The Third Division North and Third Division South of The Football League

The Football League

The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...

 was a level in English association football, which ran from 1921 to 1958.

From 1954–55 season until 1957–58 season, there was a series of games between teams representing the Third Division North and the Third Division South.

The Representative Games

1954–55 - played at Reading F.C.

Reading F.C.

Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...

 ground on 16 March 1955. Attendance 10,438. South won 2–0.

1955–56 - played at Accrington Stanley F.C.

Accrington Stanley F.C.

Accrington Stanley is an English association football club from Accrington in Lancashire, in the North West of England, who play in Football League Two, the fourth-highest division in the English football league system....

 ground on 13 October, 1955. Attendance 10,521. Draw 3–3.

The second half of the match was broadcast on BBC television, which was the first occasion that a match had been televised from Peel Park.

Don Mills scored for the South in the first half. Reg Ryan

Reg Ryan

Reginald Alphonso Ryan , also referred to as Paddy Ryan, is a former Irish footballer who played for West Bromwich Albion, Derby County and Coventry City. Ryan was also a dual international, playing for both Ireland teams - the FAI XI and the IFA XI. He was the last player to represent both teams...

 equalised with a penalty in the second half, followed by goals from John Thomas Connor for the North and Ernie Morgan

Ernie Morgan

Ernest "Ernie" Morgan is an English former professional Association football player and manager. He spent the bulk of his career with Gillingham, where he set a record for the highest number of goals scored in a single season which stands to this day.-Playing career:Morgan worked as a miner from...

 for the South. The final score was 3–3.

1956–57 - played at Coventry City F.C.

Coventry City F.C.

Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...

 ground on 8 October, 1956. Attendance 14,500. South won 2–1.

1956–57 - played at Stockport County F.C.

Stockport County F.C.

Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...

 ground on 2 April 1957. Attendance 12,372. Won by North 2–1.

W Holden scored the first goal for the North, which was followed by an equaliser by P Langman for the South. Soon after the start of the second half, Ron Greener

Ron Greener

Ron Greener is an English former footballer, who played as a defender. Born in Easington, County Durham, he played his entire career in his native North-East. He started his career with Newcastle United, before he moved to Darlington in 1955...

 failed to score for the North from a penalty. The winning goal was scored by Alf Ackerman

Alf Ackerman

Alf Ackerman was a South African professional footballer. Born in Pretoria, Ackerman spent the majority of his career in Scotland and England, playing with Clyde, Hull City, Norwich City, Derby County, Carlisle United and Millwall. He was selected to play for the Third Division North side against...

 for the North in the last minute of the game.

1957–58 - played at Crystal Palace F.C.

Crystal Palace F.C.

Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...

 ground on 30 October, 1957. Draw 2–2.

The Teams and Officials

The following players and officials were selected to participate in the representative games.
South Vs. North 16 March 1955
The South Team

Position	Name	Club
1	Ken Oxford Ken Oxford Kenneth "Ken" Oxford was an English footballer.-Playing career:Oxford started his career by winning a contract at Manchester City before enjoying five years with both Norwich City and Derby County...	Norwich City
2	Alex Jardine Alex Jardine Alex Jardine was a former Scottish footballer who played as a full back.-Career:Jardine began his career in the mid 1940s with Dundee United, spending four years at Tannadice before moving to Millwall in 1950 for £700. He was selected to play for the Third Division South representative side in...	Millwall
3	Jim Langley Jim Langley Ernest James "Jim" Langley , was an English association football player noted for his pacey, rampaging runs from the left fullback position and his long throw-ins...	Brighton
4	Brian Nicholas	Queen's Park Rangers
5	John Crosland John Crosland John Ronald Crosland was an English professional football player. He played as a defender, and could switch from centre-half to full-back....	Bournemouth
6	Gwyn Hughes	Northampton
7	Wally Hinshelwood Wally Hinshelwood Walter "Wally" Hinshelwood is an English former footballer who was active in the 1950s. His position on the pitch was outside-right. Hinshelwood began his career at Fulham, where he received little playing time...	Reading
8	Johnny Rainford	Brentford
9	Eric Day Eric Day Eric Charles Day is an English former footballer who played his entire career of nearly 400 Football League games for Southampton. He was born in Dartford, Kent. During his career with the club, which lasted 11 years from 1945 to 1957, he scored 145 league goals, which placed him seventh on the...	Southampton
10	Don Mills	Torquay
11	Mike Grice Mike Grice Michael John "Mike" Grice born in Woking, Surrey, was an English footballer who played as a winger.Grice played for Colchester United. He was selected to play for the Third Division South representative side in 1954–55. He joined West Ham United for £10,000 in 1955...	Colchester
Manager	Mr. A.J. Smith Jack Smith (footballer born 1911) Arthur John Smith, commonly known as Jack Smith was a Welsh footballer and football manager.In 1948 he became West Bromwich Albion's first full-time manager....	Reading

