Page 4 - Deal Round Up December 2020

Let’s Take A Look
Back
By
The Editor
When the government declared another ‘lock-down’ and the suspension of most ‘grass
roots’ football and having too much time on my hands, I started to think about the last
time football was suspended nationally. This, of course, was at the beginning of the second
World War and although the circumstances are entirely different, I discovered how impor-
tant not only football, but sport in general, is to the nation. I thought it would make an
interesting article.
Football Was An Important Form Of Recreation For Soldiers In Britain
The Football Association announced that all football, except that organised by the armed
forces would be suspended ‘until official notice to the contrary’. This was on September 8th
1939 and in stark contrast to the first World War when professional football had continued
though 1914, the first year of the war.
The introduction of conscription and the threat
of air raids in 1939 meant that football could
not continue in its present form. It was agreed
to allow a revised programme of football pro-
vided that it did not interfere with national ser-
vice or industry and that crowds were limited
to 8,000 in evacuation areas and 15,000 else-
where. Football amounted to a regional league
and cup programme with home internationals and inter-service matches.
Players were conscripted into the armed forces. Grounds were badly affected by the air
raids and changes of use. Arsenal’s Highbury stadium was used as an Air Raid Precautions
centre and they had to groundshare with rivals Tottenham Hotspur. (The things people had
to do for the war effort!!!)
Football was a way to keep the troops fit and active as well as entertaining spectators. It
also helped to raise money for the service charities, a match at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge
attracted a crowd of 55,000 and raised £8,000 for the Navy Welfare League.
Footballers Helped Support Recruitment
Another match in 1939 saw Bolton Wanderers
captain Harry Goslin make a speech encouraging
spectators to join up. Soon after this the entire
first team signed up to the 53rd Field Regiment.
Other clubs also joined up together, including Liv-
erpool, who’s players formed a club section in the
Kings Regiment. Harry Goslin was killed in action
in Italy in 1944.
Many Factories Set Up Women’s Teams
Women had a major role to play, as in the First World
War and many factories had female as well as male
football teams. The photo shows goalkeeper Betty
Stanhope, representing the Fairey Aviation Company,
during a match against A V Roe, another local aircraft
factory, which Fairey won six nil.
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