MATCH REPORTS AND PRE-MATCH NEWS
EVERTON TEAM FOR CHARITY MATCH: May 2, 1917 The Evening Express
There should be some good football witnessed in the charity match between Everton and Leeds City at Goodison Park on Saturday. Leeds have displayed excellent form this season, and it will be interesting to see how they fare against a team of the calibre of Everton. The local eleven will be at full strength, having been chosen as follows:- Fern; Smith, and Thompson; Fleetwood, Wareing and Grenyer; Murray, Jefferis, Gault, Clennell, and Donnachie. It should be noted that the kick-off will be at three o’clock. As the proceeds are to be devoted to charity, Liverpool sportsmen who can spare the time will need no urging to attend. All must pay. Shareholders and season tickets holders will be admitted to their usual seats on presentation of their tickets and the payment is 1s. ATTENDANCE OF SEASON 280,000
May 3, 1917. The Liverpool Echo
Chatting with Mr. W.C. Cuff, the Everton secretary I learnt that the season just ended had yielded an aggregate gate of no less than 280,000 spectators. Of a surety the city of Liverpool is fortunate, but fact remains that our clubs have kept abreast the times and the loyalty of the players has helped the clubs to make a success of the season. The number of soldiers passing through the turnstiles had totted up to 47,000 and that figure does not included the “stand” cases. The stand cases are really the sitting cases –soldiers who could not stand the period of an hour and a half. The number is 50,000 (including all matches) and the wounded in the stands numbered 24,000 all told. The club has subscribed £1,100 to the entertainment tax, and the 5 per cent tax for charity has yielded £750 and as half of the figure goes to local charities, and a sum from Saturday’s most interesting game will be added to it, the figure will be a splendid testimony to the forward position held by Everton.
Leeds v. Everton –or Charity
I call your attention to Saturday’s game for very special reasons. First in charity’s sweet name; second in the fact that Leeds have never before been seen here; third, because we shall see a blending of Newcastle, Villa, Sunderland, Grimsby, and Notts players. The team of which I shall say more tomorrow, is as follows; Hampton (Newcastle); Hindspeth (Newcastle), Hampson (Newcastle); Hewison (Newcastle), Sherwin (Sunderland), Thorpe (Burnley); H and G. Stephenson (Villa), Peart (Notts Co), Moore (Sunderland), Mayson (Grimsby).
CHARITY MATCH AT GOODISON PARK: May 4, 1917, The Evening Express
There will be several football “personalities” on view at Goodison Park, tomorrow when Everton will play Leeds City, the champions of the Midland League, in a match the whole of the proceeds of which are to go to charity. Although the visitors actually have been assisting Leeds City, it is one of the war’s general upsets that in normal times they all figure in other teams. For instance the whole of the rear division are Newcastle players, whilst a couple of well known Villa forwards are on the right wing. Given a continuance of the present brilliant weather there should be a hugh crowd present at the last match of the season, and there should be some pretty football, each eleven being anxious to shine. The teams will line up at three o’clock as follows:- Everton; Fern; Smith, Thompson; Fleetwood, Wareing, Grenyer; Murray, Jefferis, Gault, Clennell, Donnachie. Leeds City; Hampton (Newcastle); Hindspeth (Newcastle), Hampson (Newcastle); Hewison (Newcastle), Sherwin (Sunderland), Thorpe (Burnley); H and G. Stephenson (Villa), Peart (Notts Co), Moore (Sunderland), Mayson (Grimsby).
LEEDS FACE EVERTON: May 5, 1917. The Liverpool Football Echo
Everton today wound up the football innings with a very attractive fixture, Leeds City, winners of the Midland League. The day was very fine, and a fair amount should be divided between Liverpool and Leeds charities, as a consequence of the May fixture. Teams; Leeds City; Hampson, (Newcastle), goal; Hudspeth (Newcastle) and W. Hampson (Newcastle), backs; Price (Leeds), Thorpe (Burnley) and Hewison (Newcastle), half-backs; H and C Stepheson (Villa), Peart (Notts C), Moore (Sunderland), and Mayson (Grimsby), forwards. Everton; Fern, (captain) goal; Smith (West Brom) and Hinton (Crewe), backs; Fleetwood, Wareing and Grenyer, half-backs; Murray, Jefferis, Gault, Clennell, and Donnachie, forwards.
Jefferis Scored Early.
