|
|
|
The 1908-09 season had seen City survive in the First Division – just! Level on points with Manchester City, their goals record of 47 for, 47 against, produced a marginally better goal average than the Manchester club’s 67 for, 69 against. Consequently, the Mancunians were relegated.
1909-10
Jimmy proudly displays the claret and amber of Bradford City (click on thumbnails right, to enlarge)
Answer below........
(1) Jimmy "on duty"; (2) Start of article (foot of first column); (3) Article continues (top of second column) - click on each to read The above article, from an unknown publication, describes Bradford City as having more "humorists in its ranks than any other team in the country". Jimmy ("one of a noble quartette") has an "abundant store of humour". The story talks of Jimmy spotting Bradford Corporation employees at work close to Valley Parade and the "exchange" which ensues. Perhaps Jimmy was not as "quiet" as first thought! Association Football Players' Union On 2 December 1907, the inaugural meeting of the "Association of Football Players' and Trainers' Union" was held at the Imperial Hotel in Manchester. One concern of the players was the fact that a maximum wage of £4 per week had been imposed since 1901, and whilst this was approximately double the average working man's weekly income, players had a very "uncertain career", said Billy Meredith, who chaired that first meeting. In addition the "retain and transfer" system meant that players were still tied to a Club, even after their contract had expired - and they could not play for another team without their previous Club's consent. Initially the Football Association and Football League did not oppose the new Union but when the latter challenged the wage and transfer issues in 1909 (and threatened to join the Federation of Trades Union, later the Trades Union Congress) recognition was withdrawn. A threatened strike by the players was averted in exchange for recognition of the Union and the allowing of bonus payments. One hundred years later, the Union is now the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) and players' rights (and income) have improved somewhat. Jimmy Speirs was a member of what the Press called "The Players' Union" and his membership book is still in the possession of his family.
Above - Jimmy's Union membership book - note the Entrance Fee - "Five shillings at the time of entry, contributions to be at the rate of sixpence per week during the playing season". (Click on images to enlarge)
Portrait of Jimmy - one of a set of the City team, produced as postcards, around 1911 (click on thumbnail to enlarge) 1910-11
Left - Jimmy Speirs (centre of group) and the 1910-11 team pictured in front of the Midland Road stand at Valley Parade (click on thumbnail to enlarge)Left - Jimmy Speirs (centre of group) and the 1910-11 team pictured in front of the Midland Road stand at Valley Parade (click on thumbnail to enlarge)Jimmy Speirs scored 7 goals in his 25 League appearances and helped City to finish 5th, just seven points behind Champions Manchester United – their highest-ever finish in the Football League. However, even this was overshadowed by Bradford City’s exploits in the English (FA) Cup that season.
Above - Jimmy (fourth from the left, back row) and the Bradford City squad pictured in front of the Spion Kop terrace at Valley Parade After disposing of New Brompton (later Gillingham) and
Norwich City of the Southern
A series of telegrams received by Jimmy prior to the Semi-Final at Bramall Lane. Note that third from the left - from the Bradford Caledonian Society (not surprising in view of the number of Scots in City's team), and that second from the right - from Ernest Hoyle, Secretary of Bradford (Park Avenue) FC, City's local rivals.
Four successive single-goal victories had taken Bradford City to a semi-final against Blackburn Rovers, at Bramall Lane, Sheffield. Rovers were not the force they had been a few years previously, and were only mid-table in Division One – although they became League Champions a year later. Still, they were favourites for the tie, but were soundly beaten by City by three goals to nil. As the referee blew the final whistle, the Press reported that Jimmy Speirs and several other City players were involved in a wild scramble for the match ball, which had been grabbed by a linesman. This did not go down well with the Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary of the Football Association who were all present but, it was reported, "…it is difficult to believe that the City Captain (Speirs) could have done anything which was not excusable in the exceptional circumstances". Nevertheless, Jimmy Speirs, Frank Thompson and George Robinson were subsequently censured by the Football Association for their part in the proceedings! Players, officials and guests gathered at the Grand Hotel, Sheffield after the game and Jimmy Speirs, as Captain, proposed a toast on behalf of the players. City's opponents in the Final would be Newcastle United and in the week before the game at the Crystal Palace it appears that Jimmy wrote to the opposing Captain, Colin Veitch. Whilst the full content of Jimmy's letter is not known, it seems that he made something of an impression on Veitch, judging by the latter's reply (see below).
