VIRTUAL MATCHDAY PROGRAMME
CLAPTON v
GREAT WAKERING ROVERS Essex Senior League Tuesday 10th December 2013 Kick Off 7.45pm
CLAPTON FC – VIRTUALLY THE BEST TEAM IN LONDON
Clapton Football Club HONOURS LIST Formed as ‘Downs FC’ in 1877. Re-named Clapton Football Club in 1878. Founder members of the Southern League. Founder members of the Isthmian League (now Ryman League). The First English Club to play on the Continent. (1890) FA AMATEUR CUP WINNERS 1906/07, 1908/09, 1915/15, 1923/24. 1924/25 Runners Up 1904/05 ISTHMIAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONS 1910/11, 1922/23 Runners Up 1905/06, 1907/08. 1909/10, 1924/25 Division Two Champions 1982/83 ESSEX SENIOR CUP WINNERS 1890/91, 1924/25, 1925/26, 1954/55, 1983/8 LONDON SENIOR CUP WINNERS 1888/89. 1908/09, 1910/11 Runners Up 1988/89 ESSEX SENIOR TROPHY WINNERS 1988/89 ESSEX THAMESIDE TROPHY WINNERS 1982/83, 1983/84 A.F.A. INVITATION SENIOR CUP WINNERS 1965/66 Founded by W.R. Davies, at a meeting in his father’s house at 11 Queensdown Road, Clapton E5, August of 1877, Downs FC started playing on Hackney Downs. Three years later in 1880, and with a name change to Clapton Football Club, the Tons moved the short distance to North Mill Field, Leyton. Later that year the Tons were offered their first private enclosure at Elm Farm with a rental of £10 per year. They moved once more before settling at the Dog, to Pilgrims Farm, Walthamstow. It was the founding of the London FA that introduced Clapton FC to the Spotted Dog, The Tons played an LFA Cup match against City Albion who had a pitch in the field just north of the Dog. The tenants of the Dog were St Bartholemews Hospital who were about to vacate, so Clapton obtained a lease from the owner, Mrs Vause. It was a bold step, the rent was £35 a year, whilst the club’s annual income amounted to £40. The opening game at the Dog took place on the 29th September 1888 and the Clapton team beat a team from Old Carthusians by a goal to nil. The scorer was J.S. Sellars. The ground was a roped enclosure and the players changed in a barn in Upton Lane. Many games drew crowds of 4,000 or more, and several notable Ton’s players were recruited from those watching when numbers were short. In 1982 a Southern League game was the first league match ever to be played at the Dog. Before this, only friendly and cup matches had taken place. The brewers, Watneys took over the freehold of the ground and during the second world war the Dog became an anti-aircraft station. During these five years, Clapton played at Newbury Park, the home of Ilford FC. A crowd of 12,000 watched Clapton play Spurs in a cup tie in 1898 which resulted in a 1-1 draw. In more ‘recent’ times, a crowd of 2,000 witnessed an FA Amateur Cup match against Barnet in 1964. In 1992, the Clapton Trust managed to negotiate and finally secure, in 1995, a 99 year lease on the ground. This achievement should have secured the club’s future at the Old Spotted Dog, however, with Vince McBean ay the help, recent events and mismanagement have placed this security in jeopardy and these issues will need to be addressed to secure the club’s future once more.
