Memory Lane - The Star Centre-Forward Who Played His Best Games In Goal

[60YearsAPie]

It’s getting on for four years since I last did a ‘Memory Lane’ thread. That was about the move to Meadow Lane in 1910. I came across this story a couple of months ago and thought it may be of interest.

Tommy Lawton joined Notts from Chelsea for a record transfer fee in November 1947. However, his transfer may not have occurred if the ‘star’ centre-forward the Magpies were chasing the previous year had lived up to expectations.

On the 6th of February 1946, the Nottingham Evening Post carried the headline,

WILL HE SIGN FOR NOTTS?
“Most Potent Bit Of Soccer Dynamite”

Fred Whittaker, 22-year-old Canadian centre-forward, described as Tommy Lawton’s “double” and “the most potent bit of soccer dynamite to hit Canadian soccer in 20 years”, has been offered a chance to play for Notts County.

Major Buckley, the Notts manager, had sent Whittaker a cable offering him a passage to England. Whittaker, who was due to be demobilised from the Army, said he would accept “providing the terms were right”.

Whittaker was a prolific goal scorer in Canada. In 25 matches the previous season, he scored 50 goals, including twenty goals in his last four games. (Makes you question the strength of the opposition).

It was C.R.Foster, the sportswriter of the “Vancouver Daily Province” and originally from Radcliffe-on-Trent, who had brought Whittaker to the notice of the Magpies.

Five months later, on the 13th of July 1946, the following appeared in the Nottingham Evening Post:

GREATEST ENTERPRISE OF NOTTS
New Manager Goes By Air To Sign Canadian

Notts County today gave news of what is by far their greatest enterprise, the despatch of their new manager, Mr AW Stollery, by air to Canada, in order to sign the Vancouver North Shore FC centre-forward, Fred Whittaker. This indicates the spirit in which the executive of the League’s oldest club are tackling their problems and of their determination to spare no efforts to bring the County to the high standards which a club possessing their great traditions should aspire.

The Evening Post reported a week later that Whittaker would fly to New York and cross the Atlantic onboard the Queen Mary, arriving in England on the 21st of August and would be available for the first match of the season against Bournemouth at Meadow Lane.

Whittaker was married on the 10th of August, and the following weekend the couple flew to New York in time to board the Aquitania for their Atlantic crossing. They were met by Manager Strolley and the Notts’ Secretary, Mr W.Fisher, on their arrival at Southampton on Saturday the 24th of August.

It looks as though he just made it to Meadow Lane in time for the team photo, as he’s still wearing his overcoat! Manager Arthur Stollery is seated to Whittaker’s right.



Notts began the new season at Meadow Lane against Bournemouth seven days later, and Fred Whittaker went straight into the side at centre forward. In front of a bumper crowd of 26,779, the home team secured a 1-0 victory.

The Nottingham Journal said of his debut,

The afternoon’s centre of attention was of course, strongly built, tall, Canadian centre-forward Fred Whittaker, making his English football debut, exactly a week after landing at Southampton. It was a big ordeal for this 23-year-old to play his initial match before such a big crowd, and supporters will realise that he needs time to settle down before one can judge his play by League standards. When he sharpens up a little, he may well be an outstanding performer. He showed one or two neat touches, but naturally and obviously found his environment a little strange.

The following Saturday, Notts visited Ninian Park for their game against Cardiff. In front of a crowd just short of 25,000 Notts, who missed a penalty and hit the crossbar, were unlucky to lose 2-1.

The Nottingham Journal said,

Whittaker, after an opening which promised well, was invariably in the grip of Stansfield, the Cardiff pivot.

Four days later, Whittaker was dropped for the Wednesday night game against Bristol City at Meadow Lane. The Canadian centre-forward had not yet fitted into League football, and it was thought that a run in the reserves would enable the Canadian to get acclimatised. However, Mr A.W Strolley, the County Manager, insisted that he “had full confidence in Whittaker, who has not been dropped but is being rested.”


TO BE CONTINUED ….

[Elite_Pie]

Great stuff. Fascinating to see that "he needs time to gel" and "he can't play three games in a week" were applicable in those days!

[SwalePie]

Brilliant! Thanks as always.