The North Team

Position	Name	Club
1	Ray Minshull	Southport
2	Bob Jackson	Oldham
3	Jimmy Harrower	Accrington Stanley
4	Ken Furphy Ken Furphy Ken Furphy is an English former football player and manager.Despite being on the books at Everton between 1950–1951, Furphy was a lower league player with Runcorn Darlington and then Workington...	Darlington
5	David Blakey	Chesterfield
6	Frank Clempson Frank Clempson Frank Clempson was an English professional footballer born in Salford who played in The Football League for three clubs. He was part of the Manchester United squad when they won the First Division title in 1951–1952....	Stockport County
7	Arthur Kaye	Barnsley
8	Jimmy Prescott	Southport
9	George Stewart	Accrington Stanley
10	George Smith	Chesterfield
11	Merfyn Jones Merfyn Jones (footballer) Merfyn Jones was a Welsh professional footballer who played for, among others, Scunthorpe United, Crewe Alexandra and Chester City...	Scunthorpe
Manager	Mr. Fred Emery	Carlisle United

The Officials

Official	Name	From
Referee	Mr. J. H. Husband	London
Linesman (Red Flag)	Mr. C.B. Broome	London
Linesman (Yellow Flag)	Mr. S. W. Barker	Bexleyheath

North Vs. South 13 October 1955
The North Team

Position	Name	Club
1	Ray Minshull	Southport
2	James F. Fleming	Workington
3	Vincent Kenny	Carlisle United
4	Dennis Stokoe	Workington
5	John Ryden John Ryden John Johnston Ryden is a former Scottish professional footballer who played for Duntocher Hibernian, Alloa Athletic, Accrington Stanley, Tottenham Hotspur, Watford, Romford, Tunbridge Wells Rangers and Bexley Utd-Playing career:...	Accrington Stanley
6	Reg Ryan Reg Ryan Reginald Alphonso Ryan , also referred to as Paddy Ryan, is a former Irish footballer who played for West Bromwich Albion, Derby County and Coventry City. Ryan was also a dual international, playing for both Ireland teams - the FAI XI and the IFA XI. He was the last player to represent both teams...	Derby County
7	Bobby Webb Bobby Webb Robert 'Bobby' Webb is a former footballer, whose career was cut short by a broken leg at the age of just 29. He was an inside forward.-Career:...	Bradford City
8	Ivan Broadis Ivor Broadis Ivan Arthur Broadis is a former England international footballer. Broadis' clubs were Carlisle United, Sunderland, Manchester City, Newcastle United and Queen of the South. Broadis played at inside forward...	Carlisle United
9	John Thomas Connor	Stockport County
10	George Smith	Carlisle United
11	Dennis Woodhead Dennis Woodhead Dennis Woodhead was a professional footballer whose career lasted from 1947 until 1959 during which time he played for Sheffield Wednesday, Chesterfield, Derby County and Southport. Woodhead was primarily a left winger who also played as a stand in centre forward when needed...	Chesterfield
Manager	Mr. W. M. Galbraith	Accrington Stanley
Trainer	Mr. H. Hubbick	Accrington Stanley

