The Football League Third Division North and Football League Third Division South were the third tiers of the English football league pyramid from 1921 to 1958, run by The Football League. It was the highest level where the division was split into more than one league.
From 1954 to 1955 season until 1957–58 season, there was a series of games between teams representing the divisions.
The representative games
1954–55 - played at Reading F.C. ground on 16 March 1955. Attendance 10,438. South won 2–0.Match day programme Reading F.C. 16 March 1955Match day programme Accrington Stanley F.C. 13 October 1955Match day programme Coventry City F.C. 8 October 1956Match day programme Stockport County F.C. 2 April 1957Match day programme Crystal Palace F.C. 30 October 1957
1955–56 - played at Accrington Stanley F.C. ground on 13 October 1955. Attendance 10,521. Draw 3–3.
The second half of the match was broadcast on BBC television, which was the first occasion that a match had been televised from Peel Park.
Don Mills scored for the South in the first half. Reg Ryan equalised with a penalty in the second half, followed by goals from John Thomas Connor for the North and Ernie Morgan for the South. The final score was 3–3.The Guardian 14 October 1955
1956–57 - played at Coventry City F.C. ground on 8 October 1956. Attendance 14,500. South won 2–1.
1956–57 - played at Stockport County F.C. ground on 2 April 1957. Attendance 12,372. Won by North 2–1.
W Holden scored the first goal for the North, which was followed by an equaliser by Neil Langman for the South. Soon after the start of the second half, Ron Greener failed to score for the North from a penalty. The winning goal was scored by Alf Ackerman for the North in the last minute of the game.The Guardian 2 April 1957
1957–58 - played at Crystal Palace F.C. ground on 30 October 1957. Draw 2–2.The Times 31 October 1957
The teams and officials The following players and officials were selected to participate in the representative games.
South Vs. North 16 March 1955
The South Team
Position Name Club 1 Ken Oxford Norwich City 2 Alex Jardine Millwall 3 Jim Langley Brighton 4 Brian Nicholas Queen's Park Rangers 5 John Crosland Bournemouth 6 Gwyn Hughes Northampton 7 Wally Hinshelwood Reading 8 Johnny Rainford Brentford 9 Eric Day Southampton 10 Don Mills Torquay 11 Mike Grice Colchester Manager Mr. A.J. Smith Reading
The North Team Position Name Club 1 Ray Minshull Southport 2 Bob Jackson Oldham 3 Jimmy Harrower Accrington Stanley 4 Ken Furphy Darlington 5 Dave Blakey Chesterfield 6 Frank Clempson Stockport County 7 Arthur Kaye Barnsley 8 Jimmy Prescott Southport 9 George Stewart Accrington Stanley 10 George Smith Chesterfield 11 Merfyn Jones Scunthorpe Manager Mr. Fred Emery Carlisle United
The Officials Official Name From Referee Mr. J. H. Husband London Linesman (Red Flag) Mr. C.B. Broome London Linesman (Yellow Flag) Mr. S. W. Barker Bexleyheath
North Vs. South 13 October 1955
The North Team Position Name Club 1 Ray Minshull Southport 2 Jimmy Fleming Workington 3 Vince Kenny Carlisle United 4 Dennis Stokoe Workington 5 John Ryden Accrington Stanley 6 Reg Ryan Derby County 7 Bobby Webb Bradford City 8 Ivan Broadis Carlisle United 9 Jack Connor Stockport County 10 George Smith Chesterfield 11 Dennis Woodhead Chesterfield Manager Mr. W. M. Galbraith Accrington Stanley Trainer Mr. H. Hubbick Accrington Stanley
The South Team Position Name Club 1 Reg Matthews Coventry City 2 Stanley Charlton Leyton Orient 3 Alex Jardine Millwall 4 Noel Simpson Coventry City 5 Douglas Rees Ipswich Town 6 Ronnie Ashman Norwich City 7 Roland Mills Northampton Town 8 Peter Hill Coventry City 9 Maurice Cook Watford 10 Ernie Morgan Gillingham 11 Jimmy Wheeler Reading Manager Mr. Alec Stock Leyton Orient Trainer Mr. L. Gore Leyton Orient
Note: Although Peter Hill of Coventry was selected at number 8 for the South, D Mills of Torquay started the game.