[queenslandpie]

Wonder what flying to Canada was like then. Still in the age of low altitude unpressurised bumpy flights. Assume it stopped in Greenland or summit.

[upthemaggies]

Reminds me of Michael Emenalo who had just played in the World Cup and was the big exciting signing that summer, he barely played a game for us.

[magpie_mania]

Great stuff. Fascinating to see that "he needs time to gel" and "he can't play three games in a week" were applicable in those days!

As well as we hit the bar, missed a penalty and were unlucky.

[60YearsAPie]

After being “rested” for six games following the second game of the season, Fred Whittaker returned to the side for the home game against Aldershot, Jackie Sewell scoring both goals in a 2-0 win. The Nottingham Journal’s match report said,

There were over 17,000 present, in spite of the unpleasant weather, and many, no doubt, came to see how Whittaker shaped on his return to the League side. Obviously he has improved, and he will improve still further with more experience of this type of football.

However, he didn’t gain that experience immediately. It seems that Fred didn’t impress on his return, as Notts didn’t pick him in the next 18 games! It was back to the reserves and the Midland League for Fred.

The bitterly cold winter of 1946/47 with freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall disrupted road and rail travel, energy supplies to homes, offices and factories. It brought hardship to many, with rationing worse than in the war and potatoes rationed for the first time. The weather badly hit the football fixtures, and following an away game at Aldershot on the 8th of February, Notts didn’t play again for a month. Then warmer weather in mid-March thawed the snow resulting in flooding in large parts of Nottingham and surrounding areas. West Bridgford, Beeston and Long Eaton suffered particularly badly.

Meanwhile, the Magpies had decided to play Whittaker at left-back in the reserves! He must have impressed, as he was picked to play full-back for the first team at Ipswich. The game was postponed, and when Notts eventually played again, an away trip to Shepherd’s Bush to play Queens Park Rangers on the 8th of March, Fred made his first-team debut as a full back. Notts were hammered 4-1, the defence being continually under pressure, with Whittaker far from comfortable as an experimental left-back.

Fred Whittaker returned to the reserves. Following a Good Friday game against Exeter, he was back in the first-team at centre-forward for a trip to Torquay, Sewell scoring both goals in a 2-1 win for the Magpies. Dropped again, Fred returned a couple of games later at centre-forward and, in the next match, scored his first Notts goal in the 3-1 defeat of Walsall at Meadow Lane.

Notts next game was away to Bristol City, and Whittaker was Man of the Match, playing in goal! Unfortunately, the regular goalkeeper failed to arrive in Bristol on time due to the train he was due to catch being taken off. Fred had never played in goal before but was the hero of the hour in the 1-1 draw.

Back at centre-forward for the next game, Fred scored his second goal for the club, this time from the penalty spot, in the 3-1 defeat of Brighton. Not picked for the next three games he played in the final game of the season, at home to Reading, in goal again! Once more, Whittaker gave a polished display, and Notts ran out 1-0 winners.

The Nottingham Evening Post stated on the 30th of May 1947,

Fred Whittaker, Notts County’s Canadian centre-forward, is returning to Canada. He was placed on the retained list, but in his original agreement with the club, there was a provision that he could return to Canada at the end of the season if he wished. The “Post” understands that although he was invited to remain on the Meadow Lane playing staff, he has decided to return home.

During his season-long stay with Notts, “the most potent bit of soccer dynamite to hit Canadian soccer in 20 years”, who’d scored 50 goals in 25 games the previous season, played ten times for Notts. seven at centre-forward, one at left-back, and two in goal! He scored twice.

A strange tale, but Notts got it right six months later when they signed Tommy Lawton, and the rest is history.

[upthemaggies]

The bitterly cold winter of 1946/47 with freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall disrupted road and rail travel, energy supplies to homes, offices and factories. It brought hardship to many, with rationing worse than in the war and potatoes rationed for the first time. The weather badly hit the football fixtures, and following an away game at Aldershot on the 8th of February, Notts didn’t play again for a month. Then warmer weather in mid-March thawed the snow resulting in flooding in large parts of Nottingham and surrounding areas. West Bridgford, Beeston and Long Eaton suffered particularly badly.

Meadow Lane under water, March 1947

[60YearsAPie]

Meadow Lane under water, March 1947

Great picture utm. Just goes to show what happens when you leave the gate open.