Plaque to be unveiled to Spireites player of the Victorian era in Derbyshire village

 

Plaque to be unveiled to Spireites player of the Victorian era in Derbyshire village

A Chesterfield Town player from the Victorian era who went on to win the FA Cup and League title twice with Sheffield Wednesday is to be honoured with a plaque unveiling on 17 April in Blackwell Colliery where he played for the local Colliery Welfare FC before playing for the Spireites in 1894-5.

Full back Willie Layton, the great grandfather of former Manchester United director Michael Knighton, represented Chesterfield in the Sheffield and District League in which they only just lost out for the title to Sheffield Wednesday reserves against whom he played at Olive Grove on 17 September 1894 in the following team: Ballance, Todd and Layton, Holmes, Ross and Swain, Mundy, Cutts, Ross, Nicholls and Taylor

It was reported: ‘Chesterfield again attacked with spirit and Layton with a long shot from midfield sent the ball just over the bar’. Goalless at the interval, Ballance, who made many good saves, was beaten with a fine long shot for the only goal on 72 minutes by Regan. Towards the end of the game, Taylor forced a fine save from Jimmy Massey.

Layton went on to share full back responsibilities throughout the season with Todd and Short. Amongst the highlights for the player were a fine performance against Buxton, won 4-0, in the FA Cup third qualifying round and at Bramall Lane against Sheffield United reserves whose XI included Arthur Wharton, the first man to run 100 yards in ten seconds and the first black professional player.

Good runs by the home right wing were cleverly stopped by Layton before Ross opened the scoring in a fine 4-2 winning performance in which Herbert Munday scored one of his 100 plus goals for Chesterfield Town including the opening Football League effort on 2 September 1899 in the first ever game at Hillsborough.

Layton’s performances during the season were enough to persuade Wednesday to sign him as a reserve team player for the start of the 1895-6 season. His wages were poor and so he continued working as a miner at Blackwell Colliery. However, on 11 November 1895, he took time off work in order to be fresh to play against Sheffield United reserves the following lunch time. It proved a very fortunate decision as a gas explosion rocked the pit killing seven of his mates. Now, in order to honour those brave men a standing plaque to them will also be unveiled on 17 April as will a plaque to Billy ‘Fatty’ Foulke who worked at the mine and played in the same Blackwell Colliery Welfare FC as Layton.

The ceremony starts at the Blackwell Colliery pit wheel at 1pm on 17 April. Further details from Mark Metcalf on 07392 852561 metcalfmc@outlook.com