Season 1957-58

21ST SEASON

SEASON REPORT

The twenty-first season was the Club’s best to date in many respects, with a successful playing record and an outstandingly memorable end of season reunion of past and present players at the 21st birthday party.

1ST TEAM

The first team won the Hastings League for the second time, a tremendous struggle hung in the balance until the very end of the season, with three sides, Icklesham Casuals, Westfield and Robertsbridge United, in the running during the last weeks. The team eventually scraped home on goal average from Westfield after a 4-3 win at Robertsbridge United. Three points were dropped in the opening two games and only two more in the remaining eighteen league fixtures.

The defence was outstanding and only 24 goals were conceded in 20 league games. The forward line lacked the brilliance of the Westfield attack, but played steadily week after week. The framework of the team was largely unchanged and was – Dick Crisford, Fred Swaine, John Moon, David French (captain), Colin Willard, David Cooke, George Noakes, John Parsons, Arthur Baker, Ron Barden and Frank Baker. Denis Care played several times at the end of the season after Fred Swaine broke a bone in his leg and he earned the extra medal with good displays.

In cup ties, the team was once again knocked out early in the Hastings Junior Cup – losing at home to Sandhurst in the first round, but had a useful run in the Sussex Junior Cup before losing to Robertsbridge United and reached the semi-final of the Robertsbridge Charity Cup, losing on Easter Monday to Westfield at Robertsbridge in a fast game which produced much good football.

In representative games, Colin Willard played in both Hastings League fixtures in the Eastern Inter-League competition and David French in the second match. Several other players were on the fringe of representative honours. Colin Willard was awarded his colours.

For the second successive season, the first team was unbeaten at home in league games. David French once again proved a sporting and determined captain, at his best when things were difficult or going wrong and the side as a whole maintained the reputation of the Club for good sportsmanship though there was a regrettable tendency at times to show dissent towards refereeing decisions. The Football Association had quite properly decided to clamp down on this type of behaviour, and no doubt the players concerned would note this fact. The team suffered to some extent from unpunctuality, especially in home games.

Three players scored over thirty goals in all competitions with Arthur Baker taking the honours as leading scorer with 33 goals, closely followed by Frank Baker and John Parsons with 32 each.

At short notice, the first team filled a vacancy in the Rye Charity Cup semi-final and lost 2-1 to Hastings Rangers II of the East Sussex League.

