Club Celebrations and Reunions
CELEBRATION OF 1,000 FIRST TEAM GAMES
Icklesham Recreation Ground
Friday, 16th May 1969
The one thousandth game for the first team was their Hastings League Division One match at home to Hellingly Sports on 7th May 1968 and resulted in a 4-2 defeat with the goals being scored by David Ades and George Potter from the penalty spot. With this being the very last game of the season and too late to mark at the time, it was decided to defer any celebration until the following year.
A sub-committee of Jack Brown, Michael Hills, Alf Holdstock and Mrs L Cooke was elected at the Annual General Meeting to organise a party and they were able to call on the assistance of the chairman, treasurer and secretary if and when this was required. The sub-committee put in a great deal of work under the general direction of the vice-chairman, Michael Hills and the function was an outstanding success with a very large attendance of old players and friends of the club.
The second team played their five hundredth Hastings League game on 30th April 1969 and the year also saw Bert Glazier complete fifteen seasons and four hundred games as team manager for the minors and third XI. All three sides therefore had a cause for celebration. A presentation was planned to Bert and past and present third team players were asked for contributions to this with any individual donation not to exceed five shillings.
The party was held at Icklesham on the evening of Friday 16th May 1969 and was fairly informal. The celebrations began at 6.45 pm with a game between the 1st XI and the 2nd XI which resulted in a goal-less draw. This was followed at 8 pm by a match between former players of the club and its up-and-coming stars with many of the past members present on the evening taking turns to play. This was to give as many players as possible a game and in the words of William Dunlop ‘to save lives’! Some of the veterans who took part played for the club in the first season of 1937-38. The ‘Old Players’ versus the ‘Future Stars’ game resulted in a 1-1 draw and a collection of aching muscles.
At 9 o’clock, a company of about 150 adjourned to the village hall where there was a modest buffet, which was free of charge and a licensed bar, which unfortunately wasn’t!
A presentation of an inscribed and emblazoned plaque was made by 1st team captain, George Potter to William Dunlop, not only to mark the achievement of one thousand first team games, but also the fact that Will had watched every one of these matches and to recognise his contribution to the club.
Andy Dunlop, who had cared for the fortunes of the second team in over five hundred matches, was presented with an inscribed tankard by the team’s captain, Jack Brown and there was a tankard too for Bert Glazier in recognition of looking after the 3rd XI and minors for fifteen seasons, with this being handed to him by John Evans, the third team captain.
Dancing rounded off a thoroughly enjoyable and successful evening.
