Season 1940-41

4TH SEASON

SEASON REPORT

The fourth season of the Club and the second under wartime conditions proved an interesting one. Owing to the collapse of local junior football, almost all the first team and most of the second team games were played against Army sides, which were usually heavier and more experienced. For the match on 16th November, the 7th Cheshire Regiment side included a player from Stockport County, who were in the Third Division North of the Football League at the outbreak of the Second World War. In view of the strength of the opposition, the playing records were distinctly satisfactory. Only friendly games were played.

1ST TEAM

The first team played twenty-eight friendly matches, winning seven, drawing three and losing eighteen. Nick Francis was leading goal scorer for the 1st XI with twenty-five goals, a Club record at the time, followed by Bill Funnell with thirteen goals.

No fewer than sixty-six players appeared for the first team during the season. For the 1st XI, Bob Rich played in twenty-seven out of twenty-eight games and was followed by Tom Shearer (21 games), Peter Moon (20 games), Reg Carter (20 games), Nick Francis (19 games) and Bill Funnell (19 games).

Peter Moon again captained the 1st XI, with Reg Carter as vice-captain. A number of players with previous experience with other teams joined the Club during the season.

In no less than twenty-six matches out of twenty-eight, no foul was given against the first team for anything other than handling the ball, this continuing the satisfactory record of clean football. On no occasion did the first team play short, thanks to the co-operation of various service units in the district. The thanks of the Club were due to all those officers and non-commissioned officers whose help contributed very greatly to the smooth running of the season, among many, 2nd Lieutenant Hughes (6th Devon’s), Lieutenant Davis & Sergeant Woodbury (7th Devon’s), Company Sergeant Major O’Connell (4th Sussex) and 2nd Lieutenant Turner and Company Sergeant Major Ford (7th Manchester’s) were especially helpful.

1ST TEAM PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
7/9/1940‘A’ Company 6th Devons Regiment (Pett)HomeFriendly2 – 4Nick Francis 2
14/9/1940Machine Gun Platoon (Pett) 7th Devon RegimentHomeFriendly2 – 7Bob Horton 2
21/9/1940Royal Artillery (Fr Crt and Little Hazels)HomeFriendly7 – 2Bill Funnell 4, Nick Francis 2, Ken Cooke
28/9/1940Machine Gun Platoon (Pett) 7th Devon RegimentHomeFriendly3 – 6Nick Francis 3
5/10/1940‘A’ Company Royal Irish Fusiliers (Winchelsea)HomeFriendly3 – 2Bill Funnell, Nick Francis Bob Packman
12/10/1940‘A’ Company 6th Devons Regiment (Pett) IIHomeFriendly3 – 6Oliver 3
19/10/1940‘C’ Company 6th Devons Regiment (Hastings)HomeFriendly1 – 9Bill Funnell
26/10/1940‘C’ Company (Westfield) 190th Field Artillery (Royal Army Medical Corps)HomeFriendly8 – 2A Sneller 3, Bob Horton 2, Cyril Barden 2, J Heard
2/11/1940Rye UnitedHomeFriendly3 – 6Bob Horton, Nick Francis, Own Goal
9/11/1940‘A’ Company 4th Royal Sussex Regiment (Pett)HomeFriendly2 – 3Bob Horton, W Brooks
16/11/19407th (Machine Gun) Cheshire Regiment (Pett)HomeFriendly6 – 4Frank Crisford 3, Bob Horton, Ken Cooke, Nick Francis
23/11/1940Rye UnitedAwayFriendly5 – 5Nick Francis 3, Cyril Barden, Dick Merricks
30/11/1940‘A’ Company 4th Royal Sussex Regiment (Pett)HomeFriendly4 – 3Ernie Philcox, Peter Moon, Cyril Barden, W Brooks
7/12/19407th (Machine Gun) Cheshire Regiment (Pett)HomeFriendly5 – 6Peter Moon (pen), Ernie Philcox, Dick Merricks, Reg Sweatman, W Brooks
14/12/1940Battle RangersAwayFriendly4 – 0Nick Francis 3, Will Dunlop
21/12/1940‘B’ Company 133 Field Artillery (Royal Army Medical Corps) RyeHomeFriendly0 – 6
28/12/1940Rye UnitedAwayFriendly6 – 9Nick Francis 4, Dick Merricks, Jack Carey
8/2/1941‘D’ Company 4th Royal Sussex Regiment (Pett)HomeFriendly2 – 3Bill Funnell, W Brooks
22/2/1941360th ‘C’ Battery R D (Winchelsea Beach)AwayFriendly9 – 4Bill Funnell 3, Nick Francis 3, G White 2, W Brooks
1/3/1941‘B’ Company 8th Lancashire Fusiliers (Pett)HomeFriendly0 – 6
8/3/1941Royal Artillery (Roughters and Broomham)HomeFriendly0 – 4
15/3/1941H Q Company 7th Manchester RegimentAwayFriendly2 – 7Dick Merricks, William Tolhurst
22/3/1941250th Field Artillery (Royal Army Medical Corps) (Westfield)HomeFriendly3 – 7Bill Funnell, Nick Francis, Alan Cooke
29/3/1941‘B’ Company 8th Lancashire Fusiliers (Pett)HomeFriendly1 – 10Bill Funnell
5/4/1941360th Coastal Defence Battery Royal Artillery (Winchelsea Beach)HomeFriendly1 – 6Fred Tritton
12/4/1941‘C’ Company 7th Manchester Regiment (Winchelsea)HomeFriendly2 – 2Nick Francis, Jack Carey
19/4/1941‘D’ Troop 236 Medical Battery Royal Artillery (Pett Rectory)HomeFriendly1 – 1Bill Funnell
26/4/1941‘C’ Company 7th Manchester Regiment (Winchelsea)AwayFriendly2 – 3Gordon Hickman, Dick Shearer

2ND TEAM

The second team played sixteen games, winning three, drawing one and losing twelve. Fred Tritton captained the side, with Bill Jeffery as vice-captain and much credit went to them both for the successful running of the second team. R Gibbs with 11 goals and Bob Packman with 10 goals were top scorers, both beating the previous 2nd XI record.

