1928–29 Nelson F.C. season

Nelson
1928–29 season
Manager Jack English
Football League Third Division North 15th
Top goalscorer League: Bernard Radford (24)
All: Bernard Radford (24)
Highest home attendance 14,979 (vs Bradford City, 27 April 1929)
Lowest home attendance 2,749 (vs Stockport County, 22 January 1929)
Average home league attendance 4,944
Home colours

During the 1928–29 season, Nelson Football Club played as a professional team in the Football League for the eighth time. After playing without a team manager during the previous season, Jack English was appointed to the post in the summer of 1928 following the club's successful re-election application. A record of 17 wins, 5 draws and 20 defeats, giving a total of 39 points, helped Nelson to a 15th-placed finish in the Third Division North, above Rotherham United on goal average. The team was inconsistent throughout the season, as they had been in the previous campaign, although significant improvements in the defense meant that 46 fewer goals were conceded. Nelson's attack was also improved, and the team scored at least once in 36 of their 42 league matches.

Nelson did not compete in the 1928–29 FA Cup, as they did not submit their application by the deadline. The club used a total of 26 different players during the season, but only six of these had been retained from the previous campaign. Yorkshire-born forward Bernard Radford was the top goalscorer for the second consecutive season, with a tally of 24 in 35 matches. With 11 goals, Gerry Kelly, a new signing from Sunderland, was the only other player to reach double figures. Half-back Jim Metcalfe made the most appearances for Nelson, missing only the final game of the season, the 4–4 draw away at Accrington Stanley. The highest attendance at Nelson's Seedhill ground was a record 14,979 for the visit of Bradford City on 27 April 1929, which stood until the stadium was demolished in 1980. Conversely, the lowest gate of the season was 2,749 for the victory against Stockport County on 22 January 1929.

Football League Third Division North

Key

Match results

Date Opponents Result Goalscorers Attendance
25 August 1928 Hartlepools United (A) 2–2 Radford, Ridley 5,524
1 September 1928 Darlington (H) 2–1 Sharp, Wilkinson 7,337
8 September 1928 Southport (A) 1–5 Kelly 4,188
12 September 1928 South Shields (H) 1–0 Kelly 5,843
15 September 1928 Rochdale (H) 3–0 Radford, Wilkinson, Wilson 6,715
22 September 1928 New Brighton (A) 1–0 Radford 4,882
25 September 1928 Lincoln City (H) 3–4 Radford (2), Wilkinson 4,970
29 September 1928 Wrexham (H) 1–3 Ridley 6,280
2 October 1928 Doncaster Rovers (H) 2–4 Radford, Suttie 3,297
6 October 1928 Chesterfield (A) 2–3 Kelly (2) 5,247
13 October 1928 Barrow (H) 3–4 Radford (2), Wilson 4,616
20 October 1928 Carlisle United (A) 0–4 2,321
27 October 1928 Rotherham United (H) 4–2 Buchanan, Kelly, Radford, Wilkinson 3,795
3 November 1928 Wigan Borough (A) 0–1 6,928
10 November 1928 Crewe Alexandra (H) 4–1 Radford (2), Ridley, Wilson 7,445
17 November 1928 Tranmere Rovers (A) 1–6 Radford 4,393
1 December 1928 Halifax Town (A) 2–1 Halliwell, Suttie 5,988
8 December 1928 Ashington (H) 5–0 Kelly (2), Radford (2), Wilkinson 2,915
15 December 1928 Bradford City (A) 2–0 Buchanan, Halliwell 13,236
22 December 1928 Accrington Stanley (H) 0–2 4,791
26 December 1928 Doncaster Rovers (A) 2–2 Halliwell, Kelly 7,369
28 December 1928 Hartlepools United (H) 1–0 Halliwell 3,507
1 January 1929 Ashington (A) 2–3 Radford, Ridley 1,344
5 January 1929 Darlington (A) 2–3 Radford (2) 3,273
19 January 1929 Southport (H) 1–1 Carmedy 3,035
22 January 1929 Stockport County (H) 4–1 Kelly, Morton (2), Ridley 2,749
26 January 1929 Rochdale (A) 1–2 Halliwell 4,902
2 February 1929 New Brighton (H) 3–0 Buchanan, Kelly (2) 3,168
9 February 1929 Wrexham (A) 1–3 Halliwell 5,534
16 February 1929 Chesterfield (H) 1–0 Radford 2,943
23 February 1929 Barrow (A) 2–7 Radford (2) 5,368
2 March 1929 Carlisle United (H) 1–0 Ridley 4,107
9 March 1929 Rotherham United (A) 0–4 3,939
16 March 1929 Wigan Borough (H) 2–1 Radford (2) 3,903
23 March 1929 Crewe Alexandra (A) 1–1 Halliwell 2,976
30 March 1929 Tranmere Rovers (H) 4–2 Buchanan, Radford (2), Wilson 4,245
1 April 1929 South Shields (A) 2–3 Buchanan, Halliwell 4,334
6 April 1929 Stockport County (A) 0–3 7,916
13 April 1929 Halifax Town (H) 3–1 Carmedy, Fletcher, Morton 3,182
20 April 1929 Lincoln City (A) 1–5 Carmedy 4,036
27 April 1929 Bradford City (H) 0–1 14,979
4 May 1929 Accrington Stanley (A) 4–4 Buchanan, Halliwell, Ridley, Wilson 2,671

Final league position

Pos Team Games played Won Drawn Lost Goals for Goals against Points
15 Nelson 42 17 5 20 77 90 39

Player statistics

Key to positions

Statistics
Nat. Position Player Third Division North
Apps Goals
England FB Jack Brooks 60
Scotland IF Jim Buchanan 326
England OF Tom Carmedy 83
England HB John Dodsworth 20
England FB Billy Donkin 80
England GK Des Fawcett 230
England FB Ted Ferguson 360
England OF Jack Fletcher 71
Scotland HB Felix Gillan 110
England IF Joe Halliwell 329
England HB Arthur Hepworth 60
England FB Alec Hooper 90
England FB Harry Hooper 130
England OF Gerry Kelly 3811
Scotland IF Patrick McDonagh 50
England HB Jim Metcalfe 410
England CF William Morton 83
England CF Bernard Radford 3524
England OF Harry Ridley 317
England FB Clem Rigg 110
Scotland IF Buchanan Sharp 81
Scotland HB David Suttie 282
England HB Harry Tordoff 10
England GK Sam Warhurst 190
England IF Tom Wilkinson 175
England HB George Wilson 275

See also

References