JOIN THE FRIENDS OF CLAPTON FC Whilst the primary objectives of the Friends of Clapton FC was to help those who run, administer and play for the Tons, the entity that claims to be Clapton FC has neither acknowledged or accepted that the Friends group have a role to play in the future of the club and would prefer to continue in it’s present shambolic state. In the meantime, the Friends of Clapton remain vigilant as to any perceived problems, and of issues, such as tenure on the ground, that are not addressed by the ‘club’. For example, earlier this year, the lease on the ground was only weeks away from forfeiture, due to mal administration by the self proclaimed 'club owner’. (Not filing accounts) The continuance and well-being of the club, the security of tenure at the Old Spotted Dog Ground and promotion of Clapton FC's activities in an open and forthright manner would re-establish the club in the world of football as well as the local community. However, this is not currently on the ‘club’s agenda’. We believe that Clapton Football Club is deserving of support and whose survival is important, not only to the local area, but also to the sport of association football, the development of which, owes much to the Clapton players, officials and supporters of yesteryear. Please join us and bring about change at Clapton FC by clicking here Any questions or enquiries to secretary@friendsofclaptonfc.org
CLAPTON v great wakering rovers Essex Senior League Tuesday 10th December 2013
More League action this evening and what better visitors than ESL pace setters Great Wakering Rovers? The Rovers have had a very good season so far and, at the time of writing, are preparing for a home clash against Hullbridge Sports in the third round of the FA Vase. So it is possible that that tonight’s game will be postponed if that match is drawn and requires a replay. The Rovers have recently launched a ‘Our Village, Our Team, campaign with which it is hoped to attract more people through the turnstiles of Burroughs Park and hopefully gain more recognition for their efforts so far this season. We wish them all the best with that, and hopefully can learn some lessons from such an initative. The Essex Senior League have now released fixtures up to the end of January and these are listed elsewhere in the iProg. It’s something of a shame that the fixtures are released piecemill as it must be very difficult for clubs to plan or organise events or publicity for their home matches when working to such a short timescale. We know that those clubs who ground-share with other clubs in a higher position in the pyramid do not take precedent, and therefore fixtures might be difficult to finalise, however this works to the detriment of all clubs in the League and is thus unfair to them. There must be a solution, for example, why not change midweek matchnights?. In fact, an interesting question was raised recently on Twitter as regards evenhanded treatment of clubs within football’s pyramid and, unsurprisingly, our recent floodlighting problems were came up. The ‘tweet’ read So Olympian teams are banned from entering ESL cos they don't have floodlights yet the league allow Clapton/Bari to do just that ????. It’s a totally valid point. There are clubs in the Essex Olympian League who must be wondering what is going on when they have repeatedly been refused senior status and entry to the ESL whilst ‘senior’ clubs fly fast and loose with regulations regarding grounds. It is all the more galling for the Olympian clubs when on considers that Bari’s promotion was grounded on the basis of their ground share at the Old Spotted Dog. Admittedly, the recent situation was no fault of London Bari FC who have paid rental money to ‘Clapton FC’ but then found that their ‘landlords’ were unable to provide the facility as promised. But the tweeter does have a valid point and, as long as the Leagues and FA stand idly by, the abuse of the system will continue. That is, until the club’s affected by the apathy of the football authorities, actually start asking questions. Expunged records can cost points, and possibly, promotion. Think on. Loan striker Lewis Jones has now returned to Wingate & Finchley. We thank him for his efforts fir Clapton FC and wish him all the best in the future. Up top tonight, Woodsy has the choice of Tom Jeffes, Rafael Duyille and Jerome Martelli, all of whom, we hope, will ask questions of our visitor’s defence this evening. Next Saturday we face a tough trip to Takeley. Having beaten them at the Dog earlier in the season, there is no reason why can not give our hosts a good game and hopefully come away with at least a share of the spoils. Next Tuesday we are at home when our visitors will be Greenhouse London. The kick off is scheduled for 7.45pm. Enjoy the game !
OUR VISITORS
GREAT WAKERING ROVERS The club was formed in 1919 by soldiers demobbed after World War I and finding employment in the local brickfields. They first played in the Southend & District League, where they played until 1982, being the league's most dominant club especially in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1982 they switched to the newly formed Southend & District Alliance Football League, but this league folded in 1989. At this point the club decided to make the step up to intermediate level and join the Essex Intermediate League. They remained in this league for three seasons, winning the championships of Divisions Three and Two in successive seasons, after the latter of which they successfully applied to join the Essex Senior League. They were league champions in 1994-95 and were league runners-up three times in the subsequent four seasons. On the last of these occasions they finished in second place behind Saffron Walden Town, but as the latter club failed to meet the ground grading requirements for a place in the Isthmian League, Great Wakering Rovers were promoted in their place, gaining a place in Isthmian League Division Three for the 1999-00 season. At the first attempt they were promoted to Division Two, then moved to Division One North in 2002 due to league reorganisation. Further reorganisations saw them switched to the Southern Football League Eastern Division for two seasons, but in 2006 they were switched back to Isthmian League Division One North. The 2009-2010 season brought a record number of points for the Rovers at Ryman League level, 64, but towards the end of the season manager Iain O'Connell took over at Ryman Premier side Margate leaving assistant Ryan Wilkinson and physio Cleve Taylor to take over temporary control with 12 games to go. During the close season of 2010, Ryan and Cleve were made joint managers with Danny Heath being promoted from reserve team manager to first team coach to join a new management team. During the 2011-2012 season, after a poor run of results, Ryan Wilkinson and Cleve Taylor decided that it was time to move on and resigned, leaving coach Danny Heath as Caretaker Manager. After a short period, Danny Greaves was installed as manager and took charge for his first game on 29th October 2011, but saw his side lose 2-0 away at Leiston. Unfortunately, Danny's reign wouldn't last long as his side would lose 6 games in 6, scoring 4 and conceding 21, leaving Danny with no option than to resign. Once again Danny Heath would take over as Caretaker Manager although Dan Trenkel would be installed as the new PlayerManager within two games. Trenkel, a Rovers youth and reserve player, joined the first team for his debut on the 4th April 2001, has played over 300 games for the club and immediately made a start on shoring up the frail defence which had conceded 52 goals before his arrival. Dan Trenkel remains in charge of the Rovers, instilling a new sense of belief into his side.
