|
|
|
|
Rushden Town Football Club
1930s - 1950s
|
 |
|
Rushden Town Football Club Badge Courtesy of Rushden Museum
|
|
In 1934-5 they were the first winners of the United Counties League, winners of the
Northants Senior Cup, and champions of the Wellingborough and District League
|
 |
|
Rushden Town Reserves 1935-36 (South Midlands League)
Back row: G Roper (trainer), M Keech, I Forster, F Spencer, G Dowsett, A Horne, S Pruden, G F Frost, A York, C Salisbury, E Green (in charge of team), H Turnock
Front row: R Peacock, A Berrill, D Mantle.
|
|
The picture below came to us in 2012 with a full caption on the back!
|
 |
May 1935
Back: Downing, Hobbick, Minney, Driver, Spencer, Pruden (capt), Lack, Roper (trainer), Dowsett, King
Middle row: Robinson, Turnock, Paternal, Church, Salisbury, Pettit, Markham, Robinson, Wallington,
Mr Freeman (sec), Mr Sinfield (chairman).
Front: Bates, Eyre, Waite, Inwood, Hillyard (capt), Hindmarsh, Bland, Jolley, York
1934/35 Season with the cups at front
(left-right) Wellingboro’ League UCL Knock-out and United Counties League NFA Senior Cup
|
 |
This picture by A J George is captioned "Disputed Goal" but we don't know the team or year
Note Fairy Bros have an advert on the stand - so before 1959!
|
 |
|
Unknown Team in the snow
The goalie is Geoff Andrews,
|
 |
|
1935
Back row l-r: E Bates (trainer), F Patenall, G F Harrison, B Inwood, A Wallington,
B Markham, R Bland, C Freeman (sec).
Front: F Waite, J Hindmarsh, M Eyre, G Hillyard, M Pettitt.
|
 |
|
1934/35 Committee
Back row l-r: C Allen, G W Gardham, S Howitt, F Chettle, W Ambridge.
Middle row: - Tear, E Hodgkins, - Bird, E Dicken, R Knight, - Clayton.
Front: H Ingram, H Chettle, E W Penn, H Sinfield, C Freeman, E Green.
|
 |
RushdenTown Team pre 1939
Back row: (l-r) ‘Fatty’ Bates (trainer), Fred Patenall, Bert Markham, Albert Wallington (goal), Johnnie Hindmarsh, Bert Inwood, Reg Bland (Irthlingborough)
Front row: ‘Drip’ Waite, Fanny Hillyard (Capt W’boro), Mick Eyre (N’pton), ‘Spang’ Bryant, Ron Peacock
|
|
Photo courtesy of Denis Maddams - who tells us he was
'Chocolate Boy' 1933/4 and he got 1d in the 1/- commission!
|
|
Rushden Echo and Argus, 26th March 1948, transcribed by Kay Collins
He is Now Satisfied
Mr. C. J. Barrick, who will take control of the F.A. Cup Final, told a Rushden friend twenty years ago: "I shan't be satisfied until I have refereed at a Cup Final."
Mr. Barrick played for Rushden about 24 years ago, and four years after he left the town, Mr. Herbert Brown, of Park Avenue, Rushden, saw him playing cricket at Dallington. Said Mr. Barrick: "I have started refereeing. I'm taking it up seriously and I shan't be satisfied until I have refereed at a Cup Final."
|
Rushden Echo and Argus, 3rd October 1948, transcribed by Kay Collins
One of the palmy periods in Rushden football history is recalled by the death of Mr. Thomas Litchfield (69), who for the last few months had resided at 106, Newton-road, Rushden. “Tommy” Litchfield was born in London and came to Rushden at the age of 17, afterwards playing for Rushden Town F.C. both as amateur and professional. He was an excellent centre-forward but could play efficiently in any of the forward positions. It is declared that he maintained his general cheerfulness in all circumstances, a quality by which he became known as the “Mark Tapley” of the team.
