John Denby
Encyclopedia
John Denby was an English
footballer
, who played as a half back
for Southampton
in the Southern League
from 1911 to 1915.
he started his career with Chesterfield
. In the summer of 1911 Southampton
's new manager George Swift
spent £820 recruiting 11 new players including a return to his former club to sign Denby. Denby made his "Saints" debut in the opening match of the 1911–12 season, a 1–1 draw with Millwall
.
Playing alongside Bert Lee
and Jim McAlpine
, he became an integral part of the team's defence up to the suspension of football in 1915. According to Holley & Chalk's "The Alphabet of the Saints", Denby was "a strong, reliable player (who) played in all three half-back positions with equal merit and was the team's defensive pivot."
His steady influence had a considerable effect on team performances and an improvement in their defensive play. He continued to give the club sterling service up to the outbreak of World War I
when he retired from professional football.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, who played as a half back
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
for Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
in the Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
from 1911 to 1915.
Football career
Born in Sutton-in-AshfieldSutton-in-Ashfield
Sutton-in-Ashfield is a market town in the Ashfield district of Nottinghamshire, England, with a population of around 43,000. It is situated four miles west of Mansfield, close to the Derbyshire border.-Geography:...
he started his career with Chesterfield
Chesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
. In the summer of 1911 Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
's new manager George Swift
George Harold Swift
George Harold Swift was an English footballer who won the FA Cup with Wolverhampton Wanderers, and was later the first secretary-manager of Southampton.-Playing career:...
spent £820 recruiting 11 new players including a return to his former club to sign Denby. Denby made his "Saints" debut in the opening match of the 1911–12 season, a 1–1 draw with Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
.
Playing alongside Bert Lee
Bert Lee (footballer)
Ernest Albert "Bert" Lee was an English professional footballer who played in the 1902 FA Cup final for Southampton, and also made one appearance for England in 1904...
and Jim McAlpine
Jim McAlpine
James Walker McAlpine was a Scottish footballer, who played as a half back for Southampton in the Southern League before playing for Football League clubs Millwall and Gillingham.-Football career:...
, he became an integral part of the team's defence up to the suspension of football in 1915. According to Holley & Chalk's "The Alphabet of the Saints", Denby was "a strong, reliable player (who) played in all three half-back positions with equal merit and was the team's defensive pivot."
His steady influence had a considerable effect on team performances and an improvement in their defensive play. He continued to give the club sterling service up to the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
when he retired from professional football.