Matchday Memories: On This Day 1920 – Bantams’ Wolves Win A Rarity In First F.L. Season
Today, February 7th, 1920, was a Division Two match at Highfield Road between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Coventry City in the inaugural season of the Football League, which began more than a century ago.
Admitted to Division 2 of the premier Football League for the season following the end of World War I hostilities, they had a harrowing introduction to professional football.
The Bantams’ previous league experience included the Birmingham & District League and the Southern League, both of which were skipped during the war.
After losing fourteen of their first nineteen League matches and scoring just four goals in 1919–20, CCFC finally won their first game on Christmas Day 1919 (3-2 against Stoke City at Highfield Rd.).
They were clinging to the bottom of the division after that, having only won once (against Grimsby Town) by the game’s lone goal.
After William Clayton’s departure at the tail end of September 1919, they were already on their third manager of the season.
Prior to Harry Pollitt’s appointment in the middle of November, the club’s financial secretary, Harry Harborne, served as caretaker.
Parker, Richard “Dick”
Even though they were playing long-standing Midland rivals, the 20,070 spectators at Highfield Road did not have high expectations for the match.
But they got what they wanted—a 1-0 win—in the opening three minutes of the match thanks to a goal from Richard Parker.
Dick had been bought only in January from Sunderland and his nine goals in 16 games were important components of his new club’s eventual survival.
In a rough and tumble game, when referee Asson had to reprimand both teams on their play, City were assisted by the fact that Wolves fell down to 10 men for the second half when their right half Fred Price was forced to withdraw injured.
City hung on to take the two points and a little encouragement into the return played a week later (although Wolves won that one 2-0 at Molineux).
City’s team that day was:-
Albert Lindon; Charlie Copeland & Jock Blair; Benny Robinson, Ted Hanney & Alf Fenwick; Lance Sheldon, Alec Mercer, Dick Parker, Billy Walker & Fred Gibson.
Jack Addenbrooke‘s Wolves side was:-
Teddy Peers; Richard Baugh & George Garratly; Fred Price, Joseph Hodnett & Alfred Riley; William Harrison, John Green, John Sambrook, Dick Richards & Sam Brooks Referee: D.H.Asson (West Bromwich)
CCFC’s performances improved a little in the balance of the season and six more victories were picked up by season’s conclusion including a 2-1 triumph against Bury on the penultimate day of the season.
This match (and the away 2-2 tie at Gigg Lane preceding it) later became controversial when players and officials of both teams were suspended a few years later on match fixing charges.
However, enough was done to allow CCFC a twentieth place finish (out of 22), survival and the ability to continue in their Football League career that has lasted to this day with their re-election to the FL.
Harry Pollitt, however, resigned at season’s conclusion. Wolverhampton Wanderers finished only one spot above the Bantams.
Lincoln City in 21st spot failed to get re-elected and went out of the Football League for a season (resurfacing in 1921-22).
Bottom team Grimsby Town were relegated to the very new Third Division that began in 1920-21! At the top Tottepromotednham Hotspur were promoted as Division Two champions.
Runners up Huddersfield Town six points behind ‘Spurs were also promoted to the First Division.
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