Butcher George Image 1 West Ham United 1919

Description

St Albans, Hertfordshire born inside forward (he played both sides) George Butcher started with St Albans City aged 18 in 1908, before joining Southern League club West Ham United in 1909, scoring on his debut at Watford in March 1910, playing 3 times before the end of that season. In 1911-12 he played in 16 matches, including playing when West Ham upset the odds by knocking Manchester United out of the FA Cup in February 1912 in a sizeable giant killing, but in general he was restricted in opportunities by the presence of the likes of George Hilsdon and Danny Shea, and by the time of the suspension of football due to the onset of the First World War in May 1915 he had scored 12 goals in 71 games for The Hammers. During the War he also made occasional appearances for West Ham in wartime league football, making 5 appearances over three seasons.

On resumption of peacetime football he returned to Upton Park and had his best season in 1919-20 scoring 10 goals in 37 games but played only one further match the following season in a defeat to Leicester City in October 1920 and by the time he moved to Third Division (South) club Luton Town in January 1921 he had scored 22 goals in 109 appearances for The Hammers. He stayed five seasons at Kenilworth Road, scoring 26 times in 129 matches for Luton Town, playing his last match for The Hatters in an FA Cup tie defeat at West Bromwich Albion in January 1925 before his eventual retirement.

Before the War he also became the amateur lightweight boxing champion of Hertfordshire.

NB this image was taken before West Ham’s match at Birmingham on 25th October 1919, a match The Hammers won 1-0.