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Season
1933-34. Manchester League The Gilcryst
Cup The members of Droylsden Supporters Club had been busy during the close season and had made many improvements to the ground, though mainly for the benefit of spectators. The ground had been re-laid and accommodation had been increased, whilst in the players dressing rooms, a new sunken bath had been put in. Droylsden had agreed to share their ground for the coming season with Blackpool’s ‘A’ team, who had been entered in the Manchester League. Droylsden secretary, Mr. Willett, transferred his services to the seaside club, whilst Mr. Johnson succeeded Mr. Willett as Droylsden secretary. Councillor G Dale became the new Droylsden chairman. Players registered for the coming season were: Goal, A Potter and J Vaughan. Backs: Letchford, Crowder, Higgins, Horne and Brigg. Halfbacks: Turner, Scanlon, Cookson, Boyd, Pickup, Watson, Howard, Tinkler and Walmsley. Forwards: Buckley, Wood, Henson, Mellor, Hallsworth, Caffrey, Ridgeway, McCarthy, Warren, Rathbone and Gillibrand. As
the season came to a close, Droylsden just missed out on retaining the league title, but nevertheless finished in a top three
spot. The Butchers’ Arms lads, however, had reached another cup final, and it was a trophy the club had last won ten years
previously, the Gilcryst Cup. The final was held at Bower Fold on Saturday, April 14, and it was here that Droylsden
met old rivals Glossop. This match was to become known as ‘Gillibrand’s Final’, as the Droylsden centre forward routed the
Derbyshire club virtually on his own, and 3,000 spectators were there to witness it. After twenty minutes play, Gillibrand was
tripped on the 18-yard line, and from the penalty spot he hit a hurricane drive to put Droylsden 1 goal up. As half time
approached, Gillibrand blasted another goal past the helpless Glossop goalkeeper, and just on half time, Gillibrand burst through
again to make the score at the interval, Droylsden 3 Glossop 0. Glossop
opened strongly in the second half and pulled a goal back within minutes of the re-start. Five minutes later, the Derbyshire men
reduced the arrears further still when Ruddy scored Glossop’s second goal. Then Smith, the Droylsden outside right, received the
ball and made a run at the Glossop defence, beating first Monks, then McCanley, before hooking the ball over to Gillibrand, who
was waiting in the centre to head home his fourth goal of the match. Then followed another Glossop recovery, and after Haynes had
hit the crossbar with a long range shot, the ball rebounded to Ong, who had no difficulty slotting the ball in to make the score
4-3. Then Gillibrand once more came into the picture. The ball was placed to him and, racing away to the left, he slammed home an
unstoppable shot that sped into the net like ‘greased lightening’. Glossop were not finished yet however, and five minutes
from time Barton made it 5-4. The Derbyshire men tried desperately for an equaliser but were thwarted and Droylsden ran out
winners of a ‘thrilling game’. Local
Press: “Droylsden owe their success to their pivot, who led the line cleverly and bagged all five goals. They were real
peaches, got in Gilly’s best style. He showed cleverness in taking the ball past opponents and in shooting on the run. Glossop
goalkeeper Kelly never had a chance with any of the scoring shots. One he did touch, and that was all, as it sped into the net
like a thunderbolt. Never has Gillibrand given a better display for the Droylsden club, and the crowd of 3,000, many of them from
Glossop, did not forget to recognise good play by the clever Droylsden spear-head.” Droylsden: Clough, Letchford, Woodcock, Sullivan, Howard, Turner, Smith, Mills, Gillibrand, Murphy and Platt. Glossop: Kelly, Mills, McCanley, West,
Monks, Fosbrook, Barton, Chapman, Ong, Ruddy and Haynes. Ernie Gillibrand’s five goals in the
Gilcryst Cup Final brought his total for the season to 65. Local Press, March 1934: “Droylsden are to make a bold bid to enter Cheshire County League football next season. The club will submit strong claims for election in its application at the close of this season. With its rapidly growing population, the Droylsden officials are confident Droylsden can support a Cheshire League side. The ground at the Butchers’ Arms is capable of holding 8,000 people, affording all a good view. There is covered accommodation for 2,500 spectators and, if Droylsden are accepted, they will undertake to erect a covered stand capable of seating at least 2,000. The playing pitch is now, thanks to the great amount of labour put in at the beginning of the season, in splendid condition. It was thoroughly drained last summer, whilst it is intended to re-turf the pitch this summer. “From
