The 1929–30 season was the 49th season in the history of Nelson Football Club, and their ninth as a professional club in The Football League. Jack English remained as manager after guiding the team to a 15th-placed finish during the previous campaign. After a poor start to the 1929–30 season, Nelson improved and were seventh in the Third Division North at Christmas. However, in the new year the team faltered and lost 10 of its last 12 matches, thus finishing in 19th position. Nelson ended the season with a record of 13 wins, 7 draws and 22 defeats, giving a total of 33 points. The team was knocked out in the first round of the FA Cup after losing 0–3 at home to Crewe Alexandra.

Nelson used a total of 29 different players, 5 of whom made just a single appearance during the season. The top goalscorers in the 1929–30 campaign were centre forwards Tom Carmedy and Ernie Dixon, who each netted 10 goals. Fullback Billy Fairhurst made the most appearances for Nelson, missing only two league matches. In the opening four matches of the season, four different goalkeepers were used. Attendances at the club's Seedhill ground were considerably lower than in previous seasons, with an average gate of 3,346, a decrease of more than 30 per cent from 1928–29.

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 31 August 1929 Southport (H) 2–2 Buchanan, Jones (o.g.) 5,434 4 September 1929 Darlington (A) 1–6 Ferrari 5,687 7 September 1929 Crewe Alexandra (A) 0–4 4,131 11 September 1929 Darlington (H) 0–1 4,002 14 September 1929 York City (H) 3–1 Buchanan (2), Ferrari 4,483 21 September 1929 Stockport County (A) 1–6 Ferrari 7,789 24 September 1929 Accrington Stanley (A) 0–3 7,108 28 September 1929 New Brighton (H) 2–1 Kelly 3,458 1 October 1929 Wrexham (H) 4–0 Carmedy (3), Hedley 2,302 5 October 1929 Port Vale (A) 1–3 Kelly 7,746 12 October 1929 Barrow (H) 2–0 Buchanan, Hedley 3,732 19 October 1929 Hartlepools United (A) 2–1 Dixon, Kelly 5,695 26 October 1929 Doncaster Rovers (H) 4–1 Buchanan, Dixon, McLaughlan, Metcalfe 4,324 2 November 1929 Chesterfield (A) 0–3 3,956 9 November 1929 Lincoln City (H) 0–0 3,956 16 November 1929 Tranmere Rovers (A) 3–2 Dixon (3) 4,880 23 November 1929 Halifax Town (H) 1–0 Buchanan 2,568 14 December 1929 South Shields (A) 1–2 Buchanan 3,361 21 December 1929 Accrington Stanley (H) 2–1 Carmedy, McLaughlan 3,806 25 December 1929 Carlisle United (H) 2–2 Dixon, Parry 3,454 28 December 1929 Southport (A) 0–0 1,825 4 January 1930 Crewe Alexandra 1–1 Hedley 3,762 14 January 1930 Rochdale (H) 1–0 Hedley 1,359 18 January 1930 York City (A) 0–1 5,289 23 January 1930 Carlisle United (A) 2–2 Carmedy, Parry 3,960 25 January 1930 Stockport County (H) 1–2 Manock 5,217 1 February 1930 New Brighton (A) 1–2 Buchanan 3,906 8 February 1930 Port Vale (H) 2–3 Carmedy, Weedall 5,045 15 February 1930 Barrow (A) 2–0 Carmedy, Weedall 4,916 22 February 1930 Hartlepools United (H) 3–2 Buchanan, Dixon, Hedley 2,862 1 March 1930 Doncaster Rovers (A) 0–3 4,445 8 March 1930 Chesterfield (H) 0–2 3,077 15 March 1930 Lincoln City (A) 1–4 Dixon 2,057 22 March 1930 Tranmere Rovers (H) 0–1 2,403 24 March 1930 Rotherham United (A) 2–1 Dixon (2) 1,831 29 March 1930 Halifax Town (A) 1–1 Carmedy 4,185 5 April 1930 Rotherham United (H) 0–1 2,280 12 April 1930 Rochdale (A) 1–4 Carmedy 2,621 18 April 1930 Wigan Borough (H) 1–3 Carmedy 1,795 19 April 1930 South Shields (H) 0–1 1,553 21 April 1930 Wigan Borough (A) 0–2 3,004 3 May 1930 Wrexham (A) 1–5 Weedall 1,926

Final league position

FA Cup

Match results Round Date Opponents Result Goalscorers Attendance First round 30 November 1929 Crewe Alexandra (H) 0–3 3,000

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 NorthFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsIFJoseph Baldwin100010GKLewis Botto100010IFJim Buchanan34910359HBJames Caine200020CFTom Carmedy2910002910OFRalph Chapman600060CFErnie Dixon2810102910FBBilly Fairhurst40010410IFRobert Ferguson100010FBTed Ferguson31010320CFFred Ferrari730073CFBob Gartside100010OFFoster Hedley26510275FBHarry Hooper800080OFGerry Kelly940094GKJames Mangham100010IFEdward Manock13100131HBJimmy McKinnell10010110IFGeorge McLaughlan29210302HBJim Metcalfe30100301OFFrank Parry24210252FBGilbert Richmond500050GKPeter Shevlin37010380HBSteve Spargo21010220HBDavid Suttie38010390HBHarry Tordoff800080GKSam Warhurst300030OFJohn Weedall730073HBGeorge Wilson12000120

See also List of Nelson F.C. seasons

References