Wigan Borough Football Club - Complete
  • Intro
  • 1919/20 - 25
    • 1920/21
    • 1921/22
    • 1922/23
    • 1923/24
    • 1924/25
  • 1925/26 - 32
    • 1926/27
    • 1927/28
    • 1928/29
    • 1929/30
    • 1930/31
    • 1931/32
    • 1931/32 (2)
  • Gallery
  • Boro's Managers and Players A-Z
    • Players A to Z (A-C)
    • Players A to Z (D-F)
    • Players A to Z (G-H)
    • Players A to Z (I-K) >
      • Players A to Z (L-M)
      • Players A to Z (N-P)
      • Players A to Z (T-Z)
      • Players A to Z (R-S)

The Third Season

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Wigan Borough lost the services of their manager in July 1923 when Herbert Bamlett was named as the new manager of Middlesbrough following the sacking of former incumbent Jimmy Howie. The club acted as quickly as possible and appointed former Woolwich Arsenal player Charles Bell to take over the running of the club after leaving his position as first team coach of Notts County. There had been over a hundred applicants for the vacancy.

The annual general meeting had seen John Heaton jnr. re-elected as club chairman whilst Alec Young retained his presidency and Tom Culshaw became vice chairman and Tom Heaton came onto the board. Messrs George Henry Moore, Richard Walsh, John Sidney Young and H Ivers resigned their positions and wished not to be relected. A Mr H Greenough had agreed to join the board but had since changed his mind. In May 1923 Councillor Alfred Clarke resigned from the board due to ill health and his place was taken by Councillor Alfred Peacock, despite the fact he had been unsuccessful a few months earlier.

Shortly after the previous campaign the Supporters Club financed the draining of the playing surface. The work involved the laying of 8,000 tiles in a 'scientific manner' in trenches that were four yards apart. This work was extremely urgent as the previous winter had seen horrendous weather conditions ruin the pitch. Volunteers had also spruced the ground up to a very good standard for which the chairman, John Heaton jnr. thanked them profusely.

Prior to Mr Bamlett's decision to take on the Middlesbrough manager vacancy he had worked hard with regards to incoming players. His biggest coup was the signing of Len Armitage from Leeds United and he also secured the signatures of John Boylan and Bill Morton from Lincoln City. Players from the previous campaign that he had not retained included Harry Dennison who had signed for Stalybridge Celtic, Tom MacIntrye who had signed for Chesterfield, whilst Ernie Kidd moved on to Ashington.


 This is how the season panned out...
 

25/08/23 ------Doncaster Rovers 0-0 Wigan Borough - 9,000
Hunter, Fare, Ward, McGrahan, Whitfield, Findlay, Jones, Glover, Armitage (debut), Spencer, Stevenson

Just prior to this game manager Mr Charles Bell appointed the club secretary Mr Garfield Wallace, to be his managerial/secretarial assistant.

27/08/23 ------Wigan Borough 3-0 Rochdale - (Armitage 2, Glover) - 13,000
Hunter, Fare, Ward, McGrahan, Whitfield, Findlay, Jones, Glover, Armitage, Morton (debut), Stevenson

01/09/23 ------Wigan Borough 1-0 Doncaster Rovers - (Armitage) - 10,000
Hunter, Fare, Ward, McGrahan, Whitfield, Findlay, Jones, Glover, Armitage, Morton, Stevenson

03/09/23 ------Rochdale 1-0 Wigan Borough - 7,000
Hunter, Fare, Ward, Pendleton (debut), Harrison, Findlay, Jones, Glover, Williams, Morton Rae (debut)

08/09/23 ------Wigan Borough 1-1 Ashington - (Jones) - 11,000
Hunter, Fare, Ward, Findlay, Harrison, McRae (debut), Jones, Glover, Williams, Morton, Rae

12/09/23------ Wigan Borough 0-0 Rochdale (Lancashire Senior Cup, first round) - 6,000
Hunter, Fare, Ward, Leigh, Harrison, McRae, Jones, Glover, Morton, Milne, Rae