The South Team

Position	Name	Club
1	Reg Matthews Reg Matthews Reginald Derrick Matthews was an English football goalkeeper.-Club career:In a playing career spanning almost 20 years, Matthews turned out for Coventry City, Chelsea and Derby County, making over 100 league appearances for each...	Coventry City
2	Stanley Charlton Stan Charlton Stanley "Stan" Charlton is an English former football player and manager. He is the son of Stanley Charlton, who played at full back for Exeter City and Crystal Palace during the 1920s and 1930s...	Leyton Orient
3	Alex Jardine Alex Jardine Alex Jardine was a former Scottish footballer who played as a full back.-Career:Jardine began his career in the mid 1940s with Dundee United, spending four years at Tannadice before moving to Millwall in 1950 for £700. He was selected to play for the Third Division South representative side in...	Millwall
4	Dave Simpson	Coventry City
5	Douglas Rees	Ipswich Town
6	Ronnie Ashman Ron Ashman Ronald George Ashman was an English professional footballer and football manager. Born in Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, he spent his entire playing career with Norwich City F.C. and was later their manager. He went on to manage Scunthorpe United and Grimsby Town.Ashman played 662 games for Norwich,...	Norwich City
7	Roland Mills	Northampton Town
8	Peter Hill	Coventry City
9	Maurice Cook	Watford
10	Ernie Morgan Ernie Morgan Ernest "Ernie" Morgan is an English former professional Association football player and manager. He spent the bulk of his career with Gillingham, where he set a record for the highest number of goals scored in a single season which stands to this day.-Playing career:Morgan worked as a miner from...	Gillingham
11	Arthur Wheeler	Reading
Manager	Mr. Alec Stock Alec Stock Alec William Alfred Stock was an English footballer and manager.-Career:Alec Stock was born in Peasedown St John and played as an inside-forward for Tottenham Hotspur, Charlton Athletic and QPR before the Second World War and guested for several other clubs during the hostilities...	Leyton Orient
Trainer	Mr. L. Gore	Leyton Orient

Note: Although Peter Hill of Coventry was selected at number 8 for the South, D Mills of Torquay started the game.

The Officials

Official	Name	From
Referee	Mr. K. A. Collinge	Sale
Linesman (Red Flag)	Mr. J. S. McLoughlin	Manchester
Linesman (Yellow Flag)	Mr. R. Sleddon	Preston

South Vs. North 8 October 1956
The South Team

Position	Name	Club
1	Reg Matthews Reg Matthews Reginald Derrick Matthews was an English football goalkeeper.-Club career:In a playing career spanning almost 20 years, Matthews turned out for Coventry City, Chelsea and Derby County, making over 100 league appearances for each...	Coventry City
2	Alex Jardine Alex Jardine Alex Jardine was a former Scottish footballer who played as a full back.-Career:Jardine began his career in the mid 1940s with Dundee United, spending four years at Tannadice before moving to Millwall in 1950 for £700. He was selected to play for the Third Division South representative side in...	Millwall
3	Jim Langley Jim Langley Ernest James "Jim" Langley , was an English association football player noted for his pacey, rampaging runs from the left fullback position and his long throw-ins...	Brighton
4	Jimmy Belcher	Crystal Palace
5	Patrick Parker Pat Parker (footballer) Patrick John Parker is a retired English professional footballer who played at centre half for Southampton in the 1950s.-Playing career:...	Southampton
6	John Elsworthy John Elsworthy John Elsworthy was a Welsh football player. A midfielder, he was signed by Ipswich Town manager Scott Duncan in May 1949, after playing as an amateur for Newport County. He played all his professional club football for Ipswich Town. He won four championship medals during Ipswich's rise up the...	Ipswich Town
7	Johnny Gavin	Norwich City
8	Stan Newsham	Bournemouth
9	Roy Hollis Roy Hollis Roy Hollis was a footballer and is a member of the Norwich City Hall of Fame. Great Yarmouth-born Hollis made 107 appearances for Norwich as a centre-forward between 1948 and 1952, scoring 59 times....	Southend United
10	Don Mills	Torquay
11	Ken Flint Ken Flint Kenneth 'Ken' Flint was a former professional footballer who played for Bedford Town, Tottenham Hotspur, Aldershot, Leyton Orient and Bath City.- Playing career :...	Aldershot
Reserve	Albert McPherson	Walsall
Reserve	Maurice Cook	Watford
Manager	Harry Warren Harry Warren (footballer) Harry Warren was manager of Southend United FC between 1940 and 1956.He was manager of Coventry City between 1956 and 1957 having taken over from former Sweden international manager George Raynor. He was succeeded by Billy Frith. He was asked to manage the Third Division South representative team...	Coventry City
Trainer	George Raynor	Coventry City

