JJ Sefton
Live, Laugh, Love
There was a mixed reaction to the announcement. The Independent sneered that “The proprietors of the Bramall Lane Ground do not intend to yield up the palm of popularity as a football enclosure to Olive Grove without a struggle”. Stating the obvious, it continued, “Presumably the object of the proposed action is to increase the receipts at Bramall Lane”. The Telegraph’s correspondent was enthusiastic however, writing that
“it will make competition keener, and if there be no clashing of dates, I don’t see why Sheffield cannot support two such like teams…I cannot see why it will affect Wednesday if they can keep their team together, and I doubt not that they will. Success to both say I”.
Soon the Independent, tempering their earlier lack of enthusiasm, said “…it is just possible that the new departure may further excite the public interest…competition may bring larger ‘gates’ to the advantage of all concerned”.
United had written to all the local clubs asking for assistance in setting up a side. Most agreed and Sheffield F.C. wrote back that they would form a three man panel to “confer with the Bramall Lane Committee to formulate terms if possible for a mixed team of amateurs and professionals”. A meeting was held but “nothing was arrived at in any way so that our club and the new Bramall Lane Club are carried on as before, quite separately and distinct from one another”. The other local clubs, notably Heeley and Owlerton, followed suit, not wanting to be swallowed by the new side.
So United were forced to place adverts in local papers declaring that
“The Committee have decided to form a FOOTBALL CLUB for next season for Bramall Lane ground. Professionals may send testimonials and particulars on or before March 30th”.
The reference to ‘professionals’ was seen as a dig at Wednesday, the only local team to pay their players. In the first evidence of friction between the two sides a letter was printed in the Telegraph which accused United of being “spiteful” towards Wednesday, “who have at considerable expense, acquired a ground and got together a good team”. Sensitive to the charges of trying to poach Wednesday’s players, Ellison, who had helped their move to Olive Grove, asked that “nothing must be done to interfere with the Wednesday Football Club”. In the event the adverts were largely unsuccessful, bringing only three players of the necessary quality to the Lane, so further adverts were placed in papers as far away as Scotland.
Throughout the summer there was speculation as to who was going to be playing for United. In July the Independent reported that the team “will consist mainly though not entirely of Scotchmen”, and that several “have already arrived”. An unsympathetic local paper found it hilarious that United “tried two men from north of the border who rejoiced in the nom de plume of ‘Jones’ and ‘Smith’…just imagine two Scotsmen with such names!” “The talk of half a dozen is all bosh”, the Telegraph reported in an effort to quell its readerships fears over a kilted invasion of the city. Another rumour went round that a prominent Wednesday player had moved to Bramall Lane and this pushed the Telegraph over the edge. It thundered that United
“keep their team a strict secret in a manner which would be commendable if it were not so ludicrously foolish. They may take my word for it that the public will not support an organisation of which they know absolutely nothing except in vague rumours”.
In actual fact Wostinholm had handed the day to day running of the football team to Assistant Secretary, Henry Stones. The Football Club was ‘managed’ by a committee but it was said that no club ever “possessed a finer judge of the football players in the rough” than Stones. On Tuesday August 20th United played their first match, a practice game behind closed doors, with players from Sheffield F.C. at the Hallam clubs Sandygate ground. However Teddy Brayshaw, Wednesday’s captain, and the correspondent from the Independent managed to track them down and sneak in. The reporter noted
“a good muster of members, the following taking part: P. Stuart (Glasgow), W.F. Beardshaw, E. Stringer, W. Hobson, R. Crichton, H.B. Willey, G.H. Aizelwood, W. Mosforth, W.J. Wright, C.C. Pilling, N. Ross (Glasgow), R. Gordon (Glasgow), J. Hudson, B.L. Shaw, C.C. Howlett (Gainsborough), D. Galbraith (Dundee), J. Duncan (Dundee), W. Robertson (Dundee) and F.A. Tasker”
The result is not known and it is likely that the game was more of a practice session. United first threw the doors open to the public on the Thursday evening in another practice match against Sheffield F.C. It was noted that the football offered by United “provoked much criticism” and “a little more practice” was recommended.
