ALBERT PAPE-GETS AROUND

February 7th 1925 is the date of one of the most unusual player transfers in English football history. Albert Pape started the day as a player for Second Division Clapton Orient (now Leyton Orient) and travelled by train with his team-mates for a league match against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Before his departure from London representatives of the two clubs had spoken on the phone and had agreed in principle for Pape's transfer from Orient to United for a £1070 fee. 

When the Clapton Orient players arrived at Manchester's Piccadilly Station, around mid-day, United manager John Chapman was there to negotiate terms with Pape. Terms were agreed and the paperwork was wired from the Manchester General Post Office to the Football League and the FA and about an hour before kick off. Albert Pape was then confirmed as a Manchester United player. In the morning he was expecting to play for Clapton Orient against Manchester United but in fact turned out for Manchester United against Clapton Orient. Not only that he scored a goal for his new club in their 4-2 victory over his old club!

Born in Elsecar, just down the road from me, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, Pape began his football career with Wath Athletic, a local club. Upon the outbreak of the First World War, Pape joined the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and played for the regimental football team, returning to play for Bolton-on-Dearne, when there was peace. 

In December 1919, Pape was signed by Rotherham County (as the club was known then before merging with Rotherham Town, becoming Rotherham United), who had been elected to the Second Division of the Football League, at the start of the season. He made a goalscoring debut on 17 January 1920, in a 4–3 win over Coventry City. In four seasons with Rotherham County, Pape scored 41 goals in 119 league appearances with, including a spell in the 1922-3 season in which he scored eight goals in five matches.

He signed for Notts County at the end of that season, but made just six appearances in 1923–24 before moving on to Clapton Orient. In eight months with Orient, he scored 11 goals in 24 league matches. In February 1925, Orient travelled to a match against a Manchester United side that had just sold its star striker, Bill Henderson, to Preston North End. 

United manager John Chapman had telephoned the Orient manager Peter Proudfoot before they left London, and the two clubs agreed a fee of £1,070 for Pape. They met up at Manchester Piccadilly Station just after noon, and Pape – who was a friend of the United captain Frank Barson, and had relatives in nearby Bolton – quickly agreed terms. The details were wired to The FA and The Football League at around 1:30 p.m. Although Pape had been named in Orient's starting line-up for the match, he was confirmed as a Manchester United player with about an hour left before kick-off. Pape was not only allowed to start the match in the colours of Manchester United, but he also scored the team's third goal in a 4–2 win over his previous employers, as well as hitting the post with a header late in the game. 

He made 15 further appearances that season, and scored four more goals. He also made two appearances in 1925–26, but he was then sold to Fulham in October 1925. However, he was reluctant to return to London, and only signed with Fulham on the condition that he could continue to live in Bolton and train with Manchester United. Five months later, the two clubs met in the Sixth Round of the FA Cup, and although Pape scored, Manchester United won the match 2–1.

After two seasons (1925-7)with Fulham, in which he scored 12 goals in 42 appearances, Pape dropped out of League football to join North Wales coast side Rhyl Athletic, but he was there for less than six months before joining Hurst back in Manchester for the second half of the 1927–28 season. In September 1928, Pape was named as player-coach at Darwen, and was also made club captain. However, five months later, he was signed by Manchester Central and played at Hurst, before returning to League football for the start of the 1929–30 season with Hartlepool United. He scored 21 goals in 37 appearances for Hartlepool United in the FL Division Three North and was signed by Halifax United for one final season of League football in July 1930, scoring 15 goals in 25 appearances in 1930–31. He spent time in Lancashire with Burscough Rangers, Horwich RMI and Nelson FC before retiring from football around 1933-4.

Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1919–1923	Rotherham County	113	(41)
1923–1924	Notts County	6	(2)
1924–1925	Clapton Orient	24	(11)
1925	Manchester United	18	(5)
1925–1927	Fulham	42	(12)
1927–1928	Rhyl Athletic	?	(?)
1928	Hurst	26	(22)
1928–1929	Darwen (player-coach)	?	(?)
1929	Manchester Central	?	(?)
1929–1930	Hartlepools United	37	(21)
1930–1931	Halifax Town	25	(15)
1931–1932	Burscough Rangers	?	(?)
1932–1933	Horwich RMI	?	(?)
1933–?	Nelson	?	(?)
Total		291	(129)