Links With The Past: Arthur Chandler Mementos
From the records we have selected a photograph from a fixture against Sunderland at Filbert Street on 17 November, 1928. It is an original of a picture which was published in the Leicester Evening Mail, a local newspaper which went out of existence the 1960s.
The two players in the photograph are Arthur Chandler and Bill Murray. Chandler, Leicester City’s all-time record goalscorer with 273 league and cup goals, was on target in this game, which ended in a 1-0 victory for the home side.
Murray, in only his second season at Sunderland when this picture was taken, went on to play for and then manage the Wearsiders for nearly 1,000 games between 1927 and 1957.
The Leicester City directors’ minutes book is open at the page which lists the City team chosen for this match 93 years ago. A notable absentee is Ernie Hine, whose absence is explained at the foot of the left-hand page.
He had been selected to play for England against Wales on the same day, a game in which he scored in a 3-2 victory.
The other artefacts illustrated here also date from the 1928/29 season. This campaign ended with City achieving their highest ever league position until they became Premier League champions in 2016. They finished runners-up in the league, missing out on the title by just one point.
The photograph shows Arthur resplendent in rather flamboyant golf attire. This was probably taken at Kirby Muxloe Golf Club, a favourite venue for the City players.
Next to this is Arthur’s contract for the 1928/29 season. The clauses contained in this document were handwritten by the Club’s secretary/manager Willie Orr. They reveal that Chandler, one of the most prolific scorers in England, playing in one of the top sides in the league, was earning £8-per-week (£6 in the close season). Bonuses approved by the league could be added to this sum.