1896 - 1905 The Second Club

After the first year's tremendous success and celebrations at winning the Yerburgh cup, the 1896-7 season started off with a full day sporting festival at the Half Way ground.

Apart from the crowds of spectators there were 120 entrants for the various events which included sprints, bicycle races, throwing the cricket ball and the high jump. Dancing to the Connah's Quay Brass Band continued until dusk and a substantial amount of money was raised towards club funds.

The playing season started off with the first ever recorded injury. The club was now a member of the Chester and District Junior League playing at home to St Oswald's Athletic. In the first half Edward Prince, son of James Prince the brick manufacturer, had a serious fracture of his leg. He had to be taken home by horse and trap. The Quay carried on and their ten men won 4-2 but lost the return match at the Roodee 2-0.

Later in the season there was a home match against Hooton and a reporter critically commented on the Half Way pitch. He wrote "In the second half Connah's Quay having the advantage of the breeze and descending ground added six goals." Later in the season we find another similar reference in the match against Chester St Mary's - "The home side kicked off down the hill and by half time were 5-1 up." However, there was no repeat of the Yerburgh Cup victory. Although the Quay did reach the final they were thrashed 5-0 by Queen Street P.S.A. and the cup returned to Chester.

Editor's note: some things don't change over the course of history and beaten teams are still departing Connah's Quay with their tails between their legs, crying and bleating about the pitch ...

The annual sports day preceded the 1897-8 season and by Christmas Connah's Quay were in second position in the Chester and District Junior League.

An innovative feature of the 1898 season was the Christmas day programme. In the morning the reserve team defeated Saltney Albion 7-2. The second match was an eagerly awaited affair. "The premier team met Flint on Christmas afternoon before a crowded attendance." In the evening there was a concert at the Half way House given by the Connah's Quay Deva Choral Society, who were then on the following day competing at the traditional Chester Boxing Day Eisteddfod.

The 1898 season ended with the club in fourth position and a Good Friday Festival saw the reserves lose to Chester P.S.A. but the senior side beating Liverpool Celtic 5-2.

Another footballing first preceded the 1898-9 season when two players left the club to turn professional - "Connah's Quay wishes them well" ran the headline in the local press.

On Christmas Day 1898 there was evidence of the movement of players between clubs when Connah's Quay met The Casuals - a team comprised of players from other clubs who had all at some time played for the Quay.

The only success of this season was reaching the final of the Chester and District Shield where the Quay lost to Sealand Road - "a new up and coming side from Chester". (These would eventually become Chester F.C. following their moves from Faulkner Street and Whipcord Lane - see their history at www.chester-city.com). The following season (99-00) saw the club win the Chester Charity Shield but the finished in a poor league position.

The blame for the unsatisfactory finishing position was placed upon "the new club at the other end of the village near the iron works". Shotton was attracting players and supporters away from the Quay. A friendly match was arranged with this new club and over 1200 spectators were "at the Quay enclosure where clenched teeth were the order of the day." Shotton won 4-2.

It was the year of the Boer War and with the Quay playing Chester Garrison the press report of the game was filled with topical military metaphor. The Quay won the fixture and and one reporter described it as "the lowering of the garrison flag", whilst another report of the 6-2 victory described the balls entering the Garrison goals "like mauser shells". The Chester team were not happy and shortly afterwards objected to the league, complaining of the slope of the pitch and its general condition.

The following 1901 season saw the Quay entering their own objection when they lost 9-1 to Helsby, their objection being to the fact that the entire match having been played in fog.

With the arrival of the twentieth century a new undesirable feature had entered the local game and bills were posted around the Half Way Ground prohibiting bad language by both spectators and players.

Later in the season Connah's Quay Had a return 'derby' match at Shotton. At the match were over 600 spectators and the gate realised over £8 (Vic notes that this is equivalent to £455 today, but 600 spectators would actually realise nearer £3000 at Nomads' current tariff). Rough play ruled for most of the time. Shotton won 2-1 but the Quay missed two penalty kicks.

