TAYLOR, J
DOB:
Other clubs: Altrincham
Height and weight: 5 ft. 10 ins, 11 st
Taylor was signed on amateur forms in the summer of 1927 and some good performances at inside left for the reserve team tempted Altrincham to sign him in 1928.
TAYLOR, T
DOB:
Height and weight: 5ft 9 ins, 11st 6 lbs.
Taylor was a centre half who signed amateur forms for Boro in August 1921 when he was aged 20 years old. He failed to make the grade at Springfield Park.
TEBB, Thomas Edward
DOB: 1911
DIED: 23rd June 1957
Other clubs: Adamsez Welfare (Newcastle JOC League), Throckley Welfare, Scotswood, Aston Villa, Hull City, Washington Colliery, Nelson, Lancaster Town, Tottenham Hotspur, Northfleet United, Blyth Spartans
Height and weight: 5 ft. 9 ins, 11st 10 lbs.
Tommy was born in Westermore and could play at inside right or inside left. After starting his career at Adamsez Welfare he failed to make the grade at both Aston Villa and Hull City before signing for Nelson in July 1930. He made 14 League appearances and scored twice at Nelson before signing for Boro towards the end of season 1930/31. In total he made 6 League appearances without scoring whilst at Springfield Park. All of which were expunged from official records when Boro went into liquidation.
His career became very varied after leaving Boro. His first port of call was Lancaster Town and he followed this up by a move to London to sign for Tottenham Hotspur. His stay at White Hart Lane saw him loaned to Northfleet United before he finished his career back in his native North East with Blyth Spartans.
THOMAS, James
DOB: 1900
Other clubs: Wigan United, Wigan Non DFescripts
James was a right half who played 1 League game for Boro without scoring in season 1921/22. He was a player for Boro’s predecessor, Wigan United but was unable to make the leap from Non League to Third Division North football. The game in question occurred on 22nd April 1922 against Barrow away from home end ended in a 0-2 defeat.
TILBROOK, Charles
DOB: 11th July 1901
DIED: 1975
Other clubs: Hawksley Primitive Methodists, Sheffield United, Blackpool, Barrow, Mexborough Athletic, Gainsborough Trinity, Dinnington Main Athletic, Tinsley Athletic
Height and weight: 5ft 8 ins, 11st 6 lbs.
Charles was an inside right player born in Aldershot. He started his career at Blackpool for whom he signed in 1925. He made just 1League appearance without scoring for the Seasiders before leaving Bloomfield Road to sign for Barrow in 1926. He scored 4 goals in 32 League games and it was from Barrow that he arrived at Springfield Park in 1927.
However, he made just 1 League appearance without scoring for Boro, an opening day 0-2 defeat against Hartlepools United at Springfield Park on 27th August 1927. He managed a single game in each of the Lancashire Senior Cup and Manchester Senior Cup competitions before finishing his career in Non League circles with Mexborough Athletic and finally Gainsborough Trinity.
TWISS, James
DOB: 1897
DIED: 1961
Other clubs: Atherton, Skelmersdale United, Everton (wartime guest), Burnley, Chester
Height and weight: 5 ft. 8 ins, 11 st
Jimmy goes down in Boro folklore as the player who scored the second, and winning, goal on his debut in what was the club’s first ever Football League game at Nelson on 27th August 1921. He was a centre forward born in Haydock who had arrived at Springfield Park from Burnley for whom he had made 4 League appearances and scored once following his move from Skelmersdale United in 1919. He made 7 League appearances and scored 3 goals for Boro. He also played once in the Lancashire Senior Cup and also scored in that game, a first round clash with Southport at Springfield Park that ended in a 1-1 draw.
He picked up an injury in the following game against Southport Central in the Lancashire Senior Cup and had to wait until the final 6 games of the League campaign to make a comeback. Despite being retained by manager Herbert Bamlett for the following season, he signed for Cheshire County League outfit Chester.
VALENTINE, Albert Finch
DOB: 3rd June 1907
DIED: 12th March 1990
Other clubs: Ince St Mary’s, Ashton St Thomas, Liverpool, Abram Colliery, Horwich RMI, Southport, Cardiff City, Chester City, Crewe Alexandra, Macclesfield Town, Halifax Town, Stockport County, Accrington Stanley, Oldham Athletic
Height and weight: 5 ft. 8 ½ ins, 11 st 10 lbs.
