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Season 1948-49. Cheshire League Droylsden in the Doldrums It was now ten years since any major improvements had been carried out at the Butchers' Arms, and throughout that period the ground had fallen into a state of much disrepair. The stand, built in 1936, was looking shabby and much needed improvements were required to all parts of the Butchers' Arms enclosure. In June 1948, the following officials were elected: President, Rev. A Proctor. Chairman, Mr. Simcock. Vice chairman, Mr. Saltsman. Secretary, Mr. G Smith. Financial secretary, Mr. Foster. Committee, Messrs Hibbert, Foster, Williams, Wardle, McCartney, Lilley, Rigby and Gregory. At a later date Mr. E McCartney was appointed manager of the club in place of Richard Neilson, who had returned to Manchester City to manage their 'A' team. Players signed by the club were: Grimsditch, Pratt, McIntosh, Sullivan, Pomphrey, J Collins, R Collins, Neary, Knowles, Keggans, Gibson, Hazlehurst, White, Hackney, Wagstaffe, Muir, Breen, Jones, Ramshead, Casey, Monaghan and Peters. At the beginning of the season Droylsden had erected a new flag post and flag at the entrance to the ground. The flag was in the club colours of red and white (DAFC in white letters on a red background), but unfortunately, by the end of the season the flag was flying at half-mast as Droylsden finished bottom of the league.
In the last home match of the season, against league leaders Witton Albion, Droylsden had called for massive public support to help the club prove a point in its case for re-election, by beating the top team in the Cheshire League. The Droylsden public did not let them down and with their largest gate of the season backing them; the Droylsden lads caused the biggest upset of the season by winning the match 1-0. "You'd think we'd won the cup," laughed one of the Droylsden players, amazed at the great reception given to the team at the end of the match. Those words however summed up the scene. Spectators swarmed onto the edge of the pitch and lined the way to the dressing rooms, cheering and slapping the backs of the Droylsden players as they fought their way through the crowd of delighted supporters. At the beginning of January, team manager Mr. McCartney had tendered his resignation, and later that week old favourite Ernie Gillibrand was chosen as Droylsden's new manager. By that time however, Droylsden's task was hopeless, and Gillibrand was unable to lift the club off bottom place in the table. Cheshire League 1948-49
Butchers' Arms Bombshell
At the end of April Droylsden was humming with the news - which had broke at the weekend, that Droylsden's ground, the Butchers' Arms, had been purchased by Belle Vue FC. The supporters had consequently flocked to the public meeting at Trinity Methodist School, which was originally intended to have been an inquest on the present season, eager to learn more details. Many were in a militant mood; indignant in the belief that the club was to be turned off the ground that had been it's home since the club was formed. They feared for the future of the club, knowing that re-admission to the Cheshire League would be impossible if the club lost it's ground. Three directors and the secretary of Belle Vue FC were present, and it was perhaps significant that two of them, namely Mr. R Swann, who was also president of the Belle Vue club, and Mr. Frank Shore, occupied seats at the table with the Droylsden chairman (Mr. W Simcock), and other officials of the Droylsden club. It was soon obvious from declarations made by both sides, that a marriage had been arranged between the two clubs. The supporters learned, with evident relief, that far from Droylsden losing its ground, it was proposed to have two teams playing on the Butchers' Arms ground, Droylsden FC in the Cheshire League (if re-elected), and Droylsden United (formerly Belle Vue FC) in the Lancashire Combination. (Belle Vue FC were in the second division of the Combination and during the current season had used Ashton United's ground at Hurst Cross).
Control of the two clubs was to be vested in a board of directors, consisting of the five present directors of the Belle Vue club, plus two whom would be appointed from the management committee of Droylsden FC. The question of what would happen to the club's property, including the stand, dressing rooms, offices, turnstiles etc., was not cleared up, but in the case of the Supporters' Club assets, Mr. Swann indicated the good faith of the purchasers to this section, by saying negotiations had been opened for a plot of land at the High Street end of the ground for their use, and a suitable building would be purchased. Mr. Swann also promised extensive improvements to the ground and buildings. Mr. Simcock, in his opening statement, indicated the changed situation since the public was meeting first proposed. Some of them, he said, might feel that the change was not for the good, be he was informed that it was. When he was told of the purchase of the land, he made every effort to gain the confidence and co-operation of the gentlemen who had bought it. They had met several times and he was assured that they would have a team in Droylsden and that they would have a ground better than they had ever had before.
