Sheffield United
1914–15 season
The FA Cup winners
ChairmanTom Bott
ManagerNone
(John Nicholson acted as club secretary)
StadiumBramall Lane
Division One6th
FA CupWinners
Top goalscorerLeague: Kitchen (12)
All: Kitchen (16)
Highest home attendance32,000
(vs Blackburn Rovers)
Lowest home attendance5,000
(vs Burnley)
Average home league attendance14,947

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

Squad statistics

As of the end of the season[1]
No. Pos Nat Player TotalDivision OneFA Cup
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
GK England ENG Ernest Blackwell 000000
DF England ENG Bill Brelsford 37031060
DF England ENG Bill Cook 44037070
FW Wales WAL David Davies 25722730
DF England ENG Jack English 34028060
MF England ENG Robert Evans 38132160
FW England ENG Stan Fazackerley 30825652
FW Ireland EIR Billy Gillespie 101000
GK England ENG Harold Gough 43037060
FW England ENG Harry Hall 000000
DF England ENG Fred Hawley 25123120
GK England ENG Ted Hufton 201010
FW England ENG Joe Kitchen 3616291274
FW England ENG Wally Masterman 321126962
MF England ENG Harry Pantling 606000
DF England ENG Tom Richardson 000000
MF England ENG Jimmy Revill 11010010
FW England ENG Jimmy Simmons 441137972
MF England ENG Albert Sturgess 43136170
MF England ENG Jack Thompson 828200
MF England ENG George Utley 44237171

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

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
4 Burnley 38 18 7 13 61 47 1.298 43
5 Manchester City 38 15 13 10 49 39 1.256 43
6 Sheffield United 38 15 13 10 49 41 1.195 43
7 The Wednesday 38 15 13 10 61 54 1.130 43
8 Sunderland 38 18 5 15 81 72 1.125 41
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored

