1929–30 Torquay United F.C. season

The 1929–30 Torquay United F.C. season was Torquay United's third season in the Football League and their third consecutive season in Third Division South. The season runs from 1 July 1929 to 30 June 1930.

Torquay United
1929–30 season
Chairman Charles Dear
Manager Frank Womack
Third Division South19th
FA CupFirst Round
Top goalscorerLeague:
Joe Pointon (18)
All:
Joe Pointon (18)
Highest home attendance8,299 v Plymouth Argyle, 4 September 1929
(Third Division South)
Lowest home attendance2,730 v Watford, 28 December 1929
(Third Division South)
Average home league attendance4,271

Overview

Needing a replacement for Percy Mackrill, who had left the club before the end of the previous season, Torquay United appointed former Birmingham City full back Frank Womack as their new manager.[1] Womack soon set about putting a together a new squad in an effort to improve upon the lowly finishes of Torquay's first two seasons in the League. Debutants on the opening day of the season included centre half Harry Bruce, inside forward Harry Keeling and the ex-Sheffield United FA Cup winner David Mercer.[1] However, the Magpies made a slow start to the campaign, losing their opening four games, and it was not until the introduction of forwards Joe Pointon and Les Robinson that results slowly began to improve. Effectively displacing Keeling and United mainstay Dan Kelly from the team, Pointon and Robinson ended up scoring a total of 34 goals between them by the end of the season. Robinson became the first Torquay player to score four goals in a League match in the 5–2 win over Walsall in November and, not to be outdone, Pointon repeated the feat in a famous 7–0 victory over Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic the following March. Indeed, it was Pointon and Robinson who scored the goals at Gillingham to secure Torquay's first and only away win of the season.[2]

However, United's fortunes took a turn for the worse in the New Year when a January storm tore off the entire roof of the Grandstand at Plainmoor. With Torquay's finances already in a perilous state, there was a real possibility of the club going out of business altogether.[1][3] But, with the help of public donations and some hastily arranged friendlies, Torquay just about managed to avoid financial ruin, although a run of three consecutive 5–0 defeats to Clapton Orient, Brentford and Brighton did not help to improve the spirits of the team or its supporters.

Nevertheless, reason for optimism arrived with that emphatic 7–0 win over Bournemouth at Plainmoor. The match marked the debut of a 17-year-old winger from Dartmouth named Ralph Birkett. Although only making a handful of appearances for the Magpies before the end of the season, he would eventually become one of the finest players ever to appear for Torquay United. Ironically, the match also saw the final appearance of another local hero Sid Cann.[2] The Torquay born full back had put in some impressive performances since joining United and the club had no option but to accept an offer to sell the young defender, as well as fellow full back Fred Corbett, to First Division side Manchester City.[3]

Despite the emphatic win over Bournemouth, Torquay were still struggling at the bottom of the table as the season drew to a close. Defeat in the final game of the season against local rivals Exeter City would have seen United again having to apply for re-election to the Football League. As it was, a 2–1 victory over the Grecians was enough to see Torquay finish in 19th place, only narrowly avoiding the need for re-election.[1]

Although, safe for another season, it was clear that Frank Womack and Torquay United still had plenty of hard work ahead of them.

League statistics

Third Division South
Main article: 1929–30 Football League § Third Division South
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Promotion or relegation
17 Walsall 42 13 8 21 71 78 0.910 34
18 Newport County 42 12 10 20 74 85 0.871 34
19 Torquay United 42 10 11 21 64 94 0.681 31
20 Bristol Rovers 42 11 8 23 67 93 0.720 30
21 Gillingham 42 11 8 23 51 80 0.638 30 Re-elected
Source:

Results summary
OverallHomeAway
PldWDLGFGAGAvPtsWDLGFGAPtsWDLGFGAPts
42 10 11 21 64 94 0.681 31 9 6 6 50 38 24 1 5 15 14 56 7

Source: rsssf.com

Results by round
Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142
GroundAHHAAAHAHAAHAHAHHAHAHHAAHAAHHAHHAHHAAHHAAH
ResultLLLLDDWLWLDDLWDLDWLLWWLLLLLDDLWLLWDLLDWLDW
Position181922222222212116191917181716171616161916151515181819191919191919191919192019191919
Source: statto.com
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Match of the season

