Booth Fred Image 1 Manchester City 1905

Description

Hyde born winger Fred Booth was on the books of Glossop in 1900-01 without making a first team appearance for The Hillmen, before joining Second Division Stockport County in January 1902 and making his Football League debut at his former club Glossop the following month. He scored his first Stockport goal the following week against Doncaster Rovers at Edgeley Park, but he was released at the end of the season and joined Second Division Manchester City in September 1902, playing 9 matches as they won the Second Division Championship in 1902-03. In the 1903-1904 season Booth made 24 league appearances and scored 3 goals. His first goal for the Manchester team came in a 4-1 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Sandy Turnbull scored a brace in this game and Billy Meredith scored the other goal.Manchester City finished in second place that season, 3 points behind champions Sheffield Wednesday. The team also reached the FA Cup Final where they defeated Bolton Wanderers 1-0 with a first half goal from Billy Meredith in front of 61,000 spectators at Crystal Palace, while in the League they finished runners-up.

In the 1904-1905 football season Booth scored 8 goals in 33 games for City and helped the team to third place in the league, two points behind champions Newcastle United. In February 1905 Booth won his only international cap for England in a 1-1 draw with Ireland at Ayresome Park. The English team included Steve Bloomer (who scored England’s goal), Charlie Roberts, and Vivian Woodward. In the 1905-1906 season he scored 7 goals in 28 League appearances for City and the team finished fifth. At the end of the season the Football Association conducted an investigation into the finances of Manchester City and it was found that the team had made extra payments to all of their players. As a consequence Tom Maley was banned from football for life and seventeen players were fined and suspended until January 1907. Manchester City were forced to sell their players and Frank Booth was sold to Bury in December 1906 after 19 goals in 104 appearances. In two and a half seasons at Bury Booth appeared 61 times and scored 4 goals. He then played for Clyde in the Scottish League from June 1909 before rejoining Manchester City in July 1911, however he only made 4 further appearances before retirement. He died in 1919 after a tumour was found on his heart that proved to be inoperable.