Anna Connell

[Gary James]

So our beloved club was founded by an Irish Woman .......nice :-)

No - it's a myth!

 

[KenTheLandlord]

Please excuse me for being a bit of topic but for an incite to the everyday life and the levels of poverty and squalor in Manchester at this time The Gangs of Manchester makes a fascinating read. In some ways very little has changed in regard to a night out on the beer and the way the authority's deal with it! The book also makes references to the foundation of boys clubs which years later became the FA.

The FA was up and running whilst the gang wars were in progress. It was formed by mainly London schools wanting to formalise the rules of the game. The north had very little to do with the formation of the FA. The north's stature in the game grew through professionalism. Its why southern clubs dominated thevery early FA Cup and the northern and midland clubs dominated the early leagues.

 

[bluemanc]

So our beloved club was founded by an Irish Woman .......nice :-)

No - it's a myth!

You started it :)<br /><br />-- Tue Jul 19, 2011 6:15 pm --<br /><br />

Sarah Lynch, managing director of City in the Community, said: “We're a community club, that's part of our DNA, so it's natural to us that we'll be listening to the community and taking on board their thoughts on the project.
As well as having success on the field we want to create a legacy off it. The Connell family started the club more than a hundred years ago to help young people in the area and we want to stay in touch with the tradition.

I loved that bit in the M.E.N today.

 

[bluemanc]

Good reason for the bump.
An interested party will be able to find it easier.

 

[bluemanc]

Seeing as the Connell name has come up i'll bump this.
I'm surprised none of our Irish Blues haven't dug out some stuff about the Connell's in Ireland.

 

[kunaguero10]

the club posted on twitter yesterday some artists impressions of what the new connell club will look like. looked nice

 

[unexpected item]

Posted this couple of months ago on the Etihad Campus thread. The new sixth form college next to the academy site is going to be named Connell too

http://www.cedarmount.manchester.sch.uk/Pdf/Cornell_info.pdf

 

[sambrookonthewing]

I meant to add...

I have death certificates, birth certificates and other information on the Connells (and others) in my collection at home, but it will be some time before I can dig them all out.

The key thing about all of this is that the Club was created as a direct result of the Scuttling (gang warfare) going on in Manchester at the time (plus general social issues). The Connells set up soup kitchens, a savings bank, a library, and various other activities to help the community. Others were involved and I'm constantly finding out new (or rediscovering) information about that period.

Personally, I think Anna achieved a lot but ultimately she probably wasn't involved with the football club.

FROM EDIT IN NOV 2010 - THE SPORTS CLUB PREDATED ANNA'S MEN'S MEETINGS. She was NOT involved with the meetings that ultimately created the Club though and for that reason she CANNOT BE REGARDED AS FOUNDER - Beastow, Chew and others did more for football.

EDIT: I'VE WRITTEN THE TRUE STORY & IT APPEARS IN THE MCFC MATCH PROG FOR 13/11/2010 PLUS MY UPDATED "MANCHESER: A FOOTBALL HISTORY" (<a class="postlink" href="http://www.manchesterfootball.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.manchesterfootball.org</a>) CAN SEE THE ACTUAL FACTS, NOT THE MYTH.

Incidentally, I was disappointed that the book "Gangs of Manchester" makes no reference whatsoever to the West Gorton/St Marks/City story. It talks about Gorton and the impact of scuttling, but to me MCFC as it is today owes everything to the pioneering work done in West Gorton back in the 1870s/80s.

Great work Gary. This research is excellent & combines 2 of my hobbies, Family History & MCFC

 

[rambo]

i'm sorry but this thread is all fantasy........remember........we have no history !!

;-)

 

[ph2v]

The Connell Family and St. Mark’s Football Club
In 1880, the Manchester area was a cricket and rugby stronghold. Arthur Connell and his family would not have known anything at all about association football. It would have needed someone from outside the Manchester area to introduce the game. The local newspaper reported each week on church news and events. There were many reports on church activities and on the work carried out by Arthur Connell and his family for the benefit of St. Mark’s Church, St. Mark’s Day school and the West Gorton community.
However, there are no reports or other documents showing that Arthur Connell or his family had any knowledge of football or any connection with the formation or running of St. Mark’s Football Club.
There have been some claims that Anna, Arthur Connells elder daughter, had formed St. Mark’s cricket and football clubs, and that the clubs had emanated from Anna’s Working Men’s Meetings.
However, St. Mark’s Cricket Club was in existence in 1867 and St. Mark’s Football Club was formed in 1880, which was well before the Working Men’s’ Meetings became established in 1882. Furthermore, the Working Men’s’ Meetings were of a spiritual nature, which is clear from the tribute paid to Anna on 12th March 1883.
There were many tributes paid to Anna but they were all in respect of the Working Men’s Meetings and no mention is made at any time of any association with the Church cricket and football clubs.
The Connells did not found nor were they involved in the formation of St. Mark’s Football Club.