The English Jubilee Fund

The following article was first published in the Sandgrounder matchday programme during the 1980s.

The Football League celebrated their Silver Jubilee in 1938 by Launching a Jubilee Fund which it hoped to raise the sum of £100,000.00 for the benefit of the game and players in need. It will be remembered that in those days there was no freedom of contract and a maximum wage was in operation. Most players in the Third Division earned around £5.00 per week.

To get the Jubilee Fund underway it was agreed that all 88 Football League Clubs would play one match on the 20th August, 1936 – the Saturday prior to the start of the official Football League Saason. In order to stimulate support and create the maximum amount of interest local derby matches were arranged and Southpoot played Accrington Stanley at Haig Avenue. Both Southport and Accrington Stanley were expected to contribute £250.00 towards the Fund and a special Jubilee Souvenir Programme was sold to augment the Leagues £100,000.00 effort. Although there was nothing at stake both teams served up some rousing Football with Stanley the more dangerous as an attacking force until the closing stages of the game. The visitors held the lead twice but once Southport got in front they were dominant and it was only excellent goalkeeping by Robinson that prevented them increasing their 3-2 victory margin. Southport “owed their success chiefly to Duncan Colquhoun a much travelled outside left who had been secured from Bristol City and performed the hat trick to the delight of the crowd of 3,000 fans.” The receipts amounted to £134.00.

Southport had three new forwards on duty – Harry Hawkins, Alan Dawson and ODncan Colquhoun and Accrington had eight neweomers in their side. Stanley’s goals were scored by Alexander in 11 minutes and Clarke in 65 minutes. Colquhoun’s first goal, a minute  before half time occured when he was brought town and a Free kick was given a yard outside the penalty area from which he scored direct past an unsighted goalkeeper. The second equaliser on 66 minutes crowned a fine display of ball control as he beat three men before finishing with a snot which qave Roninson no chance, to complete his hat trick and win the match he cleverly glided the ball under the bar with his head after meeting a lob by Albert Stapleton.

The Football Association allowed the use of substitutes for bona fide injuries and Southport took advantage of the permission to substitute & player for one injured when Dawson was hurt early in the game and about 15 minutes later Tommy McKay who still lives in Beattie Road, just round the corner from the Haig Avenue Ground was introduced to inside left Hawkins partnering Stapleton.
The referes, Walter Prescott, a moted local official who later became a Mayor of the Boraugh, and the Linesmen gave their services free and there were no bonuses for the winning side so that the whole proceeds could go to the Fund.

The teams that lined up that day were:-| . Rutherford; Royston, Grainger; Newcomb, Hill, R. H. Scott; Stapleton, Dawson, Patrick, Hawkins and Colquhoun.
Accrington’s team was:Robinson; Randle, Done, Jackson, Howshall, Webster; Rattray, Alexander, Hunt, Clark and Neal.

Southport Reserves won by the only goal of the game scored at Perl Park Accrington, the match kicking of at 6.15 the same’ day. Tommy Howshall found the net three minutes before the interval. His brother Jack, a former Southport defender had been one of Accrington Stanley’s stars at Haig Avenue doing great work to foil the Southport attackers.

The Southport Reserves side that took the field ‘that day was: Smith; Booth, Davies; Corbett, Ash, Scott (A); Rose, Miller, G. Shaw, J. Graham and Howshall.

A series of Jubilee matches were so successful that it was decided to play return fixtures the following year but Southport did nothing like as well – as I shall tell you another time..