Lancaster Moor Hospital

Transcription

1 Lancaster Moor Hospital This proud old club has had three different names throughout the years since its formation in First of all it was called CAL Football Club or the County Asylum for Lunatics then it became the Lancaster County Mental Hospital before finally becoming the Lancaster Moor Hospital in 1948 when the National Health Service was formed after World War II. An iconic view of the Lancaster Moor Hospital November 1893 In November 1893 the County Asylum played Lancaster Wednesday on the Asylum ground before a good crowd. The Wednesday won the toss and played with a very strong wind and led by 2-0 at halftime. In the second half the Wednesday played very well and scored three more goals to clinch victory by 5-0. The club wasn t a member of the Lancaster & District Junior Alliance and appeared to play games in midweek rather than on a Saturday. The following season they were included in fixture lists but sadly no reports of games played were printed. It appears that in the early years they played against teams like Lancaster Shop Assistants, Lancaster Police, Lancaster Athletic and Lancaster United but, like the majority of other clubs, didn t join an organised league.

2 CAL Football Club in the early 1900 s May 1920 The competition in the Lancaster Wednesday league resulted in a tie for the championship between the County Asylum and Lancaster YMCA so that a deciding game would be required to confirm the champions. The tie between the County Asylum and the Lancaster YMCA was played off on the Giant Axe Field when a collection was taken on behalf of the Special Constables Infirmary Fund for the endowment of a bed in the Royal Lancaster Infirmary. The wretched weather not only interfered with the attendance but was altogether against good football and the players deserve credit for the way they controlled the ball under exceptionally adverse conditions. Through Whittaker the Lancaster YMCA gained a lead of one goal in the first half and they were manifestly the better team. In the second half the Asylum looked like drawing level but in the closing stages the YMCA scored three goals in quick succession to clinch victory by 4-0. Scorers for the YMCA were Whittaker (3) and Craven and Dowthwaite played an excellent game. P W L D F A Pts County Asylum Lancaster YMCA King s Own Depot Morecambe Royal Albert Institution Lancaster Shop Assistants Co-operative Employees Borough Police

3 Although they had been unsuccessful in winning the league in the first season after the war the County Asylum Football Club compensated for that loss by winning the trophy in the following season. CAL Football Club September 1927 In season the County Mental Hospital made their debut in the North Lancashire & District Football League Division II and I wonder if anyone could see into the future and imagine what fantastic success this club would have within four years. In October Silverdale were the visitors to the Far Moor and lost by the odd goal in five. At the interval the County Mental Hospital were leading 2-1 and ended the game victorious by 3-2. Davis (2) and Wilson scored for the County Mental although Davis also missed a penalty. Both of the Silverdale goals came from the foot of Parkinson. In a 1-6 defeat at Warison s just before Christmas 1927 the single goal for the County Mental Hospital was scored by Doctor Silverstone. The County Mental Hospital could be pleased with their first season in the North Lancs League by finishing in 7th place and hoped to improve on that position next year.

4 Division II P W D L F A Pts Calder Vale Burton-in-Lonsdale Storey Brothers Reserves Warison s Silverdale Morecambe Green Street County Mental Hospital Carnforth Rangers Reserves Halton Overton Lancaster Ramblers High Bentham Rovers Brookholme Rangers Final game of the season was not played Season In season the team continued to improve and finished in 5th place in Division II behind champions Warison s and the feeling in the club was that next season they would be even stronger. Season The County Mental Hospital entertained Burton-in-Lonsdale for their final game of the season and despite a warm day a fast and interesting game was witnessed by a large crowd. After 10 minutes Shuttleworth received a pass from Wilson following good play by G Thompson and opened the scoring. Shuttleworth added a second just before halftime to leave the score at 2-0. Burton showed up better in the second half but A Thompson was playing well in defence ably supported by Atkinson so that goalkeeper Crosbie was rarely troubled. Near the end of the match Shuttleworth beat Tatham, who had played a heroic game, to complete a well-earned hat trick and seal a 3-0 victory thereby clinching the Championship of Division II and also completing a notable double as they had previously beaten Halton in the final of the Infirmary Junior Cup. To celebrate their victory in the Infirmary Junior Cup Competition which carries with it the championship of Division II of the North Lancashire & District Football League, the members and officials of the County Mental Hospital Football Club attended a dinner at Tynan s Café on Tuesday evening. Including a number of guests and others connected with Association football the company was 70 strong. A meeting followed at which gold medals and replicas of the cup were presented to the players by Mr J Dobson, Chairman of the League, who heartily congratulated the winners upon their achievements. The loyal toasts were submitted by Dr Silverstone, who presided, and others were given by the Reverend L C Davies, George Masters (secretary of the club) and J Baird. Mr H Ward (captain) replied for the club and Mr J A Baron, treasurer of the League, acknowledged the

