Mexborough and Swinton Times October 12, 1928

Men of Note in Local Sport.

A Wombwell Maker.

Long Career on Field and Board.

Mr. Alfred E. Allott, of the Sycamores, Hemingfield, is among the best known and most popular men in football in the Dearne Valley.

He has many activities and carries heavy responsibilities in public affairs. He is Chairman of the Wombwell Football Club and played with Wombwell in the old Yorkshire League days. He has done as much as any other single person towards giving Midland League football a permanent footing in the town. He was a schoolmaster but is now in estate and accountancy business. He started his football and cricket career with Wombwell Main when they ‘played on the Woodside ground. This pitch went out of use when the Midland railway line was cut across it about 30 years ago. With the team at that time were Wilfred Sykes, Wilfred Duke, Charles Hinchcliffe, George W.Hinchcliffe, Charlie Loy, and many others whose names are part of the history of Wombwell sport. Later Mr. Allott enrolled with Wombwell Town and played in the team with Seth Kilner, Fred Hargreaves, Jim and George Lingard , and afterwards became linked up with another once-famous local team, Wombwell Rising Star.

Entering Aberdeen University he played inside-right and right-half for Aberdeen in the Scottish League competition. Returning to take the headship of the Wombwell National School he again assisted Wombwell. He had charge of a large evening school at ‘Wombwell at that time and there ran a team whose exploits are still talked of. It was known as Wombwell National and it later took over the fixtures of Wombwell Town when the latter was abandoned through financial difficulties. With Wombwell National at that time were the late Irving Washington, Tom Baker, Willie Jenkinson (who went to Gainshoro’), Jimmy Dyer (afterwards with West Ham, Barnsley and Manchester City, now trainer at Crewe).

Mr. Allott took over the headship of the Hemingfield Church School in 1903 and occasionally played with the local team. He organised a team that won the Walton Cup in two consecutive seasons: 1910-11.

When years ordered him off the field he turned to the administrative side of the game and did useful service as a referee and member of the Executive of the Barnsley Association. In more recent times he took .a, leading part in re-establishing Wombwell in Mid-land League football. In 1921 he called together a few others, prospects were discussed, and on a wave of revived enthusiasm the present Midland League club was formed. No one will deny that but for Mr. Allott there would have been no Midland League club in Wombwell to-day.

Mr. Allott was elected first chairman and then secretary of the new club and it was due as much to his wise leadership and judgment as anything else that the project flourished. Pressure of other work compelled him to give up office for several years but he remained a director and gave practical assistance in many ways; and might claim some credit for the part he played in the deal that resulted in Wood being transferred to Oldham for £500—the biggest transfer fee ever received by Wombwell.

At the beginning of the present season he yielded to the pressure of officials and supporters and reassumed the office of chairman.

Apart from sport Mr. Allott sat for Over 21 years on the Wombwell Urban Council, and is at present a member of several committees, including the local Education Sub-Committee. He is a director of the Barnsley British Co-operative Society.