1910-11 Southern League : First Division

THE ESSEX TIMES – Saturday 28 January 1911

WEST HAM'S SUCCESSFUL HALF-YEAR

The half-yearly meeting of the West Ham United Football Club was held at the Public Hall, Barking Road, on Monday evening, and the directors were able to present to the shareholders a most successful balance sheet, the best ever shown in the history of the club. The club. indeed has made enormous strides, and when a club which was in a tight corner as West Ham was a few years ago becomes such a successful undertaking it can only mean that the directors and men lat the head of affairs know their business I properly. It was a red letter evening for the smiling shareholders when they were told that the Southern League gates had averaged £341, an increase of £80 per match over the corresponding period of last season. The gross increase in the reserve match gates has been £150.

Mr. White, the chairman, gave the following figures for the half-year : Receipts, £4242; expenditure, £3,622; corresponding figures last season - receipts £3,756, expenditure £3,350. The total credit balance was £620.

During the evening many of the shareholders raised objections to the shilling gate to be charged for the Cup tie with Preston North End.

The Chairman dealt fully with the subject, and the reason why they had decided on the increased charge, and ultimately the Board’s action was unanimously supported.

WATFORD : Southern League First Division

Upton Park 1 - 1 (Shea 29 April 1911 Att: 5,000

Kitchen Rothwell Fairman Whiteman Piercy Randall Ashton Blackburn Shea Butcher Caldwell

20 June 1911

Joe Cockroft (1933-1939) Born this day King’s Lynn

Clubs: Rotherham United, Gainsborough Trinity, West Ham United, Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield United, Wisbech Town.

The King's Lynn-born player featured on 266 occasions for the Hammers between 1933-1939, as well as playing 29 wartime fixtures up to 1941.

He started his playing career in Yorkshire with Rotherham United, before moving on to Gainsborough Trinity and then West Ham, following a successful trial under manager Charlie Paynter.

After just four reserve team games, he was drafted into the first XI due to senior left-halves Albert Cadwell and Joe Musgrave and made the position his own.

Indeed, he was an ever-present in the 1933/34, 1934/35, 1935/36 and 1936/37 seasons. During the Second World War he was employed in a steelworks in Sheffield, and would go onto play for both of the Steel City clubs upon the ending of hostilities.

He ended his career as player-manager at Wisbech Town and passed away in February 1994 at the age of 82.

1909-10 First XI Season 1910-11 1911-12 First XI