Post by Macmoish on Nov 5, 2010 7:05:36 GMT
PFA/Give Me Football
The PFA recalls the formation of the Footballers’ Battalion
Football’s support of the national war effort will be remembered forever
By Ian Nannestad November 04, 2010
The story of the Footballers’ Battalion was largely forgotten until recent years Like many of those who lost their lives in terrible conditions during the First World War, the story of the Footballers’ Battalion was largely forgotten until recent years.
However, in October of this year a memorial to the men who fought in the battalion was unveiled at Longueval on the Somme battlefield, supported by a number of footballing bodies including the PFA, the Football Supporters’ Federation and the Football League.
The significance of the Footballers’ Battalion is that it provided a focal point for the game’s support of the national war effort and went a long way towards restoring the credibility of the sport after it had been, most certainly unfairly, tarnished by elements within the political establishment.
It is for these reasons as well as for the many brave men who lost their lives fighting for their country that it should be remembered.
When the First World War broke out in August 1914, the general opinion in England was that this was to be a short-lived affair that would be concluded by Christmas.
It was perhaps this sentiment, as much as their public stance that the players were under legally binding contracts for the duration of the season, which led the Football and Southern Leagues to announce that the 1914-15 campaign would run as usual.
The clubs, however, showed their support for the national cause by agreeing to a series of measures to support the war effort: regular collections were held for the various war relief funds, fans attending matches were often addressed by local dignitaries encouraging them to enlist, while stadiums were made available to the military for drill and, in many cases, the erection of miniature rifle ranges.
The position of the association game was not unlike that of Northern Union (rugby league) football and horse racing, all three being essentially professional sports that continued their programme after the outbreak of war.
Cricket was in a slightly different position, having almost concluded its 1914 season, and did not face the same dilemma as to whether to continue or not.
Not surprisingly, there were some who felt that all forms of entertainment should be curtailed in time of war and the campaign to close down football in particular began almost immediately.
One of the earliest antagonists was FN Charrington, a member of the brewing family and a rather eccentric philanthropist, whose comments appeared in the national press before the end of August.
The Dean of Lincoln, TC Fry, joined in the debate, suggesting a number of draconian measures: that all professional contracts should be cancelled, football coupons stopped and no one under the age of 40 should be allowed to attend matches. The Times newspaper too entered the anti-football campaign, offering a platform for the critics and even running advertisements for ‘Petticoats for Footballers.’
Many amateur association competitions, notably the Southern-based Isthmian and Athenian Leagues, simply closed down as essentially did the all-amateur rugby union game.
The response from the FA and the professional leagues was somewhat muted, although the former continued to co-operate with the War Office and there were no calls from the government for football to close down.
An article in The Times of 28 November 1914 gave details of how a number of professional clubs had responded to the war, but although designed to appease some of their opponents it seems to have failed in its objective.
Responses from 15 Football and Southern League clubs indicated that only at Southampton had players enlisted in significant numbers. West Bromwich Albion had formed a Company attached to the 5th South Staffs Territorials, to which many supporters and eight players had signed up, but only 19 players had enlisted in total from the other 12 clubs.
Two days later a follow-up article noted that 20 Hull City players, 11 from Plymouth Argyle and eight from Everton had joined up.
Significantly none of the clubs noted were from London, and the metropolitan clubs attracted further bad publicity when it was announced that just one recruit had enlisted at the game between Arsenal and Bristol City from amongst 5,000 spectators after fans were urged to sign up.
It should be noted that enlistment in the forces at this stage was purely voluntary and conscription was not introduced until 1916. Nationally recruitment figures had been poor in August before picking up in September and October.
One of the strategies introduced was to establish what became known as ‘Pals’ Battalions’ whereby groups of young men with a common background through their work or sporting activities could enlist and fight together.
One of the earliest of these was the Sportsmen’s Battalion, but there were also bodies such as the Artists’ Battalion (principally cricketers and rugby union players), the Cyclists’ Battalion and even the Veteran Athletes’ Battalion.
Although significant numbers of amateur soccer players had enlisted, the response of senior clubs, as we have seen, was not enthusiastic.
Leading rugby union clubs such as Wasps and Saracens proudly announced that 98 per cent of their players had joined up, yet prior to conscription the 11 Football League clubs in Lancashire had provided just 40 recruits in total (although over 4,500 junior players had enlisted).