The Officials Official Name From Referee Mr. K. A. Collinge Sale Linesman (Red Flag) Mr. J. S. McLoughlin Manchester Linesman (Yellow Flag) Mr. R. Sleddon Preston
South Vs. North 8 October 1956
The South Team Position Name Club 1 Reg Matthews Coventry City 2 Alex Jardine Millwall 3 Jim Langley Brighton 4 Jimmy Belcher Crystal Palace 5 Patrick Parker Southampton 6 John Elsworthy Ipswich Town 7 Johnny Gavin Norwich City 8 Stan Newsham Bournemouth 9 Roy Hollis Southend United 10 Don Mills Torquay 11 Ken Flint Aldershot Reserve Albert McPherson WalsallReserve Maurice Cook Watford Manager Harry Warren Coventry City Trainer George Raynor Coventry City
The North Team
Position Name Club 1 Malcolm Newlands Workington 2 Malcolm Currie Bradford City 3 Jack Brownsword Scunthorpe United 4 Albert Mays Derby County 5 Watty Moore Hartlepools United 6 Charlie Sneddon Accrington Stanley 7 Gerry Burrell Chesterfield 8 Ron Hewitt Wrexham 9 Ken Johnson Hartlepools United 10 George Darwin Mansfield Town 11 George Luke Hartlepools United Reserve Ron Powell Chesterfield Reserve Reg Ryan Derby County Manager Harry Storer Derby County Trainer Billy Newton Stockport County
The Officials Official Name From Referee Mr. Arthur E. Ellis Halifax Linesman Mr. H. Horner Kenilworth Linesman Mr. A. Walters Warwick
North Vs. South 2 April 1957
The North Team Position Name Club 1 Bob Gray Gateshead 2 Bobby Brown Workington 3 Tom Cahill Barrow 4 Eddie Hunter Accrington Stanley 5 Ron Greener Darlington 6 Barry Hutchinson Chesterfield 7 Ken Finney Stockport County 8 Ivan Broadis Carlisle United 9 Alf Ackerman Carlisle United 10 Bill Holden Stockport County 11 Brian Cripsey Hull City Reserve Tommy Forgan York City Also named Jack Brownsword Scunthorpe United Also named Gren Jones Wrexham Manager Teddy Davison Chesterfield Trainer W Newton Stockport County
The South Team
Position Name Club 1 Peter Pickering Northampton 2 Alex Jardine Millwall 3 George Fisher Colchester 4 Glen Wilson Brighton 5 Patrick Parker Southampton 6 John Elsworthy Ipswich 7 Mike Hellawell Queens Park Rangers 8 Don Mills Torquay 9 Neil Langman Plymouth 10 Ted Phillips Ipswich 11 Reg Cutler Bournemouth Reserve Ken Coote Brentford Reserve Maurice Evans Reading Manager Trainer
Note: Although Ted Phillips of Ipswich was selected at number 10 for the South, Dorman of Walsall started the game.
The Officials Official Name From Referee Linesman Linesman
South Vs. North 30 October 1957
The South Team Position Name Club 1 Ron Springett Queen's Park Rangers 2 Roy McCrohan Norwich 3 Alf Sherwood Newport County 4 Bobby McLaughlin Southampton 5 Keith Harvey Exeter City 6 Glen Wilson Brighton 7 Bernard Harrison Crystal Palace 8 Wilf Carter Plymouth Argyle 9 Roy Hollis Southend 10 Stan Steele Port Vale 11 Peter Wright Colchester Reserve John Shepherd Millwall Reserve Maurice Evans Reading Manager Mr. J. Taylor Queen's Park Rangers
The North Team Position Name Club 1 Roy MacLaren Bury 2 Eddie Robertson Bury 3 Paul Feasey Hull City 4 Jack Bertolini Workington 5 Wally Taylor Southport 6 Charlie Crowe Mansfield 7 John Tomlinson Chesterfield 8 Ivor Broadis Carlisle United 9 George Stewart Accrington Stanley 10 Bill Holden Stockport County 11 George Luke Hartlepools Reserve Ron Thompson Carlisle United Reserve Tommy Neill Bury Manager Mr. Peter Jackson Bradford City
The Officials Official Name From Referee Mr. D. T. Blues Richmond Linesman (Red Flag) Mr. D. W. Bradley Selsdon Linesman (Yellow Flag) Mr. C. H. Rogers N. Kensington
References