Albert was born in Higher Ince and was something of a Non League veteran before entering League football. The tough tackling centre forward was spotted by Liverpool playing for Ashton St Thomas. The former Ince St Mary’s player was unsuccessful in his Anfield trial in 1927 and Non League clubs Abram Colliery, Horwich RMI and Ince St Mary’s (again) benefited from his striking prowess before he made his Football League debut with Southport in 1928. He made 21 League appearances and scored 17 goals at Haig Avenue before a move to Cardiff City in 1929, After making 16 League appearances and scoring 3 goals for the Ninian Park outfit he signed for Boro just prior to that ill-fated 1931/32 season.
All of his 12 League appearances (and a goal scored against Crewe Alexandra) were expunged from official records. Also expunged were his two Lancashire Senior Cup appearances for the club. For the purposes of this publication however, he made his Boro debut on 29th August 1931 against Chester at Springfield Park. He played every game that season which culminated in a 0-5 defeat against Wrexham at the Racecourse Ground on 24th October 1931.
He finished the season with Chester for whom he made 2 League appearances without scoring. In 1932 he signed for Crewe Alexandra for whom he scored twice in five appearances before finding himself once again in Non League football with Macclesfield Town. Little did he know that the best part of his Football League career was yet to come. In 1934 he signed for Halifax Town and in almost three years at the Shay he made 114 League appearances and scored an incredible 89 goals in the process!
1937 saw him playing for Stockport County, but he never made a first team appearance at Edgeley Park and so he joined Accrington Stanley, making 7 League appearances and scoring once before finishing his Football League career with Oldham Athletic. After scoring 3 goals in 4 League appearances for the Boundary Park outfit he finished his career where it had started, Ince St Mary’s.
WADE, William Alexander
DOB: 22nd March 1901
DIED: 23rd August 1958
Other clubs: Smiths High Dock, Jarrow, Preston North End, West Ham United, Frickley Colliery, Nelson
Height and weight: 5 ft. 11 ins, 12 st 3 lbs.
Bill was an inside right player born in Jarrow. Like Albert Valentine he also played in Boro’s last Football League game and all 8 of his League appearances for the club were wiped from official records. His first game for Boro was against Chester on 29th August 1931 in what was the Welsh outfit’s first ever Football League game. He then played in the following six League games before missing four games and playing in that last fateful League game against Wrexham on 24th October 1931.
Prior to joining Boro in season 1931/32 he had had a good career at Preston North End, for whom he signed in 1923 from his home town club. Whilst at Deepdale he made 139 League appearances without scoring before being transferred to West Ham United in 1929.
It was from Upton Park that he arrived at Springfield Park after making 11 League appearances without netting for the Hammers. After the demise of Wigan Borough Bill saw service at Frickley Colliery, before a move to Nelson, his last known club, in July 1932.
WAKEFIELD, John
DOB: 8th January 1909
DIED: 14th November 1992
Other clubs: Ashton St Thomas’, Ince Central
Inside left John made just 1League appearance for Boro without scoring in 1929. This came on 16th March 1929 in a game that resulted in a 1-2 defeat away at Nelson. He played regularly for the reserves and appeared twice in the Manchester Senior Cup after being picked up from local outfit Ashton St Thomas’. Nothing else is known of his football career
WALKER, James R
DOB: 20th January 1895
Other clubs: Rutherglen, Glencairn, Kilsyth, Emmett, Rutherglen, Waverley, Plymouth Argyle, Exeter City, Darwen, Bath City
Height and weight: 5 ft. 10 ins, 11 st 10 lbs.
Jimmy was a very versatile player. Born in Rutherglen, he could play at inside left, right half or left half. He started his career with his home town team before progressing to Plymouth Argyle in 1922. During his three years at Home Park he made 21 League appearances and scored once before being transferred to Exeter City for the start of the 1926/27 season. He made 12 League appearances and scored twice for the Grecians before joining Boro in 1927. His time at Springfield Park yielded 1 goal (against New Brighton at Springfield Park) in 8 League appearances. His first appearance for the club was on 5th November 1927 against Rotherham United at Millmoor. It was certainly not a memorable debut for Jimmy as he was in a team on the wrong end of a 6-0 hammering.
