Grimsby Town: Captains from years 1878–2018

All that effort for nothing...

Quoted from Nelly GTFC

Kicking myself now In 'The Grimsby Town Story 1878-2008' book, Page 162 onwards "Season Match Statistics and Team Groups: 1888-2008, for each season page in tiny writing it lists the Captains in the top left hand corner, some are missing though, but not many lol.

Adding more now.

Quoted from mike502

All that effort for nothing...

There's still some missing and those are really good sources you give, because they are proof from the actual time of events.  I can use them when adding a list of Captains table on Grimsby Towns wikipedia page.  Otherwise the administrators for wiki will delete it without good sources to prove it lol.

This is what it will look like, example of Liverpool Football Club, but I'll add a box titled 'ref' next to each player with the sources listed that you have posted: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverpool_F.C.#Club_captains

1908–1909 Andy Davidson >> (added via mike502 - 26/3/1909 Daily Mail) (Book - The GTFC Story: 1878–2008, Pg 24)

H'mm, this is a mystery. On the statistics in the book it lists 'Chopper' Lee as the Captain on Pg 186, but your article you found in the 'National Archives' gives Andy Davidson and so does my book on Pg 24 when going through the paragraphs of what happend that season lol.

1946–1947 Harry Clifton >> (Book - The GTFC Story: 1878–2008, Pg 236)
1947–1948 Billy Cairns or Harry Clifton >> (1947–1948 team photo states him as Captain) (Book - The GTFC Story: 1878–2008, Pg 237 for Harry Clifton)

H'mm, I wonder if it's any relation to the current Harry Clifton

Quoted from Nelly GTFC

1908–1909 Andy Davidson >> (added via mike502 - 26/3/1909 Daily Mail) (Book - The GTFC Story: 1878–2008, Pg 24)

H'mm, this is a mystery. On the statistics in the book it lists 'Chopper' Lee as the Captain on Pg 186, but your article you found in the 'National Archives' gives Andy Davidson and so does my book on Pg 24 when going through the paragraphs of what happend that season lol.

Andrew Davidson has a Wikipedia page that also suggests he was Town captain - the source cited is "the complete who's who of Southampton FC". Given that he joined us in May 1908 and joined Southampton in July 1909 (before coming back after 5 games!) it does suggest that he was captain in that 08-09 season.
[url]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Davidson_(footballer)[/url]

Quoted from mike502

A quick bit of googling (albeit assuming there was only one Rev JF Flowers in Lincolnshire in the late 19th century) suggests that he was the Reverend John French Flowers. He was born in 1856 - which would have made him 25-27 in the years he was captain - and was at some point the vicar of Great Carlton.

At least two of his sons were killed in WW1:

https://secure.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/rollofhonour/People/Details/14605
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/12518922/humphrey-french-flowers

A bit more digging:
His father was Vicar of Ulceby and his brother Richmond was headmaster of Brigg Grammar School
He received an MA from Lincoln College, Oxford in 1881
He was ordained in Lincoln Cathedral on 18th December 1881
He was appointed Rector of Bonby, Barton-on-Humber in 1884
Became Vicar of Corringham, Gainsborough, in 1893

but I can find nothing about his football career!

Still plodding away with this. Finding some good info on real names here where I know only the nicknames of players from around 100 years ago: The English National Football Archive >>  [url=http://www.enfa.co.uk/]http://www.enfa.co.uk/[/url]

Found out that 'Chopper' Lee his real first name is Alfred.  Tempted to pay for a few days subscription to find more info.

EDIT: Now found his wiki page >> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alf_Lee

Quoted Text

EDIT: Now found his wiki page >> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alf_Lee

Not sure I believe the figures on that page... an 11 year career with only 45 appearances? And he was GTFC captain for 2 or more seasons despite only playing 15 games?

Quoted from mike502

Not sure I believe the figures on that page... an 11 year career with only 45 appearances? And he was GTFC captain for 2 or more seasons despite only playing 15 games?

I think I've sussed it.

Quoted from The Grimsby Town Story 1878–2008, Page 26

1911–12 Season
Grimsby Town entered the 1911/12 season with a great deal of optimism.  Only 'Chopper' Lee (New Brompton), amateur Chris Young (Gainsborough Trinity) and Hobson departed in the Summer.

Must be this chap, but the dates don't work out with Wikipedia >> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abel_Lee

Going by the Grimsby Town 2010–11 season team photo he's definitely in the picture, same person in previous season pic.  I think Wikipedia is incorrect, because it has him signing for New Brompton (Now known as Gillingham Football Club) in 2009.

EDIT: I've sent an e-mail through wiki to the guy who wrote the article, he is a Gillingham fan and has some books on Gillingham F.C.