CLAPTON FC FIXTURES 2013/14 HOME MATCHES IN CAPTITAL LETTERS
Sat 10/08/13 Tue 13/08/13 Sat 17/08/13 Sat 17/08/13 Tue 27/08/13 Sat 31/08/13 Tue 03/09/13 Sat 07/09/13 Tue 10/09/13 Tue 17/09/13 Sat 21/09/13 Sat 28/09/13 Tue 01/10/13 Sat 05/10/13 Tue 9/10/13 Sat 12/10/13 Tue 15/10/13 Sat 19/10/13 Sat 26/10/13 Sat 16/11/13 Sat 23/11/13 Wed 27/11/13 Sat 30/12/13 Tue 03/12/13 Sat 07/12/13 Tue 10/12/13 Sat 14/12/13 Tue 17/12/13 Sat 21/12/13 Sat 07/01/14 Sat 11/01/14 Sat 18/01/14 Sat 25/01.14
ESL ESL FA CUP FA CUP ESL FA CUP ESL ESL LCC ESL FA VASE ESL ESL ESL GBT ESL ESL FA VASE ESL ESL ESL ESL ESL ESL ESL ESL ESL ESL ESL ESL ESL ESL ESL
Bowers and Pitsea TOWER HAMLETS STANWAY ROVERS Stanway Rovers London Bari MILDENHALL TOWN HARINGEY BORO Hullbridge Sports GREAT WAKERING ROV TAKELEY Wootton Blue Cross Basildon United ILFORD Stansted Tower Hamlets SAWBRIDGEWORTH ETON MANOR BARKING Southend Manor SOUTHEND MANOR Enfield 1893 Sporting Bengal Utd FC Romania LONDON APSA BARKING GREAT WAKERING ROV Takeley GREENHOUSE LONDON LONDON BARI Eton Manor STANSTED Great Wakering Rovers BASILDON UNITED
Mike Bayly’s (Non League Day) Latest Project
100 BRITISH FOOTBALL GROUNDS TO VISIT BEFORE YOU DIE Mike says “I need your feedback for the new book I am writing, 100 British Football Grounds To Visit Before You Die. Vote for your favourite five British football grounds by emailing 100groundsproject@gmail.com
0-0 2-3 0-0 1-0 2-0 0-2 1-1 0-0 1-1 2-0 1-0 0-2 4-0 2-1 3-0 0-3 2-1 0-1 1-2 2-0 0-4 2-3 2-4 5-0
Jarriette, Alleyne Matthews Martelli, Hughes Coulson (p) Duyile (p) AET CFC LOSE ON PAENS Parker, Duyile Tacey
Martelli 2, Jeffes, Jarriette Duyile, Martelli Jeffes, Duyille, Lowes Jarriette Hallowell, Duyille Lowes, Martelli Jones, Martelli Martelli 2, Jones, Briggs, Jeffes 1.30pm 7.45pm 1.30pm 7.45pm 1.30pm 7.45pm 1.30pm 3.00pm 1.30pm
THE OLIVER TRIGG EXPERIENCE BRIAN JEEVES’ LATEST BOOK OUT SOON NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE ORDER
http://on.fb.me/1b9BPrg
The Neutral Match Report
ONE STEP BEYOND TURKEY STREET by Jonathan Allsop
“You’re playing too much football. Send it Nicolae. Send it” The friendly fur hatted bloke who about twenty minutes earlier had shaken my hand and welcomed me to the home of FC Romania, is leaning over the advertising hoardings at the side of the pitch urging his team to move the ball forward. Unable to make my usual journey north to watch the red shirted heroes of FC United of Manchester this Saturday, I’m at Theobald’s Lane in Cheshunt getting my first taste of Essex Senior League football. FC Romania, who share the ground with Cheshunt FC are playing Clapton FC from East London. The bloke usually does the tannoy announcements at the matches but today it’s out of action so he has resorted to personally greeting everyone as they came in through the single open turnstile. He gave me a brief history of FC Romania and revealed that he used to operate the tannoy for Isthmian League side Cheshunt FC but it’s clear he’s fallen in love with their tenants. The club was formed by Romanian immigrants in 2006. In future they hope to attract players from other communities in the London area not only Romanians. They played parks football for a while, beating everyone in sight, including a 12-2 win in their first competitive fixture against a team called Beating Chastards, before being invited to play in the Middlesex County League. Last season they won promotion and now play in the Premier Division of the Essex Senior League at step five of the nonleague pyramid. It’s a shameful reflection of the current debate on immigration that only a couple of pages into my prematch internet search for