His final League appearance for the club on 21st April 1928 was also nothing to write home about as that was a 1-5 defeat away against Bradford Park Avenue! He played once in the Manchester Senior Cup for Boro as well before finishing his career with Non League outfit Bath City following a short spell at Darwen.
WARD, FRED
DOB: 30th June 1894
DIED: September1953
Other clubs: West End, Lincoln City, Rochdale,
Height and weight: 5ft 10 ins, 12st 6 lbs.
‘Yaffer’ was born in Lincoln and he spent the vast majority of his career playing for his home town team after signing for them in 1914 from West End. His time at Sincil Bank was interrupted by the First World War and by the time he left to join Boro he had made 99 League appearances and scored 8 goals.
A solid left back player, he arrived at Springfield Park in 1922 and during two seasons he notched up 70 League appearances without scoring. He made his Boro debut on 17th February 1923 against Nelson at Springfield Park, a game that resulted in a 3-1 victory in front of a crowd of 15,000. He also made 3 Lancashire Senior Cup appearances, 4 Manchester Senior Cup appearances and played once for Boro in the FA Cup, before returning to Lincoln in 1925 where he made a further 7 League appearances and netted twice.
The start of the 1926/27 season saw him playing for Rochdale and during his stay at Spotland he made 67 League appearances without scoring, before finishing his career at Lincoln, making another 2 League appearances for the Imps in 1930.
WARD, Thomas Henry
DOB: 1901
Other clubs: Accrington Stanley, Burnley
Tom was an outside right, born in Padiham. He never really got a career in the Football League off the ground although it started quite promisingly. In 1922 he signed for Accrington Stanley, making 30 League appearances without scoring. However, he was released and after trials with Burnley (1923) and Boro (1924), during which he never played a first team game, he decided to hang up his boots.
WAREING, J
Wareing was an inside right player who signed amateur forms at Boro in August 1923. He failed to make the grade.
WATSON, E
Centre forward Watson was signed for Boro in the summer of 1924. He failed to make the grade at Springfield Park.
WELSBY, Arthur
DOB: 17th November 1902
DIED: 24th April1980
Other clubs: Ashton St Mary’s, Sunderland, Exeter City, Stockport County, Southport, Cardiff City, Wigan Athletic, Mossley
Honours: Manchester Senior Cup winner 1930 (Wigan Borough)
Height and weight: 5ft 9 ins, 10 st, 8 lbs.
Wigan born Arthur, who could play at outside left and outside right as well as left half, holds the record for League appearances for Wigan Borough. He was at the club from the spring of 1924 (aged 19 years old) until the bitter end, and he made 220 League appearances, scoring 31 League goals. His debut was against Tranmere Rovers in a home 1-2 defeat on 15th March 1924.His final appearance was against Lincoln City at Springfield Park on the last day of season 1930/31, a game that is the last that is officially recorded in the record books, and it was to end in a 0-1 defeat. He left Boro to join Sunderland at the end of that season because of their financial crisis, which eventually caused the club to fold. He also made 6 Lancashire Senior Cup appearances, 15 Manchester Senior Cup appearances, during which he netted twice, and 10 FA Cup appearances.
His time at Roker Park was pretty uneventful and after making 3 League appearances and scoring once he started the following 1932/33 season at Exeter City. During his two years at St James’ Park he made 39 League appearances and scored 8 goals before joining Stockport County in 1934. He made 4 League appearances, scoring twice before being transferred to Southport. Twenty one games and 1 goal later he joined his last Football League club, Cardiff City for whom he played 3 League games without scoring. He finished his career at Mossley who were then in the Cheshire League after a short spell at Wigan Athletic for whom he failed to make a first team appearance.
