Season 1951-52

15TH SEASON

SEASON REPORT

The fifteenth season was in many respects the most successful in the history of the Club up to that time.

1ST TEAM

The first team had never previously finished higher than fourth in Division One of the Hastings League and therefore derived great pleasure from their success in winning the Championship by two points from Sedlescombe United. The side went to the top of the table in mid-December after beating Northiam and though several teams around them with games in hand seemed almost certain to overtake, they hung to the lead and took advantage of the other sides mistakes in March and April. Once again, an excellent team spirit carried us through against technically superior teams and it was particularly pleasing that several players, who had stuck with the Club in good times and bad for a number of seasons, shared in the success. Alf Holdstock and Peter Shearer as captain and vice-captain took much credit for this.

A sound all-round settled side, disturbed only by forced team changes, scored freely and did not concede many goals. Frank Baker and Don Boreham played in every game and Tony Gibson missed just one match. Leading scorers were Phil Barling (21 goals), Arthur Baker (19) and Frank Baker (17). John Archer played right-half for the Hastings League against the Lewes League at Newhaven.

Twenty-five players appeared in the eighteen league games and all were in a winning side, emphasising the value of the reserve and minor teams. Most appearances were made by thirteen players who each received an official photograph and these were:- Dick Crisford, Tony Pratchett (goalkeepers), Tony Gibson, Alf Holdstock (backs), John Archer, David Cooke, David French, Peter Shearer (half-backs), Arthur Baker, Frank Baker, Phil Barling, Don Boreham, Gordon Hickman (forwards).

1ST TEAM PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
15/9/1951BenendenHomeRobertsbridge Charity Cup 1st Round2 – 3Cyril Rich 2
22/9/1951WestfieldHomeFriendly6 – 2Gordon Hickman 3, Don Boreham 2, Phil Barling
29/9/1951Little CommonAwayLeague6 – 3Tony Gibson 2, Frank Baker 2, Don Boreham, Phil Barling
6/10/1951Robertsbridge UnitedHomeLeague2 – 0Phil Barling 2
13/10/1951Hastings Rangers IIAwayLeague3 – 7Phil Barling 2 (1 pen), Don Boreham
20/10/1951Sidley United IIAwayLeague6 – 1Arthur Baker 2, Frank Baker 2, Gordon Hickman 2
27/10/1951Hollington United IIAwayLeague2 – 2Phil Barling, Gordon Hickman
3/11/1951Rye United IIIHomeFriendly5 – 4Arthur Baker 3, Frank Baker 2
17/11/1951Old CentmodiansAwayLeague4 – 1Arthur Baker 2, Phil Barling, Frank Baker
24/11/1951Rye United IIHomeLeague0 – 1
1/12/1951Hastings Rangers IIHomeLeague4 – 2Arthur Baker 2, Frank Baker, Gordon Hickman
8/12/1951Battle Rangers IIAwayHastings F A Junior Cup 2nd Round1 – 5Frank Baker
15/12/1951NorthiamHomeLeague5 – 3Phil Barling 2, Arthur Baker 2, Frank Baker
26/12/1951WoodchurchHomeFriendly3 – 5David Cooke, Peter Wood, Frank Baker
29/12/1951Old CentmodiansHomeLeague4 – 3Phil Barling 2, Arthur Baker, Frank Baker
5/1/1952Sedlescombe UnitedAwayLeague5 – 2Phil Barling 2, Arthur Baker, Frank Baker, Gordon Hickman
26/1/1952Rye United IIAwayLeague1 – 3Phil Barling
16/2/1952NorthiamAwayLeague4 – 4Arthur Baker 2, Phil Barling, Frank Baker
1/3/1952Hollington United IIHomeLeague3 – 2Phil Barling, Arthur Baker, Frank Baker
15/3/1952Sidley United IIHomeLeague2 – 1Gordon Hickman, Alf Holdstock (pen)
29/3/1952Little CommonHomeLeague5 – 1Phil Barling 4, Frank Baker
5/4/1952R A F RyeHomeFriendly4 – 1Gerald Potten 2, Don Boreham, Frank Baker
12/4/1952Robertsbridge UnitedAwayLeague3 – 1Arthur Baker 3
19/4/1952Sedlescombe UnitedHomeLeague1 – 1Alf Holdstock (pen)

2ND TEAM

The second team were slightly less successful than in the previous season, finishing sixth out of ten teams in Division Three (East) of the Hastings League. The defence was not quite as sound due to the rather intermittent appearances of Albert Cane and Jimmy Jury, and the loss for most of the season of C Baker. The forwards’ old failing of weak shooting again cost points, but with the exception of two games, the team were never outclassed and had some useful performances to their credit. They owed much to Bill Betts as captain and Andrew Dunlop as team manager.