Mr. Lichfield also played for the County XI in company with Hugh Lewis, G. H. Claridge and other Rushden men. click here for the full obituary
|
|
| Rushden Echo & Argus, 29th July 1949 |
 |
Rushden Town Footballers found P.T. warm work on Tuesday—their first night of training. Arthur Shatford took pity on them after a time, and said “O.K. boys, relax.”
Left to right : back row: Arthur Shatford, S Toms, W Burgess, G Sail, E Brice, G Stapleton,
W Rochester, J Windsor, H Childs
Front row: S Daniels, V Maddams, D Mantle, D Gell and L Pendered
|
The Pro's, of Rushden - Russians' Bold Bid for League Championship undated newsclip
|
Rushden Town's part in the Northants League campaign and other local competitions promises to be a prominent one, and in a year when the class of football demanded of Northants League clubs is higher than ever, the Rushden team has good reason for confidence. No longer bound down to amateurism, the club has reinforced almost every department, and the reconstructed forward line, in particular, is the town's pride and joy. The team includes a blend of Division III, inter-county, and Scottish types. Our picture is of the team that twice did duty against the "Wolves." Happily there are other fine players in reserve who can replace any casualty in the ranks.
|
|
|
 |
|
Standing: Lines (trainer), Coles (right half), Frost (right back), Vaughan goalkeeper), Westley (centre half), Hancock (left back), Cox (left half), C Freeman (secretary),
and J Lilley (team manager).
Sitting: Wright, Burnaud (captain), Carter, Orr and Chambers (forwards)
|
 |
|
Signing Ted Duckhouse in the early 1950s
Left to right: Bob Broton, Ken Ambridge, Ted Duckhouse, Fred Robinson (chairman), Frank Langley, Vic Walker (committee member), ?.
|
 |
|
1952
|
 |
Runners up UCL Division 1 1955-56
Back Row: Laxton, Stanway, Holmes, Summers, DeBanke,Mabelson.
Front Row: Solowiew, Gibbs, Henley, Duckhouse, England.
|
| An unidentified newsclip |
 |
c1958 - Rushden lost to Kettering Reserves - County Senior Cup
Back row: (l-r) L Pipes (trainer), A Solowiew, L Stanway, Draper, P Cowper,
P Freeman, L Mattock and E Patching
Front row: D Roberts, G Sail, J Summers, C Gill and R Clarke
|
Evening Telegraph newsclip, c2003
Team of 1959 back together—FOR the first time in 45 years members of a winning cup team met to recount their successful season. The football boots have long since been packed away but the memories of the 1959 RushdenTown FC players live on. It was the idea of Roy Cave, who played inside right, to get the team together to re-live winning the Central Alliance Cup.
Mr Cave, 66, said: "There were two divisions, north and south, and about 25 clubs in each division. We got through to the final and played Heanor Town in Derbyshire, and beat them 2-0 with captain Don Adams, who is no longer with us, scoring both goals."
The reunion was held at Rushden Bowls Club and the seven players, plus two team members who had played in the build-up games, recounted the glory days over a buffet.
Mr Cave, the youngest player in the team, said: "The final was played in Corby under floodlights. I believe they were the first team in the county to have spotlights and it was the first time either team had played under them."
Mr Cave said the other outstanding statistic of that season was RushdenTown never lost a home game - a feat he believes has never been repeated.
With most of the remaining team living locally, the furthest distance travelled was by Eric Long - from Yarmouth. There are plans to hold another reunion next year but after that time alone will tell.
|
|
1959 Central Alliance Cup winners against Heanor Town
|
 |
|
Back (l-r): Norman Gibbs, Eric Long, Bill Goss, John Draper,
Pete DeBanke, Roy Desborough and trainer Lenny Pipes.
Front: David Roberts, Roy Cave, Harry Lawrence, captain Don Adams and Dennis Holmes
|
|
and some of the team in 2003
|
 |
|
Back: John Draper, Eric Long, Pop Emerton, Pete Cowper, Roy Desborough
Front: Len Stanway, Roy Cave, David Roberts, Dennis Holmes
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