The following year, 1902, saw the club incur its first fine. This was on February 15 and Connah's Quay was ordered to pay 12 shillings and sixpence for failing to turn up to a Charity Cup match. (Vic calculates this to be worth £35 today, but at the 'exchange rate' of 3d/£5 - the admission - it would have been worth £250, or 50 adult admissions.) This was the expense incurred by the Holywell club in clearing their ground of snow in readiness. Thereafter Holywell Town was habitually referred to as "The Snowdrops".

It was also during 1902 that local football stars were beginning to emerge. For example, Connah's Quay had a home match against Saltney, and while the press reports still mention 'the incline' , it also tells us that Connah's Quay won 4-1 "thanks very largely to the clever runs of the Lumberg Brothers."

By 1903 the club status was obviously improving as they were given a pre-season home match against Chester. At half time the score was 1-1, but the experience and fitness of the senior side showed as they "improved in the second half, even though they were playing against the hill" and were clearly disappointed at only winning 1-2.

The Christmas entertainment in 1903 was now on Boxing Day and saw Connah's Quay entertaining two sides from the Wrexham area. In the morning the reserves hosted a side from Caergwrle, the Victorians and in the afternoon the senior XI trounced the Cambrian Leather Works 8-1. Both visiting teams and officials were afterwards "well entertained" at the Half Way House.

The climax to the 1903 season was the winning of the Yerburgh Cup for a second time. It was an easy final, finishing 6-0 away at Hoole Rovers.

"The victorious team arrived at the (Connah's Quay) station where there was a 'brake' in attendance which took them through the village wit the silver band to the fore and the cup prominently displayed. They were all cheered to the echo."

To add to the Lumber brothers' exploits, 1904 saw the emergence of another rising star. Connah's Quay won 1-0 at home to Mold with 'Snowy' Jones scoring the only goal of the match.

On Christmas Day 1904 the Liverpool visitors were Bootle Amateurs and the Easter Festival of this season took the new form of a two day knockout competition. The prizes were 12 gold centred medals for the winners and 12 silver centred medals for the runners up. The Quay struck gold by defeating Mold Reserves 8-0 in the final.

For the 1904-5 season both Connah's Quay and Shotton (playing as Hawarden Bridge) were accepted as members of the Wirral Senior League and cup (the Pyke Cup).

On one of the Quay's first Wirral fixtures against Birkenhead North End they lost 0-4. However, it appears another star was rising on the horizon as the nearest the Quay came to scoring was when "Bloomers' shot narrowly over the bar."

In the second round of the Pyke Cup the Quay were drawn away to Hawarden Bridge at Shotton. A large crowd had been attracted to this local derby and 'supporters were on their tip toes throughout the match', which was won by Connah's Quay 6-1. In the next round they knocked out the holders, Ellesmere Port. Eventually, they reached the final against West Kirby.

The Quay had already lost to their opponents in the league and the final was staged at Prenton Park, where the gate receipts were over £27. Connah's Quay were trailing 0-1 at half time but, as one contemporary report has it, "The Welshmen made a plucky fight in the second half and scored two goals."

The team returned to Connah's Quay to another triumphant welcome at the station - armed with the Pyke Cup and their medals.

League progress was a different matter. Wins were few and far between and things reached a head when Ellesmere Port visited the Half Way.

Pendlebury, a visiting player, was in collision with one of the Lumberg brothers. Lumberg was then physically attacked by another Port player. Immediately there was a large scale invasion of the pitch by the Connah's Quay supporters. It was only some time later through the efforts of the police, club officials and the referee that order was restored and the match resumed. Connah's Quay eventually won 4-1.

Apart from the cup victory the 1904-5 switch to the Wirral Football League was a disaster. At the AGM it was abundantly clear that the committee did not want to play ever again in the league. Amid some acrimony and confusion the committee resigned and the club became defunct.

Another meeting was called by supporters of a proposed new club - "Connah's Quay Twenties Club". It was also announced that Sergeant Major Palser, the owner of the Half Way enclosure was very generously placing the ground at the disposal of the new club and a place in the first division of the Chester and District League beckoned. This was agreed to be an appropriate competition for the new club as the Chester league offered "a good standard of football."

Mr. S. James was elected secretary, E. Jones Treasurer and an entirely new committee was formed. The club looked forward to the 1905-6 season with a new name, but on familiar territory.