When Wisbech were Peterborough League champs
Wisbech Town made certain of winning the Peterborough League title with a 4-1 win over March Town at Harecroft Road on Easter Monday, April 17,1933.
The form displayed by Wisbech was their best for some considerable time, and with a stronger side out than recently, they were masters of the situation.
March, who ran the ‘Poppies’ close the previous week, put up a plucky fight, but they were lucky in getting off as lightly as they did.
‘Knocker’ Barker put Wisbech ahead with two goals in the first half. In the second half a clever combination between him and Jim Youles gave him his hat-trick, and Youles set up Hill to score the fourth.
March scored their consolation goal five minutes before time when Peacock shot hard, the keeper parried the shot and Sutherall was on hand to score.
Jim Youles
Signed from Peterborough G.E. Loco, a clever inside-forward who formed a great partnership with Bert Titmarsh.
Record for Wisbech Town: 110 appearances over three seasons; scoring 137 goals.
Wisbech lost 3-2 at home to Leicester City A in their first game at Fenland Park on Saturday, August 30, 1947 in the United Counties League.
The football served up by Leicester was probably as good as any seen in the United Counties League that season.
Leicester, with seven full-time professionals in their ranks, were led up front by Derek Hines, a 16-year old who was being given a try-out and the team included 17-year-old left-half, McLaughlin.
It was Hines who put Leicester ahead after 28 minutes. When Cole went down to a drive from Scott which hit the upright, he smashed the ball into an empty net.
The Poppies’ equaliser, which came three minutes before the interval, was hotly disputed. From close range Blackshaw hit the crossbar, the ball was deflected and cleared, but the referee insisted it had crossed the line.
In the next minute, Pickering, well-placed, took a pass from Scott and scored with a beautifully placed shot into the top corner of the goal.
Thirty-one minutes after the interval, Pickering rounded off a spectacular solo run by giving Scott the chance to net from a few yards out.
There was another dispute about the Town’s second goal, which came two minutes from the end, Dally hit the upright and the ball was cleared by the keeper, but once again the referee ruled that it had crossed the line.
Wisbech went on to enjoy a 28-game unbeaten run which included a run of 19 straight wins to take the title by a 12 point margin.
Bert Blackshaw
Bert Blackshaw was another player who remained in the Town after his career ended.
When hostilities ceased in 1945, a selection committee picked the team for the first season 1945/46.
However, near the end of the season, ex-Oldham player Bert Blackshaw was appointed player-manager and for the last season at Harecroft Road.
The United Counties League title was won in great excitement as for the last match Wisbech had to beat Eynesbury Rovers by a margin of 3-0 and won 5-0 just to make sure.
The next season the UCL championship was retained at the new ground – Fenland Park. The only disappointment being an FA Cup defeat away to March Town.
Runners-up in the UCL the following season, Bert had the misfortune to break his leg in a match at Spalding and decided to relinquish his position at the end of the season.
Bert subsequently became a physiotherapist at the North Cambs Hospital. His wife ran a ‘Learner Driver’s School’ from their house in Lynn Road.
He played 100 games for Wisbech, scoring 61 goals.
Wisbech Town A were thrashed at home 8-1 by Spalding United Reserves on October 15, 1949 in a friendly match
When the Colts took the field, a cheer went up as spectators recognised the goalkeeper, a familiar figure in an unfamiliar role.
They laughed with delight when an under-sized cap was provided for him after skipper John Thorpe had lost the toss and the Colts were set to face the sun.
Seventeen minutes went by and his charge was still intact but only just as the ball got away and was retrieved from the goalline itself. Occasionally he was able to survey play along at the other end of Fenland Park, but not for long.
After 35 minutes our hero was beaten and again in the 39th minute by shots which did not offer much chance. Come the second half and seven more goals, six for Spalding – but our goalkeeper was not disgraced. Most of the winning shots were goals before the ball ever entered the goal area.
As for the man himself, well Bert Blackshaw really went to Fenland Park to take up his usual pitch on the popular side banking to watch.
He could not resist the temptation to turn out to make up the team, but made it clear afterwards he was making no serious comeback.
