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Season 1930-31. Manchester League Manchester League Champions During the summer of 1930, the Droylsden officials brought a lot of new players to the club, and the starting line-up for the new season was: Kennedy, Boyle, Letchford, Fisher, Acton, Scanlon, Swann, Butterworth, Traynor, Smith and Goodwin. This new Droylsden team got off to such a good start in their league programme, that after only a handful of games, one or two Football League clubs were keeping an eye on Droylsden’s players. By late October, after wins against Denton United, 4-1, Rochdale Reserves, 3-1, Manchester North End, 3-0 and Taylor Bros 3-1, Manchester United contacted the Droylsden club, and on October 25, the Old Trafford outfit secured the services of A Butterworth, H Fisher and T Acton for their Central League team. Droylsden’s winning form continued throughout the season and towards the end of the league programme, Droylsden and Buxton were battling it out between them for the league championship. As the last match of the season arrived, the Buxton club had pushed their nose in front and led the Butchers’ Arms outfit by just two points. Buxton’s last match of the season however, was away from home, and that match was at the Butchers’ Arms, where the Droylsden lads were ready and waiting. This last game of the season was being reported as ‘Droylsden’s Vital Game’, and never had a truer word been spoken. A tremendous amount of interest was being shown in the outcome of the match, and by kick-off; well over 4,000 spectators were packed into the ground, many of them from Buxton. The local press were likening the event to that of a cup final. Only a few weeks previously, Droylsden and Buxton had met in the semi-final of the Gilcryst Cup competition, and the Droylsden lads had been well and truly thrashed 6-1, so confidence in the Buxton camp was running high. "Droylsden bore down on the Buxton goal from the kick-off, and pressed so hard that it looked odds on them scoring an early goal though, in their first attack, Hayden headed out from beneath the bar. Buxton then began to assert themselves and play was transferred to Droylsden territory. A free kick for Buxton, just outside the penalty area, resulted in a fruitless corner. Droylsden then retaliated and Goodwin whipped over a centre, which dropped just over the bar. The Buxton men came again and Murphy was robbed just as he was about to shoot. Droylsden then put the Buxton defence under heavy pressure, and the ball was booted away from the Buxton goal on sight, and often wildly. The persistent heavy pressure from the Droylsden lads finally told when Fitton pushed a through ball to Traynor, who turned and promptly smashed it into the net. "Buxton then tried to get their wingers going, though without too much success, as the Droylsden defence stood firm. Droylsden poured on more pressure at the other end, Goodwin receiving the ball and crossing for Traynor, who rose and headed a tremendous goal past the despairing dive of the Buxton goalkeeper. Half time arrived with the score Droylsden 2, Buxton 0. The pace of the game was maintained in the second half, with Droylsden making all the play. The lads from Market Street held the upper hand in the closing stages, but could not again beat down the dour defence of Buxton, their backs kicking anywhere for safety." The result was a victory for Droylsden, and as goal average didn’t count in the Manchester League, the Butchers’ Arms club had tied with Buxton for the League Championship. Manchester League 1930-31
As the Championship had been tied, the Manchester League officials suggested the two clubs should share the trophy for a period of six months each, and whilst Droylsden agreed with the suggestion, Buxton did not. The Derbyshire club wanted things sorted out by means of a deciding match, and so a date was set for August 29, which was the Saturday preceding the kick off of the 1931-32 season. The match was played at the Ashton National ground in front of a large crowd, and when the final whistle was blown for time, Droylsden became the outright winners of the League Championship Trophy, having beaten the Buxton club by two goals to nil. At the end of the 1930-31 season, Albert Butterworth and F Letchford, two of Droylsden’s promising young players, signed full-time professional forms for Blackpool FC. Butterworth, a 19 year old from Ashton, had scored 40 goals for Droylsden during the past season, and had also made several appearances for Manchester United in their Central League team, as well as assisting United in mid-week games. Letchford, who was a native of Droylsden, had a reputation as a fearless defender, however, Letchford returned to Droylsden FC after just one season at Blackpool, where he incurred an injury that was to keep him out of League Football. <Team Photo> |