5 tributes paid to the Executive Committee by Dr Silverstone. Every speaker spoke highly of the excellent work done during the season by the playing members of the Club and wished them further success in the future. During the evening musical items were contributed by Miss Nancy Morgan (violinist), who was a successful competitor at the Lancaster & Morecambe festivals, Mr L Thompson, Mr J Dobson and Mr J Wilson. J Farrer (League Secretary) and J Crosbie and Miss Morgan s sister were the accompanists. The artists were thanked for their services by Dr Silverstone, who acknowledged the tributes expressed to himself said he hoped the League officials would consider the desirability of re-arranging the divisions with a view to avoiding unnecessary travelling expenses Division II P W D L F A Pts County Mental Hospital Warton Ingleton United Burton-in-Lonsdale Brookholme Rangers Ibis Works Warison s Halton Kendal Town Reserves Galgate Cascolt Silverdale Calder Vale Standfast Dyers & Printers Reserves Table as of April 1930 In June 1930 the North Lancashire League presented their 11 th annual report and regretted that certain clubs did not complete their fixtures but they fortunately listed all the winners of the various competitions. Standfast Reserves were praised for their indomitable spirit in fulfilling their fixtures, although losing every game Division II Champions - County Mental Hospital Division II Runners-up Ingleton United Juvenile League champions - Bulk Juniors (no league tables published throughout the season) Sadly, after February 21st 1930 the league tables were never updated and it was left to the report on the final game of the season to reveal that the County Mental Hospital had indeed become winners of the league.

6 County Mental Hospital Back Row (L- R) D Ellwood, W Robinson, F Smith Middle Row (L- R) F Shuttleworth, J Oakes, F Fell, A Jones, R Crosbie, A Thompson, W Sharples, H Atkinson, G Masters (secretary) Front Row (L- R) J Baird, J E Stewart, H Ward (captain), Dr Silverstone, G Thompson, J Wilson, Reverend L C Davies

7 Season In season the County Mental Hospital had been promoted to Division I after their double winning year. They settled into the higher tier with little difficulty and finished in 4th place behind league champions, Ingleton. Season The first four months of the season saw the County Mental Hospital heavily involved in cup competitions and in particular the Lancashire Junior Shield, where, by Christmas they had advanced to the semi-final after posting five excellent victories. In the league however, they were in sixth place having played five games fewer than current leaders, Netherfield. As the team looked forward to their semi-final game against Great Harwood United in early January 1932, a debate was raging as to whether substitutes should be allowed in the game of football as was the case in America (although a completely different game). Many correspondents at the time felt that substitutes would ruin the whole tradition of English football. After travelling to Great Harwood and coming away with a splendid 4-1 victory the County Mental Hospital were brought back to earth when second division Warton beat them 4-3 in the 3rd round of the Senior Challenge Cup. A run of seven victories followed and took Hospital to the big game of the season at Victory Park, Chorley where they met Westhoughton in the final of the Lancashire Junior Shield. The team s progress in the Lancashire Junior Shield was as follows: Round Opponent Result Second (H) Lancaster Technical School 2-0 Third (H) Thos Blackburn (Preston) 5-0 Fourth (H) Barrow Greengate 4-0 Fifth (H) St Annes-on-Sea 4-2 Sixth (H) Bolton YMCA 3-1 Semi-Final (A) Great Harwood United 4-1 Chorley Westhoughton 1-0 Early in March 1932 the County Mental Hospital brought the much coveted Lancashire Junior Shield trophy back to Lancaster for the first time since the competition was started. They beat Westhoughton, who were to become West Lancashire League Champions, by the only goal at Victory Park, Chorley, in front of 1,200 spectators. During the season the County Mental had played Bowness Rovers three times, winning and losing in the league and losing in the semi-final of the Infirmary Cup and now they were due to play each other again in the final of the Parkinson Cup on the Giant Axe. A bitter rivalry had developed over the season and the final turned out to be a rough affair with one player from each side being sent off. In front of a crowd in excess of 1,000 with a gate exceeding 20 the Hospital won a torrid game by 4-0 and completed an excellent, historic cup double.