The North Team

Position	Name	Club
1	Malcolm Newlands	Workington
2	Malcolm Currie Malcolm Currie Malcolm Currie was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a full back.-Career:Born in Rutherglen, Currie began his career with hometown club Rutherglen Glencairn, before moving to English league side Bradford City in 1956. Currie made 136 league appearances for Bradford, before leaving...	Bradford City
3	Jack Brownsword Jack Brownsword Jack Brownsword was a professional footballer who spent 18 seasons with Scunthorpe United, and holds the club's all-time appearance record, having played 597 league games, and 791 first-team games overall for the club. He was a defender, playing in the left-back position.-Career:Jack was a...	Scunthorpe United
4	Albert Mays	Derby County
5	Watty Moore	Hartlepools United
6	Charley Sneddon	Accrington Stanley
7	Gerry Burrell Gerry Burrell Gerry Burrell is a former professional footballer who played in the Scottish Football League for St. Mirren and Dundee and in the English Football League for Huddersfield Town and Chesterfield during the 1940s and 1950s...	Chesterfield
8	Ron Hewitt Ron Hewitt Ronald "Ron" Hewitt was a Wales international football player.Having failed to break into the first team at Wolves, Hewitt had spells with Walsall and Darlington before moving to Wrexham. During his six years there he finished as the top scorer in three of the seasons and established himself as...	Wrexham
9	Ken Johnson Ken Johnson (footballer) Kenneth "Ken" Johnson is an English-born footballer who played as an inside forward in the Football League in the 1950s and 1960s, spending his whole senior career with Hartlepools United....	Hartlepools United
10	George Darwin	Mansfield Town
11	George Luke George Luke George Luke was an English footballer who played as a left-winger for Newcastle United, Hartlepools United and Darlington in the 1950s and early 1960s....	Hartlepools United
Reserve	Ron Powell Ron Powell (footballer) Ron Powell was a footballer who played as a goalkeeper in the Football League between 1948 and 1964, and who played over 500 senior games....	Chesterfield
Reserve	Reg Ryan Reg Ryan Reginald Alphonso Ryan , also referred to as Paddy Ryan, is a former Irish footballer who played for West Bromwich Albion, Derby County and Coventry City. Ryan was also a dual international, playing for both Ireland teams - the FAI XI and the IFA XI. He was the last player to represent both teams...	Derby County
Manager	Harry Storer Harry Storer, Jr. Harry Storer was an English professional footballer, cricketer and football manager.-Early life:Storer was born in West Derby, Liverpool, the son of Harry Storer...	Derby County
Trainer	Billy Newton	Stockport County

The Officials

Official	Name	From
Referee	Mr. Arthur E. Ellis Arthur Edward Ellis Arthur Edward Ellis was an English football referee.Ellis was a referee in The Football Association competitions and in FIFA international competitions...	Halifax
Linesman	Mr. H. Horner	Kenilworth
Linesman	Mr. A. Walters	Warwick

