The first success of the season was in the Craven Cup and Ingleboro s progress to the final was:

Transcription

1 Ingleboro Power in local football shifted quite dramatically after the season from Caton, Galgate and Bolton-le-Sands to Ingleboro and Bentham. Caton United had won consecutive championships in and but 7 key players left and 5 of them made the short trip up the A683 from Lancashire to Yorkshire and pulled on the jersey of Ingleboro. Gordon Mashiter, Albert Robinson and Bert Cartmel left after the season to be followed a year later by Ted Fairclough and Dougie Procter. Joe Easterby, who had been courted by Wolverhampton Wanderers and Bolton Wanderers, joined Morecambe and Bill Hodgson, who had been at Blackpool as a young man, retired. Bert Cartmel, who had been an outstanding goalkeeper, collapsed and died during a game at Ingleton against Heysham in November 1949 at the age of 30. The match official at this game was local celebrity and Football League referee, Walter Crossley. Ingleboro were to be one of the founder members of the North West Combination (semi-professional League) in 1953 and had started to build a powerhouse team from 1950 along with Bentham United. Strong characters like Bill Wagget loved football and he went to great lengths to attract the best footballers to West Yorkshire. His persuasive tongue and possibly other incentives attracted a lot of talented footballers to Ingleboro. If, according to Ted Fairclough and Dougie Procter, a player didn t have the money to buy new boots, Bill would pull out a huge wad of notes and peel off an old white fiver and tell him to get some. Gerry Jones was a Football League referee for many years and in his early career he would get on the Ingleboro coach at Kingsway Baths for the journey to Ingleton when he was officiating. He usually felt ill by the time they got there mainly due to Bill Wagget s driving and needed half an hour to get his land legs back. Whatever the result though Gerry was always invited to join the players for their post-game meal of bacon and beans, a veritable feast in a country of food rationing. After a Craven Cup game in Leeds, Albert Robinson expressed a desire to stay in the city after the game for a night out. Bill Wagget agreed to this and drove the rest of the team back to Ingleton by coach before returning to Leeds in his car to pick up Albert and Gordon Mashiter. He did whatever was needed to keep his players happy. Ingleboro started season on fire at home beating Morecambe Grammar School Old Boys, 5-2, Bentham United, 2-1, and Caton United, 9-3, before travelling to Arnside and handing out an 11-2 thrashing. In early October 1952 soon after Ingleboro had beaten Galgate 11-3 on the Recreation Ground, Galgate, an article appeared in the Lancaster Guardian about Jimmy Downham. Recently re-signed for Lancaster City, James Andrew Downham, who lives within sight of the Giant Axe at 15 West Road has a special claim on the affections of the local fans and is the idol of small boys who pursue him in an admiring throng at most home games. Second son of Mr and Mrs James Downham, Jimmy played as a schoolboy for Greaves Secondary Modern but made his greatest strides in football as a teenager and during Army service overseas in the last war. Before he wore the royal blue shirt of City he played with City Hornets and Lansil in the old Wednesday Football League. Most of his football was played at centre forward with Lansil in the North Lancashire & District Football League but he also had a spell with Lancaster Lads Club. On the outbreak of war in 1939, Jimmy, after a couple of games for City started six years service with the Maritime R.A. He began as a gunner aboard armed Merchantmen but modestly disclaims any alarming experiences. For

2 over three years he served in India where he played in Army representative games alongside such stars as Denis Compton, Tommy Walker and Bobby Langton. On demobilisation he joined City Reserves and played his first game for the seniors in season at outside left. He next went to Netherfield for three seasons from and played in the marathon cup-tie against City which lasted eight and a half hours before a decision was reached. In season he re-joined City and since then has always been ready and willing to serve in whatever capacity he has been called upon to fulfil. Beginning as a goalkeeper, Jimmy has since played either left half or outside left. He prefers the halfback position because it gives more scope for intelligent play. After seven wins and a draw Ingleboro were top of the league and scheduled to meet 2nd placed Dry Dock United at home before a big crowd. This would have been the Dockers team Ingleboro faced. The Dry Dock United team photo from when they were Champions of the North Lancs League would finish in 3 rd place in Division I in despite doing the double over Ingleboro by 5-3 at Ingleton and 1-0 on the Far Moor An exciting start in which Dry Dock scored in the first two minutes and were a goal behind ten minutes later promised great things in this clash between league Champions, Dry Dock, and the present league leaders, Ingleboro. During this period Ingleboro played fast, clever football and appeared set for an easy victory. Dry Dock, however, slowly took command of the game and drew level at 2-2 at half-time. The goals were scored by Tommy Chappell and Ted Fairclough for Ingleboro and Alan Mitchell and Stan King for Dry Dock United. Dry Dock so dominated the game in the second half that the home team were seldom in the picture except for occasional breakaways which Dry Dock managed to control with the exception of one in which a shot by Thornton was allowed to pass through the goalkeeper s hands into the net. Dry Dock equalised through McCrae and made sure with further goals from Alan Mitchell and Frank Ashworth. Following a 6-1 victory over Bentham Wanderers on Boxing Day 1952, Ingleboro were in 2nd place, two points behind Bolton-le-Sands with three games in hand but could long cup runs put their title aspirations in jeopardy? In February 1953 Ingleboro travelled to Caton for

