May 4, 1907
Our Anfield friends have had their dark days, some unavoidable, and others whereon the minds were drawn by the players themselves, as to speak. Somehow the men got badly off the mark, and never subsequently did they prove able to recover the ground lost – on their new ground too – during the season’s early days.
New Anfield was opened with a narrow 1-0 win over the subsequent spoonists, Stoke, and then those erratic Anfielders (the Champions of 1905-6) actually dropped seven points out of the next eight at home. The mischief was now done; and although the club pulled back so far as to reach eight place on the table by December 1st, they subsequently drifted away to wind up the League season wretchedly by again dropping seven home points during April. Liverpool’s 33 points compare ill with the 51 recorded last year.
There have been extenuating circumstances. Alf West was practically laid aside all season, whilst Maurice Parry, Billy Dunlop, and Jack Parkinson also had lengthy spells of absenteeism through injury. Then Alex Raisbeck was stricken with sickness at a critical period, and Joe Hewitt in some mysterious manner lost nearly all his effectiveness of the preceding campaign.
But admitting all this, Liverpool have sadly disappointed us, and by no means gave of their best during the season as a whole. Men who can secure 51 points one season should never be content with 33 the next. We saw what Liverpool could do on Monday. That was the real Liverpool: too often it has only been a sham Liverpool. The right colours have been there; these have not played us false at all, but rather some of the men paid to disport them. This has meant much to the management’s finances, and that just at a time when ground expenses have been mot heavy.
Of the players Sam Hardy kept a splendid goal throughout, and thoroughly won his trio of caps. Percy Saul has proved the mainstay of the defence. Erratic first, he trained on into a first-rate back, and one able to kick well and strong from all position. James Bradley has shown rare consistency at half-back, as has Arthur Goddard in attack, these four being the most successful members throughout the season.
Sam Raybould and Robert Robinson both serve usefully. John Cox came back in his best form in the season’s later stages, whilst William Macpherson proved a genuine accession of strength in attack.
In addition to the players first named, John Carlin, Tom Chorlton, Harry Griffiths, and George Latham have not quite fulfilled the expectations of former seasons; whilst James Gorman, after promising great things at centre half, failed to maintain his earlier good standard.
The following statistics speak for themselves: –
** Note that comparing these figures from Cricket and Football Field with LFChistory the differences is amongst the goalgetters.
(Source: Cricket and Football Field: May 4, 1907; via http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) © 2018 Findmypast Newspaper Archive Limited
Percy Saul.
"Play Up, Liverpool" 