information about FC Romania I was already being directed to xenophobic, illinformed articles about Romanian immigrants. Let’s face it, when was the last time you heard or read anything positive about Britain’s Romanian community? Sadly they’re invariably portrayed as either coming over here nicking our jobs, scrounging benefits or jumping queues for public services. The match programme, on the other hand, emphasises that whilst FC Romania would like to be as successful as possible on the pitch, above all they hope to make friends through football and project a positive image of the local Romanian community. It’s good also to see a local radio reporter here interviewing club officials and fans. A few minutes into the game, it’s not difficult to see why FC Romania are currently second in the league table. They are well organised and play some neat football with each player looking comfortable on the ball. All the players have apparently played in lower league football in Romania, Turkey, Spain or Bulgaria. The ground reminds me of some of the ones from FC United’s away trips in the North West Counties League. It has the slightly dishevelled air of a venue that’s perhaps seen better days but also a homely, lived-in feel that’s a world away from the sterile plastic surroundings of many modern stadia. There are two small, low-roofed stands, each with seats, at either side of the pitch. I’m stood in what appears to be the main stand and close by is the directors’ box with its oak seats that were apparently taken from White Hart Lane’s old west stand when it was demolished in the early eighties. Behind each goal is fencing. The ground’s capacity is meant be three thousand but today there’s probably about fifty, maybe sixty, spectators. In the newer looking, blue-seated cantilever stand opposite there’s a group of about twenty or so Clapton FC supporters who never shut up singing throughout the match. These must be the Clapton Ultras that I’ve read about. They certainly don’t disappoint, reminding me of a smaller version of FC United’s away support. An iPod perhaps to FC’s non-stop travelling jukebox. Even at three-nil down early in the second half they’re still bouncing around working their way through an extensive songbook that includes some familiar tunes but a fair few original ones as well. There’s a song to a Desmond Dekker tune that I particularly like that substitutes Claptonites for Israelites. A few anti-fascist songs are also aired and there’s an impressive selection of flags including one featuring the old British Rail logo
and others including the distinctive red and black of the anti-fascist movement. It’s impressive stuff for a football club located in the heart of one of the most ethnically diverse areas in the world. I’ve made a mental note to get myself along to the Old Spotted Dog Ground for one of their home games fairly soon. Clapton FC were formed in 1878 and are one of the oldest non-league football clubs in the country boasting a proud history. They were founder members of the Southern League and, despite their name, they have a longer presence in the borough of Newham than their Premier League neighbours West Ham. Interesting given the unseemly scrap over who should play football at the Olympic stadium in the borough. On the train out to Tesco-land from Liverpool Street I’d passed through a large chunk of north east London including Seven Sisters and White Hart Lane before alighting at Theobald’s Grove on the southern tip of Cheshunt (it’s one stop after Turkey Street). It reminded me that Manchester United are due to play at Spurs tomorrow lunchtime. Earlier in the week a Spurs supporting