15/09/23 ------Ashington 3-0 Wigan Borough - 6,000
Hunter, Fare, Currie, Leigh (debut), Harrison, McRae, Jones, Glover, Kershaw, Morton, Rae

19/09/23 ------Wrexham 0-0 Wigan Borough - 6,300
Heyes, Kershaw, Ward, Pendleton, Fare, McRae, Jones, Glover, Armitage, Rae, Stevenson 

22/09/23 ------Wigan Borough 4-1 Hartlepools United - (Armitage, Fare (pen), McRae, Rae) - 8,000
Heyes, Kershaw, Ward, Pendleton, Frae, McRae, Jones, Glover, Armitage, Rae, Stevenson 

29/09/23 ------Hartlepools United 0-0 Wigan Borough - 5,000
Heyes, Kershaw, Ward, Pendleton, Fare, McRae, Boylan (debut), Glover, Armitage, Rae, Stevenson 

2/10/73 ------ Rochdale 1-0 Wigan Borough - (Lancashire Senior Cup, first round replay) - 3,000
Heyes, Kershaw, Ward, Pendleton, Fare, Findlay, Mercer, Glover, Armitage, Rae, Stevenson

06/10/23 ------Wigan Borough 0-1 Durham City - 7,000
Heyes, Kershaw, Ward, Pendleton, Fare, Findlay, Jones, Glover, Armitage, Rae, Stevenson  

13/10/23 ------Durham City 2-2 Wigan Borough - (Armitage, Glover) - 6,000
Heyes, Kershaw, Ward, Findlay, Whitfield, McRae, Jones, Glover, Armitage, Rae, Stevenson

20/10/23 ------Wigan Borough 3-0 Crewe Alexandra - (Armitage 2, Glover) - 8,000
Heyes, Kershaw, Ward, McGrahan, Whitfield, McRae, Jones, Glover, Armitage, Rae, Stevenson

27/10/23 ------Crewe Akexandra 0-2 Wigan Borough - (Glover, Morton) - 6,000
Heyes, Fare, Ward, McGrahan, Whitfield, McRae, Jones, Glover, Armitage, Morton, Rae

03/11/23 ------Wigan Borough 2-0 Accrington Stanley - (Armtage 2) - 8,000
Heyes, Fare, Ward, McGrahan, Whitfield, McRae, Jones, Glover, Armitage, Morton, Rae

10/11/23 ------Accrington Stanley 2-2 Wigan Borough - (Armitage 2) - 6,000
Heyes, Fare, Ward, McGrahan, Whitfield, McRae, Jones, Glover, Armitage, Morton, Rae

17/11/23 ------Halifax Town 1-2 Wigan Borough - (Armitage 2) - 3,000
Heyes, Fare, Ward, McGrahan, Whitfield, McRae, Jones, Glover, Armitage, Williams, Rae

24/11/23 ------Wigan Borough 0-1 Halifax Town - 9,000
Heyes, Kershaw, Ward, Pendleton, Whitfield, McRae, Jones, Glover, Armitage, Morton, Rae

01/12/24 -----Wigan Borough 1-1 Nelson - (FA Cup, fifth qualifying round) - (Glover) - 13,000
Heyes, Kershaw, Ward, Pendleton, Whitfield, McRae, Jones, Glover, Armitage, Morton, Rae

04/12/23 -----Nelson 0-1 Wigan Borough - (FA Cup fifth qualifying round replay) - (Armitage) - 4,000 
Heyes, Kershaw, Fare, Pendleton, Whitfield, McRae, Jones, Glover, Armitage, Morton, Rae

08/12/23 ------Wigan Borough 3-1 Wrexham - (McRae, Fare (pen), Armitage) - 8,000
Heyes, Fare, Currie, Pendleton, Whitfield, McRae, Jones, Glover, Armitage, Morton, Rae

Goalkeeper Alec Hunter handed Mr Bell a transfer request citing the need to play regular first team football, even if it meant the former Tottenham Hotspur star moving elsewhere.