TORQUAY UNITED 7–0 BOURNEMOUTH & BOSCOMBE ATHLETIC
Third Division South
Plainmoor, 8 March 1930

High
Kelly
Keeling
Waller
TORQUAY UNITED
BOURNEMOUTH
TORQUAY UNITED:
GK 1 Archie Bayes
RB 2 Frank Womack
LB 3 Jack Fowler
RH 4 Stan High
CH 5 Sid Cann
LH 6 Bob Smith
OR 7 Ralph Birkett
IR 8 Dan Kelly
CF 9 Joe Pointon
IL 10 Harry Keeling
OL 11 Harry Waller

Having not won a match since the previous December, few would have expected Torquay United (currently lying 19th in the Third Division South table) to get much out of the visit of 6th placed Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic. The Plainmoor faithful had already witnessed a 5–0 thrashing from Clapton Orient back in January, and the travelling fans were treated to two more defeats by the same scoreline in their next two away matches. Not many then would have been expecting the Magpies to record their biggest League victory to date when the Cherries came to town.

Helping himself to four of the seven goals that day was centre forward Joe Pointon, doubling his tally for the season so far, although he would go on to score another ten goals before the end of the campaign. Dan Kelly and Harry Waller scored the other three between them while the Torquay defence held firm behind them, despite the 41-year-old Frank Womack selecting himself at right back. (In fact, this was manager Womack's sixth match in succession and he ended up playing in every game for the rest of the season, even appearing as an inside forward when Torquay were themselves victims of a 7–0 humiliation at Walsall in April).[2]

The match also has a unique place in history as it was the only time that two of Torquay's greatest ever home-grown players appeared together. Born in Babbacombe, Sid Cann had joined the Magpies the previous season at the age of 16 and quickly developed into an extremely effective full back, eventually displacing the more experienced Willie Brown from the team. In his second season, he had proved his versatility by being able to fill in at centre half, a role he fulfilled in this game.[2] Unfortunately, this was to be Cann's last match for the Magpies before leaving for Manchester City. Ironically, the same game saw the debut of another local lad with Ralph Birkett, a 17-year-old amateur from Dartmouth United, appearing on the right wing.[3] Birkett had a storming debut for Torquay setting up four of United's goals and the youngster signed a professional contract with the club shortly afterwards.[1] While Cann's move to a First Division side was a major accomplishment for a Torquay player, Birkett would go on to eclipse his achievements when, after three full seasons for United, he would sign for Arsenal and then Middlesbrough before eventually appearing for England in 1935.[1][3]

