Tag Archives: Davie Weir

Ardwick and the Manchester Cup

Following on from yesterday’s Ardwick AFC feature, here’s another one. This focuses on the Manchester Cup… As football in Manchester developed, so did Ardwick’s desire to become one of the regions elite clubs.  The Manchester Cup had been established in 1884-5 and this was quickly perceived by the majority of Mancunians as the most prestigious competition around.  The Football League was not in existence until 1888 and even then Manchester failed to have any representatives, while the FA Cup had been established since the 1860s but was not seen in a positive light by Manchester’s sides.  Entry into the Cup required great expense as games could be played anywhere in the United Kingdom – during the 1880s sides from Ireland competed in the FA Cup, while Scottish sides had been amongst the earliest supporters of the competition.  The cost of travel clearly limited Ardwick’s ability to play beyond the Manchester region.

In April 1891 Ardwick reached the Manchester Cup final for the first time in their history.  This was a major landmark and it was also the first major meeting with Newton Heath, present day Manchester United.  Newton Heath had previously played in every final of the competition since it was created in 1884-5 and so this was seen as a real test for the Ardwick players.

Despite the fact that Newton Heath were the more experienced side, Ardwick took the lead thanks to a seventh minute goal from the influential captain Davie Weir.  Reports simply stated that “Weir scored with a long shot”, however they did give a little information before that to suggest that the goal owed much to the earlier persistence of Bob Milarvie.  Milarvie had challenged the Newton Heath goal a couple of times and had clearly surprised the Heathens.  Then, after gaining the ball following a Newton Heath attack, Milarvie “got on a splendid run but was badly fouled.”  From the resulting free kick Ardwick attacked and Weir netted the goal.

Ardwick did actually have another goal disallowed – they were awarded an indirect free kick and the taker blasted the ball straight into the Heathens goal without any other player touching it – but the trophy was won by the Hyde Road side for the first time.

Success in the trophy perhaps went a little to their heads when at the 1891 Football League AGM Ardwick – along with Darwen, Newton Heath, Nottingham Forest, Stoke, and Sunderland Albion – applied to join the newly expanded Football League.  All the applicants, with the exception of Ardwick, were members of the Football Alliance – a league originally set up to rival the Football League.  Not surprisingly, Ardwick failed to gain admittance, with the new places were filled by Stoke, who had won the Alliance, and Darwen.  There was a consolation prize however and Ardwick were admitted to the Alliance League for the 1891-2 season.  

The Manchester Cup had proved to be the Club’s major breakthrough and it had also proved the Ardwick were already perceived as Manchester’s club.  Although Newton Heath had been the more successful club so far, Ardwick were perhaps seen as being more progressive and were already the better supported of the two.  The Hyde Road derby in the Alliance League attracted a crowd of over 10,000, whereas the Heathens home game at North Road was watched by around 4,000.  Even the Hyde Road derby attendance was bettered by Ardwick on two other occasions in the Alliance that season.  

As well as their large support, Ardwick managed to prove their ability to live with the best when they won the Manchester Cup again.  This time they convincingly defeated Football League side Bolton Wanderers 4-1.  The dream of playing League football was getting closer and the Manchester Cup successes had helped that dream.  One man who was proud of this achievement was Walter Chew (image below), who was with St. Mark’s in their first season of 1880-81.  In 1888 he joined the Manchester FA Committee and remained an influential figure there until his death in 1949.  

Ardwick Association Football Club

The other week I posted this card from John Baines (he used to produce these cards in Bradford, West Yorkshire) featuring Ardwick AFC’s captain Davie Weir. It made me realise that perhaps I should post more on the Ardwick years of City and so here’s a small piece on the birth of Ardwick in 1887. That year was to prove perhaps the most important year of the decade as far as the club was concerned. Gorton AFC’s leaders decided in which direction the Club should go after spending a couple of seasons playing at the Bull’s Head in Reddish Lane, on the very edge of Gorton.  This was really as far away from the Club’s Clowes Street origins as the side could go while remaining in Gorton. The Club’s identity was in danger of disappearing.  