WELSH, William
DOB: 2nd May 1904
DIED: 9th November 1978
Other clubs: Lanark Technical College, Douglas Water Thistle, Heart of Midlothian, Dundee United, Charlton Athletic, Southport, Newport County, Connah’s Quay United, Shotton, Wrexham, Gateshead, Hartlepools United, Jarrow
Height and weight: 5 ft. 8 ½ ins, 11 st 10 lbs.
Born in Douglas Water, Billy spent most of his career playing centre forward although he could operate at inside left and inside right. After starting his career in Scotland with his home town team and then Hearts and Dundee United he moved south to join Charlton Athletic in 1927. During almost two years at the Valley he made 26 League appearances and scored 7 goals before signing for Boro in the winter of 1928.
He made his Boro League debut on Christmas Day 1928 in a home 0-1 defeat against Tranmere Rovers. In total he made 55 League appearances and scored 16 goals in almost two years at Springfield Park. In addition he made 1 Lancashire Senior Cup appearance, 3 Manchester Senior Cup appearances and he played twice for Boro in the FA Cup, before signing for neighbours Southport on a free transfer in 1929. His Haig Avenue career consisted of 11 League appearances and 3 goals before he moved on to Newport County, for whom he made 6 League appearances and netted once in 1930.
A spell in Non League football followed as he took in Connah’s Quay United and Shotton before joining the Football League ranks again in 1931, this time with Gateshead. He spent two years there in which time he scored 22 goals in 58 League appearances before ending his Football League career at Hartlepools United. Just 3 League appearances and no goals later he finished his career at Non League outfit Jarrow.
WEST, Robert
DOB:
Other clubs: Skelmersdale Mission, Crawford Village
Height and weight: 5 ft. 8 ½ ins, 11st 6 lbs.
Robert signed on as a reserve team player in August 1921 with manager Herbert Bamlett expecting great things of him. He was a half back and had previously seen service with Skelmersdale Mission and Crawford Village. He failed to make the grade at Springfield Park though.
WHITE, Cecil J
DOB:
Other clubs: New Albion, Ashton Moss Colliery, Macclesfield Town, Denton Brotherhood FC, New Mills, Leeds United, West Ham United, Torquay United, Ashton National, Congleton Town.
Height and weight: 6ft ½ ins, 12 st
Ashton-Under-Lyne born Cecil, who could play at centre half or right half, started his career with Macclesfield Town before signing for Leeds United in 1928. He never played a first team game at Elland Road and the following year saw him playing for Torquay United. His time at Plainmoor yielded just 5 League appearances and no goals and so in 1930 he joined Boro in what was their last complete season.
During his time at Springfield Park he became a regular first team player making 32 League appearances without scoring. He made his debut on 30th August 1930 in an opening day victory over Darlington at the Feethams. He also played once for the club in the Lancashire Senior Cup, the Manchester Senior Cup and the FA Cup. On leaving Springfield Park he drifted into Non League football with his home town club, Ashton National and finally, Congleton Town.
WHITFIELD, Frank
DOB: 15th December 1897
DIED: July 1984
Other clubs: Anston United, Huddersfield Town, Lincoln City, Southend United, Doncaster Rovers
Height and weight: 5ft 8 ins, 11st 6 lbs.
Frank was a centre half born in North Anston. He started his career at Anston United before signing for Huddersfield Town in 1920. However, he failed to make the grade at Leeds Road and had to wait until joining Boro in 1922 for his Football League debut. This came on 26th August 1922, an opening day 6-1 victory over Ashington at Springfield Park. He spent two complete seasons at Springfield Park during which time he made 68 League appearances and scored 6 goals. He also played once in the Lancashire Senior Cup, 5 times in the Manchester Senior Cup, netting once, and he also played 9 FA Cup games for Boro. He was transferred to Lincoln City in 1924.
His time at Sincil Bank yielded 1 goal in 23 League appearances before he signed for Sheffield United in 1925. After making just 1 League appearance without scoring for the Blades he finished his career at Doncaster Rovers. He signed for the Belle Vue side in 1926 and managed 6 League appearances and another goal before hanging up his boots.
WIGFIELD, W
Another player who failed to make the grade at Springfield Park. He signed amateur forms with the club in the summer of 1925 as a right sided defender.