In the first minute Clem Stephenson should have scored quite easily, but mistimed the ball, his mistake. His mistake was very expensive as Donnachie presented Jefferis with a chance that he used with nice effect, thus in five minutes Everton were a goal up. Perhaps it was as well, for at any rate, the effect of the goal in the energies of both sides was patent. They gave up the indifferent stands of football, and the game improved as a consequence. There was a Newcastle thing about the Leeds forward work that pleased the spectators and the visitors were not afraid in shooting either. Price tested Fern, and Peart with a free kick made Fern save smartly. Leeds would not be denied, and the Everton goal had a miraculous escape. Smith standing on the goal line cleared when Fern was not near, and Fern later hit the ball up when a goal seemed surety. Donnachie and Gault dribbled delightfully, and the brothers Stephenson showed us Bache like movements, notably when Clem back heeled the ball, and, mark you, found his brother, but the Everton defence had anticipated the menaceurve. It was a hard task that was set young Hinton, the Crewe back, who was deputising for Thompson, and gradually he was worm down and at the twenty-first minute Referee Forshaw signalled an equalising goal. Moore was the scorer, and Mayson was the man who made the goal possible.
Scientific Play
Considering the gusty character of the wind, play had been capital. It was a matter of science today, and the crowd thoroughly relished the afternoon’s sport. The old Blackpool –Burnley player, Thorpe, was a prominent figure in attack and defence, and whereas Clennell once wasted a ball he now centred so well that any forward up would have scored with ease. No one took the gift, and Leeds got into their stride again and found the wind pretty helpful. The odd side game was tried with a great deal of success by both sides until the forwards though fit to have a care about their positions. Leeds would have scored comfortably when Mayson caught Smith napping but Peart stumbled just as he was about to take the ball in his stride. Before the danger had been cleared Fern was called upon to be daring, and swift. Everton netted the ball, only to find that Jefferis had charged the goalkeeper when that worthy had not possession of the ball.
Half-time; Everton 1, Leeds City 1
EVERTON SURPRISED BY LEEDS CITY ELEVEN: May 7, 1917. The Liverpool Echo
“It may be for years –it may be forever,” as the old song. When shall we see another football game from the seniors? It may be not for months, I am not a pessimist and I believe some sort of football in Lancashire is inevitable next September, but the fact remains that the position of affairs at the moment is not happy. Well, we’ll wait and –look for a bright resumption. It only remains now for a statement on the capital game given in the Leeds City debut at Everton. Charity gets the best part of £200 and would have gained much more if the weather had not been so hot during the week. As a matter of fact, Saturday’s turned out cold and quite suitable for football, and the players gave a very interesting exhibition. Leeds were top-dog and deservedly so, for they played with more understanding than Everton, whose balance was out of joint early on when Thompson could not appear and a player named Hinton (Crewe) deputising opened erratically. Hinton improved as time wore on, and with Smith playing top-hole football, and Fern clean saving many hot drives one could not complain of the defence. It is a long time since so reconvict an opposition was seen at Goodison Park. Why? Because Leeds kept the ball on the ground, did not elaborate their passes or dribble and shot often. The blending of Newcastle and Aston Villa personalities has had its effect on the sides, and draught like Newcastle tactics allied to Villa’s trickery and a touch of ginger makes, on the whole, a very delectable football dish.
Man Know They Partner.
The Everton half line did not have an easy task. The opposition wingmen could never guarantee what the forwards would do with the ball. How many forwards can you put in your mind’s eye such forwards announcing very plainly what their next move would be? You’ll want a ready reckoned to help you in name the big figure. Now, Leeds planned different moves by different tactics. They were not stereotyped and they got Everton guessing. One outstanding example was the back heeling of Clem Stephenson. He only used it once, but his partner was wide-a-wake to the possibility if not the probability and the effect was emphatically all favourable to the chance, of Leeds getting a goal. One could trace the offside game adopted by Hudspeth to the partnership of McCraken in the days when Newcastle were playing. On the vexed topic of offside I shall dwell at a later date. It is sufficient for the moment to say that Gault lay offside all too frequently and that Everton played the same trick with almost as much success as fell to the lot of Hudspeth. All the time Leeds played one could trace back their pedigree. Thorpe was just another sample. Burnley and Boyle were stamped all over his play. A clean-limbed fellow. Thorpe took the eye with his wise passes and his heading. Of what use is it to take the ball from a rival if your plant it badly and bring upon your own head another attack from the opposition? Thorpe made use of the ball. Peart possibly through the light ball, and in a large degree to Wareing’s careful watching, was not prominent, even though he goaled. He was slow, and his wings were too swift for him. C and J. Stephenson were clever and novel but Clem tended to spoil his game by lying offside. Mayson and Moore played really good football and the Sunderland man was especially good.
“Bite” in the Proceedings
The game started slowly and carelessly, but a goal to Jefferis from Donnachie infused the “bite” into the proceedings and near the end Jefferis and Thorpe got to loggerheads. It was a pity, for the game had been enjoyable and instructive up to that point. We don’t need instruction on temper-losing, having had quite a goodly education this season in the bad side of hot-tempered footballers.