Fifty-seven players turned out for the second team. Bill Jeffery and Bob Packman each made fourteen appearances, while W Burt (11), Bill Davidson and Ted Mann (10 each) and Peter Blackman (9) were also fairly regular members of an ever-changing team.

2ND TEAM PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
9/11/1940Kings College Old BoysAwayFriendly10 – 1R Gibbs 5, Bob Packman 2, T Ellis, J Penfold, P Quick
16/11/1940Royal Artillery (Fr Crt and Little Hazels) (Pett)AwayFriendly2 – 5Bob Packmam, L Clarke
23/11/1940‘A’ Company 4th Royal Sussex Regiment (Pett) IIHomeFriendly1 – 9T Ellis
30/11/1940Kings College Old BoysAwayFriendly2 – 3Fred Tritton, T Ellis
7/12/1940Royal Artillery (Fr Crt and Little Hazels) (Pett)AwayFriendly0 – 3
14/12/1940‘A’ Company 4th Royal Sussex Regiment (Pett) IIHomeFriendly0 – 6
21/12/1940‘C’ Company 133 Field Artillery (Royal Army Medical Corps) (Westfield)AwayFriendly1 – 11Bob Packman
28/12/1940‘C’ Company 133 Field Artillery (Royal Army Medical Corps) (Westfield) IIHomeFriendly6 – 4Bill Funnell 2, Bob Packman 2, Fred Tritton, R Gibbs
25/1/1941Royal Artillery (Roughters and Broomham) ‘A’HomeFriendly2 – 8Nick Francis 2
1/2/1941Hastings A F SAwayFriendly4 – 8J Addison 2, Fred Tritton, R Gibbs
15/2/1941‘D’ Company 4th Royal Sussex Regiment (Pett) ‘A’HomeFriendly3 – 7Bill Funnell 3
22/2/1941Kings College Old BoysAwayFriendly8 – 0R Gibbs 4, Fred Tritton, 2, Bob Packman, A White
1/3/1941Ore UnitedAwayFriendly4 – 4Bob Packman 2, G Tweedale, R George
15/3/19417th Manchester Regiment HQ Carriers Platoon ‘A’HomeFriendly0 – 5
22/3/1941Kings College Old BoysAwayFriendly1 – 2Fred Tritton
29/3/1941205 Field Artillery (Royal Army Medical Corps) (Westfield ‘A’AwayFriendly3 – 4Bill Jeffery, Bob Packman, R George

GENERAL MATTERS

The Club again suffered heavily from the call-up of players and officials, with both chairman, Geoff Smith, and treasurer, Harry Barnes, being among those called-up during the season. Jim Shearer took over the duties of treasurer, but to the deep and very real regret of all members, he died in the Spring of 1941. He had been a playing member of the Club since its early days until forced by illness to give up football, and had, during part of one season been 2nd XI captain. His loss would be felt not only at the time but also in the years ahead.

Many members of the Club saved travelling expenses by making their own way to games and for this they deserved thanks, as did those members who assisted by giving lifts – Cyril Barden, M Cooke, Frank Crisford, Dick Merricks, Dick Shearer, Tom Shearer, Fred Tolhurst, William Tolhurst and A J White. In the first part of the season several players assisted by marking out the ground, notably Bob Packman. Len Rich again maintained the balls for the Club and lent much vocal support, while Gilbert Jeffery usually officiated as linesman.

For help in collecting teams, it would be necessary to mention almost every playing member. Among others, Harry Barnes, Cyril Barden, W Burt, Frank Crisford, F Glazier, Dick Merricks, Peter Moon , Tom and Jim Shearer, Bob Packman and Bill Davidson all did much good work. Thanks were also due to all the referees during the season. It was found possible to give games to various former members and other local players who were home on leave.

The Sussex Express, Evening Argus and Hastings Observer by printing accounts of games helped materially to keep alive local interest in the Club and in football generally and also kept the Club in touch with serving members. The Club was also again grateful to Icklesham Parish Council for the use of the ground.

The thanks of the Club were due to all those officers and non-commissioned officers whose help contributed very greatly to the smooth running of the season, among many, 2nd Lieutenant Hughes (6th Devon’s), Lieutenant Davis & Sergeant Woodbury (7th Devon’s), Company Sergeant Major O’Connell (4th Sussex) and 2nd Lieutenant Turner and Company Sergeant Major Ford (7th Manchester’s) were especially helpful.

A successful Whist Drive with fifteen tables in play was held at Icklesham in early December which raised £2 4s 8d for Club funds. The event was kindly organised by Miss M Crisford, who, along with Mrs R Hickman and Mr W Merricks, also gave prizes. Frank Crisford was Master of Ceremonies. The thanks of the Club were also due to Mrs R Merricks, Mrs J Merricks and Miss Ashenden who ran a highly profitable dance at Icklesham and to Dick Merricks who gave a crate of beer as a raffle prize. This realised the sum of £3 3s with the music being provided by Waghorn’s Band. A dance held at Pett resulted in a small profit thanks to the hard work of Nick Francis. For both of the dances, posters were done by Miss D Cooke.

NEWS BULLETIN

The 5th Club news bulletin was issued in October 1940.

The club’s Annual General Meeting was held at the Queen’s Head in Icklesham on Monday, 26th May 1941 at 8 pm.

CLUB OFFICIALS