and for others retained in civilian occupations. Also, for all those demobilised from the services they would have the opportunity of once again enjoying the pleasure of organised sport through the League.

 

Clubs were reporting the return of players having seen service all over the world and were anxious to ensure they had a place in the League on the resumption of normal service in 1946-47, season.

 

Old Standians reported they were able to enter a team in the second series of games and were thankful for the return of R. Harrison, who had seen service with the Fleet Air Arm in the Far East and was now enthusiastically rallying players back to the club.

 

Old Standians were counting the cost of the war on their pre-war playing strength and counted amongst those casualties of war Whittaker, Shackleton, Potts, Bridge, Moss and Dunbavin all having passed on. The club were using a new ground at the school, which had been subject to damage by a stick of bombs, but the craters had been suitably filled in.

 

Cheadle Hulme also reported the loss of four playing members in the war. They were: - G. Cooke, J. Child, Doug Collinge and Jim Marsland the latter two were both Spitfire pilots shot down whilst in action.

 

The Royal Army Pay Corps had been welcome participants in the wartime football and now that demobilisation was in full swing, they were suffering a loss of players making their future in the competition questionable. Despite this their season had produced thirteen victories out of twenty-six games.

 

The winners of the competition were Stockport Georgians with twenty-two victories and South Salford runners-up. MUTEC failed to complete the season due to a shortage of players.

 

1946-47 SEASON - BACK IN BUSINESS

 

The Chairman reported to members at the AGM that J.C. Edwards a Vice-President and long serving member of the West Didsbury club had accepted the invitation to become President for the season.

 

In addition, he agreed to continue as Vice-Chairman. G.A. Fish retired from the role of Secretary being replaced by J. Rogerson. L. Edwards replaced A. Hennings as Auditor and all other officers retained their positions on Committee.

 

Applications from Salford Social and the United Services Club Sale were accepted but neither club completed their fixtures. Hope Amateurs and Denton RSOB officially resigned from the League and East Chorlton confirmed they would be unable to raise two teams for the start of the season, which started with forty-three teams as follows: -

 

First Division consisting of twelve teams: -

 

Aldermere

Bradford Parish

Bramhall

MEC

Old Standians

Old Stretfordians

Royton Amateurs

Rusholme

South Salford

Stockport Georgians

Stockport Seconians

West Didsbury

 

Second Division consisting of eleven teams: -

 

Cheadle Heath Nomads

Cheadle Hulme

Monton Amateurs

Old Bedians

Old Glossopians

Old Stopfordians

Old Urmstonians

Post Office Savings Bank

Royal Army Pay Corps (it was agreed this club be admitted as a guest for the season)

South Manchester

Stockport Colleges SU

 

Each of the First Division clubs fielded a Second XI in the Reserve Division ‘A’ and there were eight teams in Division ‘B’ as RAPC, PO Savings Bank and Glossopians were unable to field Second XIs.

 

The NCAC competition re-commenced and E. MacDonnell of MEC and E.F. Wilkinson of Old Standians played for Lancashire FA with J. Butler of Royton in reserve.

 

The only Inter League game played was against the LAL which was lost 2-1.

 

Monton and Cheadle Heath Nomads tied for runners-up place in the Second Division and in accordance with League rules a game was arranged between the clubs. The referee was under instructions to obtain a result and as the game went to extra time without a result the referee continued play for three hours before Cheadle Heath won the day.

 

For the second time in their history, South Salford failed to secure any trophies, which were won by the following clubs: -

 

Aggregate Trophy: Old Stopfordians

First Division: Bradford Parish

Second Division: Old Stopfordians

Reserve Division: Rusholme with Old Stopfordians losing the Championship Play-off

Rhodes Cup: Cheadle Hulme

Subsidiary Cup: Bradford Parish, who celebrated their 25th season in the League with great success during which time the club had been expertly run throughout the period by Alf Cook their secretary.

 

The League presentation dinner was held at a new venue and despite the cost of tickets doubling was deemed a great success.

 

1947-48 SEASON

 

Discussions were held with the LAL with a view to commencing the Hospital Cup competition and it was agreed each League would run a special competition with the ties to run in conjunction with league games in each division. The divisional winners would play off and the winners of the two league competitions would play-off in a final.

 

The League had been fortunate in having a strong and stable Management Committee for many years and this had helped in the development of the League.

 

Unfortunately, time was catching up with some of the members and resignations were received from T. Croft and T.R. Ellis. C. Garrett from Old Stopfordians and E. Wilkinson of Old Standians joined Committee, with R. Blezard filling the Vice Chairman’s role. J.C. Edwards continued as President for another season.

