Season 1950-51 Season 1951-52
June 1950 saw Cliff Whitelum appointed as player coach and given a two year contract, replacing Ken Gadsby who had been unable to secure the three year contract he wanted.
Lynn recruited more paid players and anticipated having up to seven “professionals” playing in the reserve team. Lynn Reserves played in the Peterborough League with Lynn A playing in Division Three (South) of the same league. It had been hoped that Lynn Reserves would have been playing in the United Counties League but their application had been refused.
The 'A' teams West Ham, Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal in the Eastern Counties League, played their home matches on the opposition's ground and as a result there was a degree of fixture congestion. This was overcome at The Walks by playing the Reserve matches at 6 p. m. (when the light permitted). This did not go down too well with some of the opposition and in one instance Peterborough League champions Parson Drove refused to turn up. Lynn had defeated Arsenal A 5-2 in the league that day and 3,000 people waited in vain outside the ground for Parson Drove to appear. When the match was eventually re-staged a record reserve attendance of 4,198 saw Lynn defeat Drove 3-1.
A change in the Norfolk Senior Cup rules allowed Lynn to field their professionals (previously it was limited to a maximum of five) but it was also an expensive competition to enter. The gate money was shared by the clubs and this meant that if Lynn were drawn away from home the income did not reach the expenses.
In that competition Lynn entertained Yarmouth and at full-time the score was 2-2 . The competition rules stated that extra time must be played but the condition of the pitch was so bad that the referee stopped the match at 90 minutes. Lynn argued that the match had been abandoned and therefore must be replayed at The Walks but the Norfolk FA thought otherwise.
Lynn reached the semi-final of the competition before going out to Gorleston. The financial side of their run saw them net £447 9s 6d but the expenses were £893 4s.
The Supporters' Club were keen to see the facilities at the club improved and, whilst realising it might take years, opened the Grandstand Fund and “invested £500 in a 2½ percent stock” as a start.
For the second consecutive season Lynn reached the 4th qualifying round of the FA Cup and found themselves drawn at home to Dartford and, like the previous cup run, drew the game at The Walks – although this time they did not win the replay.
Once again progress in the various cup competitions and pitch problems with the wet weather had result in a fixture backlog and Lynn's league season fell away, Lynn finishing 3rd, one place lower in the league than in the previous season. This effected the finances and the members at AGM in June were told that the club had lost £595-16-5 that season and overall had a deficit balance of £1,055-15-11
A public appeal was made by the club asking all sportsman to either gift or loan money to the club. The Supporters' Club headed the appeal with a donation of £400.
Norwich City visited The Walks to play for the Lynn Charity Cup and won 3-1 (attendance 3,918). The proceeds totalled £130 with £60 going to the not very healthy sounding St James Hospital Tobacco and Sweets Fund. The Hospital Samaritans (£60) and British Red Cross (£10) were the other beneficiaries.
The season ended with matches on 14 and 19 May against Gorleston and an RAF XI as part of the 1951 Festival of Britain celebrations. The festival was organised to mark the centenary of the Great Exhibition of 1851.
Whilst Lynn's first team may not have secured much in the way of honours, Lynn Reserves won the Peterborough League and retained the Adderley House Cup whilst the A Team won the Division Three and Division Three Championship plus the Terrington Memorial Cup and were Peterborough Junior Cup finalists notching, in total, 240 goals from 41 matches.
Lynn's average league attendance was 4,082.
Of the seventeen professionals on Lynn's books, seven were not offered new terms at the end of the season whilst a further eight were offered revised (reduced) terms.
There were calls for the appointment of a manager as too many decisions were taken by committees.
Once again the Reserves applied to join the United Counties League but were unsuccessful.
Somewhat off topic, 1st January 1951 saw an increase in the price of the Eastern Daily Press from one and a half pence to two. The previous increase had been in 1918.
Along the A47 Wisbech were also having problems with the UCL. They were switching their first team from the UCL to join Lynn in the Eastern Counties League and, like Lynn, wanted their Reserves in the UCL. The League Committee, however, saw this as Wisbech not resigning from the UCL by the correct date in May and then failing to put out their strongest team. Despite appeals Wisbech were fined £100 and had to pay March Town £85 compensation for the loss of the local derby and their reserves not allowed to compete.