The goalkeeper, Charlie Howlett, wore specs, lived in Grenoside and had played for Gainsborough Trinity. Ned Stringer, a well known local player who had turned out for Ecclesfield and Lockwood Brothers, was at full back, but his partner for the first game, Robert Douglas from Glasgow’s Northern club, left immediately afterwards. The captain was Jack Hudson who had had a successful career with Wednesday and had played for England against Ireland at the Lane in 1883. At centre half was Walter Hobson, formerly with Owlerton, and the half back line was completed by Ross. He and fellow Scot, outside right Stuart, failed to impress and quickly returned across the border. The two inside forwards, Dugald Galbraith and James Duncan, and the centre forward Bill Robertson all came from Dundee. Robertson scored United’s first goal in their first match and went on to score their first hat trick and became the first United player to be sent off. The biggest star in the team was outside left Billy Mosforth, known as the ‘little wonder’ or ‘Sheffield Dodger’. He had enjoyed a career at Wednesday as well as Sheffield Albion, Hallam and other local clubs, and had played for England.
The new fixture list was announced and it was revealed that United had entered the F.A. Cup and two local competitions but that the bulk of their games would be friendlies. United approached Wednesday, who were about to start their first season of league football in the Football Alliance, for two games, but Wednesday insisted that the first fixture must be played at Olive Grove. United offered to draw lots but Wednesday refused and the fixture the whole city had been looking forward to failed to materialise.
United’s first proper match, at Meadow Lane in Nottingham, was against Midlands League side Notts Rangers on September 7th 1889 and about 1,000 turned up. The match report in the Telegraph was brief enough to be quoted in full;
“In splendid weather and before a large assemblage. The Rangers kicked off at 3:30 and at half time the game stood Rangers 2 Sheffield 0. After a short time the Rangers scored twice. Result: Rangers 4 goals Sheffield 1 goal”
The Nottingham Evening Post was a little more fulsome, but the result, sadly, was the same.
“The visitors are a new combination organised by the authorities at Bramall Lane, Sheffield, who did not care to see the best of Sheffield football being played upon the new ground of the Wednesday Club at Olive Grove whilst the cricket enclosure lay fallow. The new Sheffield eleven, which is exclusively professional, includes several well known Wednesday players, notably J. Hudson, who captains the team, and the old international ‘Billy’ Mosforth. Owing to the late arrival of the Sheffielders it was twenty minutes to four o’ clock when the ball was kicked off…Although the ground was thick with herbage, and the going ‘heavy’ in consequence, the game opened fast, and some exciting play was witnessed in the first quarter of an hour”
A Shaw scored Rangers first two goals, the first after just ten minutes, before R. Mitchell put Rangers three up.
“This further reverse put the visitors more on their mettle, and the play became rough, the Sheffield men having the advantage, and twice Brown was severely taxed in order to save his charge. Some fine goalkeeping was also shown by Howlett…but Shaw threading his way through three or four opponents, made a fourth goal cleverly. At length the visitors, who played up well despite the reverses, got through, and Robertson, by a capital shot, beat Brown who had no chance of saving his goal”
United’s next game followed a week later against Heeley at the Sheaf House ground off Cherry Street in front of 2,500 curious spectators. It was also United’s first victory, with Duncan and Mack scoring in a 2-1 win. A win over Lincoln City was followed by a 4-0 thumping at the hands of Birmingham St George’s, a Football Alliance side, in which the only positive was the attendance of 3,000. On September 30th United went on their first run winning three games on the trot. Grimsby were beaten 3-1 at home and the Manchester Regiment of the Kings Own Light Infantry were battered 7-1. United traveled to Scarborough to round their run off with their first F.A. Cup match and first away win with a very impressive 6-1.