mate had rung me to see if I fancied a spare ticket for Sunday’s game. Apparently it would set me back fifty five quid. Or “£57.50 including the booking fee”. He does this every season. I keep banging on about FC United but he’s not really “got” it and can’t understand why anyone would possibly give up watching the likes of Rooney and Van Persie for this non-league malarkey. In eight years of watching FC I’ve been regularly impressed by the quality of non-league football. Okay it’s not exactly Brazil circa 1982 but it’s definitely not all about hoofing it up the pitch either. And today is no exception with both sides trying to play decent football. FC Romania, in particular, with their patient build-up play and emphasis on playing the ball to feet, look a fine side. Before the hour mark they’re three-nil up with the game seemingly over. But Clapton, to their credit, backed by their superb travelling support, some of whom by now are dancing on top of the home team’s dug-out, pull a goal back and for a period threaten a second goal but FC Romania end the match as worthy 4-2 winners. It could have been more if a last minute Beckhamesque lob from just inside the half way line by one of the Romanian midfielders had not bounced narrowly over. It would have been some goal. As I make my way to the exit the part-time tannoy announcer is bellowing his appreciation. “Bravo, FC Romania. Bravo”. I’ll echo that. And across the other side of the pitch the Clapton Ultras are, well, not surprisingly still singing their hearts out. Forza Clapton FC. Fifty five notes for a trip to Spurs? Pffft, you’ve got to be joking when you can pay a fiver and be as richly entertained as this on and off the pitch. Thanks to Jonathan Allsop foor allowing us to use this article.. Jonathan is a blogger who describes himself as a curmudgeonly London-based NHS bean counter. Politically and footballingly red and a co-owner of FC United of Manchester.
http://nowtmuchtosay.wordpress.com/ @nowtmuchtosay
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THE LINE UPS CLAPTON FC
GREAT WAKERING ROVERS FC
Red Shirts, White Shorts, Red Socks Manager ; Chris Wood Assistant : Neil Day
THE TONS PEPE DIAGNE SAM NAYLOR PETER MOORE JAMIE LINDEN BILLY RUNGAY CRAIG GREENWOOD JAMES BRIGGS BEN LOWES BILLY WISE NICK READ LEWIS JONES TOM JEFFES JUSTIN MAYNARD JEROME MARTELLI RAFAEL DUYILLE JERRY JARRIETTE
Green and White Manager : Dan Trenkel Coach : Enrico Tiritera
Player Sponsored by Gavin Clarke
G.V.O.
Andrew Barr
Ian & Peter Simpson
Mark Barlow
MATCH OFFICIALS: REFEREE – Gavin McFarlane
OUR NEXT HOME MATCH
DALE BRIGHTLY LEWIS SPARROW MAX KENT JOE SKEELS STUART HEPBURN NICK SKELTON BILLY RADLEY JAY SMITH DAN TRENKEL GARY PATERSON DAVE COLLINS JAMES PUGSLEY AARON BALDWIN CARL READ SAMMY KNOTT BILLY JOHNSON LINOS :- Phil Miles, Adekunle Jide Fawunmi
THEN “The Dog Derby”
TUESDAY 17TH DECEMBER 2013
SATURDAY 20TH DECEMBER 2013
CLAPTON v LONDON GREENHOUSE
CLAPTON v LONDON BARI
ESSEX SENIOR LEAGUE ESSEX SENIOR LEAGUE KICK OFF 7.45PM KICK OFF 1.30PM* AT THE DOG AT THE DOG *Check Kick Off times in case floodight debacle continues. www.claptonfc.info
“LET ‘EM COME, LET ’EM ALL COME DOWN TO THE DOG” Save the Spotted Dog A group formed to preserve the famous old Tudor pub that adjoins the Clapton football ground. Save the Dog ! www.savethespotteddog.org
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CLAPTON FC – VIRTUALLY THE BEST TEAM IN LONDON VIRTUAL MATCHDAY TICKET HOLDERS – Mark Barlow, Michael Fogg, Andrew Barr, Ian Simpson, Peter Simpson, Gavin Clarke, Paul Maybin, Michael Cogan, Lew Listz, Ken Harris, Martin McShea, David Barr, Dermot Donovan, Janis Boyce