Eric Hollingsworth and Cyril Rich played in all twenty-four matches with Ernie Capon (22), Bill Betts, Bob Rich and Denis Swaine (21 each), all appearing regularly. Cyril Rich was leading scorer with 14 goals followed by Len Potten with 10.

2ND TEAM PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
22/9/1951Bohemia UnitedAwayFriendly1 – 2Cyril Rich
29/9/1951Observer AthleticHomeLeague1 – 4Denis Swaine
13/10/1951Beckley IIAwayLeague6 – 0Cyril Rich 2, Bill Betts 2 (1 pen), Len Potten, Bob Rich
20/10/1951UdimoreAwayLeague3 – 7Cyril Rich, Len Potten, John Moon
27/10/1951StaplecrossHomeLeague7 – 1Len Potten 4, Arthur Ades 2, Cyril Jeffery (pen)
3/11/1951East GuldefordAwayLeague4 – 4Denis Swaine 2, Len Potten, Arthur Ades
10/11/1951Bohemia UnitedHomeLeague2 – 1Oliver Campbell, Len Potten
24/11/1951Observer AthleticAwayLeague2 – 6Bob Rich 2
1/12/1951Robertson Street Young People’s SocietyAwayFriendly0 – 4
15/12/1951Northiam IIAwayLeague2 – 4Bob Rich, Denis Swaine
22/12/1951GuestlingHomeLeague1 – 7Bob Rich
12/1/1952GuestlingAwayLeague0 – 1
19/1/1952East GuldefordHomeHastings League Division Three Cup 1st Round7 – 0Bill Betts 3, Cyril Rich 2, T Duffield, Oliver Campbell
26/1/1952Beckley IIHomeLeague4 – 2Cyril Rich 2, Bill Betts, Bob Rich
2/2/1952R A F RyeHomeFriendly1 – 8
16/2/1952Northiam IIHomeLeague4 – 0Len Potten 2, Bob Rich 2
23/2/1952Sedlescombe United IIHomeHastings League Division Three Cup 2nd Round1 – 3Arthur Ades (pen)
1/3/1952Bohemia UnitedAwayLeague2 – 1Cyril Rich 2
8/3/1952WestfieldAwayLeague2 – 12Cyril Rich 2
15/3/1952Woodchurch IIAwayFriendly2 – 7Cyril Rich 2
5/4/1952UdimoreHomeLeague2 – 2George Noakes, Bill Betts
12/4/1952WestfieldHomeLeague1 – 3George Noakes
26/4/1952StaplecrossAwayLeague3 – 3Frank Baker, Bob Rich Bill Betts (pen)
1/5/1952Robertson Street Young People’s SocietyHomeFriendly2 – 3John Moon, Eric Hollingsworth

MINOR TEAM

The under-18 team had their best year in their third Minor League season since the War with a fifth place finish out of eleven sides. Quite apart from the welcome improvement in playing results, there was a pleasing regularity about turning-up and it became unusual for the team to play short. The minors owed much to the captaincy of Peter Wood, who proved a keen successor to John Farrow. In young players, even more than in adult ones, an enthusiastic captain can help weaker characters overcome difficulties. There were also several promising younger minors coming along to take the place of those who would be over-age in the next season.

Regular players included Peter Wood (23 appearances), George Noakes and Trevor Vince (22 each), John Moon and Derrick Pope (21) and Ron Barden (20). Peter Wood was top goal-scorer with 35 including 13 in a 16-0 win over Calvert Youth Centre. George Noakes scored 21 goals.

