On this day in 1902, the team that would become known as Manchester United played their last-ever game as Newton Heath.
The story is packed with the sort of drama that the future club would becone synonymous with.
In early 1902, after years of trying to win a financial battle for survival off the pitch, Newton Heath were close to the brink. Bankruptcy and closure was a fate that had impacted other fledgling football clubs. Perhaps Newton Heath were lucky on two counts – the first, their locality. Manchester was a big industrial place. The second count was the standing and reputation of the club; whilst the on-pitch fortunes had been up and down, Newton Heath had been created by a prominent railwayman in Frederick Attock, and Attock had numerous influential connections to politicians and journalists.
A spirit had been created within the club, and the players (many of whom had been enticed to Manchester to work on the railways before the sport was deemed professional) were loyal to it and each other. That accounts for their presence at fundraising bazaars in early 1902, and of course the familiar story you are sure to have heard about Harry Stafford, his St. Bernard, Major, and the dog’s involvement in getting JH Davies, a local brewery magnate, interested in taking over the club.
A deal was struck and on April 24th, a meeting was held to determine the future structure of the club. It was said that the club’s name had confused opponents when they were arriving for fixtures so they were often arriving late to the wrong location, causing delays to matches. A bolder name was required; the chairman of the meeting, James Brown, suggested one.
“On this ground, and others of even a stranger character, he would suggest that the club’s name should be changed, on approval of the League and the FA, to that of Manchester United.”
This report could be found in the Gorton Reporter on April 26th, 1902 (and was indeed referenced in Gary James’ 2008 book, Manchester, A Football History); a resolution of the long-standing legend and uncertainty around who came up with the name, with Louis Rocca’s claim going down on official record going well into the 21st century.
There was just one matter to be resolved. The conclusion of the season. There was little point enforcing the name change when there was one game left to play, so Newton Heath’s last-ever game under the name took place on this day, 26th April, 1902.
They faced Manchester City in the Manchester Senior Cup at Hyde Road, a romantic occasion to say farewell to the old.
In the first half, the Railwaymen went a goal down. But they levelled, and as both sides searched for a winner in the second half, drama unfolded when the visitors were awarded a penalty after outside-right, Schofield, was brought down just inside the box.
Up stepped an unlikely taker. Fred Erentz, a full-back, was the club’s most loyal servant, by any measure. He had become Newton Heath’s first player to reach 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 games. He had officially reached 310. The real number was much higher, much higher than even 311, including friendlies and Manchester Senior Cup games such as this one, which didn’t go down on official appearance records.
Erentz was suffering with a knee complaint. And an actual one – the club’s longest-serving player already knew he wouldn’t be retained. This would be his last game for the club – and probably, given his position, his last-ever shot. His strike was calm, considering the circumstances, and safely guided into the back of the net.
“The cheering which greeted this was loud and prolonged,” reported the Athletic News.
Within moments of the restart, Harry Stafford made a lung-busting challenge to stop a City counter; it was as close as they came to equalising. In Newton Heath’s last-ever game, their longest-serving player had scored the goal which delivered them the Manchester Senior Cup.
Erentz wasn’t alone in leaving. He and 37 others were released for transfer, but Erentz decided to retire that summer.
On May 21st, the club’s founder, Frederick Attock, passed away. Manchester United have always had a romantic association with dates – and for their founder to have died in the interim period of the club’s transition from Newton Heath to Manchester United is another thread to that narrative.
One week later, on May 28th, 1902, in a boardroom, the Lancashire Association reported their approval for the club’s name change to Manchester United for the 1902/3 season – marking the official changeover of the club’s name.
On the pitch, the conclusion of Newton Heath was far more romantic.
For more interesting stories about the history of Manchester United, and Newton Heath, consider ordering a copy of Football, Taught By Matt Busby – available everywhere now.