June 1950 saw Cliff Whitelum appointed as player coach and given a two year contract, replacing Ken Gadsby who had been unable to secure the three year contract he wanted.
Lynn recruited more paid players and anticipated having up to seven “professionals” playing in the reserve team. Lynn Reserves played in the Peterborough League with Lynn A playing in Division Three (South) of the same league. It had been hoped that Lynn Reserves would have been playing in the United Counties League but their application had been refused.
The 'A' teams West Ham, Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal in the Eastern Counties League, played their home matches on the opposition's ground and as a result there was a degree of fixture congestion. This was overcome at The Walks by playing the Reserve matches at 6 p. m. (when the light permitted). This did not go down too well with some of the opposition and in one instance Peterborough League champions Parson Drove refused to turn up. Lynn had defeated Arsenal A 5-2 in the league that day and 3,000 people waited in vain outside the ground for Parson Drove to appear. When the match was eventually re-staged a record reserve attendance of 4,198 saw Lynn defeat Drove 3-1.
A change in the Norfolk Senior Cup rules allowed Lynn to field their professionals (previously it was limited to a maximum of five) but it was also an expensive competition to enter. The gate money was shared by the clubs and this meant that if Lynn were drawn away from home the income did not reach the expenses.
In that competition Lynn entertained Yarmouth and at full-time the score was 2-2 . The competition rules stated that extra time must be played but the condition of the pitch was so bad that the referee stopped the match at 90 minutes. Lynn argued that the match had been abandoned and therefore must be replayed at The Walks but the Norfolk FA thought otherwise.
Lynn reached the semi-final of the competition before going out to Gorleston. The financial side of their run saw them net £447 9s 6d but the expenses were £893 4s.
The Supporters' Club were keen to see the facilities at the club improved and, whilst realising it might take years, opened the Grandstand Fund and “invested £500 in a 2½ percent stock” as a start.
For the second consecutive season Lynn reached the 4th qualifying round of the FA Cup and found themselves drawn at home to Dartford and, like the previous cup run, drew the game at The Walks – although this time they did not win the replay.
Once again progress in the various cup competitions and pitch problems with the wet weather had result in a fixture backlog and Lynn's league season fell away, Lynn finishing 3rd, one place lower in the league than in the previous season. This effected the finances and the members at AGM in June were told that the club had lost £595-16-5 that season and overall had a deficit balance of £1,055-15-11
A public appeal was made by the club asking all sportsman to either gift or loan money to the club. The Supporters' Club headed the appeal with a donation of £400.
Norwich City visited The Walks to play for the Lynn Charity Cup and won 3-1 (attendance 3,918). The proceeds totalled £130 with £60 going to the not very healthy sounding St James Hospital Tobacco and Sweets Fund. The Hospital Samaritans (£60) and British Red Cross (£10) were the other beneficiaries.
The season ended with matches on 14 and 19 May against Gorleston and an RAF XI as part of the 1951 Festival of Britain celebrations. The festival was organised to mark the centenary of the Great Exhibition of 1851.
Whilst Lynn's first team may not have secured much in the way of honours, Lynn Reserves won the Peterborough League and retained the Adderley House Cup whilst the A Team won the Division Three and Division Three Championship plus the Terrington Memorial Cup and were Peterborough Junior Cup finalists notching, in total, 240 goals from 41 matches.
Lynn's average league attendance was 4,082.
Of the seventeen professionals on Lynn's books, seven were not offered new terms at the end of the season whilst a further eight were offered revised (reduced) terms.
There were calls for the appointment of a manager as too many decisions were taken by committees.
Once again the Reserves applied to join the United Counties League but were unsuccessful.
Somewhat off topic, 1st January 1951 saw an increase in the price of the Eastern Daily Press from one and a half pence to two. The previous increase had been in 1918.
Along the A47 Wisbech were also having problems with the UCL. They were switching their first team from the UCL to join Lynn in the Eastern Counties League and, like Lynn, wanted their Reserves in the UCL. The League Committee, however, saw this as Wisbech not resigning from the UCL by the correct date in May and then failing to put out their strongest team. Despite appeals Wisbech were fined £100 and had to pay March Town £85 compensation for the loss of the local derby and their reserves not allowed to compete.