EVERTON SURPRISED BY LEEDS ELEVEN: May 7, 1917, The Liverpool Echo
“It may be for years – it may be forever,” has the old song when shall we see another football game from the seniors? It may be not for months. I am not a pessimist and I believe some sort of football in Lancashire is inevitable next September, but the fact remains that the position of affairs at the moment is not happy. Well we'll wait and – look for a bright resumption. It only remains now for a statement on the capital game given in the Leeds City debut at Everton. Charity gets the best part of £200, and would have gained much more if the weather had not been so hot during the week. As a matter of fact, Saturday turned out cold and quite suitable for football, and the players gave a very interesting exhibition. Leeds were top-dog, and deservedly so, for they played with more understanding than Everton, whose balance was out of joint early on, when Thompson could not appear and a player named Hinton (Crewe) deputising opened erratically. Hinton improved as time wore on, and with Smith playing top-hole football, and Fern clean saving many hot drives, one could not complain of the defence. It is a long time since so scientific an opponent was seen at Goodison Park. Why? Because Leeds kept the ball on the ground, did not elaborate their passes or dribble and shot often. The blending of Newcastle and Aston Villa personalities had its effect on the side and draught like Newcastle tactics allied to Villa's trickily and a touch of ginger makes, on the whole a very delectable football club.
Man Know –They Partners
The Everton half backs did not have an easy task. The opposition wingmen could never guarantee what the forward would do with the ball. How many forwards can you put in their mind's eye, such forwards announcing very plucky, what their next move would be? You'll want a ready reckoned to help you to name the big figure. Now, Leeds planned different moves by different tactics. They were not stereotyped and they got Everton guessing. One outstanding example was the back heeling of Clem Stephenson. He only used it once, but his partner was wild awake to the possibility, I not the probability and the effect was emphatically all favourable to the chance, of Leeds getting a goal. One could trace the offside game adopted by Hudspeth to the partnership of McCracken in the day's when Newcastle were playing. On the vexed topic of offside I shall dwell at a later date. It is sufficient for the moment to say that Gault lay offside all too frequently; and that Everton played the same trick with almost as much success as fell to the lot of Hudspeth. All the time Leeds played one could trace back their pedigree. Thorpe was just another sample. Burnley and Boyle were stamped all over his play. A clean-limbed fellow Thorpe took the eye with his wise passes, and his heading. Of what use is it to take the ball from a rival if you plant it badly and bring upon your own head another attack from the opposition? Thorpe made use of the ball, Peart possibly through the “light,” ball, and in a large degree to Wareing's careful watching, was not prominent, even though he goaled. He was slow and his wings were too swift for him. C and J. Stepheson were clever and novel, but Clem tended to spoil his game by lying offside. Mavson and Moore played really good football, and the Sunderland man was especially good.
“Bite” in the Proceedings
The game started slowly and carelessly, but a goal to Jefferis from Donnachie infused the “bite” into the proceedings and near the end Jefferis and Thorpe got to loggerheads. It was a pity, for the game had been enjoyable, and instructive up to that point. We don't need instruction on temper-losing, having had quite a goodly education this season in the bad side of hot tempered footballers. Murray failed to respond to the work Jefferis get him to have, and only Donnachie lived up to his best form. Alan Grenyer was strong, Wareing stronger and Fleetwood a shade below par. Smith was excellent and Fern fielded some very awkward shots in confident manner. I would that all of you, readers had been present for I'm confident had you would have enjoyed the game.
EVERTON BEATEN BY LEEDS: May 7, 1917. The Evening Express
The only senior game in the district on Saturday took place at Goodison Park, where Everton received a visit from Leeds City, champions of the Midland section, and were beaten 3-1. As the total proceeds were to be divided between the charities of Leeds and Liverpool, it was satisfactory to see a good crowd present. The spectators included a large number of wounded soldiers, who were accommodated on one of the stands. The taking realised about £200. Although there was nothing depending on the result, the players were whole-hearted in their efforts and the two goals scored in the first half were a fair reflex of the run of the game. Play had been in progress only a few minutes when Everton took the lead. After a tricky run down the wing Donnachie transfer to the centre and the ball went out to Jefferis, who netted from short range. The Everton goal had a marvellous escape after this from a corner kick, Fern's save being a masterpiece. However, Leeds eventually drew level, Moore netting from Mayson's centre. All through the match the referee's whistle was heard with great frequency for off-side, and this was particularly so in the second half, Hudspeth lying a long way forward, with the result that the Blues were often caught napping. Some clever moves were forthcoming from the brothers C and J. Stephenson, of Aston Villa, and Hinton (Crewe), who was at left back for Everton, had a stiff task in facing them. They kept Peart well supplied with short passes, and the cleverly scored, Moore putting through their third goal. Except for the frequency of the off-side infringements it was enjoyable game to watch. All the visiting forwards played well. Huthspth was a steady pivot, and Hampson was a clever custodian. This remark also supplies to Fern. Smith kicked a good length, the forwards of whom Donnachie and Jefferis showed up the best –not finishing as they might have done.