3 a local Derby match that was always keenly contested especially with three ex-caton players, Albert Robinson, Ted Fairclough and Doug Procter in their ranks. There was the usual keen rivalry when these teams met at Caton. As the score suggests Ingleboro were by far the superior team in every way and by their victory further improved their championship aspirations. In the early stages both goals had narrow escapes when corner kicks skimmed dangerously along the crossbars. With the game 12 minutes old, Warburton, Ingleboro s right half shot through a bunch of players from 25 yards and saw the ball deflected past Alan Shaw, who was unsighted, to give Ingleboro the lead. Soon afterwards Caton came near to equalising when Stokes made a valiant effort with a flying header. Alan Shaw brought off some brilliant saves in the Caton goal but it was not surprising when Ingleboro increased their lead in the 37th minute when Jimmy Ashworth scored from an oblique angle. In the second half Caton could not hold the visitors and Ingleboro continued to dominate play with United only making spasmodic raids. In the 59th minute Albert Robinson scored the first of a series of Ingleboro goals, others being added by Ted Fairclough in the 64th and 81st minutes, Tommy Chappell in the 67th minute and Warburton in the 80th minute. A foul on Albert Robinson produced a penalty but Tommy Chappell shot straight at Alan Shaw who was able to save. The first success of the season was in the Craven Cup and Ingleboro s progress to the final was: Round Opponents Result 1 st (A) Rolls Royce (Barnoldswick) Won 2 nd (A) Saiterforth rd (H) Gargrave 9-0 Burton-in-Lonsdale (N) Bentham United 3-1 Hellifield (N) Burton-in-Lonsdale 6-2 Ingleboro therefore retained the trophy they had won the previous year when they defeated Bentham Wanderers 4-1 in the final. Ingleboro s progress to the final of the Senior Challenge Cup was: Round Opponents Result 3 rd (A) Caton United Reserves th (A) Caton United th (A) Morecambe Grammar School OB s 8-3 Caton (N) Lancaster Moor Hospital 1-1 Semi-Final Caton (N) Lancaster Moor Hospital 3-2 The Giant Axe (N) Bentham United 1-3 The fixture congestion over the last few weeks of the season threatened to destroy what had been an outstanding year on the field for Ingleboro. Ingleboro had reached the 3rd round of the Senior Charity Cup, where they were due to play Morecambe Grammar School Old Boys, by beating Bentham Wanderers, 7-2, and Milnthorpe Reserves, 10-2, but decided to withdraw from the competition because of fixture congestion allowing the Old Boys to progress to the semi-final stage.

4 In the final week of the season Ingleboro were three points behind Bolton-le-Sands with four games to play, all of them away from home. Travelling to the Far Moor, Lancaster, to face Dry Dock United was always a difficult fixture and so it turned out to be as the Dockers won by the only goal of the game to complete a league double over the villagers. The team rose to the occasion magnificently once again though and beat Milnthorpe Corinthians Reserves 4-2, Carnforth Rangers 2-0 and Civil Service 6-1 to clinch a welldeserved title by three points from Bolton-le-Sands with Dry Dock United in 3rd place. Having scored more goals and conceded the fewest in the league it was a fitting triumph for a team that was still improving. P W D L F A Pts Ingleboro Bolton-le-Sands Dry Dock United Bentham United Morecambe Grammar School Old Boys Carnforth Rangers Milnthorpe Corinthians Reserves Caton United Bentham Wanderers Galgate Storeys Civil Service Arnside United resigned from the league in January 1953 and their record was expunged. Milnthorpe Corinthians 1 st team played in the West Lancashire League. A highly successful season for Ingleboro culminated when they travelled to Valley Parade, Bradford, to play Barnoldswick, who were a semi-professional club, in the final of the West Riding County Challenge Cup. The road to the final was: Round Opponents Result 2 nd (H) Huddersfield OC rd (H) Manningham th (A) Boothtown (Halifax) th (H) Addingham 2-1 Hellifield (N) Birkenshaw R 3-0 Valley Parade, Bradford (N) Barnoldswick 0-5

