Preece Family Tree

George Dorsett's Benefit.

No club in the country has treated its players with such liberality in the matter of benefit matches as Manchester City, and no body of supporters have shown a greater appreciation of the services of their favourites than those who assemble at Hyde-road week after week, with unfailing regularity, no matter what the position of the club may be.

The highest amounts ever paid to players under the benefit system have been given by the City club during the past two seasons. Two years ago they handed W. Lot Jones a cheque for £825, representing the whole of the receipts from the League match with Middlesbrough, and last season Irvine Thornley was granted the attractive engagement with Oldham Athletic in return for his services, and this, after meeting all expenses, including compensation claims for minor accidents to spectators, realised the record sum of £1,004.

This season George Dorsett is the man to be honoured, and with the consent of the League, the officials of the club have granted him the whole of the receipts from what may be the vital match with Bristol City, at Hyde-road, on April 22.

Throughout his career as a footballer, Dorsett has never given his employers, either at West Bromwich or at Manchester, a moment's trouble. During the last few seasons he has been called upon to play many parts - he has occupied every position in the City team except goal - and never once has he been known to make the slightest complaint. In this respect Dorsett has been, and still is, a model footballer, and if his benefit is commensurate with his services to the City club, even Thornley's record receipts will be eclipsed.

"We Are Seven."

Dorsett is one of a family of seven brothers, all of whom have played football, and who are still prepared to meet a similar number from any family, or make up a complete team from near relations. And we know of no family likely to give them battle except it be the Leemings, of Turton. Three of the Dorsett brothers have played with West Bromwich Albion, and two are now with Manchester City.

None of the family have attained the same distinction as George, who has only lacked an international cap to put the hall-mark of excellence on his ability. He was honoured by the League against the Irish League in 1906, and has also been chosen as reserve in one of the international trial matches, but the most coveted of all football distinctions has been denied him, although during his association with the "Throstles" it is a very moot point if he had any superior in his position of outside-left.

Dorsett's League Debut.

It was at Brownhills, in Staffordshire, that Dorsett made his entry on to this planet, and it was with Shireoaks Athletic that he made his first appearance on the football field. He gained much experience with many minor teams in the "Black Country."

Before he joined the "Throstles," Dorsett was given a trial with Small Heath, at centre-forward, and also signed a Birmingham League form for Shrewsbury - a little matter which required rectifying before he made his début with West Bromwich Albion Reserves against Berwick Rangers at Worcester. He helped his side to a 4-2 victory in this engagement by scoring the second goal, and after playing in three matches he was given a place with the League team, and retained it until he severed his connection with the club to join the City. It was against Preston North End, at Deepdale, that he made his début in League football, and he signalised the occasion by providing both the opportunities from which the Albion scored a 2-1 victory.

A Memorable Day.

As now, the Albion were at that time in the Second Division of the League; but they carried off the Championship with a record of 55 points, and Dorsett achieved his final success as a marksman against Jack Hillman in the match with Burnley at West Bromwich. And so it was that before he had attained his majority he was playing in the very highest class of football, and not only himself, but his club, rivetted the attention of the country by the wonderful manner in which they commenced the season 1902-3.

Up to the end of the first half of the season the Albion - or Bromwich, as Dorsett prefers to call his old club - looked like repeating their performance of the previous year in the minor section by running away with the Championship of the First Division, for they kept right at the head of the chart; but there was a woeful falling off in the second half of the campaign, and, instead of first, they only finished seventh in the table. Still, it was a memorable season for young Dorsett, and he declares he will never forget the match in this campaign in which he helped to beat the Villa at Aston.

The artists of Aston had appeared at The Hawthorns and beaten the Albion by 6-1 in a benefit match for Hadley, and it was the following week the "Throstles" were called upon to sing their League song on the Villa ground. It was a great day, and the "Throstles" were in great voice - so much so that they lulled the Villa into a 3-0 defeat, and Dorsett had one of the finest races of his career with Noon.

One of the finest goals Dorsett ever scored was at Bolton in this campaign, though his most successful match as a marksman was against the Distillery at Belfast, when he scored four goals out of five.

Dorsett's Manchester Debut.

The Albion had fallen on evil days, and under the present rule of the League Dorsett would have been entitled to a good share of his transfer fee when, on December 8, 1904, he signed for Manchester City, for it was purely for financial reasons that he was allowed to go. His first match for the Lancashire club was with the Combination team against Helson, and he scored from a penalty kick, and the same evening he was ordered South to join the Leaguers, who met Brentford two days later in a friendly match. Mr. T. E. Maley, then the manager of the club, and George Dorsett filled the extreme wing positions in that engagement, and Dorsett scored the opening goal.

It was on January 1, 1905, that Dorsett made his first appearance in the City League team, playing inside right to Meredith at Stoke, and from that day down to the present he has participated in 190 League engagements and scored 62 League goals. He has proved himself the most versatile man the City ever had. In his second season at Hyde-road Dorsett was honoured by The League, and in all he is the proud possessor of ten medals for "distinguished service" on the football field and innumerable prizes for his prowess on the running path.

GEORGE DORSETT, Manchester City.
This player is about to receive his benefit.
(Photo by W. P. Eadie, Manchester.)