United had a few impressive results in their first season. Against Exchange in the Sheffield Challenge Cup United won 7-0 with Robertson getting the clubs first hat trick. The Challenge Cup also threw up a 6-0 victory over Attercliffe, but for each of these there was a stinker, such as the 7-0 defeat against Staveley and a 7-0 walloping from Grimsby. Among all this United did take part in a thrilling match away at Middlesbrough which ended 6-4 in Boro’s favour.
United played their first local derbies. Against Doncaster in December they arrived with only ten players and had to borrow Donny’s Albert Attree for the game. They lost 2-0 with match being abandoned after 8-0 minutes due to darkness. In March a 2-1 over Rotherham was marred by crowd trouble.
The F.A. Cup provided some thrills and spills. After the flying start against Scarborough United ground out a 1-0 win over Heeley with an own goal in the second qualifying round. On November 11th United faced Sheffield F.C. and eased to a 3-0 victory with goals from Donald and Duncan and an own goal from Willey. This gave United an away tie at Rotherham in the last qualifying round and United earned a 2-2 draw on December 7th to take it to a replay at the Lane. In another close contest on December 21st, goals from Galbraith and Mosforth gave United a 2-1 win and a third round tie against League side Burnley. With Robertson and a mysterious ‘T. Wilson’ scoring for United, they pulled off an unlikely 2-1 win and “Howlett was carried shoulder high from the field” at the final whistle. It was a close call though, and at one point United were only saved when Galbraith deliberately handled the ball on the line. Penalty kicks were not yet part of the game and United survived the free kick. After the match Galbraith shamelessly explained “D’ye think I was gaun to let it gang through? Not me!”. On February 1st United faced Bolton Wanderers away in the F.A. Cup second round. United made history, but of the wrong sort, going down 13-0, their record defeat.
United had played this season in white shirts bought from Cole Brothers on Fargate. Plain white was the cheapest shirt going with the result that all sorts of teams wore it so in 1891, United added thin red stripes to the top.
At the end of their first season United could look back on steady progress. They had established themselves locally although Wednesday were by far the more high profile club, winning the Football Alliance and reaching the F.A. Cup final that year, only to be hammered 6-1 by Blackburn Rovers. Crowds of 2,000 were considered good at the time and United regularly brought that in and they pulled in 5,000 against Rotherham.
More encouraging was the emergence of new players. Full back Harry Lilley was brought in from Staveley and another two came from Rotherham Swifts. Rab Howell was known as the ‘little gypsy’ because he was born in a caravan in Wincobank Woods. A tough and clever player who began playing at centre forward he eventually settled at right half. Needham wrote
“perhaps (he) owes some of his inexhaustible vitality to his lucky parentage. Certain it is that no man is more untiring…should the outside man indulge in dribbling he sticks to him like a leech.”
Howell was often in trouble though and was called before the United Committee on eight occasions each time promising to ‘mend his ways’. He was also lent money by United to pay off debts.
Another emerging star was full back Mick Witham who had previously turned out for Wednesday. Witham was a hard player, described as “one of the most vigorous chargers Sheffield ever had”, but this often made him unpopular with opposing fans. After one game against Middlesbrough the United players had a long walk back to the pub they were changing in. Witham was taunted by fans the whole way and eventually he lost his temper, threw down his coat, and challenged the “best man in Middlesbrough to come forward”.
It was clear however that league football was the big draw for football audiences and United managed to gain entry into the Midland League for the 1890-1891 season. Two events early in the season taught United that a new, harder headed attitude would be needed in league football. On September 6th United were due to travel to Stoke for a friendly. Arriving late into Derby the United party discovered they had missed their connecting train and got the next train back to Sheffield. Stoke were furious at the loss of revenue and wrote to the F.A. to claim £70 in lost gate revenue. The request was refused. On November 1st United beat Kidderminster 4-0 in the League. There was controversy however when a Kidderminster goal was disallowed. The Kidderminster players were angry with the decision and refused to play on. United were awarded a penalty and strolled through unopposed to score.
