Lawrence Furniss
Encyclopedia
Lawrence Furniss was an English
football
player, manager and chairman who was the first ever manager of Manchester City F.C.
.
Furniss' football career began in the 1880s, before the advent of formal League football, when he played for the team which later became Ardwick AFC and Manchester City. Whilst in his mid-twenties, Furniss suffered a leg injury which meant he could no longer play football. However, Furniss wished to remained part of the formative club, and took on organisational tasks. By the time the club had named itself Ardwick AFC in 1887, Furniss had gained considerable influence within the club, and was largely responsible for Ardwick's move to a new ground at Hyde Road
.
In 1889, Furniss was named secretary-manager of Ardwick, and led the team to win the Manchester Cup in successive years. This success played a large part in Ardwick gaining admittance to the Football League as members of the newly formed Second Division in 1892. Under Furniss, Ardwick finished fifth in the inaugural Second Division season. At this point Furniss relinquished his duty of managing the team in order to concentrate on off-the-field affairs, handing the management role to Joshua Parlby
.
Ardwick became embroiled in financial troubles in 1894, resulting in the club reforming as Manchester City F.C., and Furniss took on the responsibility of resolving the financial situation. He used his own money to pay many Ardwick creditors, and had to postpone his wedding for three years as a result.
Furniss was twice chairman of Manchester City, first for a brief period in 1916, and also from 1921 to 1928. As chairman, Furniss again oversaw a move of ground, as Manchester City moved from Hyde Road to Maine Road
in 1923.
In addition to his football interests, Furniss also ran a tourist attraction in Marple
.
Furniss died in 1941 in Fallowfield
, and was survived by three daughters.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player, manager and chairman who was the first ever manager of Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
.
Furniss' football career began in the 1880s, before the advent of formal League football, when he played for the team which later became Ardwick AFC and Manchester City. Whilst in his mid-twenties, Furniss suffered a leg injury which meant he could no longer play football. However, Furniss wished to remained part of the formative club, and took on organisational tasks. By the time the club had named itself Ardwick AFC in 1887, Furniss had gained considerable influence within the club, and was largely responsible for Ardwick's move to a new ground at Hyde Road
Hyde Road
Hyde Road was a football stadium in Ardwick, Manchester, England. It was home to Manchester City F.C. and their predecessors from its construction in 1887 until 1923, when the club moved to Maine Road. It was named after Hyde Road, a road which begins at the east end of Ardwick Green South in...
.
In 1889, Furniss was named secretary-manager of Ardwick, and led the team to win the Manchester Cup in successive years. This success played a large part in Ardwick gaining admittance to the Football League as members of the newly formed Second Division in 1892. Under Furniss, Ardwick finished fifth in the inaugural Second Division season. At this point Furniss relinquished his duty of managing the team in order to concentrate on off-the-field affairs, handing the management role to Joshua Parlby
Joshua Parlby
Joshua Parlby was an English football manager who managed Manchester City in the 1890s.Details of Parlby's life before he moved to Manchester are unclear, though some sources indicate he played for Stoke in the pre-professional era. Parlby moved to Manchester to run a public house...
.
Ardwick became embroiled in financial troubles in 1894, resulting in the club reforming as Manchester City F.C., and Furniss took on the responsibility of resolving the financial situation. He used his own money to pay many Ardwick creditors, and had to postpone his wedding for three years as a result.
Furniss was twice chairman of Manchester City, first for a brief period in 1916, and also from 1921 to 1928. As chairman, Furniss again oversaw a move of ground, as Manchester City moved from Hyde Road to Maine Road
Maine Road
Maine Road was a football stadium in Moss Side, Manchester, England that was home to Manchester City F.C. from its construction in 1923 until 2003...
in 1923.
In addition to his football interests, Furniss also ran a tourist attraction in Marple
Marple, Greater Manchester
Marple is a small town within the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Goyt southeast of Stockport.Historically part of Cheshire, Marple has a population of 23,480 .-Toponymy:...
.
Furniss died in 1941 in Fallowfield
Fallowfield
Ladybarn is the part of Fallowfield to the south-east. Chancellors Hotel & Conference Centre is used by the University of Manchester: it was built by Edward Walters for Sir Joseph Whitworth, as were the Firs Botanical Grounds.-Religion:...
, and was survived by three daughters.