WILLIAMS, Archibald McLeish
DOB: 16th February 1898
DIED: 31st March 1961
Other clubs: The Army, Liverpool, Northern Nomads, Northwich Victoria, Runcorn, Southport
Height and weight: 5 ft. 8 ins, 10 st 6 lbs.
Archie who could play at inside left or centre forward, was born in Wavertree and after a spell at Liverpool, in which he failed to make a first team appearance, he drifted into Non League football with the infamous Northern Nomads, followed by spells at Northwich Victoria and Runcorn, before making his Football League debut for Boro on 11th November 1922. The game was a 1-0 victory over Halifax Town at the Shay and he scored the winning goal.
During his time spent at Springfield Park, which began with a short trial in October 1922, he made 24 League appearances and netted 10 times. He also played once in the Manchester Senior Cup and he scored 4 goals in 5 FA Cup appearances, including 1 in a FA Cup second round game against Queens Park Rangers at Springfield Park in front of 22,476 vociferous supporters. He signed for Southport in 1923 and the Haig Avenue side was his last Football League club. He made 9 League appearances and scored 4 goals before retiring from the game.
WILLIAMS, Owen
DOB: 2nd October 1896
Other clubs: South Liverpool, Everton, Holyhead
Height and weight: 5ft 8 ins, 11st 4 lbs.
Owen, a left half born in Holyhead, has the distinction of playing in, and scoring in, Boro’s first ever game after the club changed from the amateur ‘Wigan Association’ outfit. This occurred on 21st November 1920 and the opposition was Bacup Borough at Springfield Park in a Lancashire Combination game which resulted in a 2-2 draw. He signed for Boro in 1920 after being released by Everton with Boro beating off competition from Reading and Chesterfield for the services of a player who was s a Wales international reserve.
Owen completed a remarkable double by becoming the only player to play in the aforementioned game and the club’s first as a Football League team. He made 57 League appearances without scoring. He also made 5 Lancashire Senior Cup, appearances and played once in the Manchester Senior Cup, and in addition, he also played 6 FA Cup games for Boro before signing for Holyhead, his home town club, in 1922.
Owen did return to Boro in 1924 making a further League appearance, against Doncaster Rovers at Belle Vue, a game that resulted in a 5-0 defeat, before hanging up his boots.
WILSON Thomas
DOB: 31st January 1910
DIED: January 1996
Other clubs: Darwen, Blackburn Rovers, Chorley
Height and weight: 5 ft. 9 ½ ins, 11 st 2 lbs.
Coppull born Tommy was an inside forward. He signed for Boro from Darwen in the summer of 1930. He was only twenty years old but had already experienced a spell at Blackburn Rovers, where he failed to make the grade, and Chorley. He was in his second spell at Darwen when he opted for a move to Springfield Park. He made 5 League appearances whilst at Springfield Park, netting twice. His debut came on 27th December 1930 in a home game against Darlington which Boro won 2-0 with Tom scoring one of the goals. He also appeared once for the club in the Manchester Senior Cup. Nothing is known of his further career after leaving Boro.
WILSON, Thomas Henry
DOB: 9th December 1902
DIED: September 1992
Other clubs: Walthamstow Avenue, Charlton Athletic, Cardiff City, Southend United
Height and weight: 6 ft., 12 st 3 lbs.
Henry was a very versatile player who could play at centre half, right half or as an out and out centre forward, arriving at Springfield Park from Charlton Athletic in 1926. He made his debut for the club on 28thAugust 1926 in the opening game of the 1926/27 season against Nelson at Springfield Park. He went on to make 108 League appearances for Boro, netting 4 times in the process. He also played 6 Lancashire Senior Cup, 9 Manchester Senior Cup and 3 F A Cup games for the club before rejoining Charlton Athletic after a 1 game stint with Cardiff City in 1930.
After making a further 18 League appearances without scoring at the Valley, he finished his Football League career with Southend United for whom he made 12 League appearances without scoring from 1932 until 1934.
WILSON, W
Height and weight: 5 ft. 10 ins, 11st 3lbs
This Skelmersdale born left back was aged 19 years old when he signed amateur forms for the club in the summer of 1924. He failed to make the grade at Springfield Park.