1ST TEAM PLAYING RECORD

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DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
7/9/1957Rye United IIIAwayFriendly0 – 3
14/9/1957Battle Rangers IIHomeFriendly13 – 0John Parsons 8, John Dunk, Ron Barden, David Cooke, Frank Baker, Arthur Baker (pen)
21/9/1957WestfieldHomeFriendly5 – 4Frank Baker 3, John Dunk 2
28/9/1957Robertsbridge UnitedHomeLeague1 – 1George Noakes
5/10/1957Observer AthleticAwayLeague1 – 2Frank Baker
12/10/1957UdimoreHomeRobertsbridge Charity Cup 1st Round5 – 1Arthur Baker 2, George Noakes, Ron Barden, John Parsons
19/10/1957TicehurstAwaySussex Junior Cup 1st Round10 – 0Arthur Baker 5, John Parsons 2, Frank Baker 2, George Noakes
26/10/1957Sedlescombe UnitedHomeLeague3 – 1Arthur Baker, Ron Barden, Frank Baker
2/11/1957SandhurstHomeHastings F A Junior Cup 1st Round1 – 5Arthur Baker
9/11/1957Hailsham GeebroHomeSussex Junior Cup 2nd Round6 – 0Frank Baker 2, John Parsons, David Cooke, Arthur Baker, Ron Barden
16/11/1957Observer AthleticHomeLeague3 – 0Frank Baker 2, Arthur Baker
23/11/1957Hollington United IIAwayLeague4 – 1David French, David Cooke, Arthur Baker, Frank Baker
30/11/1957Robertsbridge UnitedAwaySussex Junior Cup 3rd Round0 – 2
7/12/1957Battle Rangers IIHomeLeague8 – 3David French 2, Frank Baker 2, Mick Hills, Arthur Baker, Ron Barden, Own Goal
14/12/1957Robertsbridge UnitedHomeRobertsbridge Charity Cup 2nd Round2 – 1Arthur Baker, Frank Baker
28/12/1957UdimoreAwayLeague2 – 0John Parsons 2
4/1/1958WestfieldHomeLeague6 – 2John Parsons 2, Arthur Baker 2, Ron Barden, Frank Baker
18/1/1958Punnetts TownAwayLeague4 – 1John Pellett, John Parsons, Frank Baker, Own Goal
1/2/1958Old CentmodiansHomeFriendly4 – 2Arthur Baker 2, John Parsons, Ron Barden
8/2/1958Bexhill Town Athletic IIIHomeLeague8 – 1John Parsons 3, Ron Barden 2, Frank Baker 2, David French
15/2/1958Battle Rangers IIAwayLeague5 – 1Arthur Baker 3, John Parsons, Frank Baker
22/2/1958UdimoreHomeLeague11 – 1Frank Baker 5, John Parsons 3, Arthur Baker 2, Own Goal
1/3/1958Punnetts TownHomeLeague7 – 0Arthur Baker 5, John Parsons, Colin Willard (pen)
8/3/1958Hollington United IIHomeLeague4 – 0John Parsons, Frank Baker, Own Goals 2
15/3/1958Bexhill Town Athletic IIIAwayLeague4 – 1George Noakes 2, David French, Frank Baker
22/3/1958WestfieldAwayLeague1 – 4John Parsons
29/3/1958SandhurstAwayLeague3 – 1John Parsons, Arthur Baker, Frank Baker
5/4/1958Sedlescombe UnitedAwayLeague7 – 1John Parsons 2, Arthur Baker, Ron Barden, Frank Baker, Own Goals 2
7/4/1958WestfieldNeutral<Robertsbridge Charity Cup Semi-Final1 – 3John Parsons
19/4/1958SandhurstHomeLeague5 – 0Arthur Baker 2, Ron Barden, Frank Baker, Own Goal
24/4/1958Hastings Rangers IINeutral>Rye Charity Cup Semi-Final1 – 2Frank Baker
26/4/1958Robertsbridge UnitedAwayLeague4 – 3Denis Care 2, George Noakes 2

2ND TEAM

It was a great season for the 2nd XI who won a trophy for the first time by beating Brede 3-2 in the final of the Hastings League Lower Divisions Cup at Rye. In addition the side finished in fourth place in Division Three and were among the leaders all season. It was a particular source of satisfaction to Eric Hollingsworth, who had captained the team through a series of difficult seasons, and to Andy Dunlop, who had managed them in good years and bad. Much of the success was also due to former 1st team captain Alf Holdstock who was a tower of strength at centre-half. In a general way, though, it was the introduction of younger players from the third team which made the difference between a poor side and a very useful one. The team which won the Cup was – Kenny Morton, Bill Terrell, Eric Hollingsworth, Bryan Butler, Alf Holdstock, Denis Care, Denis Swaine, Michael Hills, John Dunk, Peter Mathews and Bernard Rankin. In addition, Harold Stonham (ineligible for the cup) and Laurie Butler (injured during the season) played regularly in the successful league side.

The team was on the whole clean and sporting, but one or two members were a little coarse in their tackling and though this was not ill-tempered or malicious, it did the Club’s reputation no good at all.

John Dunk deserves a special mention for setting a Club goal scoring record with 52 goals in all competitions – 49 of them for the second team.