Association Football was becoming more popular in the area and sides, such as Newton Heath, were beginning to progress, winning trophies such as the Manchester Cup.  Professionalism was beginning to develop and Gorton had to decide on whether their future was to be as a good local side, such as a modern day pub team, or as a professional outfit.

The decision was taken to become a progressive and professional outfit.  The committee also wanted Gorton to return to their Clowes Street roots.  They recognised that this was not entirely possible – Clowes Street remained one of Manchester’s most densely populated areas – but they did manage to find an area of wasteland not too far away.  Legend tells us that Club Captain Kenneth McKenzie lived in Bennett Street, Ardwick, and every lunchtime he would take a short cut from Bennett’s Timber Yard, off Hyde Road, through the L&NWR railway arches, and across the wasteland to Bennett St.  He believed that with a little effort this land could become Gorton’s home.

After a great deal of effort and negotiation with the railway company which owned the land the pitch was ready for its first match by the end of August 1887.  In addition, steps were taken to relaunch the Club.  The name of Ardwick AFC was chosen as the new ground was just within the boundaries of Ardwick and not Gorton, although it has to be stressed that this ground was closer to Clowes Street than any other Gorton venue used by the Club after its first season.

The nearby Hyde Road Hotel became Ardwick’s headquarters.  Stones from this building, demolished in 2002, formed part of the Club’s Memorial Garden at the City Of Manchester Stadium when it was opened.

Gradually Ardwick increased their support and it’s fair to say that by the summer of 1888 Ardwick were Manchester’s most popular club, or at least on a par with Newton Heath.  In 1889 Ardwick built a grandstand capable of holding 1,000 spectators, and for the sum of £5 15s the club’s first pay box – turnstile was not an appropriate name – was erected.  

From that point on the side grew at a rapid rate and managed to recruit several good quality and well known players.  Perhaps the best known at the time was Davie Weir (seen on the card at the top of this page) who joined Ardwick in May 1890.  Often described as individualistic, Weir was an England international when he arrived at Hyde Road after playing in the 6-1 victory over Ireland in March 1889 and a 3-2 defeat by Scotland the following April.  Against Scotland he was credited with scoring England’s second goal, although there remains some dispute as to who got the final touch.

At City Weir played as a forward, but he had previously been known for fulfilling a variety of roles most notably centre-half.  Football was still developing of course, but the key point concerning Weir’s pre-Ardwick days is that he was known as a great goalscorer whatever position he played at Bolton.  He’d only missed one match during Bolton’s first two seasons of League football, and had netted a 21 goals in 43 League games.  During 1889-90 season he scored an incredible 10 goals in only 4 FA Cup ties.  Clearly for Weir – a player only in his late twenties – to leave League side Bolton to join a side that had yet to compete in any formal league says a great deal about the ambition of Ardwick.

At Hyde Road Weir was immediately popular and he netted two hat-tricks in his first four games.  He also scored the first Ardwick goal in the FA Cup, and was a key member of the side that competed in the Alliance League in 1891-2.  His career also saw him feature in the Club’s first season in the Football League where he became Ardwick’s top goalscorer, despite returning to Bolton midway through the season in January 1893.

In later life he became the Glossop manager in 1909 and remained with the Division Two side until April 1911 when he was approached by Stuttgart to become their coach.  He passed away in November 1933 at the age of 70.

Ardwick Wins Card

Here’s a nice card from John Baines (he used to produce these cards in Bradford, West Yorkshire) featuring Ardwick AFC’s captain Davie Weir. Presumably this is from 1892-1894 when the team was in the Football League. Weir was the club’s top scorer in 1892-93.

The 1890s: 1892-1893 League Leaders

The series of features on Manchester City in the 1890s continues today with a 1800 word article on Ardwick’s first season in the Football League, 1892-93

Ever wondered how MCFC came into being and what happened to Ardwick AFC? Well, now’s your chance to find out. This series covers the final years of Ardwick and the birth of Manchester City.

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