Matches

League

2 September 1914 Sunderland 3–2 Sheffield United Roker Park
15:00 Simmons  '
David Davies  '		 Attendance: 12,200
5 September 1914 Sheffield United 0–2 The Wednesday Bramall Lane
15:00 Attendance: 27,500
12 September 1914 West Bromwich Albion 1–1 Sheffield United The Hawthorns
15:00 Fazackerley  ' Attendance: 6,481
19 September 1914 Sheffield United 1–0 Everton Bramall Lane
15:00 David Davies  ' Attendance: 18,000
26 September 1914 Chelsea 1–1 Sheffield United Stamford Bridge
15:00 David Davies  ' Attendance: 18,000
3 October 1914 Sheffield United 1–1 Bradford City Bramall Lane
15:00 Fazackerley  ' Attendance: 20,000
10 October 1914 Burnley 1–2 Sheffield United Turf Moor
15:00 Fazackerley  '
Kitchen  '		 Attendance: 18,000
17 October 1914 Sheffield United 1–1 Tottenham Hotspur Bramall Lane
15:00 Thompson  ' Attendance: 20,000
24 October 1914 Newcastle United 4–3 Sheffield United St James' Park
15:00 Simmons  '
Sturgess  '  '
Thompson  '		 Attendance: 27,500
31 October 1914 Sheffield United 0–1 Middlesbrough Bramall Lane
15:00 Attendance: 11,000
7 November 1914 Manchester City 0–0 Sheffield United Hyde Road
15:00 Attendance: 25,500
14 November 1914 Aston Villa 1–0 Sheffield United Villa Park
15:00 Attendance: 14,000
21 November 1914 Sheffield United 2–1 Liverpool Bramall Lane
15:00 Simmons  ',  ' Attendance: 11,500
28 November 1914 Bradford Park Avenue 2–0 Sheffield United Park Avenue
15:00 Attendance: 8,000
5 December 1914 Sheffield United 3–0 Oldham Athletic Bramall Lane
15:00 Simmons  '
Masterman  '
David Davies  '		 Attendance: 8,500
12 December 1914 Manchester United 1–2 Sheffield United Old Trafford
15:00 Simmons  ' (pen.)
Masterman  '		 Attendance: 7,500
19 December 1914 Sheffield United 3–1 Bolton Wanderers Bramall Lane
15:00 Simmons  '
Kitchen  '
Masterman  '		 Attendance: 5,500
26 December 1914 Sheffield United 1–2 Blackburn Rovers Bramall Lane
15:00 Masterman  ' Attendance: 32,000
28 December 1914 Sheffield United 1–0 Notts County Bramall Lane
15:00 Simmons  ' Attendance: 15,000
1 January 1915 Blackburn Rovers 1–2 Sheffield United Ewood Park
15:00 Hawley  '
Kitchen  '		 Attendance: 10,000
2 January 1915 The Wednesday 1–1 Sheffield United Hillsborough Stadium
15:00 Davies  ' Attendance: 31,500
16 January 1915 Sheffield United 2–0 West Bromwich Albion Bramall Lane
15:00 David Davies  ',  ' Attendance: 14,500
23 January 1915 Everton 0–0 Sheffield United Goodison Park
15:00 Attendance: 18,000
6 February 1915 Bradford City 1–1 Sheffield United Valley Parade
15:00 Masterman  ' Attendance: 18,000
13 February 1915 Sheffield United 1–0 Burnley Bramall Lane
15:00 Kitchen  ' Attendance: 5,000
27 February 1915 Sheffield United 1–0 Newcastle United Bramall Lane
15:00 Kitchen  ' Attendance: 17,500
8 March 1915 Sheffield United 1–0 Chelsea Bramall Lane
15:00 Fazackerley  ' Attendance: 5,750
17 March 1915 Middlesbrough 2–2 Sheffield United Ayresome Park
15:00 Masterman  '
Kitchen  '		 Attendance: 5,000
20 March 1915 Sheffield United 3–0 Aston Villa Bramall Lane
15:00 Masterman  '
Kitchen  ',  '		 Attendance: 16,750
29 March 1915 Sheffield United 0–0 Manchester City Bramall Lane
15:00 Attendance: 10,000
2 April 1915 Notts County 3–1 Sheffield United Meadow Lane
15:00 Kitchen  ' Attendance: 9,300
3 April 1915 Sheffield United 3–2 Bradford Park Avenue Bramall Lane
15:00 Simmons  '
Kitchen  '
Masterman  '		 Attendance: 10,500
5 April 1915 Sheffield United 1–1 Sunderland Bramall Lane
15:00 Fazackerley  ' Attendance: 21,000
10 April 1915 Oldham Athletic 3–0 Sheffield United Boundary Park
15:00 Attendance: 10,354
12 April 1915 Liverpool 2–1 Sheffield United Anfield
15:00 Kitchen  ' Attendance: 4,000
17 April 1915 Sheffield United 3–1 Manchester United Bramall Lane
15:00 Utley  '
Evans  '
Masterman  '		 Attendance: 14,000
19 April 1915 Tottenham Hotspur 1–1 Sheffield United White Hart Lane
15:00 Fazackerley  ' Attendance: 7,750
26 April 1915 Bolton Wanderers 0–1 Sheffield United Burnden Park
15:00 Kitchen  ' Attendance: 13,500

FA Cup

23 January 1915 Round 1 Blackpool 1–2 Sheffield United Bloomfield Road
15:00 Masterman ?', ?' Attendance: 9,462
30 January 1915 Round 2 Sheffield United 1–0 Liverpool Bramall Lane
15:00 Kitchen ?' Attendance: 26,754
20 February 1915 Round 3 Sheffield United 1–0
(a.e.t.)		 Bradford Park Avenue Bramall Lane
15:00 Crozier ?' (o.g.) Attendance: 30,032
6 March 1915 Round 4 Oldham Athletic 0–0
(a.e.t.)		 Sheffield United Boundary Park
15:00 Attendance: 18,419
13 March 1915 Round 4r Sheffield United 3–0 Oldham Athletic Bramall Lane
15:00 Kitchen ?', ?'
Fazackerley ?'		 Attendance: 43,157
13 March 1915 Semi Final Sheffield United 2–1 Bolton Wanderers Ewood Park
15:00 Simmons ?'
Utley ?'		 Attendance: 22,404
24 April 1915 Final Sheffield United 3–0 Chelsea Old Trafford
15:00 Simmons ?'
Fazackerley ?'
Kitchen ?'		 Attendance: 49,557

Friendlies

5 October 1914 The Wednesday 2–0 Sheffield United Hillsborough Stadium
Attendance: 5,500

References

  1. 1 2 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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