8 Two players were ordered off the field by the referee at the Giant Axe, Lancaster, on Saturday night when the County Mental Hospital beat Bowness Rovers by 4-0. When the cup was presented by Town Clerk Mr R M Middleton, he protested against the rough play. The match was played before a big gate which realised over 20, the teams having met for the fourth time this season. By an overwhelming victory the Hospital side fully avenged their defeat in the semi-final of the Infirmary Cup. Playing conditions were ideal and after 10 minutes play Bates sent in a rasping shot which Clarke failed to hold. This put more life into Bowness and for a while Crosbie was kept in action to prove that he has no superior in the district. During this hectic spell Ward once more cleared off the line to prevent a certain goal. The referee in this half had on one or two occasions to speak to players for their questionable tactics. The second half was mostly in favour of the Lancashire Junior Shield winners and after 60 minutes play Guy added number two. Feeling was now creeping into the game and the climax was reached when Bowker of County Mental and Wilkinson of Bowness received their marching orders. Bates made sure of victory when he crashed a shot into the roof of the net and 10 minutes from the end Stewart added the fourth from a corner. Presenting the cup Mr Middleton said he could not congratulate either team on the football played. It was the worst Junior Cup match he had ever seen. He hated rough football and could not speak too strongly against it. He congratulated the referee on the stern measures he took and was sorry he did not take such steps even earlier in the match. Although Mr Middleton was interrupted by a section of the spectators it was obvious he meant to express his feelings concerning what had happened. For the losers Baines, Payne and Bell were the pick with Cullen also putting in some good work and for the winners every man played his part well.

9 Division I P W D L F A Pts Dry Dock United Netherfield Bowness Rovers County Mental Hospital Ingleton United Storey Brothers Kendal Town Ibis Works Burneside Windermere Although records at the end of the season weren t complete, the County Mental Hospital was assured of 4 th place County Mental Hospital Back Row (L- R) AN Other, D Ellwood, R Threlfall Middle Row (L- R) F.Fell, B.Sharples, B Crosbie, H.Atkinson, W.Tatham, A. Carpenter Front Row (L- R) Mr Baird (Chief Male Nurse), E.Stewart, W.Bowker, Dr Sefton, H.Ward (Capt), Dr Silverstone, F.Shuttleworth, T.Guy, G.Masters

10 The Lancashire Junior Shield was the premier competition for amateur clubs in the County and only three clubs from the North Lancs League has ever won this prestigious competition. The competition began in season and when the list of winners is scrutinised it highlights many of the top clubs in Lancashire. By season the County Mental Hospital were playing in the West Lancashire League but at the resumption of football after World War II they were back in the North Lancs League. Season The years after the war were certainly austere and the season of was no exception. Movietone News of 1948 told cinema audiences that 2 million people a week were eating horse meat, but only half of them realised it as it was sold under the deliberately deceptive guise of steak. In July 1948 not only did the National Health Service come into operation but the miracle drug penicillin became available. In the team had been known as the County Mental Hospital but with the birth of the National Health Service their name had changed to the Lancaster Moor Hospital and they were hoping to improve on their position of 8th in a 14 team league that was won by Galgate. This wasn t to be the case however as they finished in 11th place as Lancaster Moor Hospital in an extremely strong league that was won by Caton United. Everyone, who like me played in the 1950 s and 60 s, remembers that if you had a successful season you invariably ended up playing five games in the final week of the season. In season the league looked at this problem in a different light when at the end of March 1949 Bentham United had only played 13 league games when everyone else had played twenty games in a twenty six game season. The League Management Committee therefore allowed Bentham to play double point games so that their loss to Lansil by 4-6 and their win over Dry Dock United by 2-1 were both counted as 4-point games.

