The 1898–99 season was Thames Ironworks' fourth season after the club's formation in 1895.
Thames Ironworks F.C. 1898–1899 |
During the summer of 1898, Thames Ironworks became a professional outfit for the first time, to match their new status as new members of the Southern League. It was a decision reluctantly taken by Ironworks chairman Arnold Hills, who had always believed in the classical ideal of competitive sport being for its own sake. But with the success the club had been enjoying, together with the increased crowds at their Memorial Grounds venue, he relented, and was quoted as saying "It may be necessary to introduce a little ferment of professional experience to leaven the heavy lump."
New signings came thick and fast and included the controversial capture of goalkeeper Tommy Moore from arch-rivals Millwall. This meant that there would be no place for keeper David Furnell in the squad, and he was allowed to transfer to Hammersmith Athletic. The team further strengthened defensively with the signing of George Neil from West Norwood, full-backs Tommy Dunn and Arthur Marjeram from Chatham and Swanscombe respectively and Scottish left-half Roddy McEachrane, who had played for Inverness Thistle alongside Irons wing-half Simon Chisholm, and had also worked at the actual Thames Iron Works. Thames Ironworks raided Warmley of three of the players, with centre half Peter McManus, along with forwards George Reid and Henderson all making the journey east. The team's attacking options were further increased with the signings of wingers J. Reynolds from Gravesend and Patrick Leonard from Manchester City, along with the snaring of centre forward David Lloyd from former rivals 3rd Grenadier Guards.
They kicked off the season on 10 September 1898 away to Shepherd's Bush, and were in fine form, beating the West London outfit 3–0, with two goals from Atkinson and one from Adams. The form continued with a 3–1 home win over Brentford a fortnight later, and a 2–0 FA Cup 1st qualifying round win soon followed when "The Irons" were again pitted against Royal Engineers Training Battalion.
October proved to be Thames Ironworks' difficult month during the season, when they failed to record a single win. They first lost away to Uxbridge 1–2, before facing Brighton United in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup. The Irons drew 0–0 away to the south coast, before losing the replay four days later 1–4, with the only goal being scored by Henry Hird. The month ended farcically when in a Southern League game on 29 October, they faced a Wycombe side who had lost their previous five matches. The Irons missed their train and arrives at the Buckinghamshire's Loakes Park ground an hour late. The obviously unsettled side eventually played the game in torrential rain and were two goals down after 15 minutes from goals scored by Jim Aldridge. Aldridge had completed his hat-trick by half time. Wycombe were 4–0 ahead before irons inside-forward Jimmy Reid pulled one back in the 88th minute.
This was to be Thames Ironworks' last defeat of the season, and they could go on to win an impressive 17 of their last 18 games, only drawing away at Watford 0–0. The year ended with The Irons biggest win of the season so far, in an away game against Maidenhead on 31 December 1898, which Thames Ironworks won 4–0. It was in this game that Charlie Dove completed the distinction of playing in every position for the club when he deputised for goalkeeper Tommy Moore, and it is perhaps even more impressive that he managed to keep a clean sheet.
Thames Ironworks played their first game of the new year at the Memorial Grounds on 14 January 1899, when they entertained Wycombe. This time, the Wycombe goalkeeper Ernie Wheeler missed the train, and the team began the game with only ten players on the pitch. Their full-back Henry Turner began in goal, and had soon conceded an own goal from one of his defenders. A Wycombe fan, who often filled in for them when they were unexpectedly short, took over as goalkeeper, but he was also soon beaten by a low shot from Irons centre-half McEwan. Irons centre forward David Lloyd then missed two chances, before grabbing a brace to put The Irons 4–0 up by half-time. The second half saw two penalties, one missed by Lloyd and one scored by Wycombe player Fred Keen, to make the final score 4–1 and a complete reverse of the scoreline in their previous encounter. Their great form would continue for the rest of the season, including a thrilling 4–3 win away to Wolverton London & North Western Railway, which also saw their lowest attendance of only 200, and an 8–1 home win over Chesham Town
Already confirmed as Southern League Division Two champions, having won the previous 14 games, Thames Ironworks showed little restraint for the final game of the season against Maidenhead on 15 April 1898. With their largest home crowd of the season, 3000 spectators saw The Irons demolish the bottom club of the division 10–0. The goals included four from Patrick Leonard, a hat-trick from David Lloyd and a brace from Jimmy Reid. The other goal was scored by Henderson.
