DoDTS
The PL League Boss⭐⭐🦐
Will you lot stop maoning about the amount of loan players we have, is the record stuck, Blues fans have been moaning for the last 83 years about it.
Monday 16th March 1925
TRANSFER DEADLINE DAY:
Even in 1925 there was deadline day, the rules being that you could not sign any more new players after the deadline if you were involved in either promotion or relegation, and it was on this day that our worst fears were realised.
Jim McClelland, having scored 21 goals in 26 consecutive appearances, was transferred to Second Division Middlesbrough. We had signed him from Raith Rovers in 1923-24, he only made three appearances that season, but was leading goalscorer for the reserves. When he matured and made his breakthrough in 1924-25 the side was totally transformed and reached second spot but then faded. He was a powerful player, with good support in a talented squad, and his robust style was difficult to handle.
He had been watched in the game against Exeter when he had scored a hattrick and Middlesbrough put in a good offer but it was refused by the Directors of Southend United. However they watched him again at Bristol City and came in with an improved offer, plus two players. The fee wasn’t disclosed, the two players were offered on a loan deal for the rest of the season PLUS all of the next season, the players were Billy Hick and Jack French. Hick was 5ft 9 and a half inches tall, weighed 11 st. 10 lbs., he had scored 4 goals in 7 appearances in the First Division, and 3 in 8 in the Second Division both for Middlesbrough and French was a 5 ft 11 left back. The news which was largely seen as inevitable did not go down well, it was generally seen that “Mac” still only 24 could turn into one of the best Centre forwards in the Country.
McCLELLANDS TRANSFER
Sir – it is indeed bad news to the local football world that Southend United have parted company with McClelland , surely this is the time when they want to conserve all their best. How can they expect good gates if all hope of winning matches is gone? The same mistake was made with Fairclough. Is it not time that this buying and selling was stopped. It’s not cricket
From the Southend Standard 19th March 1925
Clearly McClelland was going to be a difficult act to follow, the crowd were slow to take to the loan players, it was felt that "Mac" could have lead a serious attemp for promotion the next season.
At Middlesbrough Jim McClelland scored loads of goals the next season and was transferred to First Division Bolton Wanderers for a massive (for the time) £6,300.
Billy Hick actually stayed until the end of the 1927-28 season and scored 76 goals in 113 appearances, left back Jack french stayed until 1931-32 making 184 appearances and scored twice.
DoDtS
Monday 16th March 1925
TRANSFER DEADLINE DAY:
Even in 1925 there was deadline day, the rules being that you could not sign any more new players after the deadline if you were involved in either promotion or relegation, and it was on this day that our worst fears were realised.
Jim McClelland, having scored 21 goals in 26 consecutive appearances, was transferred to Second Division Middlesbrough. We had signed him from Raith Rovers in 1923-24, he only made three appearances that season, but was leading goalscorer for the reserves. When he matured and made his breakthrough in 1924-25 the side was totally transformed and reached second spot but then faded. He was a powerful player, with good support in a talented squad, and his robust style was difficult to handle.
He had been watched in the game against Exeter when he had scored a hattrick and Middlesbrough put in a good offer but it was refused by the Directors of Southend United. However they watched him again at Bristol City and came in with an improved offer, plus two players. The fee wasn’t disclosed, the two players were offered on a loan deal for the rest of the season PLUS all of the next season, the players were Billy Hick and Jack French. Hick was 5ft 9 and a half inches tall, weighed 11 st. 10 lbs., he had scored 4 goals in 7 appearances in the First Division, and 3 in 8 in the Second Division both for Middlesbrough and French was a 5 ft 11 left back. The news which was largely seen as inevitable did not go down well, it was generally seen that “Mac” still only 24 could turn into one of the best Centre forwards in the Country.
McCLELLANDS TRANSFER
Sir – it is indeed bad news to the local football world that Southend United have parted company with McClelland , surely this is the time when they want to conserve all their best. How can they expect good gates if all hope of winning matches is gone? The same mistake was made with Fairclough. Is it not time that this buying and selling was stopped. It’s not cricket
From the Southend Standard 19th March 1925
Clearly McClelland was going to be a difficult act to follow, the crowd were slow to take to the loan players, it was felt that "Mac" could have lead a serious attemp for promotion the next season.
At Middlesbrough Jim McClelland scored loads of goals the next season and was transferred to First Division Bolton Wanderers for a massive (for the time) £6,300.
Billy Hick actually stayed until the end of the 1927-28 season and scored 76 goals in 113 appearances, left back Jack french stayed until 1931-32 making 184 appearances and scored twice.
DoDtS
