|
Season 1946-47. Cheshire League Manchester County Shield The Cheshire League was now back to full strength with the re-emergence of Altrincham, Macclesfield and Congleton Town. Oldham Athletic, who had been elected on a temporary basis only, retired from the league to permit the return of the three Cheshire clubs.
Droylsden had re-signed most of the players from last season, and along with new signing's the club believed they could improve on the runners-up spot they had achieved in 1945-46. New secretary Arthur Dunnett, announced the list of players for the forthcoming season: (*denotes players signed on professional forms). Goal: *C Pitt and *F Chappell. Fullbacks: *M Randall, H Davies, A Turner. Halfbacks: *Neilson, *Noon, Fulham, Barber, Dootson, Hindley. Forwards: *Barnes, *McLellan, *W Davies, *Bartholomew, *S Gibson, *E Toseland, Nicholson, Wilkinson and Worsely. Richard Neilson, a former Manchester City centre half, was made player-coach for the coming season.
Droylsden got off to a poor start in their league programme, and after just seven matches the club were bottom of the table. However, match number eight brought a turn around in the teams form when Tranmere Reserves were hammered 6-0 at the Butchers' Arms. Thirteen more league fixtures were played up to the end of December, of which Droylsden won 7 and drew 1. Those fifteen points lifted the team to mid table, and gave the club something to build on for the second half of the season. The Market Street lads began the New Year with two good results at the Butchers' Arms. On New Years Day, Stalybridge Celtic were beaten 6-3, in a game that attracted over 5,000 spectators, whilst on the preceding Saturday, South Liverpool had surrendered both points, Droylsden winning the match 2-0.
From the last eighteen games of the season, Droylsden gained another 22 points, which included a run of eight straight wins in succession. In April, Droylsden became the first team in the Cheshire League to score 100 goals, when they beat Rhyl at Market Street by 6 goals to 1. The Butchers' Arms club finished the season eighth from top of the table, which considering their poor start to the campaign, was thought to have been a good season. In February, two of Droylsden's players - Maurice Randall and Billy Davies - were transferred to Crewe Alexandra. It was thought Droylsden received £500 for Randall, though secretary Dunnett would only say the club had secured a satisfactory sum for the two players, and did not disclose the amount. In December 1946, Hurst Football Club applied to the Cheshire League for permission to change their club name, and in February 1947, Hurst re-emerged as Ashton United.
Droylsden's best effort of the season came in reaching the final of the Manchester County Shield. The final took place at Maine Road on Wednesday evening, May 7th 1947, and it was here that Droylsden met old rivals Mossley in a game that was watched by a crowd of 6,476.
Local Press. "Droylsden began somewhat raggedly, but after McIntosh had made a good ground save from Knowles, they settled down and started to swing the ball about. It soon became obvious the Mossley defence was not fast enough to cope with Droylsden's speedy forward line, though, had Knowles found the net with an early chance, as he should have done, there might have been a different tale. After that chance however, Mossley seemed to be struggling with little prospect of reward. Buckley was Mossley's outstanding performer and he twice compelled McIntosh to bring off spectacular saves, but the rest of the Mossley forward line seemed to have little idea where the goal lay. Whittam did make a splendid effort in the closing stages, but McIntosh proved equal to the occasion and turned the ball over the bar.
Droylsden were always stronger collectively and took the lead after fifteen minutes. Neary slipped the ball through to Gibson who tapped it to the unmarked Pearson, and the inside right did the rest. Ten minutes later, Pearson scored his, and Droylsden's second goal, when he eluded both Shaw and Taylor and found the net from an oblique angle. Whittam then skimmed the Droylsden crossbar from a half cleared corner kick. Buckley made two splendid runs early in the second half, and twice the Droylsden defenders got into trouble through misunderstandings, but each time they cleared their lines. The only goal of this half was the result of a solo effort by Gibson, who neatly shook off the attentions of Shaw and coolly put the ball into the empty net as Boothroyd came out. That was after thirty minutes. Ten minutes from the end, Knowles collided heavily with McIntosh and the centre forward broke his collar bone. The Shield was presented to Richard Neilson, the Droylsden captain, by Mr. H Duckworth, president of the Manchester County FA.
Droylsden: McIntosh, Turner, Pomphrey, Noble, Neilson, Neary, Makin, Brooks, Gibson, Pearson and Booth. Mossley: Boothroyd, Taylor, Connor, Firth, Shaw, Broadbent, Toseland, Whittam, Knowles, Casey and Buckley.
|