Oldham Athletic FC - Player in the early 1900's

[jac]

Hi there,

I have recently found out that my grandfather was a professional footballer for Oldham Athletic before WW1. Are there any footie fans out there that would be able to offer advice as to how to find information / photos of players at that time? I have done the obvious and e-mailed the football club but as yet no reply.
My grandfather was Walter John Howarth b. 1892, so I suppose he could have played for Oldham Athletic any time from say 1907 until the start of the war in 1915.

Cheers, Jacqui

[behindthefrogs]

Try the football museum at Preston.  They seem to have the records of most League Players and often photographs as well.

If I remember correctly they ask for an appropiate donation

David

[Wendi]

Hi Jacqui !

Did he survive World War 1 ?

Wendi 

[jac]

Hi,

David, Thanks for the advice about Preston Museum, I never thought of that!! By coincidence I come from Preston ( and am a PNE Supporter) but have lived in the Isle of Man for the past 30 years.

Wendi, Yes he did indeed survive the war as part of the 10th Manchester Regiment (Oldham TA). I have recently spent a lot of time researching the 10ths part in WW1, that included Gallipolli, Belgium & France. Quite a moving experience realising what he must have gone through. He was obviously a keen sportsman & we know that he was part of the regiment's football & cricket teams. He won a medal as part of the 10th's winning football team that won the 42nd Divisional Final (Dardanelles Cup). We also have a photo of him in his cricket "gear" taken at Pont Remy, Somme, France. After the war he moved to the Isle of Man and became a publican. He died in 1977 at the age of 84, retiring only 5 years earlier!

Thanks for your replies,  Jacqui

[Wendi]

Hi Jacqui !

The Manchester Regiment ! music to my ears !

How about you make a post outlining his time with the Regiment on the Armed Forces Board of Rootschat (there are some peeps there skilled in that regiment)

However I also suggest that you leave the post here too.  Simply because of the football connection 

Wendi 

[harribobs]

in the excellent book 'Amateur Soldiers' a history of Oldhams Volunteers (ie the 10th batt) there's a photo of the batt football team    i wonder if .....?

i think we may be able to provide some info for you

cheers

chris

[liverpool lass]

Hi Jac, Had a look on www.allfootballers.com. There are 10 Howarths but none that match yours, sorry. This site claims to have all records from 1888! Could be that he hasn't been added yet so it might be worth having a look at the site to see if they can help you.

[jac]

Wendi,  When I was trying to find out my grandfathers WW1 history I did post questions in the "Armed Forces" back in Dec 06 & Jan 07. I was absolutley stunned at the response and will be forever be grateful. Thanks to them I have found out such a lot, what they don't know about the Manchesters isn't worth knowing. Now trying to fill the gap of what he was doing before the war.

Chris, On your previous recommendation, many months ago, I  did eventually manage to find a copy of 'Amateur Soldiers'. Wonderful book! I am pretty sure that Walter is the one on the back row centre, 5th from the right

Liverpool Lass, Thanks for the site, pity there's is no record of him, I will make more enquiries.

Jacqui

[Wendi]

Well in that case David's suggestion regarding Preston is quite the best one.  The archives have all the FA player lists, and as you know the team he played for it would be reasonably easy for them to look him up in the time scale you mention.

Wendi