The first sending off in the Manchester Derby

 

The first sending off in the Manchester Derby

35,000 streamed into Bank Street for a sensational match on the Saturday before Xmas in 1907.

Both teams received the cheers of their supporters when they ran onto the pitch for a keenly awaited match. Despite the already intense rivalry between the two clubs, previous games have been relatively free of ill feeling. However, there was to be little indication of the ‘the season of goodwill’ on this particular occasion.

Sandy Turnbull was to become the first player to be sent off in a Manchester Derby. Afterwards there was considerable criticism of George Dorsett, for falling over so theatrically when it appeared that he had received one of the slightest of flicks from the united man’s outstretched arm on his neck in the 55^th minute.

The City man later told reporters the blow had chopped off his wind, which was reported in the Manchester Courier as at least ‘explaining what appeared to be a silly attempt on the part of the City player to make the assault look a bad one.’ Not everyone at the match might have agreed, but the incident had the effect of turning an already rough game into a brawl for the next 10 minutes before both sets of players saw sense and settled back down to play football.

The pitch was poor at the start and got worse as the game progressed, with the final stages being played on a mud bath. United, however, showed themselves to be a far superior side, adapting to the conditions almost from the off and employing their wingman throughout to great effect.

Meredith appeared to have been singled out for special attention as according to the Courier match report he ‘got more hard knocks than he has received for some time.’ The ex-City man was to have the last laugh, playing a part of two of the home side's three goals.

The league leaders had taken lead through Wall, who following up with fine double save by Walter Smith from Meredith and Sandy Turnbull, found the net with a shot that must have hurt the ‘keeper as it went in off the side of his face.

Despite pushing forward, City only once seemed likely to fashion an equaliser, but John Wood was guilty of a bad miss after Jimmy Conlin’s ball split the United rearguard. It was therefore no great surprise when Sandy Turnbull headed a Meredith free kick home to make it 2-0.

With half-time approaching, Billy Jones and Conlin, who later enlisted with the 15^th battalion of the Highland Light Infantry as a private when the first world war commenced and was killed in Flanders on the 23^rd of June 1917, both missed decent opportunities to send their team in just a goal down.

The contest was over within minutes of the second half getting underway, when Frank Norgrove was dispossessed by Sandy Turnbull, who scored his second goal of the game to make it 3 nil.  

City then managed to pull a goal back when Bill Eadie headed home from a corner.

Just 10 minutes after Turnbull’s dismissal, Burgess limped off with an injury likely to keep him out of the side for the next few matches, and the way seemed open for City to grab a point. It was at this point that the United defence of Moger, Holden, Roberts, Bell and Duckworth dug deep, playing the final 24 minutes as if their very existence depended on winning the match.

In light of Turnbull’s sending off and the unpleasant incidents that followed, referee Mr F. J Wall’s match report to the FA was later released to the newspapers. He made the following comments:

 

‘In the first half I had occasion to warn and then caution to Turnbull upon his conduct, and in the second half he struck Dorsett of Manchester City in the face with the back of his hand. I at once ordered him off. The blow was certainly a mild one and undoubtedly Turnbull received provocation from the attitude Dorsett took up but in the face of the previous caution I had no option. I regret that for some little time after the players on both sides appeared to lose their heads an indulge in childish and irresponsible tactics that to say the least of it, were anything but creditable to them and yet not of sufficient character to enable me to carry out the greater powers invested in me.’

In the following days, the papers saw fit to run a series of cartoon drawings on events at Bank Street, with the Manchester Courier showing a retreating, bedraggled City army, two sets of players engaging in arm-to-arm combat and finally one of Dorsett falling theatrically with the referee rushing to send Turnbull from the field. Turnbull would now have to go before the FA committee who would decide on whether to suspend him.

Manchester United went on to win the League for the first time in their history.

This report is taken from 1907-11 Manchester United: The First Halcyon Years by Mark Metcalf