The highlight of the season though was the occasion of the first derbies between United and Wednesday. There was already ill feeling between the two clubs over the player poaching allegations and failure to agree to a derby the previous season but prior to the first game at Olive Grove on December 15th further friction occurred. United were angry because an agreement that the two clubs would avoid fixture clashes had been broken as Wednesday took more than their fair share of Saturday slots. Wednesday were annoyed because United had undercut their ticket prices. Wednesday set their season ticket price at 7/6d and shortly after United set theirs at 5/-. The issue was highlighted when United began charging 3d for games which clashed with Wednesday league fixtures but 6d for other matches.
The Telegraph reported that “No club match within the recollection of local football enthusiasts has called forth such an exhibition of enthusiasm”. With Wednesday rock bottom of the Alliance the mood was tense and one newspaper described
“The atmosphere was raw and slightly leaden with fog and smoke. The light was bad and the outlook was far from agreeable. Yet everybody was in good spirits and probably not a single gloomy individual could be found among the throng. It was an interesting sight that was presented from the stand. Around the ground was a black mass of fidgety humanity, relief of colour only being afforded by the partisan cards worn by many in their hats and the occasional striking of matches.”
10,000 Sheffielders descended on Olive Grove and the Telegraph said that
“An hour before the game started the various turnstiles were kept busy, and at the entrances favours bearing the inscriptions ‘Play up Wednesday’ or ‘Play up United’ were freely distributed and were in evidence in the hats and caps of the supporters of each side…The stands and enclosures were rapidly filled, and the barriers of the arena lined ten deep…amidst the clamour of the multitude could be heard the cry of ‘Billy Witham’, vending his cards, ‘All the names of each side a penny’. Of course the betting men were there in force, one enterprising individual having provided himself with a box, and eagerly anxious to lay 5 to 4 against United”
United were certainly the underdogs facing a Wednesday side which included six men who had played in the Cup final the previous season. Nevertheless United dominated the first half playing attractive football and after twenty minutes a corner was met by the head of Bill Robertson to give them the lead. The night was drawing in and Olive Grove was without floodlights so after the break “it was scarcely possible to follow the ball owing to the darkness”. ‘Toodles’ Woolhouse equalized for Wednesday and five minutes from the end Harry Winterbottom scored to hand Wednesday the win.
On January 12th the return match was played in front of 14,000 at Bramall Lane and again United were unfancied. The crowd was in high spirits and play was temporarily halted when some spectators spilled onto the pitch and “the inevitable dog made its appearance on the field, but contrary to the usual custom, was speedily impounded”. Once again United started brightly and Robertson hit the post, but at half time the score was 0-0.
Wednesday quickly went into a two goal lead in the second half with goals from Billy Ingram and Bob Brandon. Roared on by the boisterous crowd United fought back and goals from Watson and Howell from distance leveled the scores. Both sides pressed for the winner in an exciting climax and two minutes from the end Calder popped up to score United’s winner, but the Telegraph correspondent complained that the goal was “the most barefaced infringement of the offside rule which has been my lot to witness”.
United’s victory was followed by a 9-1 hiding at the hands of Football League side Notts County in the F.A. Cup. This game caused further friction with Wednesday. The Olive Grove side had been drawn to play Halliwell away in the Cup but persuaded the Lancashire club to switch to Sheffield. It wasn’t crowd trouble that worried people about the two clubs playing at home on the same day but the worry that attendances would be affected as many fans had yet to pick a favourite club and often went to see both. An anguished Wednesday fan wrote to the Olive Grove committee asking that they “see the error of their ways”. For United’s General Meeting in February Wednesday’s President travelled to Bramall Lane to explain that there was “no disposition on the part of his club to be antagonistic” and a United spokesman hoped that “it only needed the two Secretaries to work amicably together”.
United had a satisfactory first season in the Midland League. Hostilities were renewed with Rotherham in the second game of the season as United won a rough game 3-0 in front of 6,000 at the Lane. From November United went on an excellent run of form losing only once in League or Cup before January 5th. After the hiccup of the first Wednesday game United bounced back with a 5-2 win over Derby Midland in which Bridgewater scored a hat trick. On December 30th United played host to the Casuals and won 7-0 with Bairstow getting a hat trick this time. United finished the season fifth.
