Hilton Crowther
Encyclopedia
John Hilton Crowther was the chairman of Huddersfield Town
and, subsequently, Leeds United
. He was an extremely wealthy woollen mill owner; along with his four brothers, he owned the Milnsbridge
Woollen Mill in Huddersfield
.
His interest in football was sparked by the distinct lack of public interest in Huddersfield Town. Since the club had achieved Football League
status in 1910, their attendances had been extremely poor; up to the suspension of the League programme in 1915, home games had rarely exceeded crowds of 5,000. Contributing factors included Huddersfield's poor form - in five years of endeavour, the clubs best position had been fifth in Division Two
in 1912-13
, and during this period they had never advanced beyond the second round of the FA Cup
- and the presence of the established (and well supported) Huddersfield Northern Rugby Union Club. Playing a near-empty ground, which had been redeveloped to house over 50,000 spectators, could not have been enouraging for players, management or the club directors.
Sympathic to the club's plight, and wealthy enough to indulge himself in practically any project he chose, Crothwer put first £
27,000 into the Huddersfield Football Club in 1918, then added a further £18,000 - a huge fortune in those days.
Such an act undoubtedly guaranteed Town's existence; however, in 1919 it was increasingly felt that the club should become self-sufficient, but lacked the support to achieve that state. Football League president John McKenna
, cited Huddersfield's midweek home League fixture against Bury
on 9 September 1919. The game realised only £49 in gate money, and McKenna said that such meagre support was not conducive to any club retaining Football League membership.
The crisis came to a head following the poor turn out for Huddersfield's 3-0 home win over Fulham
in a Second Division match on 1 November 1919. An attendance of 2,500 paid paid just £90 at the turnstiles, whilst gate receipts at the rugby club in the same week banked £1,600. The club was simply not operating at a viable financial level.
At the same, Leeds City football club had been disbanded due to irregular financial payments to players, and its players were being auctioned off. There was a consistent fan base at Leeds, and a new football club - Leeds United - was formed with the long term aim of replacing the defunct Leeds City.
Impressed by the activity and support of the Leeds fans, Crowther (without consulting his fellow Hudderfield directors) offered to amalgamate Hudderfield Town with the newly formed Leeds United club. In the eyes of many, Leeds had been deprived of the chance to become one of the best centres of soccer in Yorkshire
due to the misdemeanours of the club's officials, so a meeting with the United committee to discuss the possibilities of an amalgamation was welcomed in Leeds. The request for transference of Hudderfield Town to Leeds was duly sent to the Football League.
Within days of this news, a handful of Hudderfield spectators held a prolonged demonstration on the pitch in front of the directors box, demanding an explanation from the club's officials, and the Huddersfield Town board agreed to hold a further public meeting at Leeds Road the following day. A crowd of 3,000 supporters were drawn to the ground to protest at the proposed transference of their club and, encouraged by this, the Hudderfield board sent a counter request to the Football League.
The eventual ruling was that Huddersfield Town would be given one month's grace, until 8 December 1919, to raise £25,000, the sum of the debt deemed payable to Crowther. In return, he would forego his interest in the club. If the money was not forthcoming, Huddersfield Town would move to Elland Road and become part of the new Leeds United.
The community and various local dignitaries rallied around and, after negotiations, Crowther accepted a final payment of £17,500 plus an allotment of 12,500 shares in Huddersfield Town. The club was saved from amalagmation with Leeds United.
Crowther had set his heart on building the new Leeds United, and he became the new club chairman, making the club a loan of £35,000, repayable when United gained promotion to the First Division
.
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
and, subsequently, Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
. He was an extremely wealthy woollen mill owner; along with his four brothers, he owned the Milnsbridge
Milnsbridge
Milnsbridge is a district of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England 2.5 miles west of the town centre, situated in the Colne Valley. The name is said to have derived from the water-powered mill and the bridge that stood alongside it in the 13th century.The Huddersfield Narrow Canal runs...
Woollen Mill in Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
.
His interest in football was sparked by the distinct lack of public interest in Huddersfield Town. Since the club had achieved 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...
status in 1910, their attendances had been extremely poor; up to the suspension of the League programme in 1915, home games had rarely exceeded crowds of 5,000. Contributing factors included Huddersfield's poor form - in five years of endeavour, the clubs best position had been fifth in Division Two
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
in 1912-13
1912-13 in English football
The 1912–13 season was the 42nd season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Sunderland won the First Division for the fifth time, with a record of 25–4–9; Aston Villa, finishing second, had fewer defeats, but a lot more draws: 19–12–7....
, and during this period they had never advanced beyond the second round of the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
- and the presence of the established (and well supported) Huddersfield Northern Rugby Union Club. Playing a near-empty ground, which had been redeveloped to house over 50,000 spectators, could not have been enouraging for players, management or the club directors.
Sympathic to the club's plight, and wealthy enough to indulge himself in practically any project he chose, Crothwer put first £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
27,000 into the Huddersfield Football Club in 1918, then added a further £18,000 - a huge fortune in those days.
Such an act undoubtedly guaranteed Town's existence; however, in 1919 it was increasingly felt that the club should become self-sufficient, but lacked the support to achieve that state. Football League president John McKenna
John McKenna
John McKenna , born in County Monaghan, Ireland, was a self-made businessman and former rugby player, who was the first manager of Liverpool....
, cited Huddersfield's midweek home League fixture against Bury
Bury F.C.
Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
on 9 September 1919. The game realised only £49 in gate money, and McKenna said that such meagre support was not conducive to any club retaining Football League membership.
The crisis came to a head following the poor turn out for Huddersfield's 3-0 home win over Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
in a Second Division match on 1 November 1919. An attendance of 2,500 paid paid just £90 at the turnstiles, whilst gate receipts at the rugby club in the same week banked £1,600. The club was simply not operating at a viable financial level.
At the same, Leeds City football club had been disbanded due to irregular financial payments to players, and its players were being auctioned off. There was a consistent fan base at Leeds, and a new football club - Leeds United - was formed with the long term aim of replacing the defunct Leeds City.
Impressed by the activity and support of the Leeds fans, Crowther (without consulting his fellow Hudderfield directors) offered to amalgamate Hudderfield Town with the newly formed Leeds United club. In the eyes of many, Leeds had been deprived of the chance to become one of the best centres of soccer in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
due to the misdemeanours of the club's officials, so a meeting with the United committee to discuss the possibilities of an amalgamation was welcomed in Leeds. The request for transference of Hudderfield Town to Leeds was duly sent to the Football League.
Within days of this news, a handful of Hudderfield spectators held a prolonged demonstration on the pitch in front of the directors box, demanding an explanation from the club's officials, and the Huddersfield Town board agreed to hold a further public meeting at Leeds Road the following day. A crowd of 3,000 supporters were drawn to the ground to protest at the proposed transference of their club and, encouraged by this, the Hudderfield board sent a counter request to the Football League.
The eventual ruling was that Huddersfield Town would be given one month's grace, until 8 December 1919, to raise £25,000, the sum of the debt deemed payable to Crowther. In return, he would forego his interest in the club. If the money was not forthcoming, Huddersfield Town would move to Elland Road and become part of the new Leeds United.
The community and various local dignitaries rallied around and, after negotiations, Crowther accepted a final payment of £17,500 plus an allotment of 12,500 shares in Huddersfield Town. The club was saved from amalagmation with Leeds United.
Crowther had set his heart on building the new Leeds United, and he became the new club chairman, making the club a loan of £35,000, repayable when United gained promotion to the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
.