11 Division I P W D L F A Pts Caton United Galgate Milnthorpe Corinthians Bolton-le-Sands Arnside United Lancaster Lads Club Old Boys Carnforth Rangers Dry Dock United Bentham United Storeys of Lancaster Lancaster Moor Hospital Warton Lansil Williamsons Lancaster Moor Hospital Back Row (L- R) Front Row (L- R) Norman Booth, J. Rawes, R. Parks, Arthur Wild, Simon Brown, N. Bell, George Pinder, E. McBride, Maurice Vickers, AN Other, F. Metcalfe Tosh Hall, AN Other, Stan Woodhouse, Frank Taylor, George Masters, Paddy Rooke, J. Glover, Billy Farnworth (patient)

12 Season As the team moved on to season many of the players from were still in the team but Father Time was taking its toll on them. George Pinder was now goalkeeper, always his best position, Paddy Rooke, the flying Irishman, was still a key member of the team either as centre forward or playing on the left wing. Terry Jackson brought a touch of youth to the team but Simon Brown, Stan Woodhouse, Arthur Wild and Maurice Vickers were not quite as mobile as in the past but their experience would prove invaluable in lifting the club to a very respectable position in the league. The attached photograph shows the team before a 1-0 victory over Settle United in the 3rd round of the Senior Charity Cup on the Far Moor. At the time they were leading the North Lancashire & District League with 27 points from 16 games with only a single defeat. Their final placing of 4th in a highly competitive league that was won by Bentham United was testament to the quality of football that the team played. Lancaster Moor Hospital

13 Division I P W D L F A Pts Bentham United Dry Dock United Morecambe Grammar School Old Boys Lancaster Moor Hospital Caton United Milnthorpe Corinthians Ingleboro Civil Service Heysham Carnforth Rangers Storeys of Lancaster Holme Athletic Bolton-le-Sands Galgate Reserves Bentham Wanderers Lancaster Moor Hospital won Division 2 of the North Lancashire & District League as well as beating Grange 3-1 in the final of the Junior Charity Cup in They had won 21 and drawn 1 out of their 22 game season scoring 111 goals and conceding only 15, a truly fine performance. Paddy Rooke had played at centre forward and scored 68 goals out of the 145 total including cup games and he would be striving to continue this fine run of form against better opposition.

14 Season The Wolstencroft Memorial Challenge Cup was a new trophy and many clubs were vying to be the first to put their name on it. It was a great honour for the Lancaster Moor Hospital to win this cup in its inaugural year by scoring 24 goals and conceding only 6. Wolstencroft Memorial Challenge Cup Round Opponents Result Second (A) Trumacar 2-1 Third (A) Civil Service 2-2 Third - Replay (H) Civil Service 5-1 Fourth (H) Lancaster Amateurs 3-0 Giant Axe Lancaster Lads Club Old Boys 1-1 Semi-Final Christie Park Lancaster Lads Club Old Boys 2-1 Christie Park Caton United 3-0 The goal scorers in the cup were: Rooke 13, Wilkinson 4, Townley 2, Bound 2, Armstrong 1, Clement 1 and Jackson 1 The goal scorers in the league in were: Rooke 20, Townley 20, Bound 10, Smith 8, Wilkinson 5, Stephenson 5, Parkinson 3, Armstrong 2, Clements 2, Exley 2, Pye, 1, Brown 1 and Wareing 1 The facilities enjoyed by the Lancaster Moor Hospital were second to none among junior clubs in England, said the club chairman, Mr Jim Glover, at the annual presentation dinner at the hospital in June Dr R C Cunningham, medical superintendent of the Royal Albert Hospital and president of the North Lancashire League presented the Memorial Challenge Cup to the team. Captain of the team, Bill Short, received the Wolstencroft trophy and other team members were given replicas. Mr John Bagot, secretary of the league, thanked club officials for their co-operation which was essential for the smooth running of the league. It was fitting, he said, that the Wolstencroft trophy should be won for the first time by a club that played on the Far Moor for that was where Mr Wolstencroft watched a great deal of his junior football in Lancaster. Mr Thompson, chairman of the Hospital Management Committee, congratulated the team on winning the Wolstencroft trophy and also for being runners-up in Division I of the North Lancs League. He also said that he and his committee were working hard to provide a football ground for the club.

15 Lancaster Moor Hospital Football Club Celebration Dinner L-R: Dr Silverstone, Bill Short, Bill Thompson (chairman of Hospital Management Committee), Dr Smith (Medical Superintendent), Jim Glover (club chairman), Harold Jones (Night Superintendent), Mr Boyd Back Row (L-R): 3 x League officials, Parkinson, Pinder, Brown, Stephenson, Bound Front Row (L-R): Derek Huddleston, Short (captain), Woodhouse, Rooke, Howell, Bewes, Hall This team played a Yorkshire touring side in a benefit game for 21-year-old Derek Huddleston who had lost a leg following an accident when playing for Lancaster Lads Club Old Boys.

