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)
Highest home attendance 32,000
(vs Blackburn Rovers)
Lowest home attendance 5,000
(vs Burnley)
Average home league attendance 14,947
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.

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 defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

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

Squad statistics

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

Transfers

In

Position Player Transferred from Fee Date Source
FW England Wally Masterman England Gainsborough Trinity £800 2 May 1914 [2]
MF England Harry Pantling England Watford £850 3 May 1914 [3]
MF England Jack Thompson England Scunthorpe & Lindsey United Free 8 July 1914 [4]

Out

Position Player Transferred to Fee Date Source
FW England Bob Barnshaw England Watford £50 20 May 1914 [5]
FW England Sam Bagnall England South Liverpool Free 1 July 1914 [6]
MF England Bert Pearson England Port Vale Free 1 July 1914 [7]

League table

As of the end of the season[1]
Pos Club Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
4Burnley 38187136147+1443
5Manchester City 381513104939+1043
6Sheffield United 381513104941+843
7The Wednesday 381513106154+743
8Sunderland 38185158172+941

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. 1 2 3 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. p. 223. ISBN 978-1-874718-69-7.
  3. ↑ Denis Clarebrough & Andrew Kirkham (2008). Sheffield United Who's Who. Hallamshire Press. p. 249. ISBN 978-1-874718-69-7.
  4. ↑ Denis Clarebrough & Andrew Kirkham (2008). Sheffield United Who's Who. Hallamshire Press. p. 315. ISBN 978-1-874718-69-7.
  5. ↑ Denis Clarebrough & Andrew Kirkham (2008). Sheffield United Who's Who. Hallamshire Press. p. 43. ISBN 978-1-874718-69-7.
  6. ↑ Denis Clarebrough & Andrew Kirkham (2008). Sheffield United Who's Who. Hallamshire Press. p. 38. ISBN 978-1-874718-69-7.
  7. ↑ Denis Clarebrough & Andrew Kirkham (2008). Sheffield United Who's Who. Hallamshire Press. p. 253. ISBN 978-1-874718-69-7.
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