Plans had been made for the ground, or at least the part where the stand stood, to be completely bulldozed, better terraces made, the ground made wider and also to provide better facilities for the supporters and better accommodation for dressing and officials quarters. Eventually, the whole ground would be turned round as previously envisaged, but incorporating more land than before. Mr. Saltsman (vice-president of Droylsden FC) said he had met the gentlemen concerned in the purchase of the land for the first time that evening. Droylsden Football Club, he continued, had been tenants of the Openshaw Brewery for 69 years and without any offer or any intimation to the club, the Brewery had sold the land from under their feet. The club had never been asked to buy the land; if they had, they might have raised the money by public subscription. Now, wonderful plans were envisaged and he hoped they would be carried out. Though, to his way of thinking, these developments were the beginning of the end for Droylsden Football Club, although the chairman would not agree with him. He would not be connected with the club under these new circumstances. Mr. Shore said they were going to back Droylsden and they were going to give the town a good ground and good football.
A supporter asked, "May I ask who is this fairy godmother? They have not come along just to put Droylsden on its feet. There is something at the back of it. Will they come out into the open and tell us what it is?" Mr. Simcock said the vice chairman and other members of the committee might feel peeved, but perhaps he was a little more farsighted than they were in asking the supporters to accept the new arrangement. They knew full well that the finances had been the club's main headache. He did not want them to feel that these gentlemen were fairy godmothers, but men with an eye to business who would give them the goods. Questions were asked about Droylsden gaining re-admission to the Cheshire League, and the financial aspect of running a team under the new circumstances, and Mr. Simcock in reply said he had been instructed to say that the purchasers would take over all obligations, liabilities and assets. The Droylsden club would not be in the position of sub-tenants. It would be one and the same club under the control of directors, which would make it more acceptable to the Cheshire League. The finances of the club would be assured and the public would not be called upon to meet any losses.
Mr. S Ingham, chairman of the Supporters' Club, asked whether those who were taking control were going to alter the name of the club, and if they were not, he did not think there could be any objection to the arrangement. Mr. Swann gave a detailed account of the events leading up to the purchase of the ground, explaining that in the first instance Belle Vue had approached Droylsden about the use of the Butchers' Arms ground on alternate Saturday's for one or two seasons. When the club had asked them to pay over £150 rent, they had considered it extortionate, in view of the fact that Droylsden was only paying £5 per quarter rent to the Brewery Company. Consequently, they went into negotiation with the Brewery and bought the land.
"We did not come here to turn Droylsden Football Club out; far rather to co-operate with them by allowing them the use of the ground on alternate Saturday's with us," added Mr. Swann. In buying the ground, the Belle Vue club had assured themselves the use of the pitch and could, if they had chosen, have left it at that, "In these days it is everybody for themselves," he said, but they had chosen to co-operate with Droylsden. The Droylsden Football Club would remain in existence, and a new club would come into being, known as Droylsden United FC. They meant to stage first-class football in Droylsden every Saturday. "Mr. Saltsman," he continues, "Mentioned that the Brewery Company had never made an offer to the Droylsden club; well, the Brewery Company had never made an offer to Belle Vue either! We approached the Brewery. Throughout the 69 years of Droylsden FC, they have never even offered to buy the land; instead, they rested on the false security that they would never be turned off!" He then disclosed that a firm was seeking to but the land from the Brewery for use as a sports ground, and if that happened, nobody would be allowed on it - not even as spectators.
There were cries of indignation when Mr. Swann said that nothing had been done by the club to improve the ground. "The reason why the Cheshire League is quibbling about taking you back in the league is because your ground is not nice and your accommodation is bad! Don't cheat yourselves! Your ground had never been in any way in the last 20 years." To which there were cries of "Oh yes it has!" Mr. Swann continued by saying, the Belle Vue Club, now having the ground and facilities, might themselves have applied for admission to the Cheshire League, but he immediately realised that with Droylsden at the bottom of the league, they would lose their place if they had no ground, and he said that that would have been 'Dirty'. Instead, he suggested that they should co-operate with Droylsden and keep them in the league, "If it is at all possible to keep Droylsden FC in the Cheshire League, we are going to do it," he added. Mr. Harry Singleton, a member of the Droylsden committee, asked who was now going to run Droylsden FC. He also objected to Mr. Swann's remarks about the dressing accommodation at Droylsden, saying it was better than some Third Division clubs had. He had never heard a complaint from a visiting player or official. Mr. Singleton went on, "I have a lot of friends in the Cheshire League, and I think Droylsden would have been re-elected. The danger to Belle Vue FC entering the Cheshire League is the danger to all East Lancashire clubs."