16 Division I P W D L F A Pts Caton United Lancaster Moor Hospital Lower Holker Storeys of Lancaster Lancaster Lads Club Old Boys Bentham Wanderers Milnthorpe Corinthians Galgate Trimpell Dry Dock United Heysham Bulk St. Annes Lancaster Moor Hospital Pictured before beating Caton United 3-0 in the final of the Memorial Challenge Cup at Christie Park, Morecambe Back Row (L- R) Front Row (L- R) Stan Woodhouse, Vince Bound (reserve), Bill Short, R Clement, Terry Jackson, G Hall, D Howell T Stephenson, Simon Brown, Lancelot Paddy Rooke, Jack Tiger Wilkinson, D Townley, T Glover (mascot)

17 Season The season was one that showed that the old adage it s a funny old game was spot on and the team that proved it would be Lancaster Moor Hospital who had been champions of Division II the previous year. Who would have thought that a team that won only 12 games out of 28 in the league would be so successful in the cup competitions? September 1964 saw Lancaster Moor Hospital only winning two matches in their first seven league games as well as losing in the 1st round of the Senior Charity C by 4 2 at Lower Holker. They seemed like a team that had lost its way, very much like the prisoner who escaped from Bela River camp at Milnthorpe only to stumble into a public telephone box in Carnforth and phone the police telling them he was lost. They promptly picked him up and escorted him back to prison in time for tea. A 3rd round Senior Challenge cup tie against Lansil saw the Hospital emerge victorious by 3 1 but their league form only produced two wins in October and November although a resounding win in the 3rd round of the Memorial Cup away to Lancaster Lads Club Reserves by 10 0 kept their spirits high. Their luck improved when Nodder Muckalt, a fine, intelligent inside forward had a disagreement with Williamsons and transferred to the Far Moor team. The 4th round of the Senior Challenge Cup saw Moor Hospital overcome 2nd Division Hest Bank by 7 1 and then in the 5th round they were leading Williamsons by 3 2 when the game was abandoned after 77 minutes because of torrential rain. Over the next two months Lancaster Moor Hospital only lost to Milnthorpe Corinthians and Galgate in the league and won their replayed 5th round Challenge Cup tie against Williamsons by 4 1 before winning the battle of the hospitals against Royal Albert in the 4th round of the Memorial Cup by 3 1. The guile of Nodder Muckalt in midfield and the presence at centre half of former Lancaster City player, Terry Jackson along with Pete Hudson s experience showed that on their day Moor Hospital could match most teams. March 1965 proved to be a successful month as they won 3 league games before despatching 2nd Division leaders Morecambe A by 4 1 in the 5th round of the Memorial Cup. The season was now reaching its climax as the Moor Hospital beat Carnforth BRSA 6 2 in the semi-final of the Senior Challenge Cup before defeating Caton United in the semi-final of the Memorial Cup by 3 1. The Senior Challenge Cup final was played at Trimpell against Morecambe A and after extra time the teams were still level at two goals apiece. A few days later the Hospital lost at home in the league by 5 1 against Cartmel but it was now obvious where their priorities lay. The replayed Senior Challenge Cup final at Trimpell ended in a close 1 0 win for the Hospital over Morecambe A and then they rounded off a fine week by beating Lower Holker 3 1 in the final of the Memorial Cup at Quarry Park, the home of Carnforth Rangers. Although they lost two home league games to close out the fixtures their fine season had been completed with a remarkable cup double.

18 Division I P W D L F A Pts Galgate Lansil Milnthorpe Corinthians Cartmel & District Lancaster Lads Club Old Boys Lower Holker Lancaster Moor Hospital Caton United Skerton Old Boys Bentham Holme Athletic Trimpell Morecambe Electrical Equipment Company Heysham Bulk St. Annes Lancaster Moor Hospital Back Row L-R: Terry Jackson, Pete Hudson, Trevor Brown, Tommy Ingram, Vince Bound, AN Other Front Row L-R: AN Other, Billy Preston, Nodder Muckalt, Billy Fox, AN Other