Results

Third Division South
Main article: 1929–30 Football League
31 Aug 1929 Watford 2 – 0 Torquay United Vicarage Road
Attendance: 11,558
4 Sep 1929 Torquay United 3 – 4 Plymouth Argyle Plainmoor
Hill
Keeling 		Craig (pen.)
Matthews
Bowden
Leslie 		Attendance: 8,299
7 Sep 1929 Torquay United 1 – 3 Coventry City Plainmoor
Hill Attendance: 5,250
11 Sep 1929 Plymouth Argyle 5 – 0 Torquay United Home Park
Leslie
McKenzie
Sloan
Black 		Attendance: 9,827
14 Sep 1929 Clapton Orient 1 – 1 Torquay United Millfields Road
Pointon Attendance: 12,561
18 Sep 1929 Exeter City 0 – 0 Torquay United St James Park
Attendance: 5,745
21 Sep 1929 Torquay United 2 – 1 Brentford Plainmoor
Robinson Attendance: 5,012
28 Sep 1929 Bristol Rovers 2 – 0 Torquay United Eastville Stadium
Attendance: 6,581
5 Oct 1929 Torquay United 5 – 2 Brighton & Hove Albion Plainmoor
Cann (pen.) (pen.)
Pointon
Robinson 		Attendance: 3,934
12 Oct 1929 Swindon Town 2 – 1 Torquay United County Ground
Robinson Attendance: 6,058
19 Oct 1929 Southend United 1 – 1 Torquay United The Kursaal
Robinson Attendance: 8,269
26 Oct 1929 Torquay United 2 – 2 Luton Town Plainmoor
Hill
Keeling 		Attendance: 4,755
2 Nov 1929 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 4 – 1 Torquay United Dean Court
Smith (pen.) Attendance: 6,770
9 Nov 1929 Torquay United 5 – 2 Walsall Plainmoor
Robinson
Hill 		Attendance: 4,463
16 Nov 1929 Queens Park Rangers 1 – 1 Torquay United Loftus Road
Waller Attendance: 2,360
23 Nov 1929 Torquay United 2 – 4 Fulham Plainmoor
Cann (pen.)
Robinson 		Attendance: 4,380
7 Dec 1929 Torquay United 2 – 2 Crystal Palace Plainmoor
Hill Attendance: 3,400
14 Dec 1929 Gillingham 0 – 2 Torquay United Priestfield
Robinson
Pointon 		Attendance: 3,310
21 Dec 1929 Torquay United 0 – 1 Northampton Town Plainmoor
Attendance: 3,730
25 Dec 1929 Newport County 2 – 1 Torquay United Somerton Park
Morris
Thomas 		Corbett Attendance: 3,337
26 Dec 1929 Torquay United 3 – 2 Newport County Plainmoor
Kelly
Robinson 		Martin
Seymour 		Attendance: 5,928
28 Dec 1929 Torquay United 4 – 0 Watford Plainmoor
Robinson
Kelly
Hill 		Attendance: 2,730
4 Jan 1930 Coventry City 4 – 1 Torquay United Highfield Road
Hill Attendance: 12,782
11 Jan 1930 Norwich City 2 – 0 Torquay United The Nest
Attendance: 8,864
18 Jan 1930 Torquay United 0 – 5 Clapton Orient Plainmoor
Attendance: 4,132
25 Jan 1930 Brentford 5 – 0 Torquay United Griffin Park
Attendance: 10,497
8 Feb 1930 Brighton & Hove Albion 5 – 0 Torquay United Goldstone Ground
Attendance: 9,964
15 Feb 1930 Torquay United 1 – 1 Swindon Town Plainmoor
Keeling Attendance: 3,473
22 Feb 1930 Torquay United 1 – 1 Southend United Plainmoor
Robinson Attendance: 3,429
1 Mar 1930 Luton Town 3 – 1 Torquay United Kenilworth Road
Hill Attendance: 7,239
8 Mar 1930 Torquay United 7 – 0 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic Plainmoor
Pointon
Waller
Kelly 		Attendance: 3,443
22 Mar 1930 Torquay United 1 – 3 Queens Park Rangers Plainmoor
Hill Attendance: 4,335
29 Mar 1930 Fulham 1 – 0 Torquay United Craven Cottage
Attendance: 11,038
2 Apr 1930 Torquay United 2 – 1 Bristol Rovers Plainmoor
Pointon Attendance: 3,267
5 Apr 1930 Torquay United 2 – 2 Norwich City Plainmoor
Kelly
Pointon 		Attendance: 3,921
9 Apr 1930 Walsall 7 – 0 Torquay United Fellows Park
Attendance: 2,492
12 Apr 1930 Crystal Palace 4 – 2 Torquay United Selhurst Park
Keeling
Pointon 		Attendance: 9,555
19 Apr 1930 Torquay United 1 – 1 Gillingham Plainmoor
Keeling Attendance: 3,472
21 Apr 1930 Torquay United 4 – 0 Merthyr Town Plainmoor
Hill
Pointon 		Attendance: 3,337
22 Apr 1930 Merthyr Town 3 – 0 Torquay United Penydarren Park
Attendance: 1,612
26 Apr 1930 Northampton Town 2 – 2 Torquay United County Ground
Pointon
Keeling 		Attendance: 4,100
3 May 1930 Torquay United 2 – 1 Exeter City Plainmoor
Pointon Attendance: 4,993

FA Cup
Main article: 1929–30 FA Cup
30 Nov 1929 First Round Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic 2 – 0 Torquay United Dean Court

