1923–24 Nelson F.C. season explained

Club:Nelson F.C.
Season:1923–24
Manager:David Wilson
League:Football League Second Division
League Result:21st (relegated)
Cup1:FA Cup
Cup1 Result:Fifth Qualifying Round
League Topscorer:Joe Eddleston (14)
Season Topscorer:Joe Eddleston (14)
Highest Attendance:12,000 (vs Clapton Orient, 25 August 1923)
Lowest Attendance:4,000 (vs Wigan Borough, 5 December 1923)
Prevseason:1922–23
Nextseason:1924–25
Pattern So1:_Nelson
Leftarm1:0000FF
Body1:0000FF
Rightarm1:0000FF
Shorts1:FFFFFF
Socks1:000000

The 1923–24 season was the 43rd season in the history of Nelson F.C. and their third as a professional club in the Football League. The team competed in the Second Division of the Football League for the first time, having won promotion as champions of the Third Division North in the previous campaign. Nelson struggled against more established opponents in the higher league, and were relegated at the end of the season, finishing second-bottom of the division just a point behind Fulham, who avoided relegation. Despite achieving a 1–0 victory away against Manchester United, Nelson suffered several heavy defeats during the campaign, including a 0–6 loss to Derby County, and at one point went six matches without scoring a goal. Nelson ended the season on 33 points, with a record of 10 wins, 13 draws and 19 defeats in 42 matches.

Nelson entered the FA Cup in the Fifth Qualifying Round, and were knocked out in a replay at that stage by Wigan Borough, having drawn the original tie. A total of 30 players were used by Nelson throughout their 44 first-team matches. The majority of the championship-winning team remained with Nelson. New signings included defender Jack Newnes, who went on to become a Wales international, Billy Caulfield and Eddie Cameron. With 14 goals in 42 appearances, Joe Eddleston was the team's top goalscorer for the third season in succession, and also played the highest number of matches of all the first-team squad. The highest attendance of the season at the club's Seedhill stadium was 12,000 on two occasions, the first of these the opening day game against Clapton Orient on 26 August 1923. The lowest attendance in the league was 7,000 for three different matches, while the FA Cup replay against Wigan Borough attracted a crowd of only 4,000 spectators.

Background

See also: 1922–23 Nelson F.C. season. In the 1922–23 season, Nelson had been crowned champions of the Football League Third Division North after winning 24 of their 38 league fixtures.[1] In May 1923, the club embarked on a pre-season tour of Spain. Six matches were played during the trip, two each against Real Madrid, Racing de Santander and Real Oviedo. On 15 May 1923, Nelson achieved a 4–2 victory against Real Madrid at the Campo de Ciudad Lineal,[2] [3] two of the goals coming from Dick Crawshaw, who had been signed towards the end of the previous campaign.[4] In doing so, Nelson became the first English club to defeat Real Madrid at their home ground.[5]

Football League Second Division

Match results

Key
Results
DateOpponentsResultGoalscorersAttendance
25 August 1923Clapton Orient (H)1–1McCulloch12,000
27 August 1923Stockport County (A)0–111,000
1 September 1923Clapton Orient (A)1–5Eddleston20,000
3 September 1923Stockport County (H)1–1Wolstenholme10,000
8 September 1923Hull City (A)1–2Eddleston9,000
11 September 1923Southampton (H)0–012,000
15 September 1923Hull City (H)1–1Eddleston11,000
22 September 1923Stoke (A)0–414,000
29 September 1923Stoke (H)2–0Newnes, Eddleston10,000
6 October 1923Crystal Palace (A)1–1Roseboom10,000
13 October 1923Crystal Palace (H)4–2Crawshaw (3), Hoad10,000
20 October 1923Sheffield Wednesday (H)1–1Crawshaw
27 October 1923Sheffield Wednesday (A)0–510,000
3 November 1923Coventry City (H)3–0Caulfield (2), Eddleston6,000
10 November 1923Coventry City (A)0–412,000
17 November 1923Bristol City (A)0–18,000
24 November 1923Bristol City (H)2–1Eddleston (2)8,000
8 December 1923Southampton (A)0–311,000
15 December 1923Fulham (A)0–013,000
22 December 1923Fulham (H)1–1Braidwood6,000
25 December 1923Derby County (H)2–1Newnes, Hoad10,000
26 December 1923Derby County (A)0–616,000
29 December 1923Blackpool (A)1–1Eddleston15,000
5 January 1924Blackpool (H)2–3Caulfield, Wolstenholme10,000
19 January 1924Oldham Athletic (H)2–1Newnes, Eddleston9,000
26 January 1924Oldham Athletic (A)0–112,000
2 February 1924South Shields (H)0–27,000
9 February 1924South Shields (A)0–38,000
16 February 1924Bury (H)0–58,500
23 February 1924Bury (A)0–28,000
1 March 1924Manchester United (H)0–27,000
8 March 1924Manchester United (A)1–0Crawshaw18,000
15 March 1924Barnsley (A)0–08,000
22 March 1924Barnsley (H)4–3Caulfield (2), Eddleston, Hoad7,000
29 March 1924Bradford City (A)2–0Cameron, Eddleston10,000
5 April 1924Bradford City (H)1–1Cameron8,000
12 April 1924Port Vale (H)1–3Cameron7,000
19 April 1924Port Vale (A)0–08,000
21 April 1924Leicester City (H)1–1Eddleston10,000
22 April 1924Leicester City (A)1–3McCulloch14,000
26 April 1924Leeds United (A)0–120,000
3 May 1924Leeds United (H)3–1Eddleston (2), Chadwick10,000

Final league position

FA Cup

Match results
RoundDateOpponentsResultGoalscorersAttendance
Q51 December 1923Wigan Borough (A)1–1Ward (o.g.)12,650
Q5r5 December 1923Wigan Borough (H)0–14,000

Appearances and goals

Key to positions
Statistics
Nat.PositionPlayerThird Division NorthFA CupTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
GKHarry Abbott34020360
GKJoseph Birds400040
OFJohn Black600060
DFErnie Braidwood31120331
DFJimmy Broadhead21000210
OFEddie Cameron830083
IFBilly Caulfield18500185
IFEdgar Chadwick310031
DFLeigh Collins13020150
IFDick Crawshaw19520215
CFJoe Eddleston4014204214
OFErnest Gillibrand200020
IFHarry Higginbotham400040
OFSid Hoad26320283
OFDuggie Humphrey800080
OFBob Hutchinson22020240
CFSam Kennedy600060
FBWilliam Lammus800080
FBBob Lilley500050
FBTom Lilley14000140
IFMike McCulloch21200212
DFJack Newnes37320393
GKHarry Nutter200020
FBClement Rigg37020390
IFTeddy Roseboom12100121
FBJohn Steel100010
GKJim Thomson200020
IFTed Ward200020
DFDavid Wilson31020330
IFArthur Wolstenholme25200252

See also

References

General
Specific

Notes and References

  1. Robinson, p. 17
  2. Web site: International Friendlies of Real Madrid CF 1902–1939. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 3 January 2008. 8 July 2010. Torre, Raúl.
  3. Dykes, p. 6
  4. Dykes, p. 30
  5. News: Real Madrid 0 Arsenal 1: Henry dazzles Real's galacticos. https://web.archive.org/web/20120302051011/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/real-madrid-0-arsenal-1-henry-dazzles-reals-galacticos-467325.html. dead. 2 March 2012. The Independent. Wallace, Sam. 22 February 2006. 8 July 2010.