Colin Veitch's letter to Jimmy, 19 April 1911 (click to read) Evidently, Jimmy had "...expressed in sound terms the true spirit of comradeship, and the proper sentiments one would expect to see associated with the sportsman, and the sport".
Telegrams received by Jimmy prior to the game at the Crystal Palace (click to read) - further information gratefully received! Please email editor@jimmy-speirs.co.uk if you can help.
The team which played at the Crystal Palace (click to enlarge) The Final took place at the Crystal Palace on 22 April 1911, and again City went into the game as underdogs, against the Cup holders, Newcastle United. In the build up to the game, the press analysed the strengths of each team and described the 25-years old Jimmy Speirs as:-
By all accounts the Final was a disappointing affair, the defences took the honours and the game ended goalless.
(Above) Scenes at the Crystal Palace, including Jimmy tossing for ends with the Newcastle United Captain, Colin Veitch, before the kick-off, supervised by the referee, Mr J H Pearson (Crewe). In the photograph to the extreme right, Jimmy can be seen in the centre of picture, behind the Bradford City player heading the ball (click on thumbnails to enlarge) In the evening, Sir William Priestley MP hosted the Bradford City party to Dinner at the Trocadero Restaurant, Piccadilly Circus.
Jimmy's Place and Menu cards from the Dinner at the Trocadero Restaurant (click to enlarge) Four days later, on Wednesday 26 April 1911, the replay took
place at Old Trafford, Manchester before an attendance of 66,646, with an Cigarette Card from a 1930 Cup Winners series (click on thumbnail to view)
Jimmy (partially obscured by the goalpost) heads the winning goal at Old Trafford Jimmy (one of eight Scots in the side) led the team up the stairs of the Old Trafford stand and received the new trophy – which was to serve until 1991 – from Mr C Crump, Vice-President of the Football Association. The new trophy had been produced by the Bradford-based firm of Fattorini & Sons, so it was appropriate that the first winners should be Bradford City.
Above - The team which won the Replay - left to right, Mark Mellors, Robert Campbell, David Taylor, George Robinson, Robert Torrance, Jimmy McDonald, Peter Logan, Jimmy Speirs, Frank O'Rourke, Archie Devine and Frank Thompson. Most of these postcards are from a set which was then used in one celebratory postcard (below) - click on thumbnails to enlarge
Upon being presented with the Cup, Jimmy Speirs is reported to have given a brief speech in which he remarked that the team had gained their great ambition in winning. It would do a lot for football in Yorkshire, and he was sure that Newcastle, who had already been successful, would not grudge the victory. It was the ambition of every footballer to appear in the Final for the English Cup, he said, and he was very pleased indeed that his side succeeded. In conclusion, he called for three cheers for Newcastle United.
Jimmy's FA Cup Winners Medal 1911 (click on thumbnails to enlarge) The team, and Jimmy in particular, were front page news - literally. "Glorious 1911", and Jimmy Speirs’ part in it, thereby entered the annals of Bradford City FC.
Front page of the Daily Mirror, Friday 28 April 1911 (click on thumbnail to enlarge)
Telegrams relating to the Replay - (1) Jimmy's brother, Bob; (2) Lord Mayor of Bradford; (3) "Thomas Peden, Glasgow" - ?; (4) "Hill, Biella" - ? There were joyous scenes in Bradford
when the team returned after the victory, to be met by the Lord Mayor and
100,000 Bradfordians. It On 2 May 1911, the Supporters of the Bradford City club hosted a Dinner for the Officials and Players at the Victoria Hotel, Bradford. By now, Jimmy must have been used to giving speeches on behalf of the players - as he did again on this occasion.
Jimmy's Menu Card from the Supporters' Dinner at the Midland Hotel, Bradford, 2 May 1911 (click on images to view) City's success in the Cup resulted in them receiving an invitation to visit Scandinavia, where games were played in Copenhagen, and then Gothenburg.
Jimmy obviously sat out this game in Copenhagen....(click to enlarge)
As English Cup Winners, and a leading First Division team, Bradford City (and Jimmy) featured in a variety of postcards around 1911-12 (click to enlarge)
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
When Jimmy
Speirs joined Bradford City from 
Jimmy’s League debut came at Manchester United on 1
September 1909 (a 1-0 defeat), with his home debut at Valley Parade on 4
September in a 3-1 victory against Bristol City. Jimmy was ever-present in that
season, scoring 6 goals in his 38 League appearances. He also played in both
City’s FA Cup ties, scoring once. Bradford City finished a respectable 7th
in the Division of 20 Clubs, with 42 points from their 38 games.
