Herbert Chapman - Barnbow to Highbury
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Herbert Chapman - Barnbow to Highbury
Barwicker No.124
Summer 2017
When Herbert Chapman took on the role as a senior manager at the
newly constructed Barnbow munitions factory little was he to know
that it would lead to an investigation that would involve him in
football's first illegal payments scandal: the demise of the local football
team and his own lifetime ban from the game.
Herbert Chapman entered the world on the 19th January 1878, one of
eleven children born into a coal mining family at Kiveton Park near
Rotherham. Herbert was a bright boy, doing well at school, and like
two of his elder brothers excelling at both football and cricket. On
leaving school Herbert started work at Kiveton Park Colliery but a life
down the mine held little appeal. So he enrolled at Sheffield Technical
College where he studied mining engineering. while at the same time
representing the colliery at football. In 1895 aged seventeen. Herbert
left home to take up a position working in the office at a printing firm
in Ashton-Under-Lyne. While there he was introduced to the secretary
of Ashton North End football Club who signed him on paying him
five shillings expenses every time he played: it was to be the start of a
roller-coaster ride in professional football.
To say Herbert's career as a footballer was unspectacular would be an
understatement. Playing for eleven different clubs mostly in the lower
leagues and spanning a period of fourteen years. alien playing as an
amateur at clubs where he could secure an outside job. In 1901 while
playing for Worksop Town he came to the attention of Northampton
Town who signed him, and he played as a full time professional for the
first time in his career. In 1907 whilst playing for Tottenham Hotspur,
Herbert considered quitting football and making a return to the
mining industry, when Northampton Town asked him to return as
player manager; Herbert accepted.
Playing only spasmodically over the next two seasons, Herbert finally
finished playing and turned his attention to full time management.
Exceeding all expectations Herbert's management style saw
Northampton finish the 1908-09 season as Southern League
Champions and although Northampton didn't repeat the feat, they
finished in the top four for the next three season: by now Herbert must
have felt that is what he was meant to do.
Norris Hepworth was the chairman of Leeds City, who in 1905 were
latest club to be admitted to the football league. taking over the Elland
Road ground previously occupied by Holbeck Rugby Club. By 1912
City were struggling. Poor results and poor gates soon had the club in
financial trouble. administrators were called in. and manager Frank
Scott-Walford resigned. Hepworth had to do something; Herbert
Chapman was the answer.
Herbert Chapman's revolutionary ideas were to make an immediate
impact at Elland Road. As results improved so did the gates. rising
from an average of 8500 to over 13,000. The club was now in much
better shape, but then in 1914 the outbreak of war was to change
everything. The 1914-15 season was the last full playing season before
all sporting fixtures were suspended. Players of all sports like their
followers. were being called up to do their duty. In 1916 the football
league decided to start regional war time leagues. where players on
leave could play for any club as guest players for expenses only. this
led to clubs enticing the best players to turn out for them by giving
them a little bit extra. this encouraged better gate receipts thus helping
to keep clubs going through the war. It was a practice Leeds City were
going to live to regret.
The need for more arms and munitions prompted the building of a
factory at Barnbow Leeds. By 1916 it was the most productive
armaments factory in Britain. To oversee that production was
maintained Barnbow needed managers and Herbert Chapman
answered the call taking up a position as a senior manager. The
Leeds Industrialist, soap manufacturer Joseph Watson was already
involved. The shifts at Barnbow were six days a week with one in
three Saturdays off, leaving Herbert with little time for any football
matters. lie had left the running of the club to the chairman Joseph
Canner and his assistant manager George Cripps (who was promoted
as temporary manager). Herbert stayed at Barnbow until 1919 when
the resumption of the football league saw him return to Leeds City. He
returned to a club in disarray.
On his return to Elland Road Herbert found a club once again deep in
debt; George Cripps was demoted back to assistant manager, a move
he was unhappy about and he threatened to sue the board if they did
not pay his claim for £400 compensation; the board gave him £55.
Cripps was less than pleased. He then reported the club for i1legal
payments to guest players during the war. This led to an investigation
by the FA and the football league.
Illegal payments to players had been going on for years and the FA and
the Football League were determined to stamp it out and make an
example of somebody. The Leeds City Board were asked to show their
books; the request was refused. This was seen as an admission of guilt;
the Board, along with Herbert Chapman were all given lifetime
bans from any further involvement in football. This was the end for
Leeds City, the club was dissolved (a new club. Leeds United was
admitted to the league four years later) and the players were auctioned
off at the Metropole Hotel.
With a growing family Herbert had to seek employment and an offer
came for him to take up the position of Superintendent at the Olympia
Cake and Oil Mills at Selby, a company owned by his fellow manager
at Barnbow, Joseph Watson. By Christmas 1920 unemployment once
again loomed, when Watson unexpectedly sold the mill. Herbert
wanted to return to football, but first he had to get the ban lifted, and a
chance came in the form of Huddersfield Town who were looking for
an assistant to their manager Ambrose Langley. With the help of
Huddersfield, Herbert argued that he could not be held responsible for
what happened at City because of his commitment to Barnbow and the
war effort; the ban was overturned.
Within two months of joining Huddersfield. Herbcrt replaced Ambrose
Langley as manager. Once again the impact on the team was
immediate - winning the FA cup in 1922; the First Division title in
1923-24; and again in 1924-25. Herbert's managerial qualities brought
him to the attention of Arsenal, who at the end of the 1924-25 season
offered to double his wages to be their manager. Unsurprisingly he
accepted; he was on his way to Highbury.
His years at Arsenal were to be the best of Herbert's career: winning
the FA Cup in 1930; runners up in 1927 and 1932; winning the first
division title in 1930-31 and 1932-33. He was proving to be the most
successful manager the game of football had ever witnessed. In early
January 1934 Arsenal were on their way to been crowned champions
for the third time in four years when tragedy struck.
 |
Herbert Chapman |
Herbert, nursing a heavy cold, went against his doctor's advice and
went to watch the third team play. The cold turned to pneumonia: on
the 6th January he died, twelve days short or his fifty sixth birthday.
A bust or Herbert Chapman by Jacob Epstein was commissioned by Arsenal
and stood in the entrance hall of Arsenal's Highbury Stadium.
In 20II Arsenal moved to their new stadium (The Emirates) and
Herbert's bust was taken, and there it holds pride of place along with a
newly commissioned statue that stands outside of the stadium. It is
ironic that the highest and lowest points of Herbert's career both had
associations with munitions factories, Barnbow and Arsenal, a club
founded by munitions workers.
RAY MEDD
Sources:
The York Press,
Wikipaedia,
F.A. and Football League Records.
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