During the 1928–29 season, Nelson Football Club played as a professional team in the Football League for the eighth time. After playing without a team manager during the previous season, Jack English was appointed to the post in the summer of 1928 following the club's successful re-election application. A record of 17 wins, 5 draws and 20 defeats, giving a total of 39 points, helped Nelson to a 15th-placed finish in the Third Division North, above Rotherham United on goal average. The team was inconsistent throughout the season, as they had been in the previous campaign, although significant improvements in the defense meant that 46 fewer goals were conceded. Nelson's attack was also improved, and the team scored at least once in 36 of their 42 league matches.

Nelson did not compete in the 1928–29 FA Cup, as they did not submit their application by the deadline. The club used a total of 26 different players during the season, but only six of these had been retained from the previous campaign. Yorkshire-born forward Bernard Radford was the top goalscorer for the second consecutive season, with a tally of 24 in 35 matches. With 11 goals, Gerry Kelly, a new signing from Sunderland, was the only other player to reach double figures. Half-back Jim Metcalfe made the most appearances for Nelson, missing only the final game of the season, the 4–4 draw away at Accrington Stanley. The highest attendance at Nelson's Seedhill ground was a record 14,979 for the visit of Bradford City on 27 April 1929, which stood until the stadium was demolished in 1980. Conversely, the lowest gate of the season was 2,749 for the victory against Stockport County on 22 January 1929.

Football League Third Division North

Key H = Home match A = Away match In Result column, Nelson's score shown first

Match results Date Opponents Result Goalscorers Attendance 25 August 1928 Hartlepools United (A) 2–2 Radford, Ridley 5,524 1 September 1928 Darlington (H) 2–1 Sharp, Wilkinson 7,337 8 September 1928 Southport (A) 1–5 Kelly 4,188 12 September 1928 South Shields (H) 1–0 Kelly 5,843 15 September 1928 Rochdale (H) 3–0 Radford, Wilkinson, Wilson 6,715 22 September 1928 New Brighton (A) 1–0 Radford 4,882 25 September 1928 Lincoln City (H) 3–4 Radford (2), Wilkinson 4,970 29 September 1928 Wrexham (H) 1–3 Ridley 6,280 2 October 1928 Doncaster Rovers (H) 2–4 Radford, Suttie 3,297 6 October 1928 Chesterfield (A) 2–3 Kelly (2) 5,247 13 October 1928 Barrow (H) 3–4 Radford (2), Wilson 4,616 20 October 1928 Carlisle United (A) 0–4 2,321 27 October 1928 Rotherham United (H) 4–2 Buchanan, Kelly, Radford, Wilkinson 3,795 3 November 1928 Wigan Borough (A) 0–1 6,928 10 November 1928 Crewe Alexandra (H) 4–1 Radford (2), Ridley, Wilson 7,445 17 November 1928 Tranmere Rovers (A) 1–6 Radford 4,393 1 December 1928 Halifax Town (A) 2–1 Halliwell, Suttie 5,988 8 December 1928 Ashington (H) 5–0 Kelly (2), Radford (2), Wilkinson 2,915 15 December 1928 Bradford City (A) 2–0 Buchanan, Halliwell 13,236 22 December 1928 Accrington Stanley (H) 0–2 4,791 26 December 1928 Doncaster Rovers (A) 2–2 Halliwell, Kelly 7,369 28 December 1928 Hartlepools United (H) 1–0 Halliwell 3,507 1 January 1929 Ashington (A) 2–3 Radford, Ridley 1,344 5 January 1929 Darlington (A) 2–3 Radford (2) 3,273 19 January 1929 Southport (H) 1–1 Carmedy 3,035 22 January 1929 Stockport County (H) 4–1 Kelly, Morton (2), Ridley 2,749 26 January 1929 Rochdale (A) 1–2 Halliwell 4,902 2 February 1929 New Brighton (H) 3–0 Buchanan, Kelly (2) 3,168 9 February 1929 Wrexham (A) 1–3 Halliwell 5,534 16 February 1929 Chesterfield (H) 1–0 Radford 2,943 23 February 1929 Barrow (A) 2–7 Radford (2) 5,368 2 March 1929 Carlisle United (H) 1–0 Ridley 4,107 9 March 1929 Rotherham United (A) 0–4 3,939 16 March 1929 Wigan Borough (H) 2–1 Radford (2) 3,903 23 March 1929 Crewe Alexandra (A) 1–1 Halliwell 2,976 30 March 1929 Tranmere Rovers (H) 4–2 Buchanan, Radford (2), Wilson 4,245 1 April 1929 South Shields (A) 2–3 Buchanan, Halliwell 4,334 6 April 1929 Stockport County (A) 0–3 7,916 13 April 1929 Halifax Town (H) 3–1 Carmedy, Fletcher, Morton 3,182 20 April 1929 Lincoln City (A) 1–5 Carmedy 4,036 27 April 1929 Bradford City (H) 0–1 14,979 4 May 1929 Accrington Stanley (A) 4–4 Buchanan, Halliwell, Ridley, Wilson 2,671

Final league position

Player statistics Key to positions

CF = Centre forward FB = Fullback GK = Goalkeeper

HB = Half-back IF = Inside forward OF = Outside forward

Statistics Nat.PositionPlayerThird Division NorthAppsGoalsFBJack Brooks60IFJim Buchanan326OFTom Carmedy83HBJohn Dodsworth20FBBilly Donkin80GKDes Fawcett230FBTed Ferguson360OFJack Fletcher71HBFelix Gillan110IFJoe Halliwell329HBArthur Hepworth60FBAlec Hooper90FBHarry Hooper130OFGerry Kelly3811IFPatrick McDonagh50HBJim Metcalfe410CFWilliam Morton83CFBernard Radford3524OFHarry Ridley317FBClem Rigg110IFBuchanan Sharp81HBDavid Suttie282HBHarry Tordoff10GKSam Warhurst190IFTom Wilkinson175HBGeorge Wilson275

See also List of Nelson F.C. seasons

References