www.nelsonfc.co.uk begins a new feature chronicling the successful Blues 1922/3 championship winning season in the Third Division of the Football League.
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(Special thanks go to the Nelson Library for the archives, the Nelson Leader newspaper for the reports, Peter for the Nelson memorabilia, and Barry Atrill for providing the match line-ups.)
Along with Accrington Stanley, Ashington, Barrow, Chesterfield, Crewe Alexandra, Darlington, Durham City, Grimsby Town, Halifax Town, Hartlepools United, Lincoln City, Rochdale, Southport, Stalybridge Celtic, Stockport County, Tranmere Rovers, Walsall, Wigan Borough and Wrexham, Nelson had been elected as founder members of the new northern section of the Third Division in the Football League a season earlier.
Stockport County had won that first title in a canter, mainly thanks to a superb back line which conceded a measly 21 goals in their 38 games. In contrast, Nelson had generally struggled. While their away form ranked sixth best of the 20 teams, the second worst home record, coupled with a poor goalscoring return, meant they finished in a lowly 16th position.
Although there was a certain amount of optimism that they could well improve upon their debut season, nobody could possibly have foretold what a transformation the Blues would undergo. This was further highlighted by the Club Directors' pre-season plea to the Nelsonians to offer more support for their home town team to help bring much needed money into the club. They were also asking if existing members could pay their subscriptions as early as possible.
The close season had seen many of the players from the previous campaign leave the club. Indeed only six - backs Lilley and Rigg, half-backs Price and Steele, and Hoad and Eddlestone up front - had been retained. The under-achieving forward line had been boosted by the signing of McCulloch from Scottish side Falkirk, and Wolstenholme, who had played the previous season with second-placed top scorers Darlington. Ashington's Hutchinson had also joined the club along with Bennett from non-league Chorley.
In a bid to strengthen up the defence, the Blues brought in Braidwood, from Oldham Athletic, Broadhead, formerly of Scunthorpe United and recommended to the club by former Chelsea forward Bob Whittingham, Howson from Wombwell, and goalkeeper Birds from Stockport County. The club had also taken on two trialists. Black had arrived from First Division Sunderland, with Baldwin coming up from Southend United.
After witnessing a practice match between two teams made up of Nelson's players, the Leader journalist was certainly in optimistic mood. "There is some justification for saying that the Nelson directors appear to have got a serviceable team together" he wrote, continuing "It is many years since a practice match gave such general satisfaction. One hopes that it is the precursor of fine sport in the coming season".
It was standard practice to play each team on consective weekends in the Football League during the early days, and the fixture list had thrown up a potential tough double-header opening for the Blues. Their opponents were to be Bradford Park Avenue, a team who had just been relegated from the Second Division, and had been plying their trade in the top flight just two seasons earlier. The first game was to be played in Yorkshire.
The new season kicked off on Saturday 26th August 1922. Bradford Park Avenue had retained most of the squad which played in the Second Division the previous season and were firm favourites to kick off their campaign with a win.
The first 25 minutes passed without too much incident, both goalkeepers called into action just once to deal with long range efforts. However, on 29 minutes the home side took the lead following a Nelson corner. After a desperate goalmouth clearance, Peel burst clear, and his cross was touched on by Turnbull to Howie, who chipped the ball over a despairing Birds for the opener.
Nelson pressed hard for an equaliser for the remainder of the half, but were unable to seriously test Scattergood in the Avenue goal.
A nightmare start to the second half effectively killed off Nelson. Within five minutes of the restart Kirkland and Peel had both scored to move three goals clear. Nelson gradually reorganised, and pulled one back from Eddleston. Had he or Wolstenholme managed to tuck away one of the chances that came their way soon after, they may have been able to pull off a remarkable comeback, but it was Turnbull, and Kirkland with his second, who scored for Avenue to put the game beyond doubt.
An own goal by Howie reduced the arrears for the Blues, but Turnbull secured Avenue's sixth from the spot late on to complete a miserable afternoon for the visitors, and in particular keeper Birds.
| | Match 1 summary: Saturday 26th August 1922 | | | Bradford Park Avenue | (1) 6 | Nelson | (0) 2 | | Howie, Kirkland 2, Peel, Turnbull 2 | Eddleston, Howie o.g. | | | Bradford PA: E. Scattergood, F. McGloughlin, W. Brandon, D. McDonald, G. Fell, D. Howie, R. Turnbull, A. Kirkland, G. McLean, H. Peel, J. McCandless | Nelson: Joseph BIRDS, Bob LILLEY, Clement RIGG, Ernie BRAIDWOOD, James PRICE, Jimmy BROADHEAD, Sid HOAD, Arthur WOLSTENHOLME, Joe EDDLESTON, Mike McCULLOCH, Bob HUTCHINSON
Attendance: 10,000 |
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