the_nibs

In the villages of Dalton & Thrybergh when the talk comes around to football it usually starts as you would expect. "Rotherham United". "Great". "Rubbish". "Owls". "Blades". "Get back t Sheffield weer tha' belongs". "Man United". "Mancks". "Love em". "Ate em". "Liverpool". "Scousers". "Arsenal". "Lucky". "Borin"."Chelsea". "Come on you Blues". "Pensioners", or how well my nephew Michael played for St Gerard's school last week.

Then someone remembers a tale about a team from Dalton that played before the war. "Which war? "Gulf, Falklands, WW1, WW2". Don't know but they wore big boots with steel toe caps on them because they had to kick a ball that weighed a ton that was held together with stitching & tied up with a boot lace & if you headed it you thought your head would cave in.

The best team Rotherham has ever seen and no I am not biased just because it is a Dalton team is Dalton & Eastwood United , better known as Dalton Nibs or more affectionately, just " The Nibs". Their greatest season was undoubtedly 1924-25 WHEN THEY WON SEVEN TROPHIES , two finals in one day & Billy Jowett scored 200 goals?

The origins of the team are sadly lost in the mists of time but we know that they played their home games at the back of The Foljambe Arms which is just over the Dalton border in Eastwood. There has been some confusion over the years concerning "The Nibs" as they have been linked in similar stories to a team called Dalton Athletic & even Whinney Hill St Peters.

My Introduction.
My first introduction to The Nibs was around 1966 ( a good year for English football ) when a newly wed couple moved into a house on Doncaster Road, Dalton. They were clearing out the attic & found a very large photo of a football team. On inspection someone said "Its The Nibs, its Dalton Nibs". When I looked I said "That's Mr Waller, he lives across the road from me on Osberton Street". I then took the photo home to show my dad & he said "Yes it is Jacko Waller, but the team was called Dalton & Eastwood United & they had a greater team than this one because there are no trophies on this photo".

Ten years after.
It must have been at least ten years later before I found out what my dad was talking about. My mates dad Mr Dick ( Staffy ) Ward ( who found local fame as manager of Thrybergh Old Boys in the 1960s ) had just been given some old photos of local football teams & sure enough some of them were of The Nibs. The photo had the team, coach, landlord of The Foljambe Arms & a football with painted on it Dalton & Eastwood United 1924-25, five trophies & an array of medals.

The Invincibles.
What is known as fact is that the team who played in the 1924-25 season will be forever thought of as The Invincibles of Rotherham football, bar none. Another photo just shows the trophies & medals which include The Rotherham F.A. Cup & the famous Rotherham Charity Cup which is thought to be the oldest football trophy in the world that is played for every season.

The other trophies have not yet been identified. Some say that the full tally was seven. The names I have been given for this famous team are, Tommy Tagg, Jim Robinson, Brotherton, first name not known, Jack Felvus, Tracey, ( Norman or B ) Mr Neale, Trainer, Billy Morgan, Joe Etchells, Albert, Taffy or Tommy Rodgers, Lol Walsh, Mick or Nick Hutchinson, Etherington, two brothers, first names unknown, Williams( J or S ) Billy Jowett, Tongy Beale & Albert Liversidge.

Epilogue.
Sadly little is known about The Nibs after their trophy cabinet was filled to overflowing in 1925. Some say that success breeds success but in this case it does not seem so. I have a photo dated 1927 which I have been informed is of The Nibs with one trophy on it.

So did they move on to better things ? Rotherham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers etc. I do not know , but what I do know is that on their day, or should I say year, they were the greatest amateur football team Rotherham has ever seen or ever likely to.

Peter Lawery

1927 TEAM

Trophies won in 1924 - 25 Season.

Rotherham F.A. Cup, Unknown, Rotherham Charity Cup, Unknown, Unknown

Many thanks Peter

Top Of Page

Email John Doxey

STATEMENT :

I have no affiliation with any Trade Union, Political body, or organization regarding the information on this site. All information on this site is Factual and correct to the extent of my knowledge. There is no intent to cause offence to any individual. Should you spot an error please let me know and that error will be corrected.

PEASE NOTE:

This site is the result of over 7 years research, and compilation, should you wish to use any of the content for publication of literature please contact me. The poetry and life of James Ross, the story of St. Leonard's Cross, and other items on this site were compiled, and first published on this site in their present context as a study of Thrybergh. If you use this site as a source, out of courtesy, please give credit where it is due as I have done on this site where appropriate.
All text and pages as formatted and presented on this site Copyright John Doxey and may not be reproduced under any circumstances without consent. Photos, and information Copyright to Primary Sources where applicable