15/12/23 -----Wigan Borough 0- 6 Northampton Town - (FA Cup, first round) - 18,463
Heyes, Kershaw, Fare, Pendleton, Whitfield, McRae, Jones, Glover, Armitage, Morton, Rae

22/12/23 ------Wigan Borough 4-0 Grimsby Town - (Glover 2, Armitage, Whitfield) - 2,000
Hunter, Fare, Currie, Pendleton, Whitfield, McRae, Jones, Glover, Armitage, Spencer, Rae

25/12/23 ------Walsall 3-0 Wigan Borough - unknown
Hunter, Fare, Currie, Pendleton, Whitfield, McRae, Jones, Glover, Armitage, Spencer, Rae

26/12/23 ------Wigan Borough 2-1 Walsall - (Armitage 2) - 12,000
Hunter, Fare, Currie, Pendleton, Whitfield, McRae, Jones, Glover, Armitage, Williams, Davis (debut)

29/12/23 ------New Brighton 5-0 Wigan Borough - 7,000
Hunter, Fare, Currie, Pendleton, Whitfield, McRae, Jones, Glover, Armitage, Williams, Davis 

05/01/24 ------Wigan Borough 1-0 New Brighton - (Armitage) - unknown
Heyes, Kershaw, Jennings, Pendleton, Whitfield, McRae, Jones, Glover, Armitage, Rae, Davis

19/01/24 ------Wigan Borough 1-1 Southport - (Davis) - 9,000
Heyes, Kershaw, Fare, McGrahan, Whitfield, McRae, Jones, Glover, Armitage, Rae, Davis

26/01/24 ------Southport 1-1 Wigan Borough - (Armitage) - 8,000
Heyes, Kershaw, Ward, Pendleton, McRae, McGrahan, Jones, Glover, Armitage, Spencer, Cook (debut)

02/02/24------ Darlington 3-1 Wigan Borough - (Mercer) - 5,000
Heyes, Kershaw, Ward, Pendleton, McRae, McGrahan, Jones, Mercer, Armitage, Spencer, Cook  

This was Charlie Bell's last match as the manager of Wigan Borough.   Similarly to Mr Bamlett, Charlie was also the club's secretary and Mr Garfield Wallace who was his assistant secretary  took temporary charge.  He had tendered his resignation a few days after the defeat at Darlington and it was accepted unanimously.

09/02/24 ------Wigan Borough 2-2 Darlington - (Mercer, Glover) - 4,000
Hunter, Kershaw, Ward, McGrahan, Whitfield, McRae, Jones, Mercer, Armitage, Glover Cook

13/02/24 ------Wigan Borough 2-1 Hurst - (Manchester Senior Cup, first round) - (Spencer, Whitfield) - unknown
Hunter, Fare, Ward, Jennings, Whitfield, McRae, Jones, Spencer, Armitage, Glover, Cook

Caretaker manager Garfield Wallace snapped up local left back AR Hilton following this game.  

16/02/24 ------Wigan Borough 4-0 Barrow - (Glover 2, Fare (pen), Armitage) - 5,000
Hunter, Fare, Ward, Jennings, Whitfield, McRae, Jones, Spencer, Armitage, Glover, Morton

23/02/24 ------Barrow 2-1 Wigan Borough
Hunter, Fare, Ward, Jennings, Whitfield, McGrahan, Jones, Spencer, Armitage, Glover, Kettle

01/03/24----- Lincoln City 1-1 Wigan Borough - (Spencer) - unknown
Hunter, Fare, Ward, Jennings, Whitfield, McGrahan, Jones, Pendleton, Armitage, Glover, Kettle

08/03/24 ------Wigan Borough 0-0 Lincoln City - 5,000
Hunter, Fare, Ward, Jennings, Whitfield, McGrahan, Jones, Pendleton, Armitage, Glover, Kettle

15/03/24 -----Wigan Borough 1-2 Tranmere Rovers - (Smith) - 7,000
Hunter, Fare, Ward, Jennings, Whitfield, McGrahan, Jones, Pendleton, Glover, Smith, Kettle

18/03/24 ------ Bury 1-1 Wigan Borough - (Manchester Senior Cup, second round) - (Glover) - 3,000
Hunter, Fare, Ward, Jennings, Whitfield, McRae, Jones, Pendleton, Glover, Spencer, Kettle 