Mr. Swann retorted: "Although we (Belle Vue) could have made application to the Cheshire League, you must remember that we are already in a league as it is. We didn't apply, because we don't want to put Droylsden out. After all, we have the ground. If we had applied, Droylsden's application would have gone in the waste paper basket." Mr. Brown, Droylsden committee, said it was not true that Droylsden FC had never tried to buy the ground. They had started negotiations with the Brewery before the war, but had been interrupted. One supporter, Mr. Walker, asked why two names were needed, why not have first and second teams? Mr. Simcock said he would have preferred one name, but Mr. Swann that second or reserve teams had not got the same drawing power. Mr. Swann disclosed that since buying the land, they had had offers from other clubs for the use of the ground, but they had turned them down for the purpose of giving Droylsden Football Club something when it had nothing. "What has Droylsden Football Club got to offer Droylsden United?" he asked. A supporter, "Droylsden supporters that's what, they can make or break you!" Mr. Swann, "Leave the supporters out of it, what have Droylsden FC got? - Nothing! What has Droylsden United got? - Money!"
There were murmurs of disapproval when Mr. Swann stated that if they did not "get justice" in Droylsden, they would build houses on the land. "We have not come here to cause bother, but to give you two first-class teams," he went on. There were five directors of the Belle Vue club - Mr. Swann, Mr. Shore, Mr. W Pheasey, Mr. W Turner and Mr. C Walker - and they had given a verbal assurance that for the moment they were prepared to take two of the Droylsden officials on the board. If at a later date, some alterations were necessary, they would come to an amicable arrangement. When it was asked where it was proposed to get the players from, Mr. Swann said the professionals would be signed for one or other of the teams, but the amateurs would be signed for both teams. They were not going to allow Droylsden to remain at the bottom of the Cheshire League, or United - as it would be known - to slide to the bottom. Their object would be to get both teams to the top. They would go out and get the players they wanted and would not be frightened of giving them a shilling or two. They would put on other entertainments such as boxing tournaments which, with a good bill, could pay for a years football. There was considerable discussion about what would happen if Droylsden failed to gain re-admission to the Cheshire League, and it was stated that if that happened the two clubs might be combined and called Droylsden United. Mr. Sumner, said although the new arrangement had come as a 'bombshell' to most of them, he felt that Droylsden had nothing to lose by it. He urged the people to rally round and keep the Droylsden FC flag flying on the Butchers' Arms ground, as it had done for so many, many years.
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The Cheshire League was to determine its constitution for season 1949-50 at Stockport on Saturday, May 14th 1949, and once more the fate of a local club was in the balance. The Droylsden supporters were wondering whether their club would now follow Ashton United into becoming the second local club to go out in two years. Seeking election to the Cheshire League was Bangor City, who were members of the Lancashire Combination, whilst Tranmere Rovers, who had finished second from bottom were almost certain - it was thought - to get re-elected. Because of their ground at the Butchers' Arms, Droylsden could hardly be described as one of the most popular members of the league but at least they could now point to definite alterations being carried out for the coming season. The club had undergone a revolutionary change in the past two weeks and was now controlled by men with the capital and ability to put far-reaching schemes into effect promptly. Since the Belle Vue directors had dropped their bombshell and announced they had bought the |Butchers' Arms ground, there had been contractors on the ground who had been asked to supply estimates for widening the existing pitch and for switching the pitch around.
At the meeting of the Cheshire League, Droylsden were represented by Mr. W Simcock, with the backing of the new owners of the Butchers' Arms ground, Mr. T Shore and Mr. W Pheasey. However, Bangor City's application to join the Cheshire League was not accepted due to a technical error. The Bangor club had not resigned from the Lancashire Combination in accordance with the rules of the FA and Mr. Edward Case, president of the Cheshire League, told the Bangor representatives their application could not be entertained. Bangor's rejection therefore paved the way for the re-election of both Droylsden and Tranmere Rovers.
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