“it will make competition keener, and if there be no clashing of dates, I don’t see why Sheffield cannot support two such like teams…I cannot see why it will affect Wednesday if they can keep their team together, and I doubt not that they will. Success to both say I”.
Soon the Independent, tempering their earlier lack of enthusiasm, said “…it is just possible that the new departure may further excite the public interest…competition may bring larger ‘gates’ to the advantage of all concerned”.
United had written to all the local clubs asking for assistance in setting up a side. Most agreed and Sheffield F.C. wrote back that they would form a three man panel to “confer with the Bramall Lane Committee to formulate terms if possible for a mixed team of amateurs and professionals”. A meeting was held but “nothing was arrived at in any way so that our club and the new Bramall Lane Club are carried on as before, quite separately and distinct from one another”. The other local clubs, notably Heeley and Owlerton, followed suit, not wanting to be swallowed by the new side.
So United were forced to place adverts in local papers declaring that
“The Committee have decided to form a FOOTBALL CLUB for next season for Bramall Lane ground. Professionals may send testimonials and particulars on or before March 30th”.
The reference to ‘professionals’ was seen as a dig at Wednesday, the only local team to pay their players. In the first evidence of friction between the two sides a letter was printed in the Telegraph which accused United of being “spiteful” towards Wednesday, “who have at considerable expense, acquired a ground and got together a good team”. Sensitive to the charges of trying to poach Wednesday’s players, Ellison, who had helped their move to Olive Grove, asked that “nothing must be done to interfere with the Wednesday Football Club”. In the event the adverts were largely unsuccessful, bringing only three players of the necessary quality to the Lane, so further adverts were placed in papers as far away as Scotland.
Throughout the summer there was speculation as to who was going to be playing for United. In July the Independent reported that the team “will consist mainly though not entirely of Scotchmen”, and that several “have already arrived”. An unsympathetic local paper found it hilarious that United “tried two men from north of the border who rejoiced in the nom de plume of ‘Jones’ and ‘Smith’…just imagine two Scotsmen with such names!” “The talk of half a dozen is all bosh”, the Telegraph reported in an effort to quell its readerships fears over a kilted invasion of the city. Another rumour went round that a prominent Wednesday player had moved to Bramall Lane and this pushed the Telegraph over the edge. It thundered that United
“keep their team a strict secret in a manner which would be commendable if it were not so ludicrously foolish. They may take my word for it that the public will not support an organisation of which they know absolutely nothing except in vague rumours”.
In actual fact Wostinholm had handed the day to day running of the football team to Assistant Secretary, Henry Stones. The Football Club was ‘managed’ by a committee but it was said that no club ever “possessed a finer judge of the football players in the rough” than Stones. On Tuesday August 20th United played their first match, a practice game behind closed doors, with players from Sheffield F.C. at the Hallam clubs Sandygate ground. However Teddy Brayshaw, Wednesday’s captain, and the correspondent from the Independent managed to track them down and sneak in. The reporter noted
“a good muster of members, the following taking part: P. Stuart (Glasgow), W.F. Beardshaw, E. Stringer, W. Hobson, R. Crichton, H.B. Willey, G.H. Aizelwood, W. Mosforth, W.J. Wright, C.C. Pilling, N. Ross (Glasgow), R. Gordon (Glasgow), J. Hudson, B.L. Shaw, C.C. Howlett (Gainsborough), D. Galbraith (Dundee), J. Duncan (Dundee), W. Robertson (Dundee) and F.A. Tasker”
The result is not known and it is likely that the game was more of a practice session. United first threw the doors open to the public on the Thursday evening in another practice match against Sheffield F.C. It was noted that the football offered by United “provoked much criticism” and “a little more practice” was recommended.