Club statistics

First team appearances
Nat Pos Player Total Third Division South FA Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK Archie Bayes 18 0 18 0 0 0
GK Harold Gough 18 0 17 0 1 0
GK Laurie Millsom 7 0 7 0 0 0
DF Jack Fowler 29 0 28 0 1 0
DF Sid Cann 28 3 27 3 1 0
DF Fred Corbett 22 1 21 1 1 0
DF Frank Womack 20 0 19 0 1 0
DF George Goucher 6 0 6 0 0 0
MF Bob Smith 41 1 41 1 0 0
MF Harry Bruce 29 0 28 0 1 0
MF Stan High 28 0 28 0 0 0
MF Bill Hunter 6 0 6 0 0 0
MF Cecil White 5 0 5 0 0 0
MF Bill Clitheroe 1 0 1 0 0 0
MF Harry May 1 0 1 0 0 0
FW Joe Hill 33 8 32 8 1 0
FW Harry Waller 30 5 29 5 1 0
FW David Mercer 29 0 28 0 1 0
FW Joe Pointon 28 18 27 18 1 0
FW Les Robinson 24 16 23 16 1 0
FW Harry Keeling 22 7 22 7 0 0
FW Dan Kelly 19 5 19 5 0 0
FW Andrew Martin 13 0 13 0 0 0
FW Jack Burn 7 0 7 0 0 0
FW Ralph Birkett 6 0 6 0 0 0
FW Harry Rice 3 0 3 0 0 0

Source:[2]

Top scorers
Place Position Nation Name Third Division South FA Cup Total
1FWJoe Pointon18018
2FWLes Robinson16016
3FWJoe Hill808
4FWHarry Keeling707
5FWDan Kelly505
=FWHarry Waller505
7DFSid Cann303
8DFFred Corbett101
9MFBob Smith101
Own goals000
TOTAL 64064

Source:[2]

In
First appearance Nat. Pos. Name From
31 August 1929 MF Harry Bruce Gillingham
31 August 1929 MF Stan High Leicester City
31 August 1929 FW Harry Keeling Notts County
31 August 1929 FW Andrew Martin Rochdale
31 August 1929 FW David Mercer Shirebrook
4 September 1929 FW Jack Burn Worcester City
4 September 1929 FW Harry Rice Shrewsbury Town
4 September 1929 DF Frank Womack Worcester City
7 September 1929 MF Harry May Unattached
11 September 1929 FW Joe Pointon Brighton & Hove Albion
11 September 1929 FW Les Robinson Thames
18 September 1929 DF Fred Corbett Worcester City
19 October 1929 DF George Goucher Nottingham Forest
26 December 1929 MF Bill Hunter Walsall
8 March 1930 FW Ralph Birkett Dartmouth United
29 March 1930 MF Cecil White Leeds United

Out
Last appearance Nat. Pos. Name To
7 September 1929 MF Harry May Released
11 September 1929 FW Harry Rice Evesham Town
9 November 1929 FW Andrew Martin Released
7 December 1929 FW Jack Burn Hereford United
18 January 1930 MF Bill Hunter Released
25 January 1930 DF Fred Corbett Manchester City
15 February 1930 MF Bill Clitheroe Released
1 March 1930 FW Les Robinson Released
8 March 1930 DF Sid Cann Manchester City
29 March 1930 GK Harold Gough Retired
19 April 1930 FW Dan Kelly York City
19 April 1930 MF Cecil White Wigan Borough
3 May 1930 GK Archie Bayes Retired
3 May 1930 MF Harry Bruce Colwyn Bay
3 May 1930 DF George Goucher Shirebrook
3 May 1930 FW Joe Hill Newark Town
3 May 1930 FW David Mercer Released
3 May 1930 FW Joe Pointon Bristol Rovers

Source:[2]

References
  1. Edwards, Leigh; Gibbes, Jon; Lovis, John (1999). Torquay United, The Official Centenary History, 1899-1999. Yore Publications. ISBN 1-874427-38-0
  2. Edwards, Leigh (1997). The Definitive Torquay United F.C.. The Association of Football Statisticians. ISBN 1-899468-09-9.
  3. Holgate, Mike (1999). Torquay United Football Club 1899-1999. Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-1814-9
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