Although they won the Southern League Second Division by 9 points, Thames Ironworks were required to play Test Matches to decide their promotion to Division One. The first came against Cowes from the Isle of Wight on 22 April. They had qualified for the Test Match by winning the South West section of the league structure, and the game was played at the supposedly neutral East Ferry Road ground of Irons' rivals Millwall. A 10,000 strong crowd saw Thames Ironworks win the game 3–1, with goals coming from David Lloyd, Patrick Leonard and Henderson. The Ironworks then had to face Sheppey United, who had finished 12th in the 13 team Southern League Division One, and had beaten The Irons two and a half years previously 8–0 in an FA Cup game. The game took place at Chatham's ground on 29 April and finished 1–1, with David Lloyd once again the goalscorer.
Before a replay could be staged, it was decided to enlarge the top division of the Southern League to 19 teams, thus enabling Thames Ironworks F.C., as well as Sheppey United, Bristol Rovers and Q.P.R. to join the higher tier.
Roddy McEachrane was the only ever-present in the team during the season, making 27 appearances.
The top goalscorer was David Lloyd with 14 goals. 12 of these were scored in the Southern League, with the other two coming in the Test Matches against Cowes and Sheppey.
No. | Player | Pos | S Lg Apps | S Lg Gls | FA Apps | FA Gls | Ch/T Apps | Ch/T Gls | Total Apps | Total Gls | Date Signed | Previous Club | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Thames Ironworks F.C. 1898–99 First XI (Most Appearances) | |||||||||||||
1 | Tommy Moore | GK | 21 | 3 | 2 | 26 | 1898 | Millwall | |||||
2 | Walter Tranter (Captain) | RB | 20 | 3 | 2 | 25 | 1897 | Thames Ironworks Employee | |||||
3 | Tommy Dunn | LB | 11 | 2 | 13 | 1898 | Chatham | ||||||
4 | Simon Chisholm | RH | 15 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 20 | 1 | 1897 | Inverness | |||
5 | Charlie Dove | D | 14 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 3 | 1895 | Thames Ironworks Employee | |||
6 | Roddy McEachrane | LH | 22 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 27 | 2 | 1898 | Thames Ironworks Employee | ||
7 | Henry Hird | RW | 19 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 22 | 4 | 1897 | Stockton | |||
8 | Jimmy Reid | IR | 13 | 9 | 1 | 14 | 9 | 1897 | Reading | ||||
9 | David Lloyd | CF | 11 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 14 | 1898 | 3rd Grenadier Guards | ||
10 | George Gresham | IL | 14 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 5 | 1896 | Gainsborough Trinity | ||
11 | Patrick Leonard | LW | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 8 | 1898 | Manchester City | |||
Players with 6+ appearances | |||||||||||||
7 | J. Reynolds | W/IR | 12 | 5 | 2 | 14 | 5 | 1898 | Gravesend | ||||
9 | R. Henderson | CF/IL | 8 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 8 | 1898 | Warmley | |||
5 | L. McEwan | CH/RH | 8 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 1898 | - | |||||
3 | Arthur Marjeram | FB | 8 | 8 | 1898 | Swanscombe | |||||||
9 | Sam Hay | CF/IR | 6 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 1898 | Victoria | ||||
10 | George Reid | IL/CF | 6 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1898 | Warmley | |||||
5 | Peter McManus | CH | 5 | 1 | 6 | 1898 | Warmley | ||||||
Other players with appearances | |||||||||||||
9 | F.T. Adams | CF/IL | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1898 | - | ||||
5 | Alf Hitch | CH | 3 | 2 | 5 | 1898 | Wellington Town | ||||||
11 | R. Cobb | LW/IL | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1898 | - | ||||||
4 | George Neil | RH/LB | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1897 | West Norwood F.C. | ||||||
9 | W. Atkinson | CF | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1898 | - | |||||
10 | Robert Hounsell | IF | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1898 | - | |||||
9 | Wenham | CF | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1898 | Thames Ironworks Employee | |||||
8 | Richard Bird | IR | 1 | 1 | 1896 | Thames Ironworks Employee | |||||||
8 | Frank Brett | IR | 1 | 1 | 1898 | Thames Ironworks Employee | |||||||
11 | Buller | LW | 1 | 1 | 1898 | - | |||||||
11 | L. Foss | LW | 1 | 1 | 1898 | - | |||||||
11 | Henry Gilmore | LW | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1898 |
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club that plays its home matches in Stratford, East London. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. The club plays at the London Stadium, having moved from their former home, the Boleyn Ground, in 2016.