2ND TEAM PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
14/9/1957Hastings TownAwayFriendly0 – 6
21/9/1957Guldeford Old BoysAwayFriendly2 – 3Cyril Rich, Laurie Butler
28/9/1957NorthiamAwayLeague1 – 6
5/10/1957BredeAwayLeague5 – 2Cyril Rich 3, Laurie Butler 2
12/10/1957WhatlingtonAwayLeague2 – 0Denis Swaine, Bill Terrell (pen)
19/10/1957MountfieldHomeLeague5 – 0John Dunk 3, Laurie Butler, Harold Stonham
26/10/1957CrowhurstAwayLeague6 – 4John Dunk 3, Denis Swaine, Laurie Butler, Harold Stonham
2/11/1957Peasmarsh IIAwayFriendly5 – 4John Dunk 2, Laurie Butler, Harold Stonham, Own Goal
9/11/1957Old Hastonians IIAwayLeague2 – 1Denis Swaine, John Dunk
16/11/1957Battle Rangers IIIAwayLeague3 – 0Peter Mathews, Denis Swaine, Harold Stonham
23/11/1957NorthiamHomeLeague6 – 0John Dunk 2, Harold Stonham 2, Peter Mathews, Mike Hills
30/11/1957Punnetts Town IIHomeLeague12 – 1John Dunk 4, Harold Stonham 4, Peter Mathews, Mike Hills, Laurie Butler, Own Goal
7/12/1957BodiamAwayLeague0 – 5
14/12/1957Guldeford Old BoysAwayLeague1 – 1John Dunk
26/12/1957Silverton RangersAwayFriendly10 – 3John Dunk 6, Harold Stonham 2, Ron Barden, Mike Hills
28/12/1957BredeHomeLeague1 – 2John Dunk
4/1/1958MountfieldAwayLeague3 – 2John Dunk 2, Laurie Butler
11/1/1958WhatlingtonHomeLeague5 – 1John Dunk 4, Harold Stonham
18/1/1958CrowhurstHomeLeague4 – 1John Dunk 2, Denis Swaine, Harold Stonham
1/2/1958MountfieldHomeHastings League Lower Divisions Cup 2nd Round10 – 0Peter Mathews 3, Denis Swaine 2, Bryan Butler, Denis Care, Bernard Rankin, David Perkins, John Dunk (pen)
15/2/1958Battle Rangers IIIHomeLeague4 – 1Peter Mathews 2, Laurie Butler, Harold Stonham
1/3/1958BodiamAwayHastings League Lower Divisions Cup 3rd Round2 – 1Mike Hills, John Dunk
15/3/1958Guldeford Old BoysHomeLeague2 – 3Mike Hills, John Dunk
29/3/1958Observer Athletic IINeutral<Hastings League Lower Divisions Cup Semi-Final3 – 3 *Mike Hills, John Dunk, Brian Thomas
5/4/1958BodiamHomeLeague1 – 3David Perkins
12/4/1958Observer Athletic IINeutral>Hastings League Lower Divisions Cup Semi-Final Replay6 – 1John Dunk 3, Mike Hills 3
19/4/1958Punnetts Town IIAwayLeague10 – 0John Dunk 7, Mike Hills, Denis Swaine, David Perkins
22/4/1958BredeNeutral+Hastings League Lower Divisions Cup Final3 – 2John Dunk 3 (1 pen)
26/4/1958Old Hastonians IIHomeLeague3 – 4Denis Swaine, John Dunk, Harold Stonham

3RD TEAM

The 1957-58 season was the second year of the experiment of running a third team in Division Four of the Hastings League instead of in the Hastings Minor League and it was a conclusive success. With a rapidly changing side due to the calls of the first and second teams, much credit went to Bert Glazier, whose cheerful management meant much to the Club. The young players he was bringing along were a first-class insurance policy for the future.

The side usually fielded a majority of minors, many of whom made rapid improvement during the season and in odd games showed good form for the 1st and 2nd teams. The approach play was good but a lack of a scoring centre forward cost points. Late in the season Colin Stace was signed and he scored eight goals in an 18-1 win against Westfield II. The last four league games were all won in good style.

In the early matches Peter Stone captained, but when he was posted away from the district on RAF duty, Jim Brunger or Brian Thomas usually led the side and both set a good example of enthusiasm. Colin Stace scored 16 goals in just five appearances while David Perkins (14), Brian Thomas (13) and John Pellett (10) all reached double figures.