The goalkeeper, Charlie Howlett, wore specs, lived in Grenoside and had played for Gainsborough Trinity. Ned Stringer, a well known local player who had turned out for Ecclesfield and Lockwood Brothers, was at full back, but his partner for the first game, Robert Douglas from Glasgow’s Northern club, left immediately afterwards. The captain was Jack Hudson who had had a successful career with Wednesday and had played for England against Ireland at the Lane in 1883. At centre half was Walter Hobson, formerly with Owlerton, and the half back line was completed by Ross. He and fellow Scot, outside right Stuart, failed to impress and quickly returned across the border. The two inside forwards, Dugald Galbraith and James Duncan, and the centre forward Bill Robertson all came from Dundee. Robertson scored United’s first goal in their first match and went on to score their first hat trick and became the first United player to be sent off. The biggest star in the team was outside left Billy Mosforth, known as the ‘little wonder’ or ‘Sheffield Dodger’. He had enjoyed a career at Wednesday as well as Sheffield Albion, Hallam and other local clubs, and had played for England.
The new fixture list was announced and it was revealed that United had entered the F.A. Cup and two local competitions but that the bulk of their games would be friendlies. United approached Wednesday, who were about to start their first season of league football in the Football Alliance, for two games, but Wednesday insisted that the first fixture must be played at Olive Grove. United offered to draw lots but Wednesday refused and the fixture the whole city had been looking forward to failed to materialise.
United’s first proper match, at Meadow Lane in Nottingham, was against Midlands League side Notts Rangers on September 7th 1889 and about 1,000 turned up. The match report in the Telegraph was brief enough to be quoted in full;
“In splendid weather and before a large assemblage. The Rangers kicked off at 3:30 and at half time the game stood Rangers 2 Sheffield 0. After a short time the Rangers scored twice. Result: Rangers 4 goals Sheffield 1 goal”
The Nottingham Evening Post was a little more fulsome, but the result, sadly, was the same.
“The visitors are a new combination organised by the authorities at Bramall Lane, Sheffield, who did not care to see the best of Sheffield football being played upon the new ground of the Wednesday Club at Olive Grove whilst the cricket enclosure lay fallow. The new Sheffield eleven, which is exclusively professional, includes several well known Wednesday players, notably J. Hudson, who captains the team, and the old international ‘Billy’ Mosforth. Owing to the late arrival of the Sheffielders it was twenty minutes to four o’ clock when the ball was kicked off…Although the ground was thick with herbage, and the going ‘heavy’ in consequence, the game opened fast, and some exciting play was witnessed in the first quarter of an hour”
A Shaw scored Rangers first two goals, the first after just ten minutes, before R. Mitchell put Rangers three up.
“This further reverse put the visitors more on their mettle, and the play became rough, the Sheffield men having the advantage, and twice Brown was severely taxed in order to save his charge. Some fine goalkeeping was also shown by Howlett…but Shaw threading his way through three or four opponents, made a fourth goal cleverly. At length the visitors, who played up well despite the reverses, got through, and Robertson, by a capital shot, beat Brown who had no chance of saving his goal”
United’s next game followed a week later against Heeley at the Sheaf House ground off Cherry Street in front of 2,500 curious spectators. It was also United’s first victory, with Duncan and Mack scoring in a 2-1 win. A win over Lincoln City was followed by a 4-0 thumping at the hands of Birmingham St George’s, a Football Alliance side, in which the only positive was the attendance of 3,000. On September 30th United went on their first run winning three games on the trot. Grimsby were beaten 3-1 at home and the Manchester Regiment of the Kings Own Light Infantry were battered 7-1. United traveled to Scarborough to round their run off with their first F.A. Cup match and first away win with a very impressive 6-1.
United had a few impressive results in their first season. Against Exchange in the Sheffield Challenge Cup United won 7-0 with Robertson getting the clubs first hat trick. The Challenge Cup also threw up a 6-0 victory over Attercliffe, but for each of these there was a stinker, such as the 7-0 defeat against Staveley and a 7-0 walloping from Grimsby. Among all this United did take part in a thrilling match away at Middlesbrough which ended 6-4 in Boro’s favour.