Roderick John McEachrane was a Scottish footballer, born in Inverness.
Sheppey United F.C. is a football club based on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent. The club are members of the Isthmian League South East Division and play at Holm Park. The club is affiliated to the Football Association and is an FA Charter Standard club.
The 1895–96 season was the inaugural season of Thames Ironworks, the club that would later become West Ham United. The club was founded by Dave Taylor and Arnold Hills in 1895 as the works team of the Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company. Taylor was a foreman at the Ironworks and a local football referee. Thanks to Ironworks owner Arnold Hills' financial backing, he was able to announce on 29 June 1895 the following in the company's weekly journal:
David Furnell was an English footballer who played as a goalkeeper.
Charlie Dove (1879–?) was an English footballer.
The 1896–97 season was Thames Ironworks' second season after the club's formation in 1895.
Thames Ironworks Football Club, the club that later became West Ham United, was founded by Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Co. Ltd owner Arnold Hills and foreman Dave Taylor in 1895. Thames Ironworks took over the tenancy of The Old Castle Swifts' Hermit Road ground in Canning Town until their eventual eviction in October 1896. They would briefly play at Browning Road in East Ham, before moving to the Memorial Grounds, a stadium which was situated close to where West Ham station now stands. The ground was built at Arnold Hills's own expense, costing £20,000.
The 1897–98 season was Thames Ironworks' third season after the club's formation in 1895.
Thomas Henry Bradshaw was an English international footballer who played in the outside-left and centre-forward positions for Liverpool, Northwich Victoria, Tottenham Hotspur and Thames Ironworks during the late 19th century.
West Ham United Football Club are based in Stratford, Newham, east London. They played home matches at the Boleyn Ground in Upton Park between 1904 and 2016, and moved to the London Stadium for the start of the 2016–17 season.
David Lloyd was an English footballer who played for Brentford, Thames Ironworks, the club that went on to become West Ham United, Fulham and Willesden.
The 1899–1900 season was the last for Thames Ironworks before the club folded to be reformed as West Ham United.
Billy Barnes was a professional footballer from West Ham, Essex. Originally debuting for Thames Ironworks, he moved to Sheffield United and scored the winning goal in the 1902 FA Cup final replay. Later on in his career he won two Southern Football League titles and took part in two Charity Shield matches including the first time it was held. Once his playing career was over, he went on to manage Athletic Bilbao in Spain.
The 1898–99 season was the fifth in the history of the Southern League. This season saw the expansion of Division One up to 14 teams and creation of Division Two South-West, though it was disbanded at the end of the season after all its clubs left. No Southern League clubs applied for promotion to the Football League. Southampton were Division One champions for the third season in a row. Overall Division Two champions being decided in a playoff in which Thames Ironworks defeated Cowes 3-1 at The Den.
The 1899–1900 season was the sixth in the history of the Southern League. This season saw the expansion of Division One up to 17 teams, though two of them resigned from league before the end of the season. Tottenham Hotspur were Division One champions for the first time, but no Southern League clubs applied for election to the Football League.
Thomas Moore was an English association footballer who played as a goalkeeper.
Patrick Leonard was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a forward, primarily at outside left.
The 1900–01 season was English football club West Ham United’s inaugural season. The club had been founded in 1895 under the name of Thames Ironworks, before being wound up in June 1900 and resigning from the Southern League. On 5 July, West Ham United Football Club Company Limited was registered and the club took the Southern League place vacated by Thames Ironworks. They finished the season sixth in the Southern League Division One. The club also entered the FA Cup, reaching the intermediate round.