Irvine Thornley, Glossop to Manchester City - Football Heroes

Irvine Thornley From Glossop began his football career with Glossop Villa FC, also playing with Glossop St. James FC, and then Glossop North End FC in 1901-02 he then went on to join Manchester City FC on 22 April 1904. As his talent blossomed, people loved his personality, he became the Captain of Manchester City and even picked up a cap for the National side. Join us as we delve into the life of another influential Glossop man.

Irvine Thornley was born 1883 in Whitfield, Glossop, Derbyshire.

After leaving school he became a butcher. He also played football for several local teams before joining Glossop in 1901. At the time Glossop was playing in the Second Division of the Football League. A centre-forward, Thornley scored 42 goals in 79 games for Glossop (now Glossop North End).

 According to the 1901 census, Irvine is a tripe dresser, the oldest of three children, now living at 13 Hadfield Place in Whitfield. His father remains a butcher.

On 7th April, 1904, Thornley was transferred to Manchester City for £800. Soon afterwards the Football Association carried out an investigation into the financial activities of the club. Tom Maley was interviewed and he admitted that he had followed what seemed like standard English practice by making additional payments to all their players. He claimed that if all First Division clubs were investigated, not four would come out "scatheless".

According to the 1911 census, Irvine is a professional footballer married to Emma. They live at 9 Slatelands Road, still in the Whitfield area of Glossop.

As a result of their investigation, the Football Association suspended Tom Maley from football for life. Seventeen players were fined and suspended until January 1907. Billy Gillespie refused to pay his fine and instead emigrated to the United States.

As Gary James pointed out in Manchester City: The Complete Record: "Basically, the entire squad that had finished as FA Cup-winners in 1904 and narrowly missed out on the Championship two years running were banned. This brought a premature end to City's first golden age."

Irvine Thornley From Glossop  In his England Strip

Journalists were aware that virtually every club in the Football League was making illegal payments to its players. Football writers based in Manchester argued that the club, being a northern side, were being made an example of, and thousands of people complained to the Football Association, but it refused to reduce the bans and fines.

Harry Newbould was appointed as the new manager in July 1906. As a result of the bans and transfers, there were only 11 players available. The first two games in the 1906-07 season resulted in to heavy defeats at the hands of Arsenal (4-1) and Everton (9-1). Manchester City finished 4th from bottom that season. Thornley ended up as the club's top scorer with 13 goals in 29 games.

In March, 1907, Thornley won an international cap playing for England against Wales. Also in the England team that day was Bob Crompton, Colin Veitch, Steve Bloomer and George Wall whereas Wales included Leigh Roose, Billy Meredith and Billy Jones. Thornley also played for the Football League against the Scottish League.

Manchester City finished in 3rd place in the 1907-08 season. However, Manchester United, a team that included City's former stars, Billy Meredith, Herbert Burgess, Sandy Turnbull and Jimmy Bannister won the league championship. Once again Thornley was the club's top scorer with 14 goals in 31 games.

Thornley was in great form in the 1908-09 season and scored another 18 goals. However, the rest of the team played badly and Manchester City finished second from bottom and were relegated.

Irvine Thornley
Cigarette card 

In 1909 Thornley was appointed club captain. He responded well to this new responsibility and scored 12 goals in the opening 17 games. He was then seriously injured and missed the rest of the season. Thornley had built the foundations for a good campaign and by beating Leeds United 3-0 on 23rd September, 1910, Manchester City guaranteed promotion to the First Division. Hull City could still deny them the championship but they lost their final game and City took the title by one point.

Height/Weight: 5' 9", 11st. 0lbs – In 1911 From Manchester City Records

As a reward for Thornley's service, the club awarded him a benefit. Over 40,000 fans turned up to the game and Thornley picked up a cheque for £1,036.

In 1912 Thornley was transferred to South Shields. During his time at Manchester City he had scored 92 goals in 195 appearances.

Player Number: One of four who became the 326th players (327) to appear for England

Position(s)Centre-forward

Only match No. 90, 18 March 1907, England 1 Wales 1, a British Championship match at Craven Cottage, New Road, Fulham, London, aged 23 years 102 days.

Major tournaments: British Championships 1906-07;

Distinctions: The only player in the match against Wales not to win another cap.

Thornley returned to work as a butcher but he continued to play football for South Shields, Hamilton Academical's and Houghton.

Irvine Thornley From Glossop Died 24 April 1955 at The Ingham Infirmary in South Shields, aged 71 years 139 days

He was living at 10 Aldwych Street in South Shields.

Another true pioneer of sport who not only found fame but had some amazing talent but was a family man at heart. For a man who stood out from the crowd at Glossop to gain national status with Manchester City and to grace the England team he returned to be family man and a butcher. Not many in his shoes in this day and age would to the same.

Complied and edited By M.Cox 

References:  An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990)

                     www.englandfootballonline.com

Samuel Hill-Wood of Glossop: The All-Round Sportsman

An All-Round Sportsman Puts Racing On The Map

Heavy Weapon

Samuel Hill-Wood was a true lover of sport he not only triumphed in football and cricket but in greyhound racing too. This is a portrait of Samuel’s successful coursing Greyhound, Heavy Weapon. He was born in 1905 sired by the winning dog, Wartnaby, who sired a number of useful coursing dogs, out of Garbitas. He was the great-grandson of one of Colonel North’s famous Greyhounds, Young Fullerton, who was the same way bred as the legendary Fullerton, arguably the greatest Greyhound of all time, winning three Waterloo Cups and dividing once in five visits to Altcar.

Heavy Weapon was owned by Samuel the all-sports man, after leaving Glossop North End he captained the Derbyshire cricket team for three seasons and became chairman of Arsenal Football Club in 1929. He was also passionate about coursing but in some quarters was apparently not a popular owner. In 1913 he was considered a ‘parvenu’ by the Stud book correspondent as he had owned dogs for only 11 years!

Heavy Weapon was declared the winner of the Waterloo Cup in 1910 running in the final against J W Fullerton’s Full Stream who was drawn distressed. He also proved very useful as a stud dog siring. He was owned by Edward (later Sir) Hulton, who set up the first picture library.

Hill-Wood won the Waterloo Cup again in 1913 with "Hung Well". His dogs were trained by Denny Smith, who trained more winners than anyone apart from Harold Wright.

Benacre Cup

Heavy Weapon’s portrait was painted by Wright Barker (1864-1941) in circa 1911. A painter of large hunting and sporting scenes, animals and rural landscapes that often featured cattle, he exhibited at the Royal Academy and the Royal Society of British Artists.

In Addition to his Waterloo Cup success, Heavy Weapon also won the 15ct gold Benacre Cup in 1909. The portrait achieve £12,500 in auction two years ago along with Benacre Cup which was also sold for a sum of £11,400. The items went to auction after being passed on by a decadent of Samuel Hill-Wood and some of the proceeds went to the retired greyhound charity.

By Matthew Cox    Check out glossoptours.moonfruit.com