5 The following report on the game appeared in the Craven Herald. Barnoldswick win the trophy Gallant Ingleboro outclassed Barnoldswick 5 Ingleboro 0 (By our Special Correspondent) Months of mounting excitement in the north and west extremities of the Craven area reached the climax at Valley Parade, Bradford, on Saturday 9th May 1953, when Barnoldswick and Ingleboro met in the final of the West Riding County Challenge Cup competition. Enthusiasm ran high and both teams had a substantial following but the football itself was something of an anti-climax. Whether it was nerves, the hard ground and light ball, or the differences in class of the two teams, we will never know but certainly the game never reached the heights that were expected. Frankly Ingleboro were never a match for Barnoldswick despite the fact that they provided some of the stars of the game. Admittedly they lost one of the three Chappell brothers with a forehead wound that had to be stitched but that was not until the second half and Barnoldswick were already cantering to an easy victory. But it has to be said of the Ingleton boys, they gave 100% and even in the closing stages of the game they fought heroically in an attempt to get at least one goal. The Barnoldswick defence covered magnificently and never gave the opposing forwards an opening. The result was that Barrett, who has threatened to hang up his boots, had practically nothing to do. His inactivity prompted Barnoldswick s captain, White, to remark after the game that he could go on playing for another 20 years if he had the same amount of work. The forwards never worked together as they had done in previous games and it seemed a mistake to put Burnett and Witowski on opposite wings. Neither of them played well. Moule and Smith worked hard and skilfully so much so that the latter was called into the Bradford City office after the match and asked whether he would like to sign for the club. Place got three goals and what more can you ask from a centre forward. The Chappell brothers were solid backs for Ingleboro with Tommy especially playing a grand game. If their clearances had been more constructive it would have been impossible to fault them. Jimmy Ashworth tried hard both in defence and attack when he moved forward and the two wingers Albert Robinson and Thornton were dangerous. They lacked inside support however and their centres were invariably wasted. Bill Lucas in goal had a most unhappy match; he appeared to lose confidence after the first goal and never settled down. Mascot Tommy Henderson certainly seems to be lucky for the West Craven side. He led them out and soon Barnoldswick were on the offensive. They took the lead when Moule put in a hard shot from well outside the penalty area. Bill Lucas had it covered but the ball slipped through his hands into the net. Moule can never have scored a simpler goal. Thornton worked desperately hard after that setback and time after time sent across menacing centres. In one spell three shots were put in by Billy Webb, Joe Warburton and Ted Fairclough but each time Henderson was there to head the ball away. A little less eagerness in attack at this time and more steadiness and Ingleboro might well have scored. Barnoldswick went further ahead when Burnett and Lucas raced for a bouncing ball. They arrived together, collided, and both fell to the ground injured. The ball came loose to

6 the ever alert Place who tapped it into the gaping net. The opposition was not downhearted however as first Albert Robinson and then Ted Fairclough forced Barnoldswick to concede three corners in quick succession and Ingleboro threw everything into attack but they couldn t break through. When the second half began Ingleboro were again pressing and it looked as though Barnoldswick would lose the initiative by taking things easy? Wilf Chappell put in a shot that just went over and then Tommy Chappell, playing a real captain s part, moved forward and unleashed a shot. White caused a groan to go around the ground as he headed the shot towards his own goal but fortunately Thompson cleared. Soon after, Wilf Chappell had to leave the field bleeding profusely from a gashed forehead. Barnoldswick went further ahead when Moule put in a hard drive from 25 yards out. It looked a goal all the way but Jimmy Ashworth stuck out an arm to prevent a goal and Place made no mistake from the resultant penalty. Billy Webb then got the ball in the net but was ruled offside and Place completed his hat-trick when he scored although under pressure from three defenders. Smith scored the fifth goal after a beautiful passing move with Witowski. The cup was presented to White by Mrs Robinson, wife of a vice-president of the West Riding County Football Association, amid tumultuous cheers. After receiving the trophy White called for three cheers for the disappointed but not dispirited Ingleboro team. Ingleboro: Bill Lucas; George Chappell, Tommy Chappell (capt); Wilf Chappell, Jimmy Ashworth, Dougie Procter; Albert Robinson, Joe Warburton, Ted Fairclough, Bill Webb, J Thornton Barnoldswick: Barrett; Henderson, Thompson; Slater, White (capt), Heys; Burnett, Moule, Place, Smith, Witowski The large contingent of Ingleboro supporters who travelled to Bradford were naturally disappointed that their team were not able to return with the cup. When the team arrived back at their headquarters at the Craven Heifer Inn, Ingleton, they were given a rousing welcome and a large placard, decorated with the club s colours and rosettes read Welcome home Ingleboro, well tried. Although they were defeated Ingleboro can take solace in the fact that they reached the final of the competition, which was indeed a proud achievement. In February 1953 at Burton in Lonsdale, Ingleboro and Bentham United met in the semi-final of the Craven Cup and Ingleboro came out on top by 3-1, Ingleboro team pictured below. Two months later in the Senior Challenge Cup Final, on the Giant Axe, Bentham United returned the compliment by beating Ingleboro 3-1. The programme below lists the teams and many people from the village of Caton would be surprised to see the letter C before the surname of Procter. I never heard anyone call him anything other than Dougie except for his wife who always called him Douglas but the C stood for Clarence, another mystery solved.

7 Back Row (L-R): Albert Robinson, Bill Webb, Bill Wagget (president), Bill Lucas, Bobby Dowthwaite, Joe Warburton, Jimmy Ashworth Front Row (L-R): A Carter (trainer), Ted Fairclough, Tommy Chappell, (Capt), George Chappell, Dougie Procter, J Thornton, J Walker (linesman)

8