North Vs. South 2 April 1957
The North Team

Position	Name	Club
1	Bob Gray Bob Gray (footballer) Robert "Bob" Gray was an English footballer who played as a goalkeeper.Gray started his career with Whitehall Juniors and Newcastle United before joining Gateshead in the 1947–48 season. He made 432 league appearances and 28 appearances in the FA Cup for Gateshead before spells at non-league...	Gateshead
2	Bob Brown	Workington
3	Tommy Cahill	Barrow
4	Eddie Hunter	Accrington Stanley
5	Ron Greener Ron Greener Ron Greener is an English former footballer, who played as a defender. Born in Easington, County Durham, he played his entire career in his native North-East. He started his career with Newcastle United, before he moved to Darlington in 1955...	Darlington
6	Barry Hutchinson	Chesterfield
7	Ken Finney	Stockport County
8	Ivan Broadis Ivor Broadis Ivan Arthur Broadis is a former England international footballer. Broadis' clubs were Carlisle United, Sunderland, Manchester City, Newcastle United and Queen of the South. Broadis played at inside forward...	Carlisle United
9	Alf Ackerman Alf Ackerman Alf Ackerman was a South African professional footballer. Born in Pretoria, Ackerman spent the majority of his career in Scotland and England, playing with Clyde, Hull City, Norwich City, Derby County, Carlisle United and Millwall. He was selected to play for the Third Division North side against...	Carlisle United
10	Bill Holden	Stockport County
11	Brian Cripsey	Hull City
Reserve	Tommy Forgan Tommy Forgan Thomas Carr "Tommy" Forgan is an English former football goalkeeper.Forgan joined York City for a fee of £500 in the summer of 1954 having been placed on the transfer list by his previous club Hull City where he had spent five years. He had previously played for Middlesbrough local non-league side...	York City
Also named	Jack Brownsword Jack Brownsword Jack Brownsword was a professional footballer who spent 18 seasons with Scunthorpe United, and holds the club's all-time appearance record, having played 597 league games, and 791 first-team games overall for the club. He was a defender, playing in the left-back position.-Career:Jack was a...	Scunthorpe United
Also named	Gren Jones	Wrexham
Manager	Teddy Davison Teddy Davison Teddy Davison was an English footballer and manager who had a long and successful association with the football clubs of Sheffield, playing for Sheffield Wednesday for 18 years and later managing Sheffield United for 20 years. His fairness and diplomacy earned him the nicknames of "The George...	Chesterfield
Trainer	W Newton	Stockport County

The South Team

Position	Name	Club
1	Peter Pickering	Northampton
2	Alex Jardine Alex Jardine Alex Jardine was a former Scottish footballer who played as a full back.-Career:Jardine began his career in the mid 1940s with Dundee United, spending four years at Tannadice before moving to Millwall in 1950 for £700. He was selected to play for the Third Division South representative side in...	Millwall
3	George Fisher	Colchester
4	Glen Wilson	Brighton
5	Patrick Parker Pat Parker (footballer) Patrick John Parker is a retired English professional footballer who played at centre half for Southampton in the 1950s.-Playing career:...	Southampton
6	John Elsworthy John Elsworthy John Elsworthy was a Welsh football player. A midfielder, he was signed by Ipswich Town manager Scott Duncan in May 1949, after playing as an amateur for Newport County. He played all his professional club football for Ipswich Town. He won four championship medals during Ipswich's rise up the...	Ipswich
7	Mike Hellawell Mike Hellawell Michael Stephen "Mike" Hellawell is a former professional footballer who played two games for England in 1962 against France and Northern Ireland.His brother John was also a professional player.-Career:...	Queens Park Rangers
8	Don Mills	Torquay
9	Peter Langman	Plymouth
10	Ted Phillips Ted Phillips (footballer) Edward John "Ted" Phillips was an English professional footballer.He made over 250 appearances for Ipswich Town from 1953 to 1964, almost all of them under Alf Ramsey, scoring over 150 goals making him the second highest scorer in the club's history...	Ipswich
11	Reg Cutler	Bournemouth
Reserve	Ken Coote Ken Coote Ken Coote was an English footballer.A defender, he spent his entire professional career with Brentford, joining the west London club as an amateur from Wembley Town in 1949...	Brentford
Reserve	Maurice Evans Maurice Evans (footballer) Maurice George Evans was a football player with Reading Football Club, and later manager of Shrewsbury, Reading and Oxford United....	Reading
Manager
Trainer

Note: Although Ted Phillips

Ted Phillips (footballer)

Edward John "Ted" Phillips was an English professional footballer.He made over 250 appearances for Ipswich Town from 1953 to 1964, almost all of them under Alf Ramsey, scoring over 150 goals making him the second highest scorer in the club's history...

 of Ipswich was selected at number 10 for the South, Dorman of Wallsall started the game.