WINNARD,
A player who played in a few practice matches prior to Boro’s final season. He never played for the first team.
WINTER, William
DOB: 15th February 1904, Brenka FC (British Enka, Liverpool)
Other clubs: Bootle Celtic
Height and weight: 5 ft. 9 ins, 10 st 10 lbs.
Liverpool born goalkeeper William made 83 League appearances during a three year spell at Springfield Park which began in 1925 after he was signed as a promising 20 year old from Bootle Celtic. He made his debut on 20th January 1926 against Doncaster Rovers at Belle Vue in a game that resulted in a 1-1 draw. He also played once in the Lancashire Senior, 7 times in the Manchester Senior Cup and four times in the FA Cup before leaving the club in the summer of 1928.
WOODCOCK, Wilfred
DOB: 15th February 1892
DIED: October 1966
Other clubs: Waterloo FC, Abbey Hay FC, Hindley Central, Stalybridge Celtic, Manchester United, Manchester City, Stockport County, Sandbach Ramblers, CWS Balloon Street
Height and weight: 5 ft. 8 ins, 10 st 9 lbs.
Wilf was born in Ashton-Under-Lyne and could play at inside left, inside right or centre forward. He started his career as an amateur at Waterloo FC and Abbey Hay FC. It was whilst at the latter club that he was spotted by Lancashire Combination Second Division outfit Hindley Central who offered him a trial. He performed well at Ladies Lane, catching the eyes of Manchester United but he signed for Stalybridge Celtic in 1912.
It was in May of that year that he was signed by Manchester United. He spent eight seasons with the club during which time he made 58 League appearances and netted 20 times. He then became one of the select band of players who have played for both Manchester clubs when he joined City May 1920. During his spell at Maine Road he scored twice in 15 League appearances before signing for Stockport County in 1921. His stay at Edgeley Park lasted for three years and during that time he played 75 League games and scored 23 goals.
He arrived at Springfield Park in August 1924, making his Boro League debut against Walsall at Springfield Park on 30th August 1924, the opening day of the season. In total he made 14 League appearances and scored twice for the club, he also appeared twice without scoring in the Manchester Senior Cup. His next known club was Sandbach Ramblers for whom he signed in October 1927. He finished his career at CWS Balloon Street, who he joined in December 1929.
WOODWARD, Fred
DOB: 1899
DIED: 15th December 1963
Other clubs: Hindley Wesleyans, Wellington Temperance FC, Burnley
Height and weight: 5ft 7 ins, 10 st
Fred was an ex Burnley player who started his career locally at Hindley Wesleyans before signing for the Clarets in August 1920. He signed for Boro in July 1921 and his place in Boro’s history is assured as he played in the club’s first ever Football League game against Nelson on 27th August 1921, a game that resulted in a 2-1 victory. Born in Ashton-in-Makerfield, right half Fred made 3 League appearances without scoring before fading into obscurity.
WORSWICK, W
DOB:
Nothing is known of this player. He certainly never played a first team game for Boro, although he did appear once in a second round game against Stockport County in the Manchester Senior Cup on 28thFebruary 1922.
YATES, George Herbert
DOB: 21st January 1906
DIED: 1975
Other clubs: Leyland, Horwich RMI, Darwen
Honours: Lancashire Junior Cup winner 1924 (Horwich RMI)
Height and weight: 5 ft. 10 ins, 11 st
George ‘Tiny’ Yates was born in Westhoughton and played as a centre forward. His first known club is Leyland. He was a Horwich RMI player when he originally had trials with Boro in the summer of 1923. He was signed and then loaned back to the Railwaymen until the summer of 1924. In his spell at Boro he made 35 League appearances and scored 9 times. His debut was on 20th February 1925 against Doncaster Rovers at Belle Vue in a game that resulted in a 1-1 draw. He also appeared once in the Lancashire Senior Cup and 4 times in the Manchester Senior Cup, during which he also found the net 4 times, including a hat trick against Bolton Wanderers. He left Springfield Park in the summer of 1928 and was last heard of playing for Darwen.
YATES, J
Yates signed amateur forms for Boro in August 1923. He played mainly as a centre half but failed to make the grade at Springfield Park.
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