It was against this background that William Joynson-Hicks, MP for Brentford, was given permission by the War Office to form a battalion of footballers, the 17th Service Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, in December 1914.
www.givemefootball.com/pfa/pfa-news/the-pfa-recalls-the-formation-of-the-footballers-b
The PFA recalls the formation of the Footballers’ Battalion
Football’s support of the national war effort will be remembered forever
By Ian Nannestad November 04, 2010
The story of the Footballers’ Battalion was largely forgotten until recent years Like many of those who lost their lives in terrible conditions during the First World War, the story of the Footballers’ Battalion was largely forgotten until recent years.
However, in October of this year a memorial to the men who fought in the battalion was unveiled at Longueval on the Somme battlefield, supported by a number of footballing bodies including the PFA, the Football Supporters’ Federation and the Football League.
The significance of the Footballers’ Battalion is that it provided a focal point for the game’s support of the national war effort and went a long way towards restoring the credibility of the sport after it had been, most certainly unfairly, tarnished by elements within the political establishment.
It is for these reasons as well as for the many brave men who lost their lives fighting for their country that it should be remembered.
When the First World War broke out in August 1914, the general opinion in England was that this was to be a short-lived affair that would be concluded by Christmas.
It was perhaps this sentiment, as much as their public stance that the players were under legally binding contracts for the duration of the season, which led the Football and Southern Leagues to announce that the 1914-15 campaign would run as usual.
The clubs, however, showed their support for the national cause by agreeing to a series of measures to support the war effort: regular collections were held for the various war relief funds, fans attending matches were often addressed by local dignitaries encouraging them to enlist, while stadiums were made available to the military for drill and, in many cases, the erection of miniature rifle ranges.
The position of the association game was not unlike that of Northern Union (rugby league) football and horse racing, all three being essentially professional sports that continued their programme after the outbreak of war.
Cricket was in a slightly different position, having almost concluded its 1914 season, and did not face the same dilemma as to whether to continue or not.
Not surprisingly, there were some who felt that all forms of entertainment should be curtailed in time of war and the campaign to close down football in particular began almost immediately.
One of the earliest antagonists was FN Charrington, a member of the brewing family and a rather eccentric philanthropist, whose comments appeared in the national press before the end of August.
The Dean of Lincoln, TC Fry, joined in the debate, suggesting a number of draconian measures: that all professional contracts should be cancelled, football coupons stopped and no one under the age of 40 should be allowed to attend matches. The Times newspaper too entered the anti-football campaign, offering a platform for the critics and even running advertisements for ‘Petticoats for Footballers.’
Many amateur association competitions, notably the Southern-based Isthmian and Athenian Leagues, simply closed down as essentially did the all-amateur rugby union game.
The response from the FA and the professional leagues was somewhat muted, although the former continued to co-operate with the War Office and there were no calls from the government for football to close down.
An article in The Times of 28 November 1914 gave details of how a number of professional clubs had responded to the war, but although designed to appease some of their opponents it seems to have failed in its objective.
Responses from 15 Football and Southern League clubs indicated that only at Southampton had players enlisted in significant numbers. West Bromwich Albion had formed a Company attached to the 5th South Staffs Territorials, to which many supporters and eight players had signed up, but only 19 players had enlisted in total from the other 12 clubs.
Two days later a follow-up article noted that 20 Hull City players, 11 from Plymouth Argyle and eight from Everton had joined up.
Significantly none of the clubs noted were from London, and the metropolitan clubs attracted further bad publicity when it was announced that just one recruit had enlisted at the game between Arsenal and Bristol City from amongst 5,000 spectators after fans were urged to sign up.
It should be noted that enlistment in the forces at this stage was purely voluntary and conscription was not introduced until 1916. Nationally recruitment figures had been poor in August before picking up in September and October.
One of the strategies introduced was to establish what became known as ‘Pals’ Battalions’ whereby groups of young men with a common background through their work or sporting activities could enlist and fight together.
One of the earliest of these was the Sportsmen’s Battalion, but there were also bodies such as the Artists’ Battalion (principally cricketers and rugby union players), the Cyclists’ Battalion and even the Veteran Athletes’ Battalion.
Although significant numbers of amateur soccer players had enlisted, the response of senior clubs, as we have seen, was not enthusiastic.
Leading rugby union clubs such as Wasps and Saracens proudly announced that 98 per cent of their players had joined up, yet prior to conscription the 11 Football League clubs in Lancashire had provided just 40 recruits in total (although over 4,500 junior players had enlisted).
It was against this background that William Joynson-Hicks, MP for Brentford, was given permission by the War Office to form a battalion of footballers, the 17th Service Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, in December 1914.
www.givemefootball.com/pfa/pfa-news/the-pfa-recalls-the-formation-of-the-footballers-b