Exiled In Newcastle
Established Member
Never finished this, but...
One hundred years ago today Woolwich Arsenal Football Club became the first club south of Birmingham to lead the League Championship after a 2-1 home victory over reigning champions Liverpool. Watched by a crowd of 30,000 Neave scored twice as we continued our impressive start to the season (11 points from 14). Although a dodgy end of October and November (how things change!) put paid to our Championship chances it was another sign that Woolwich Arsenal were more than just ‘Southern Upstarts’, as it was in between two appearances in the FA Cup semi-finals.
There is little doubt that we were lucky in having our first great manager at the helm, and Phil Kelso had already vastly changed the playing set-up of the club, as well as taking the club on it’s first ever trip abroad in the summer of 1906. A whistle stop 15 day tour (which must have been made even more arduous by the transport options of the time) consisted of 8 games in 6 different countries and resulted in 7 wins and a draw. More importantly it gave the team a chance to experience wildly differing styles of play and was widely thought to have helped our start to the season.
Something else had happened that year. Possibly the most important figure in the history of The Arsenal, George Allison, made his first visit to Plumstead to watch us play.
One hundred years ago today Woolwich Arsenal Football Club became the first club south of Birmingham to lead the League Championship after a 2-1 home victory over reigning champions Liverpool. Watched by a crowd of 30,000 Neave scored twice as we continued our impressive start to the season (11 points from 14). Although a dodgy end of October and November (how things change!) put paid to our Championship chances it was another sign that Woolwich Arsenal were more than just ‘Southern Upstarts’, as it was in between two appearances in the FA Cup semi-finals.
There is little doubt that we were lucky in having our first great manager at the helm, and Phil Kelso had already vastly changed the playing set-up of the club, as well as taking the club on it’s first ever trip abroad in the summer of 1906. A whistle stop 15 day tour (which must have been made even more arduous by the transport options of the time) consisted of 8 games in 6 different countries and resulted in 7 wins and a draw. More importantly it gave the team a chance to experience wildly differing styles of play and was widely thought to have helped our start to the season.
Something else had happened that year. Possibly the most important figure in the history of The Arsenal, George Allison, made his first visit to Plumstead to watch us play.