Arthur Bottom was a prolific goalscoring inside-forward and member of the magnificent ‘Happy Wanderers’ side who reached the FA Cup semi-finals in 1954-55.
Arthur Bottom was a prolific goalscoring inside-forward and member of the magnificent ‘Happy Wanderers’ side who reached the FA Cup semi-finals in 1954-55. His name is legendary at Bootham Crescent and he remains the club’s sixth highest marksman of all time, with a tremendous 105 goals from his 158 appearances in a York shirt.
He was born on February 28th 1930 and began his playing career with Sheffield YMCA before joining Sheffield United as a junior. From there he moved on to York in the summer of 1954, and scored a hat-trick on his debut in a 6-2 win at Wrexham. It was an indication of things to come as Bottom eventually reached 39 league and cup goals that season, which was an all-time club record for a single campaign. The next season, he blasted another 33 goals.
The magnificent Bottom jointly holds the club record alongside Billy Fenton for most league goals in a season, claiming 31 for both 1954-55 and 1955-56, and he starred as York became the first-ever club from outside the top two divisions to reach an FA Cup semi-final replay in 1954-55.
In February 1958 he was transferred to Newcastle United – who had controversially beaten City in that semi-final replay and went on to win the FA Cup – for a fee of £4,500. Although netting 10 goals in his 11 matches to help them avoid relegation, the Magpies transferred him to Chesterfield in November 1958 for £5,000. He later played for non-league clubs Boston United and Alfreton Town.
