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Season
1921-22. Manchester League Manchester Junior Cup Finalists Local
Press, August 1921. “Football of a better class is likely to play an important part in the life of the village during the coming
winter Saturday afternoons. The Droylsden committee have joined the club to a stronger league and have made great improvements on
the Butchers’ Arms ground. New hoarding has been erected, and the playing pitch is in first class condition. In spite of the
good tramcar service to Manchester, if the committee can get together a winning side they need not fear that residents will leave
the village on Saturday afternoons to watch others. Droylsden men like to see their own team play.” By
the start of the season, secretary Gillibrand had signed as many as FIFTY players which, considering the second eleven had now
been discarded, meant that the club had three or more players available for each position in the team. Players signed included,
Goal: Sumner, Dews, and S Howarth. Backs: Milne, Johnson, Gray, Silous, and Silcock. Halfbacks: Manuel, McCrohan, Ormrod, G
Howarth, Fielding, Wilson, Ike Caldicott, Benson, Jackson, and Ike Yates. Forwards: Pimblott, W Blackburn, G Blackburn, Baron,
Knight, Parkin, McMenemy, Clough, Hampson, Caveney, Bradburn, Richards, and others. Droylsden’s
first season in the Manchester League commenced with a 0-3 home defeat against Macclesfield Reserves, though in their next match
the Droylsden lads won both points with a 3-1 win at Middleton. A 4-2 home victory over Glossop followed, and a week later over
2,000 spectators were at the Butchers’ Arms to see Droylsden beat New Cross 2-1. The Butchers’ Arms club finished the season
fourth from top in the end of season table, which was an improvement on the consolidating mid table spot the committee had hoped
for. Droylsden’s success in the league was further added to with a tremendous run in the Manchester Junior Cup competition. The
Market Street men fought their way through to the semi finals where they were drawn against Eccles United. The semi final took
place in early April, and Droylsden won the tie 3-1. However, the Eccles club lodged a complaint to the effect that Droylsden had
fielded an ineligible player. The Manchester County FA ordered the match to be replayed, and two weeks later the two sides met
again at the British Dyes ground in Blackley. This time around, Eccles had no cause for complaint as Droylsden easily won the
replayed tie 5-0. The
Manchester Junior Cup Final was played at National Park against the new Manchester League champions, Hyde United, and such was the
interest shown in the match that over 7,000 spectators packed the ground in anticipation of an epic final. The Droylsden Village
Band was there and the black and amber of Droylsden’s colours were evident whereever one looked. The match kicked off at 3-15pm
and an epic battle it turned out to be, which after 90 minutes ended in a 2-2 draw. The replay was set for the following Saturday,
again at National Park, and on this occasion Hyde United got the upper hand and won the match 3-0. The attendance at the replayed
final was said to be in excess of 8,000, which was a ground record. Droylsden:
Sumner, Yates, Johnson, Potter, Howarth, Bann, Clough, Fielding, Richards, Blackburn and Bradburn. The ruling that clubs change their strip in the event of a colour clash was introduced in 1921, hence Droylsden’s use of black and amber in the final. Manchester League 1921-22
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