South Yorkshire Times May 11 1957
Early Days of Mexborough and Don Valley School Sport
Mexborough and District Schools’ F.A. was formed in the summer of 1919, and the old photograph below will doubtless interest readers.
Mr Tom Field (deceased) was approached by the late Mr Ben Cranswick (Sheffield Schools and English cup. President, also a member of Sheffield and Hallamshire FA to form a Schools’ F.A. In the Mexborough area, and he and Mr. W. H. Popple (seen in this photograph) drafted a circular to all schools In Mexboro’, Swinton, Kilnhurst, Denaby and Conisbrough asking them to attend a meeting with this object in view.
This meeting was held and It was unanimously agreed to form an Association and to run league and to enter the National and County competitions. Mr Popple was elected secretary and treasurer and held that Position from 1919 to 1926, when he received, on retiring, a gold watch as a present and memento from colleagues, scholars and old boys.
Mr. Roh.Jackson succeeded him secretary and remained in capacity until he lef up t the district to take a post in Blackpool. Mr. Fred Horne, of Doncaster Road School, Mexboro’, took over as treasurer.
On the re-organisation of schools in 1932 it became almost impossible to run the competitions as there was only one senior school in each town so the area of the association was enlarged by amalgamation with the Dearne Valley Association and a new title had to be found—Don and Dearne Schools’ F.A. This brought in Secondary Modern, Technical and Grammar schools, and again it was found possible to run leagues in senior and junior competitions.
Readers will be interested to spot subsequent Manchester City and International, Eric Brook (second boy from the right, front row). He was a Dolcliffe Road schoolboy. Others in the picture include Mr. Corbett, late Mr. W. Watson, Mr. W. V. Walker, Mr. W. H. Popple, Seagrave (Roman Terrace?), Schofield Ailwkk Road), Eric Walker Dolcliffe Road), Llewellyn (Dolcliffe Rd.) died in the Far East, Bennett (Dolcliffe Road), Harry Hirst (Dolcliffe Road and Devine (Swinton Bridge).