The Officials

Official	Name	From
Referee
Linesman
Linesman

South Vs. North 30 October 1957
The South Team

Position	Name	Club
1	Ron Springett Ron Springett Ronald "Ron" Deryk George Springett was a football goalkeeper for Sheffield Wednesday, QPR and England.-Career:Springett made 33 appearances for England, then the most by any Sheffield Wednesday player. He held this record for 26 years. He made his England debut against Northern Ireland in 1959...	Queen's Park Rangers
2	Roy McLaughlin	Norwich
3	Alf Sherwood Alf Sherwood Alfred Thomas "Alf" Sherwood was a Welsh international footballer. Between 1947 and 1957, he gained a total of 41 Caps....	Newport County
4	Bobby McLaughlin	Southampton
5	Keith Harvey	Exeter City
6	Glen Wilson	Brighton
7	Bernard Harrison Bernard Harrison Bernard Reginald Stanhope Harrison was an English sportsman who played first-class cricket for Hampshire and professional football with Crystal Palace, Southampton and Exeter City...	Crystal Palace
8	Wilf Carter	Plymouth Argyle
9	Roy Hollis Roy Hollis Roy Hollis was a footballer and is a member of the Norwich City Hall of Fame. Great Yarmouth-born Hollis made 107 appearances for Norwich as a centre-forward between 1948 and 1952, scoring 59 times....	Southend
10	Stanley Steele	Port Vale
11	Peter Wright	Colchester
Reserve	John Shepherd John Shepherd (footballer) John Herbert Edwin Shepherd is an English former professional association football player. He played for Millwall, Brighton & Hove Albion and Gillingham between 1952 and 1961.-Career:...	Millwall
Reserve	Maurice Evans Maurice Evans (footballer) Maurice George Evans was a football player with Reading Football Club, and later manager of Shrewsbury, Reading and Oxford United....	Reading
Manager	Mr. J. Taylor Jack Taylor (footballer) John "Jack" Taylor was an English footballer who became a manager.-Career:Taylor was a full-back who started his playing career with Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1931. He made his senior debut on 1 February 1936 in a 0-5 loss at Brentford...	Queen's Park Rangers

The North Team

Position	Name	Club
1	Roy MacLaren	Bury
2	Eddie Robertson	Bury
3	Paul Feasey	Hull City
4	Jack Bertolini	Workington
5	Wally Taylor	Southport
6	Charlie Crowe Charlie Crowe Charles "Charlie" Crowe was an English footballer who played as a defender. He spent the majority of his career at his hometown club Newcastle United. He also spent a season at Mansfield at the end of his career.-Career:...	Mansfield
7	John Tomlinson	Chesterfield
8	Ivan Broadis Ivor Broadis Ivan Arthur Broadis is a former England international footballer. Broadis' clubs were Carlisle United, Sunderland, Manchester City, Newcastle United and Queen of the South. Broadis played at inside forward...	Carlisle United
9	George Stewart	Accrington Stanley
10	Bill Holden	Stockport County
11	George Luke	Hartlepools
Reserve	Ronald Thompson	Carlisle United
Reserve	Thomas Neill	Bury
Manager	Mr. Peter Jackson Peter Jackson (footballer born 1905) Peter Jackson was a football player and manager. His twin sons Peter and David were also professional footballers. Both played under their father at Wrexham and Bradford City.-Playing career:...	Bradford City

The Officials

Official	Name	From
Referee	Mr. D. T. Blues	Richmond
Linesman (Red Flag)	Mr. D. W. Bradley	Selsdon
Linesman (Yellow Flag)	Mr. C. H. Rogers	N. Kensington