a playing point of view Droylsden have an exceptionally strong claim, having indeed, a proud record of successes. In the last
three seasons they have been champions of the Manchester League twice and, at the moment, are second in the league table and in
the final of the Gilcryst cup competition. Other trophies won by Droylsden in recent years include the Manchester Junior Cup, the
Gilcryst Cup and the Ashton Challenge Cup. Travelling expenses for the club would be considerably increased in the Cheshire
League, but these would be more than compensated for in the attractive local ‘Derby’s’ with Ashton National, Stalybridge
Celtic, Hurst, Mossley and Hyde United. Prospects for Droylsden possessing a Cheshire League club are extremely bright.” The above press report appeared after a large meeting had been held in the Cooperative Hall, Market Street, to announce the clubs decision to make an application to join the Cheshire League. It was also made plain to the people who attended the meeting that the club would need much support from the Droylsden public in order to maintain their Cheshire League status, if election to the Cheshire League was forthcoming. Mr. Willett, the Droylsden secretary, addressed the meeting thus, “Whereas it costs £12 to £13 per week to run the team, gates at recent home matches have produced no more than £11 on average. And I suggest that we get fifty gentlemen in Droylsden to guarantee £10 each. There is a debt at the moment of £200.” Other suggestions put by people in the body of the hall were, a house-to-house collection, more dances and social events, every worker pay a penny weekly, collecting boxes on shop counters, every member to tear up his season ticket and pay 1 shilling (5p) for the remaining matches of the season (instead of 6d.). Mr. Stacey Lintoft of the Daily Dispatch, offered his advice to the club, as a way of attracting bigger gates, “If you can get 500 women and girls to go to the football match on a Saturday afternoon, you will get at least 500 men – they will not go alone. In fifty per cent of cases, you will get two men going – one to watch the other.” On a more serious note, Mr. Lintoft urged the Droylsden people to stick to the club through thick and thin. “If you are Droylsden people there is only one club for you, and that is Droylsden – your own club. It is far greater than all the other clubs, and, if you are Droylsden people, the success of the Droylsden club is far greater than the success of Manchester City or Manchester United. It might be very fine to go to Maine Road to watch the Arsenal or Everton play, but the City are not your club and Droylsden is!” It was also stated that if Droylsden’s application to join the Cheshire League was successful, they would carry out a scheme of reconstruction to the ground. It would be enlarged and brought up to modern requirements. The accommodation on the Bowling Green side would be extended, which would provide for more people, and the contemplation of a new stand was also under consideration. Local Press, May 1934. “At a meeting of the Cheshire County League, held at Crewe on Thursday evening, May 17 1934, Droylsden, along with Port Vale and Liverpool club Marine, applied to fill the vacancy created by Sandbach Ramblers who had resigned from the Cheshire League. The Droylsden club were said to have ‘friends’ in Ashton National, Mossley, Hurst, Stalybridge Celtic, Hyde United, Altrincham, Manchester North End, Wigan and Buxton – nine clubs out of the twenty who could vote. The two clubs who could not vote being Sandbach – who had resigned, and Winsford United, who were seeking re-election. When the results of the voting were counted however, the Droylsden club had attracted not a single vote. Port Vale were elected to fill the vacancy, whilst Winsford United were re-elected. Port Vale had secured 22 votes, Marine 10, and Droylsden 0.”
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