22/03/24------Tranmere Rovers 1-0 Wigan Borough - 5,000
Heyes, Fare, Ward, Jennings, Whitfield, McGrahan, Jones, Pendleton, Glover, Smith, Kettle

27/03/24 ------Grimsby Town 1-1 Wigan Borough - (McRae) - unknown
Heyes, Fare, Currie, Jennings, Whitfield, Welsby (debut), Jones, Glover, Smith, McRae, Kettle

29/03/24 ------Wigan Borough 0-1 Bradford Park Avenue - 8,000
Heyes, Fare, Currie, Jennings, Whitfield, Welsby, Jones, Glover, Ormston (debut), McRae, Kettle
 
02/04/24 ------Wigan Borough 2-1 - (Manchester Senior Cup, second round replay) - (McRae, Glover) - 3,000
Heyes, Fare, Currie, Pendleton, McRae, McGrahan, Jones, Smith, Glover, Kettle, Davis

05/04/24 ------Bradford Park Avenue 4-0 Wigan Borough - 8,000
Heyes, Fare, Currie, Jennings, McRae, McGrahan, Jones, Glover, Ormston, Kettle Davis

12/04/24 ------Wigan Borough 3-1 Chesterfield - (Ormston 2, Kettle) - 5,000
Heyes, Fare, Currie, McGrahan, Whitfield, McRae, Jones, Glover, Ormston, Kettle Davis

19/04/24 -----Chesterfield 1-0 Wigan Borough - unknown
Heyes, Fare, Currie, McGrahan, Whitfield, McRae, Jones, Glover, Ormston, Kettle Davis

21/04/24------Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-3 Wigan Borough - (Kettle 2, Mercer) - 21,426
Heyes, Fare, Currie, McGrahan, Whitfield, Welsby, Jones, Mercer, Glover, Kettle, McRae

22/04/24 ------Wigan Borough 1-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers - (McRae) - 12,000
Heyes, Fare, Ward, McGrahan, Whitfield, Welsby, Jones, Mercer, Glover, Kettle, McRae 

26/04/24 ------Wigan Borough 3-1 Rotherham County - (Fare (pen), Findlay, McRae) - unknown
Heyes, Fare, Ward, Pendleton, Whitfield, Welsby, Jones, Mercer, Ormston, Findlay, McRae

28/04/24 ------Manchester City 1-0 Wigan Borough - (Manchester Senior Cup, SEMI FINAL) - 6,568
Heyes, Fare, Ward, Findlay, Whitfield, McRae, Jones, Mercer, Ormston, Glover, Davis

03/05/24 ------Rotherham County 4-0 Wigan Borough - 5,000
Heyes, Fare, Ward, Jennings, Whitfield, Jones, McRae,Mercer, Ormston. Glover, Welsby

1923/24 – 42 14 14 14 55 53 42 10th

The Reserve team had been accepted into the Lancashire Combination at the start of the season following a two season stint in the Liverpool Combination.  The league consisted of twenty teams and Wigan Borough finished their debut campaign in a creditable 9th position.

1923/24 -- 38 16 9 13 76 54 41 9th

The players to feature throughout the season were ...

Len Armitage, John Boylen, Charlie Cook, Sam Currie, Tommy Davis, Harry Fare, Andrew Findlay, Billy Glover, Albert Harrison, Edward Heyes, Alec Hunter. Jack Jennings, George Jones, Jack Kerhaw, Billy Kettle, Charles Leigh, Jimmy McRae, James McGrahan, Arthur Mercer, Bill Morton, Arthur Ormston, Jack Pendleton, George Rae, Andy Smith, Henry Spencer, Arthur Stevenson, Fred Ward, Arthur Welsby, Frank Whitfiled, Archie Williams

Known amateur and reserves players were...

R Higson, A L Davies, goalkeepers, H Balfour, R Harrison, W Corwood, J Yates, J W Brown, J Wareing, Graham Smith, SE Joyce, S Green and Billy Dickinson.

More information on these players can be found in the 'Players A to Z' section/s of this site.  Photographs can be found in the 'Historical Photographs' section ...

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Bernard Ramsdale