United played their first local derbies. Against Doncaster in December they arrived with only ten players and had to borrow Donny’s Albert Attree for the game. They lost 2-0 with match being abandoned after 8-0 minutes due to darkness. In March a 2-1 over Rotherham was marred by crowd trouble.
The F.A. Cup provided some thrills and spills. After the flying start against Scarborough United ground out a 1-0 win over Heeley with an own goal in the second qualifying round. On November 11th United faced Sheffield F.C. and eased to a 3-0 victory with goals from Donald and Duncan and an own goal from Willey. This gave United an away tie at Rotherham in the last qualifying round and United earned a 2-2 draw on December 7th to take it to a replay at the Lane. In another close contest on December 21st, goals from Galbraith and Mosforth gave United a 2-1 win and a third round tie against League side Burnley. With Robertson and a mysterious ‘T. Wilson’ scoring for United, they pulled off an unlikely 2-1 win and “Howlett was carried shoulder high from the field” at the final whistle. It was a close call though, and at one point United were only saved when Galbraith deliberately handled the ball on the line. Penalty kicks were not yet part of the game and United survived the free kick. After the match Galbraith shamelessly explained “D’ye think I was gaun to let it gang through? Not me!”. On February 1st United faced Bolton Wanderers away in the F.A. Cup second round. United made history, but of the wrong sort, going down 13-0, their record defeat.
United had played this season in white shirts bought from Cole Brothers on Fargate. Plain white was the cheapest shirt going with the result that all sorts of teams wore it so in 1891, United added thin red stripes to the top.
At the end of their first season United could look back on steady progress. They had established themselves locally although Wednesday were by far the more high profile club, winning the Football Alliance and reaching the F.A. Cup final that year, only to be hammered 6-1 by Blackburn Rovers. Crowds of 2,000 were considered good at the time and United regularly brought that in and they pulled in 5,000 against Rotherham.
More encouraging was the emergence of new players. Full back Harry Lilley was brought in from Staveley and another two came from Rotherham Swifts. Rab Howell was known as the ‘little gypsy’ because he was born in a caravan in Wincobank Woods. A tough and clever player who began playing at centre forward he eventually settled at right half. Needham wrote
“perhaps (he) owes some of his inexhaustible vitality to his lucky parentage. Certain it is that no man is more untiring…should the outside man indulge in dribbling he sticks to him like a leech.”
Howell was often in trouble though and was called before the United Committee on eight occasions each time promising to ‘mend his ways’. He was also lent money by United to pay off debts.
Another emerging star was full back Mick Witham who had previously turned out for Wednesday. Witham was a hard player, described as “one of the most vigorous chargers Sheffield ever had”, but this often made him unpopular with opposing fans. After one game against Middlesbrough the United players had a long walk back to the pub they were changing in. Witham was taunted by fans the whole way and eventually he lost his temper, threw down his coat, and challenged the “best man in Middlesbrough to come forward”.
It was clear however that league football was the big draw for football audiences and United managed to gain entry into the Midland League for the 1890-1891 season. Two events early in the season taught United that a new, harder headed attitude would be needed in league football. On September 6th United were due to travel to Stoke for a friendly. Arriving late into Derby the United party discovered they had missed their connecting train and got the next train back to Sheffield. Stoke were furious at the loss of revenue and wrote to the F.A. to claim £70 in lost gate revenue. The request was refused. On November 1st United beat Kidderminster 4-0 in the League. There was controversy however when a Kidderminster goal was disallowed. The Kidderminster players were angry with the decision and refused to play on. United were awarded a penalty and strolled through unopposed to score.
