The 1892–93 season was the fourth in existence for
Sheffield United. This was their first season playing in the recently formed
Football League Second Division
The Football League Second Division was the second level division in the English football league system between 1892 and 1992. Following the foundation of the FA Premier League, the Football League divisions were renumbered and the third ti ...
as the club sought to establish itself as a major footballing force. With some members of the football committee unconvinced of the long-term future of the Football League, the club also retained its membership of the
Northern League Northern League may refer to:
Sport
Baseball
* Northern League (baseball, 1902–71), a name used by several minor leagues that operated in the upper midwestern U.S. and Manitoba from 1902 to 1971
* Northern League (baseball, 1993–2010), an indep ...
.
Background
Sheffield United had finished third in the
Northern League Northern League may refer to:
Sport
Baseball
* Northern League (baseball, 1902–71), a name used by several minor leagues that operated in the upper midwestern U.S. and Manitoba from 1902 to 1971
* Northern League (baseball, 1993–2010), an indep ...
the
previous season. Their ambition, however, was to play in the
Football League
The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, the league is the oldest such competition in the world. It was the top-level football league in Engla ...
and in April 1892 their application to join was successful at the second attempt.
The club's application had previously been rejected in 1891 but with the league being expanded from 12 to 28 teams United, along with a number of other clubs including local rivals
The Wednesday, were elected to play in the Football League for the 1892–93 season.
To the annoyance of the club's directors however, whereas The Wednesday were given entry directly into the
First Division, United were placed in the newly formed
Second Division
In sport, the Second Division, also called Division 2 or Division II is usually the second highest division of a league, and will often have promotion and relegation with divisions above and below. Following the rise of Premier League style compet ...
.
Despite their Football League application being successful some members of United's football committee were unconvinced of its long-term future, and so the club elected to retain its membership of the Northern League as well.
Kit
With the club now a member of
The Football League
The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, the league is the oldest such competition in the world. It was the top-level football league in Engla ...
, United elected to adopt a new jersey consisting of thick red and white stripes.
This replaced the all white jersey they had worn in the previous season and was the first introduction of a strip that has remained (some minor alterations aside) to the present day.
United retained their white jersey as a change strip and matched both shirts with blue knickers and socks.
The club badge that had also adorned their jerseys the previous season was also dropped.
Season
Pre-season
With United set to play in the newly formed
Football League Second Division
The Football League Second Division was the second level division in the English football league system between 1892 and 1992. Following the foundation of the FA Premier League, the Football League divisions were renumbered and the third ti ...
the club looked to strengthen its squad, as a number of fringe players departed
Bramall Lane
Bramall Lane is a association football, football stadium in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, which is the home of Sheffield United F.C., Sheffield United.
The stadium was originally a cricket ground, built on a road named after the Bramal ...
. Squad players
William Getliff and
W. Nesbitt were not retained, and long-serving defender
Ned Stringer retired from playing to take up a scouting post with the club.
Billy Bairstow
William Bairstow was an English footballer who played for Sheffield United and Barnsley St. Peter's as an inside right or inside left. Born in Sheffield Bairstow had been playing for Sheffield Club when he was signed by newly formed Sheffield ...
was allowed to join local side Penistone, while
Thomas Smith's brief stay with the club came to an end as he was signed by
Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...
neighbours
Barnsley
Barnsley () is a market town in South Yorkshire, England. As the main settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley and the fourth largest settlement in South Yorkshire. In Barnsley, the population was 96,888 while the wider Borough has ...
.
Moving in the opposite direction,
Walter Wigmore was signed from
Worksop Town on 12 June. By July United had added
defender William Mellor William Mellor could refer to:
* Bill Mellor (1874–1940), American baseball player
* Bill Mellor (footballer), (1886–1938), English football goalkeeper
*Chip Mellor (full name William H. Mellor), American lawyer and political activist
*Will Me ...
, and signed
striker
Striker or The Strikers may refer to:
People
*A participant in a strike action
*A participant in a hunger strike
*Blacksmith's striker, a type of blacksmith's assistant
*Striker's Independent Society, the oldest mystic krewe in America
People wi ...
Arthur McCabe
Arthur John Michael "Mackker" McCabe (23 June 1887 – 30 July 1924) was an Australian rugby union and pioneer professional rugby league footballer. He represented for Australian in rugby union at the 1908 Summer Olympics.
Rugby union career
...
from nearby
Rotherham Town on a free transfer.
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...
born defender
George Waller, who had played in the
1890 FA Cup Final
The 1890 FA Cup Final was contested by Blackburn Rovers and The Wednesday at the Kennington Oval. Blackburn won 6–1 with goals scored by William Townley (3), Nat Walton, Jack Southworth and Joe Lofthouse. The Wednesday's goal was scored by Alb ...
for cross–city rivals
The Wednesday, was signed from
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough ( ) is a town on the southern bank of the River Tees in North Yorkshire, England. It is near the North York Moors national park. It is the namesake and main town of its local borough council area.
Until the early 1800s, the a ...
at the start of August, before the club's pre-season dealings concluded with the arrival of
wide player Joe Brady arrived from
Renton. Despite this influx of new players, the established first team remained largely unchanged from the previous season, with those players signed during the summer being used mainly as reserves and making relatively few first team appearances.
With the new season about to start, United kicked off their fixture list with a show-piece friendly game against established
Scottish
Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including:
*Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland
*Scottish English
*Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...
side
Celtic
Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to:
Language and ethnicity
*pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia
**Celts (modern)
*Celtic languages
**Proto-Celtic language
* Celtic music
*Celtic nations
Sports Fo ...
, beating their visitors 1–0 courtesy of a
Harry Hammond goal.
Squad
Source:
First team
Players leaving before the end of the season
Transfers
In
Out
League tables
Source:
Football League Second Division
Northern League
Squad statistics
Source:
Appearances and goals
, -
, colspan="14", ''Players who left before the end of the season:''
Top scorers
Results
Source:
Key
Division Two
Test match
FA Cup
Northern League
Wharncliffe Charity Cup
Challenge match
Friendlies
Notes
Bibliography
*
*
References
External links
Sheffield United F.C. Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:1892-93 Sheffield United F.C. season
Sheffield United F.C. seasons
Sheffield United