3RD TEAM PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
14/9/1957Bexhill MinorsAwayFriendly3 – 2John Pellett 2, David Perkins
21/9/1957Old Centmodians IIIAwayLeague4 – 4John Pellett, Brian Thomas, J Sands, Phil Stone
28/9/1957Round Table Boys ClubAwayFriendly4 – 6David Perkins 2, Cyril Rich, J Sands
5/10/1957Observer Athletic IIHomeLeague1 – 4Bernard Baker
12/10/1957Hastings Rangers IIIAwayLeague0 – 4
19/10/1957Flimwell British LegionAwayLeague3 – 7Peter Mathews, Brian Thomas, David Perkins
26/10/1957Sedlescombe United IIAwayLeague11 – 6Brian Thomas 3, J Sands 3, Bernard Rankin 2, Peter Mathews, David Perkins, Own Goal
2/11/1957BeckleyAwayLeague6 – 4John Pellett 2, Brian Thomas 2, Peter Mathews, Denis Care (pen)
9/11/1957Old Hastonians IIIHomeLeague2 – 0David Perkins, Peter Mathews
16/11/1957West Hill Boys ClubAwayFriendly4 – 10Brian Thomas 2, J Baker, Cyril Rich
23/11/1957Robertsbridge United IIHomeFriendly1 – 13John Parsons
30/11/1957Old Hastonians IIIAwayLeague6 – 2Jim Brunger, Denis Care, John Pellett, Brian Thomas, J Sands, David Perkins
7/12/1957Peasmarsh IIAwayLeague1 – 8Cyril Rich
21/12/1957Peasmarsh IIHomeLeague3 – 0Brian Thomas, Denis Swaine, David Perkins
4/1/1958BeckleyHomeLeague8 – 1David Perkins 3 (1 pen), Cyril Rich 2, Brian Thomas, John Pellett, Bernard Rankin
11/1/1958Observer Athletic IIAwayLeague1 – 1Bernard Rankin
1/2/1958Round Table Boys ClubAwayFriendly1 – 6Brian Thomas
15/2/1958Westfield IIAwayLeague3 – 3Cyril Rich 2, David Perkins
22/2/1958Flimwell British LegionHomeLeague1 – 4Brian Thomas
1/3/1958Old Centmodians IIIHomeLeague0 – 2
8/3/1958Old Hastonians IIIHomeFriendly5 – 0Colin Stace 3, Jim Brunger, David Perkins (pen)
15/3/1958St Leonards MinorsHomeFriendly4 – 7John Turner, Bernard Beeching, Colin Stace, David Perkins
22/3/1958Westfield IIHomeLeague18 – 1Colin Stace 8, John Pellett 3, Brian Thomas 3, Bernard Rankin 2, George Potter, David Perkins
29/3/1958Hastings Rangers IIIHomeLeague4 – 3Bob Rich 2, Colin Stace, Harold Stonham
19/4/1958Sandhurst IIAwayLeague2 – 1Colin Stace, Bernard Rankin
29/4/1958Sandhurst IIHomeLeague3 – 2Colin Stace 3

MINOR TEAM

A Minor team was entered in the Hastings Youth Cup and after gaining a good 4-2 win against Bexhill Minors, lost 6-0 to Rye United Minors, the eventual winners, in the semi-final, but put up a good fight against the strongest Minor team in Sussex.

MINOR TEAM PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
14/12/1957Bexhill MinorsHomeHastings F A Youth Cup 2nd Round4 – 2Brian Thomas 2, David Perkins, Bernard Rankin
18/1/1958Rye United MinorsAwayHastings F A Youth Cup Semi-Final0 – 6

21ST BIRTHDAY PARTY

Icklesham Recreation Ground – Friday 23rd May 1958

The 21st birthday party held on the Friday of Whitsun weekend was an outstanding success and was attended by nearly 200 people. The celebrations began at 7 pm with a football match between the first team and a side composed of past players and then moved to the Memorial Hall for the remainder of the evening.

The organising committee under the chairmanship of Frank Crisford did an excellent job of arranging the event.

GENERAL MATTERS

Once again the Club owed a great debt to those members who helped with transport and were also appreciative of the service given by the taxi transport contractors, Mr L Coombes and Mr W Simpson. Mrs E L Morris and Mrs Jordan took a great many telephone messages at the Royal Oak in Pett. The marking out was very much simplified by Len Swaine undertaking the duty most weeks at Icklesham and thanks went to him and to those who did the job on the occasions when the ground at Guestling was hire

Social events held included a dance at Winchelsea and a whist drive at Icklesham which raised much needed funds for the Club although again playing members might well have made a little more effort to support these functions.

In addition to the league goals conceded by the first team and John Dunk’s goal scoring, there were also a number of other records set. The 1st XI goals scored (139) and 2nd XI goals scored (117) were records – this was the first time the reserves had exceeded 100 goals and the 3rd XI were just one goal short of notching a century in all games. It was the first season all sides had won more league games than they lost and the third team set a Club record with the 18-1 victory over Westfield II.

The Annual General Meeting was held at the Robin Hood Inn, Icklesham on 31st July 1958.