The highlight of the season though was the occasion of the first derbies between United and Wednesday. There was already ill feeling between the two clubs over the player poaching allegations and failure to agree to a derby the previous season but prior to the first game at Olive Grove on December 15th further friction occurred. United were angry because an agreement that the two clubs would avoid fixture clashes had been broken as Wednesday took more than their fair share of Saturday slots. Wednesday were annoyed because United had undercut their ticket prices. Wednesday set their season ticket price at 7/6d and shortly after United set theirs at 5/-. The issue was highlighted when United began charging 3d for games which clashed with Wednesday league fixtures but 6d for other matches.
The Telegraph reported that “No club match within the recollection of local football enthusiasts has called forth such an exhibition of enthusiasm”. With Wednesday rock bottom of the Alliance the mood was tense and one newspaper described
“The atmosphere was raw and slightly leaden with fog and smoke. The light was bad and the outlook was far from agreeable. Yet everybody was in good spirits and probably not a single gloomy individual could be found among the throng. It was an interesting sight that was presented from the stand. Around the ground was a black mass of fidgety humanity, relief of colour only being afforded by the partisan cards worn by many in their hats and the occasional striking of matches.”
10,000 Sheffielders descended on Olive Grove and the Telegraph said that
“An hour before the game started the various turnstiles were kept busy, and at the entrances favours bearing the inscriptions ‘Play up Wednesday’ or ‘Play up United’ were freely distributed and were in evidence in the hats and caps of the supporters of each side…The stands and enclosures were rapidly filled, and the barriers of the arena lined ten deep…amidst the clamour of the multitude could be heard the cry of ‘Billy Witham’, vending his cards, ‘All the names of each side a penny’. Of course the betting men were there in force, one enterprising individual having provided himself with a box, and eagerly anxious to lay 5 to 4 against United”
United were certainly the underdogs facing a Wednesday side which included six men who had played in the Cup final the previous season. Nevertheless United dominated the first half playing attractive football and after twenty minutes a corner was met by the head of Bill Robertson to give them the lead. The night was drawing in and Olive Grove was without floodlights so after the break “it was scarcely possible to follow the ball owing to the darkness”. ‘Toodles’ Woolhouse equalized for Wednesday and five minutes from the end Harry Winterbottom scored to hand Wednesday the win.
On January 12th the return match was played in front of 14,000 at Bramall Lane and again United were unfancied. The crowd was in high spirits and play was temporarily halted when some spectators spilled onto the pitch and “the inevitable dog made its appearance on the field, but contrary to the usual custom, was speedily impounded”. Once again United started brightly and Robertson hit the post, but at half time the score was 0-0.
Wednesday quickly went into a two goal lead in the second half with goals from Billy Ingram and Bob Brandon. Roared on by the boisterous crowd United fought back and goals from Watson and Howell from distance leveled the scores. Both sides pressed for the winner in an exciting climax and two minutes from the end Calder popped up to score United’s winner, but the Telegraph correspondent complained that the goal was “the most barefaced infringement of the offside rule which has been my lot to witness”.
United’s victory was followed by a 9-1 hiding at the hands of Football League side Notts County in the F.A. Cup. This game caused further friction with Wednesday. The Olive Grove side had been drawn to play Halliwell away in the Cup but persuaded the Lancashire club to switch to Sheffield. It wasn’t crowd trouble that worried people about the two clubs playing at home on the same day but the worry that attendances would be affected as many fans had yet to pick a favourite club and often went to see both. An anguished Wednesday fan wrote to the Olive Grove committee asking that they “see the error of their ways”. For United’s General Meeting in February Wednesday’s President travelled to Bramall Lane to explain that there was “no disposition on the part of his club to be antagonistic” and a United spokesman hoped that “it only needed the two Secretaries to work amicably together”.
United had a satisfactory first season in the Midland League. Hostilities were renewed with Rotherham in the second game of the season as United won a rough game 3-0 in front of 6,000 at the Lane. From November United went on an excellent run of form losing only once in League or Cup before January 5th. After the hiccup of the first Wednesday game United bounced back with a 5-2 win over Derby Midland in which Bridgewater scored a hat trick. On December 30th United played host to the Casuals and won 7-0 with Bairstow getting a hat trick this time. United finished the season fifth.
