1925–26 Nelson F.C. season

The 1925–26 season was the 45th season in the history of Nelson F.C. and their fifth as a professional club in the Football League. The team competed in the Third Division North for the second consecutive season, having finished as runners-up to Darlington in the previous campaign. Nelson had a new manager in Percy Smith, following the departure of David Wilson in the summer of 1925. The team played well for the majority of the season, and achieved several good victories, including 7–0 wins against Tranmere Rovers and Wigan Borough. Nelson ended the season on 43 points, with a record of 16 wins, 11 draws and 15 defeats in their 42 matches.

Nelson F.C.
1925–26 season
ManagerPercy Smith
Football League Third Division North8th
FA CupFirst Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Joe Eddleston (20)
All: Joe Eddleston (20)
Highest home attendance14,143 (vs Bradford Park Avenue, 10 April 1926)
Lowest home attendance3,989 (vs Chesterfield, 20 April 1926)
Average home league attendance6,487

Nelson entered the FA Cup in the First Round, but were knocked out at that stage by Wigan Borough. In their 43 competitive matches, Nelson used a total of 25 different players. The majority of the championship-winning team remained with Nelson. New signings included centre forward Jimmy Hampson, who went on to become an England international, centre-half George Wilson and outside forward Edwin Earle. With 20 goals in 32 appearances, Joe Eddleston was the team's top goalscorer for the fifth season in succession. Wilson was the only player to appear in every match during the campaign, scoring five goals in 43 games.

The highest attendance of the season at the club's Seedhill stadium was 14,143 against Bradford Park Avenue on 10 April 1926. Nelson's smallest crowd of the season was 3,989 in the penultimate home match of the campaign on 20 April 1926 against Chesterfield.

Football League Third Division North

Key

Match results

Date Opponents Result Goalscorers Attendance
29 August 1925 Crewe Alexandra (H) 2–1 Eddleston, Bottrill 10,112
31 August 1925 Ashington (A) 1–5 Stevenson 3,902
5 September 1925 Lincoln City (A) 0–1 7,774
8 September 1925 Barrow (H) 3–3 Laycock, Hoad, Eddleston 6,522
12 September 1925 Southport (H) 3–3 Stevenson, Wilson, Hampson 6,718
15 September 1925 Ashington (H) 2–2 Eddleston, Hampson 7,461
19 September 1925 Doncaster Rovers (A) 1–1 Bottrill 3,088
26 September 1925 Wrexham (H) 5–1 Laycock, Bottrill, Chadwick (2), Eddleston 6,669
28 September 1925 Barrow (A) 0–1 1,601
3 October 1925 Coventry City (A) 0–1 11,766
10 October 1925 Accrington Stanley (H) 1–0 Chadwick 9,119
17 October 1925 Durham City (A) 2–0 Eddleston, Chadwick 3,538
24 October 1925 Hartlepools United (H) 5–2 Wilson, Chadwick (3), Eddleston 4,892
31 October 1925 Rotherham United (A) 3–1 Bottrill, Eddleston (2) 7,360
7 November 1925 Halifax Town (H) 1–1 Wilson 4,538
14 November 1925 Walsall (A) 2–0 Chadwick, Eddleston 2,586
5 December 1925 Grimsby Town (H) 1–1 Cowen 5,675
12 December 1925 Halifax Town (A) 1–1 Bottrill 7,204
19 December 1925 Tranmere Rovers (H) 7–0 Hampson (3), Earle, Hoad (2), Stevenson 4,354
25 December 1925 Wigan Borough (H) 7–0 Bottrill, Hampson (3), Earle (2), Stevenson 7,658
26 December 1925 New Brighton (A) 0–0 6,973
2 January 1926 Crewe Alexandra (A) 4–1 Hampson (3), Earle 6,387
9 January 1926 Bradford Park Avenue (A) 0–3 20,946
16 January 1926 Lincoln City (H) 5–2 Bottrill (2), Cowen (2), Newnes 5,586
23 January 1926 Southport (A) 1–2 Cowen 4,214
30 January 1926 Doncaster Rovers (H) 5–3 Eddleston (3), Bottrill (2) 6,402
6 February 1926 Wrexham (A) 2–3 Eddleston, Bottrill 4,792
13 February 1926 Coventry City (H) 4–1 Eddleston, Stevenson, Hoad, Earle 6,250
20 February 1926 Accrington Stanley (A) 2–3 Bottrill, Eddleston 7,153
27 February 1926 Durham City (H) 4–0 Earle, Bottrill (2), Wilson 4,819
6 March 1926 Hartlepools United (A) 0–2 4,397
13 March 1926 Rotherham United (H) 3–0 Bottrill (2), Stevenson 4,451
20 March 1926 Rochdale (A) 0–2 2,981
27 March 1926 Walsall (H) 2–0 Eddleston (2) 4,786
3 April 1926 Chesterfield (A) 1–3 Eddleston 8,743
5 April 1926 New Brighton (H) 1–1 Wilson 5,858
6 April 1926 Wigan Borough (A) 0–5 4,198
10 April 1926 Bradford Park Avenue (H) 2–2 Earle, Laycock 14,143
17 April 1926 Grimsby Town (A) 0–3 9,641
20 April 1926 Chesterfield (H) 3–3 Laycock (2), Hampson 3,989
24 April 1926 Rochdale (H) 1–3 Eddleston 6,215
1 May 1926 Tranmere Rovers (A) 2–4 Hampson, Eddleston 2,884

FA Cup

Nelson entered the FA Cup at the First Round stage, the first time in their history they had played in the competition proper, having previously never progressed past the qualifying rounds.[1] Nelson were drawn against fellow Third Division North outfit Wigan Borough, who they had faced in the Fifth Qualifying Round in the 1923–24 season. Then, Nelson had been beaten by one goal in a replay at Seedhill, following a 1–1 draw in the away tie. The team went into the cup match on 2 December 1925 having won five of their previous six league fixtures, and were unbeaten since the 0–1 loss to Coventry City on 3 October 1925. Nelson fielded the same starting line-up that had won the last match against Walsall, but were beaten 0–3 before a crowd of 3,836 spectators.[2]

Key

Match result

Round Date Opponents Result Goalscorers Attendance
R1 2 December 1925 Wigan Borough (A) 0–3 3,836

Player statistics

Key to positions
Statistics
Nat. Position Player Third Division North FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
England GK Harry Abbott 41010420
England HB Frank Bailey 100010
England IF Billy Bottrill 3816103916
England DF Ernie Braidwood 17010180
England DF Jimmy Broadhead 600060
England FB Fred Broadhurst 37010380
England HB Herbert Butterworth 200020
England IF Edgar Chadwick 13810148
England FB Walter Chadwick 200020
England HB Harry Clayton 400040
England CF Jimmy Cowen 340034
England OF Wilf Denwood 300030
England OF Edwin Earle 37710387
England CF Joe Eddleston 3120103220
England CF Jimmy Hampson 2013002013
England HB Ambrose Harris 22000220
England OF Sid Hoad 28410294
England IF Fred Laycock 11500115
England GK Fred Mace 100010
Wales HB Jack Newnes 36110371
Scotland FB James Pearson 800080
England FB Clement Rigg 33010340
England IF Fred Smith 100010
Scotland IF John Stevenson 25600256
England HB George Wilson 42510435

References

General
  • Dykes, Garth (2009). Nelson FC in the Football League. Nottingham: SoccerData. ISBN 978-1-905891-29-0.
Specific
  1. Broughton, Gary (29 October 2007). "Blues Complete FA Cup History". Nelson FC. Archived from the original on 2 August 2010. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
  2. Dykes, p. 79
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