1914–15 Sheffield United F.C. season

Sheffield United
1914–15 season
Chairman Tom Bott
Manager None
(John Nicholson acted as club secretary)
Stadium Bramall Lane
Division One 6th
FA Cup Winners
Top goalscorer League: Kitchen (12)
All: Kitchen (16)
Home colours
← 1913–14 1915–16 →

The 1914-15 season was the 26th season in existence for Sheffield United, during which they played in Division One. At this time the club did not employ a manager, with the team being selected by the Football Committee although the club secretary, John Nicholson, undertook many of the duties now associated with a team manager. The club continued to establish itself as one of the top sides in the country, finishing sixth in the First Division and beating Chelsea 3-0 in the final to become winners of the FA Cup.

Contents

Season overview

After a solid end to the previous season there was an amount of optimism for what the club could achieve in the coming term. Reserve players Bob Barnshaw, Bert Pearson and Sam Bagnall were allowed to leave during the close season but it was thought that only a few good additions to the squad would turn the side into genuine contenders for the league title.

The football committee duly signed Harry Pantling and Jack Thompson but it was the signing of Wally Masterman for £800 from Gainsborough Trinity that proved their most astute purchase.

The season was played under the shadow of war from the European continent and attendances dwindled as the country moved onto a war footing. The team's pre-season optimism was dealt a massive blow in their first game when star player Billy Gillespie broke his leg and did not feature again that term.[1] This loss unsettled the team and they made a miserable start, winning only three games up until the start of December.

The loss of Gillespie had an unforeseen effect however, as it allowed other players to come into their own. Joe Kitchen was the main goal threat but David Davis and particularly Masterman began to score regularly.

The change in fortune came in December from when the team embarked on an impressive run of form, losing only once more until the start of April. During this time the club also had another successful run in the FA Cup. Beaten semi-finalists the season before, this time round they reached the final at Old Trafford where they beat Chelsea 3-0 to lift the cup for the third time.

Unfortunately the hoped for challenge for the championship never really materialised. Ironically the teams success in the cup would begin to have a detrimental effect on their league form as the resulting fixture pile up meant that they were required to play nine competitive games during April 1915, including the FA Cup Final, and results suffered accordingly. This, coupled with their poor start, saw the side eventually finish sixth in the table in what turned out to be the final season before the league and cup competitions were abandoned whilst the country was at war.

Players

Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
GK Ernest Blackwell
DF Bill Brelsford
DF Bill Cook
FW David Davies
DF Jack English
MF Robert Evans
FW Stan Fazackerley
FW Billy Gillespie
GK Harold Gough
DF Fred Hawley
FW Harry Hall
No. Position Player
GK Ted Hufton
FW Joe Kitchen
FW Wally Masterman
MF Harry Pantling
DF Tom Richardson
MF Jimmy Revill
MF Jimmy Simmons
MF Albert Sturgess
FW Jack Thompson
MF George Utley (captain)

Squad statistics

As of the end of the season[1]
No. Nat Pos Player Total Division One FA Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK Ernest Blackwell 0 0 0 0 0 0
DF Bill Brelsford 37 0 31 0 6 0
DF Bill Cook 44 0 37 0 7 0
FW David Davies 25 7 22 7 3 0
DF Jack English 34 0 28 0 6 0
MF Robert Evans 38 1 32 1 6 0
FW Stan Fazackerley 30 8 25 6 5 2
FW Billy Gillespie 1 0 1 0 0 0
GK Harold Gough 43 0 37 0 6 0
FW Harry Hall 0 0 0 0 0 0
DF Fred Hawley 25 1 23 1 2 0
GK Ted Hufton 2 0 1 0 1 0
FW Joe Kitchen 36 16 29 12 7 4
FW Wally Masterman 32 11 26 9 6 2
MF Harry Pantling 6 0 6 0 0 0
DF Tom Richardson 0 0 0 0 0 0
MF Jimmy Revill 11 0 10 0 1 0
FW Jimmy Simmons 44 11 37 9 7 2
MF Albert Sturgess 43 1 36 1 7 0
MF Jack Thompson 8 2 8 2 0 0
MF George Utley 44 2 37 1 7 1

Transfers

In

Squad # Position Player Transferred from Fee Date Source
FW Wally Masterman Gainsborough Trinity £800 01914-05-022 May 1914 [2]
MF Harry Pantling Watford £850 01914-05-033 May 1914 [3]
MF Jack Thompson Scunthorpe & Lindsey United Free 01914-07-088 July 1914 [4]

Out

Squad # Position Player Transferred to Fee Date Source
FW Bob Barnshaw Watford £50 01914-05-2020 May 1914 [5]
FW Sam Bagnall South Liverpool Free 01914-07-011 July 1914 [6]
MF Bert Pearson Port Vale Free 01914-07-011 July 1914 [7]

League table

As of as of the end of the season[1]
Pos Club Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
4 Burnley 38 18 7 13 61 47 +14 43
5 Manchester City 38 15 13 10 49 39 +10 43
6 Sheffield United 38 15 13 10 49 41 +8 43
7 Sheffield Wednesday 38 15 13 10 61 54 +7 43
8 Sunderland 38 18 5 15 81 72 +9 41

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

Matches

League

FA Cup

Friendlies

References

  1. ^ a b c Denis Clarebrough & Andrew Kirkham (1999). A Complete Record of Sheffield United Football Club 1889-1999. Sheffield United. pp. 121–122. ISBN 0-9508588-2-X. 
  2. ^ Denis Clarebrough & Andrew Kirkham (2008). Sheffield United Who's Who. Hallamshire Press. pp. 223. ISBN 978-1-874718-69-7. 
  3. ^ Denis Clarebrough & Andrew Kirkham (2008). Sheffield United Who's Who. Hallamshire Press. pp. 249. ISBN 978-1-874718-69-7. 
  4. ^ Denis Clarebrough & Andrew Kirkham (2008). Sheffield United Who's Who. Hallamshire Press. pp. 315. ISBN 978-1-874718-69-7. 
  5. ^ Denis Clarebrough & Andrew Kirkham (2008). Sheffield United Who's Who. Hallamshire Press. pp. 43. ISBN 978-1-874718-69-7. 
  6. ^ Denis Clarebrough & Andrew Kirkham (2008). Sheffield United Who's Who. Hallamshire Press. pp. 38. ISBN 978-1-874718-69-7. 
  7. ^ Denis Clarebrough & Andrew Kirkham (2008). Sheffield United Who's Who. Hallamshire Press. pp. 253. ISBN 978-1-874718-69-7. 
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