Reminiscences of Rotherham
by G. Gummer, J.P.
« « prevfor their trouble the satisfaction of knowing they had secured a full back named Halliday, and a centre-half named McKie, both players of exceptional merit.
'COCK' RODGERS FEAT
It is not generally known that Albert Rodgers was the first player to score from a penalty after the rule came into force. There were few to equal him in his position of centre-half. His shots at goal were low and straight, and were sent with a force behind them that made it difficult for a goalkeeper to resist.I became chairman of the club in 1887, when the public were beginning to take an interest in their doings. Crowds flocked to the matches, and an enthusiasm unknown before became manifest.
SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF
The club won the Sheffield Challenge Cup two years in succession, defeating in the process Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United. Joining the Midland League they won the championship in 1891 and again in 1892. I recall with pride the visit of the famous Preston North End team, then in the zenith of their fame, and their defeat by the local team; the struggles that took place with our keenest rivals, Staveley Town, the return from Sheffield with the Challenge Cup, a scene of wild excitement, and the streets packed with cheering crowds, everybody joining in the welcome of the players, who were paraded through the town in a wagonette with the captain in front carrying the trophy, and the hoisting of the Midland League championship flag at the Clifton Grove ground, on two successive occasions. Such occasions were some compensation for the many anxious and costly years spent in furthering the interests of a game that contributes so largely to physical health and general enjoyment. Life to-day is lived so often at fever heat, it is so swift and restless, and the mental wear and tear so enormous, that we need all the rigour and healthy animalism that can be drawn from sport and play, to keep fit for the daily struggle. What follower of the game in those days will ever forget this team composed entirely of local lads, namely, 'Touch ‘em' Hall, Fred Turner. H. Taft 'Tal' Sherwood. 'Cock' Rodgers, 'Daddy' Damms, 'Jackie’ Damms, ‘ Johnnie' McCormick, G. 'Duke' Medley, 'Billy' Gummer, 'Micky' Bennett, Billy Thomas, and Walt. Musson (captain), or 'Jerry' Steer, the trainer, or Arthur Wharton, the dusky goalkeeper, whose first appearance for the Town team was made whilst he was training for a Sheffield handicap and accompanied by his trainers who never let him out of their sight.MISFORTUNE
Eventually financial embarrassment over took the club. The gates rarely exeeeded forty pounds and it was only with the help of such friends as Johnnie Walker, Geo. Wright, Geo. Noble. and R. J. Brown, that sufficient money was provided to keep the club on its feet. We had fought our way into the Football League and our expenses grew rapidly.The formation of a limited company became imperative, the financial responsibility being too great for a few to carry.
Bad trade and the unfortunate coal strike of 1893, coupled with bad weather, and an unfortunate accident at Small Heath, in which AIf. Pickering, our best forward (who probably would have won his cap ), had his leg broken, and the loss by death of one of onr chief supporters, Mr J. Walker, made the struggle to keep going impossible and the company went into liquidation.
Compared with the expenses of to-day, ours were very light as the following particulars of one season show:
EXPENSES
Wages ................................. £442 0s 1d
Railway fares ........................ £ 68 3s 11d
Guarantees’ to visiting teams ..£179 4s 1d
Rent and Rates ..................... £ 14 16s 6d
Ground expenses and Stand .. £173 3s
Printing ................................ £ 58 18s 0d
Football Requisites ............... £ 19 6s .1d
Entrance to League ............... £ 10 14s 6d
Other items .......................... £ 95 12s 3d
£1062 4s 8d
INCOME.
Gate receipts .......................£857 7s 9d
Balance being loss................ £204 16s 11d
£1062 4s 8d