MINOR TEAM PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
15/9/1951Rye United MinorsAwayFriendly2 – 6George Noakes 2
22/9/1951West St Leonards Boys ClubAwayLeague1 – 8George Noakes
29/9/1951Clive Vale Boys ClubHomeLeague5 – 0George Noakes 3, Peter Wood, David French
13/10/1951Round Table Boys ClubHomeLeague5 – 5Peter Wood 4, Malcolm Potten
20/10/1951West St Leonards Boys ClubHomeLeague3 – 2Brian Chapman 2, Peter Wood
27/10/1951Hastings Youth CentreAwayLeague0 – 5
3/11/1951Woodchurch IIHomeFriendly3 – 3John Parsons, Peter Wood, Malcolm Potten
10/11/1951Christ Church Boys ClubAwayLeague5 – 2George Noakes 2, John Moon, P Cloute, Peter Wood
17/11/1951Calvert Youth CentreHomeLeague16 – 0Peter Wood 13, George Noakes 2, Derrick Pope
24/11/1951Army Cadet ForceHomeLeague8 – 1Peter Wood 2, George Noakes, Ron Barden, Malcolm Potten, John Moon, Derrick Pope, Michael Wise
1/12/1951Christ Church Boys ClubHomeSussex Minor Cup 2nd Round4 – 2 *Peter Wood 3, John Moon
15/12/1951Clive Vale Boys ClubAwayLeague3 – 3Peter Wood 2, David French
26/12/1951Army Cadet ForceAwayFriendly4 – 1David Ades 2, Bryan Butler, Malcolm Potten
5/1/1952West St Leonards Boys ClubHomeSussex Minor Cup 3rd Round1 – 3Gerald Potten
12/1/1952Calvert Youth CentreAwayHastings F A Youth Cup 1st Round2 – 3George Noakes, Ron Barden
2/2/1952Calvert Youth CentreAwayLeague3 – 2George Noakes 2, Peter Wood
9/2/1952Christ Church Boys ClubHomeLeague2 – 1George Noakes, P Cloute
16/2/1952Round Table Boys ClubAwayLeague1 – 10George Noakes
23/2/1952Army Cadet ForceAwayLeague11 – 0Peter Wood 5, George Noakes 3, John Moon 2, Fred Swaine
1/3/1952Hastings Youth CentreHomeLeague2 – 6George Noakes, Derrick Pope
15/3/1952Bexhill Town Athletic MinorsHomeLeague0 – 7
12/4/1952St Thomas of Canterbury Boys ClubHomeLeague3 – 0Peter Wood, Brian Chapman, Ron Barden
14/4/1952Rye United MinorsAwayLeague1 – 2George Noakes
19/4/1952St Thomas of Canterbury Boys ClubAwayLeague3 – 2Ron Barden, John Moon, Derrick Pope
26/4/1952Bexhill Town Athletic MinorsAwayLeague0 – 1
29/4/1952Rye United MinorsHomeLeague0 – 6

GENERAL MATTERS

The condition of the Recreation Ground was worse than ever and the chairman and secretary of the Club attended a public meeting in connection with mole-draining the field, which it was hoped would now take place in the autumn. The Club made a good deal of use of the Wall Field at Winchelsea and were proposing to enter into a formal agreement with Anthony Freeman to hire it at a nominal rent. Supports for the goalposts at Icklesham were a great improvement. Marking-out was again rather unequally shared with Denis Swaine (at Icklesham) and Ernie Capon and Derrick Pope (at Winchelsea) doing much of this work. The cricket pavilion at Icklesham and the Castle Inn at Winchelsea were hired for changing.

A dance at the Beach Club in August and two whist drives and two dances at Icklesham made up the Club’s social and money-raising events for the season. The ‘Ways and Means’ Committee worked very hard to make these a success and deserved the gratitude of the Club. Mrs Bob Rich also gave a great deal of help. At one of the Icklesham dances, Mr Arthur Smith (JP), a director of Liverpool Football Club and vice-president of the Hastings Football Association presented the Division One trophy.

The behaviour of some spectators again left something to be desired, but the wet winter did at least tend to keep them away.

The Annual General Meeting of the Club, the fifteenth was held at the Robin Hood Inn, Icklesham on Thursday, 24th July 1952 at 8.15 pm.

CLUB OFFICIALS