 

There were a number of applications to join the League, and it was agreed Old Bedians, East Chorlton, Old Flixtonians and Chapelmoor as members before the war would be accepted and Post Office Savings Bank, Salford NALGO and Heywood Grammar School Old Boys would be accepted as new members.

 

In addition, there was a late application from Link Society which was accepted with one team under the name of More Society.

 

The First and Second Divisions were to have fourteen members each. Old Standians and Old Stretfordians entered additional teams in the Reserve Division. It was agreed from the 1948-49 season, one of the requirements of the League would be for all clubs in membership to have two teams.

 

The Committee were informed by South Salford before the season commenced that they were forced to resign from the League due to a shortage of new players and retirement of old stalwarts, thus bringing to an end a glorious chapter in the League’s history of a club whose record was never likely to be equalled.

 

Old Ashtonians also applied to join the League and were offered a set of friendly fixtures for the season.

 

The League was represented in the NCAC competitions with J. Currie from Bradford Parish for Lancashire and A. Barber from Cheadle Hulme playing for Cheshire, who also selected J. Whittaker of Cheadle Heath Nomads as reserve. Lancashire FA held a trial game on the Old Standians’ ground in which eight League players participated.

 

Old Stretfordians belied their league position which had been in the bottom half all season, by reaching the Lancashire Amateur Cup Semi-Final after beating four LAL teams on the way.

 

Unfortunately, Stretfordians were beaten by Manchester University in the Semi-Final after two hundred and ten minutes of football. They also lost to local rivals Aldermere in the Rhodes Cup Final, which was watched by a crowd of five hundred and fifty paying 6d each and despite these exploits Old Stretfordians were relegated from the First Division. Norman Costin received praise for his performances in these cup competitions, and he was to follow a long and distinguished career on the field of play with an equally long service on the committee.

 

East Chorlton in their first season back in competition were successful in winning the Aggregate Trophy, Second Division championship, the Reserve Division championship and were also runners-up in the Subsidiary Cup and Special Competition. Bradford Parish won the senior championship, West Didsbury the Reserves Subsidiary Cup and Monton the Special Competition.

 

With Manchester United appearing in the FA Cup Final in 1948 tickets were in great demand and Committee shared ten tickets costing between 10/6d (.525p) and 3/- (.15p)

 

1948-49 SEASON

 

Whilst there were a number of applications from clubs to join the League, many were unable to enter two teams, therefore their applications failed. The More Society and Stockport College SU were re-elected and Old Ashtonians and Oldham HSOB became members of the Second Division.

 

East Chorlton and Chapelmoor were promoted to the First Division with Old Stretfordians and Rusholme being relegated. However, after the resignation of South Salford there was a vacancy in the division and following a secret ballot at the AGM Rusholme received the vote to stay in the division.

 

Old Glossopians were unable to field a Second XI and therefore resigned membership. Nine clubs indicated their interest in a Third Division to accommodate Third teams, but due to ground shortages the division was not floated.

 

The Officers of the League and Management Committee were unchanged for the season with G.A. Fish being elected as President in acknowledgement for his long association with the League and the tremendous work carried out on Committee.

 

The Players’ Accident Fund had been proving successful and as a result of an increasing credit balance the benefits were increased to 20/- for the first eight weeks followed by a further four-week payment of 10/-. There was a surplus in the fund of £164-14-5d.

 

The South Salford club in winding up their affairs offered to the League a trophy to be called the South Salford Memorial Cup in memory of their founder and late president, Mr G.P. Whitehead. The trophy would be presented annually to the winner of the League’s Special Competition, the proceeds of which were to be donated to the Lads Club Federation.

 

Thanks to individual club efforts coupled with the gate proceeds from the Special Competition, the sum of £22-14-0d was donated to the Manchester and District Federation of Lad’s Club. The club also donated the sum of £16-0-0d to the League’s funds, and this was placed in the Benevolent Fund.

 

N. Costin of Old Stretfordians and D. Makin of East Chorlton were selected as reserves for Lancashire FA in the NCAC game against Cheshire FA., who were represented by D. Berry of Cheadle Heath Nomads. N. Costin played in the Semi-Final game at Newcastle against Northumberland with Makin and V. Reddish of Monton in reserve. An Old Standians player by the name of Jimmy Potts was selected to represent England in an Amateur International against Ireland. He had played for Oxford University and Pegasus and whilst at university played for the club at holiday times.

 

The main honour in the 1948-49 season was won by Cheadle Hulme who in addition to the Aggregate Trophy they won the Second Division championship and were runners-up in the Reserve Division.

 

The senior champions were Monton with Bradford Parish winning the Reserve Division ‘A’ title and Old Stoconians the Division ‘B’ and the Reserves Subsidiary Cup. East Chorlton overcame Stockport Georgians in the Rhodes Cup and added the Special Competition Cup.