Arthur Lancaster

Arthur Lancaster is one of the unsung heroes of Bradford City. His loyalty during the difficult years during the First World War ensured that City survived the conflict.

Arthur played for Manningham and then served on both Manningham and Bradford City’s committee for many years. When the club became a limited company in 1908 he joined the board and eventually succeeded William Pollack as chairman in 1917. During the Great War City were more or less insolvent and, as one of Bradford’s most successful businessmen, Arthur Lancaster provided personal guarantees to the bank which allowed the club to continue playing.

He was one of the leading wool merchants in Bradford and his company - I & G Lancaster Ltd – were based on Manor Row. The depredations of the war were keenly felt when one of his employees, and City reserve, Ernest Goodwin was killed while serving with the local West Yorkshire Regiment.

Arthur Lancaster resigned from the City board in 1921 after the club had survived the worst of the financial losses caused by the conflict.