Tracking the football career of young William Stevens of Chorlton

Chorlton Albion 1924-25

It began as a search for Chorlton Albion A.F.C., which was the team the young William Stevens played for in 1925 and as so often happens it became much more.*

"The early years of 20th Century saw the appearance of several football clubs in the suburbs, some short-lived. Chorlton Albion (1925), whose home pitch was on the corner of Hardy Lane and Barlow Moor Road, near where the Co-op is now"**

Now Albion are more likely to have had their ground further along Hardy Lane either sharing with Chorlton Cricket team or close by.

Chorlton Albion membership card 1924-25

Young William played for them and we have some team pictures in which he features along with newspaper reports which record his achievements and a series of postcards notifying him of away matches.

And as I write more of the team's story  is coming to light.

They were formed in 1922 and lasted till 1928 and during their last season played in "light blue shirts and white knickers."

We have a list of the President, Vice Presidents, the three secretaries and some of the players.

And I will soon have access to some fascinating newspaper clippings of the team during its last season, all of which should yield more about the Albion.

So for the time being that is it but judging by the newspaper reports there were plenty of different Chorlton clubs in the first two decades of the last century.

In 1907 Chorlton-cum-Hardy won the Lancashire Amateur Cup having defeated Whalley Range in the semi finals and scoring the only goal in the final against Manchester University who were reckoned to be the favourites.

Chorlton continued to play into the 1920s by which time there were others.

Chorlton Albion

These included Chorlton Road Congregational from 1911-1914, Chorlton Amateurs, who are listed in 1921, Chorltonville in 1924 and Old Chorltonians which first registered in 1920 and lasted till 1927 when they disbanded and formed a Rugby Club.

The following year another team bearing the name Old Chorltonians was established by former students of the local school and the club continues today although it dropped the “old” in 2007.

In that long history it saw off its rival team East Chorlton F.C which became Wilbrahampton, had great successes in the 1930s and folded in 1994.

Now it is possible William played for some of these other teams.  He was born in 1905 and depending on what happened to Albion could have joined East Chorlton and may well have dined out on the stories of Chorlton-cum-Hardy’s magnificent victory in the Lancashire Amateur Cup.

Manchester Guardian April 8 1907

But that I fear may have taken us into the realms of speculation.  So in true football style I shall close with the final comments from the Manchester Guardian for April 8 1907,

“The start saw University attack in great style, and Heap, before five minutes had passed tested Branston to this upmost.

The ball appeared to be going into the top corner of the goal, but at the right moment the Chorlton custodian jumped up and turned it over the bar – a splendid save.  Heap lost a grand opportunity soon afterwards.  

Away match postcard 1925

From a centre by Green he, with a clear course, shot yards over the bar.  
The point that gave Chorlton their victory came close to the interval.  

After the ball had been hovering about the University goal it came out to Wedge.  

He took the ball on the bounce, with a terrific drive shot into the net, well out of the reach of Knott.”***

And despite some close pressure on Chorlton during the second half the University could not score.

There is more but that I think is enough.
Instead I shall return to trawling the papers for more on our teams and in particular Chorlton Albion.

Pictures; from the collection of Ann Love.

* Who now remembers Chorlton Albion?  http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/who-now-remembers-chorlton-albion.html

**South Manchester Remembered, Graham Phytian 2012

*** Lancashire Amateur Cup, Manchester Guardian, April 8 1907

Coming tomorrow, The lost Chorlton Football Teams