Season 1944-45

8TH SEASON

SEASON REPORT

The end of the European War followed closely on the end of the Club’s sixth wartime season. It was again a problem in finding suitable opposition – the first team played twenty-four friendlies but no second team fixtures were played.

The Minor team continued with competitive football and finished second in the local Minor League.

1ST TEAM

The first team once more played friendly matches, mostly against Service teams. No less than seventy-five players appeared in the twenty-four games and a special word of praise was due to the regulars who turned out in spite of the difficulties and the discouragement of frequently playing short. Only four players appeared in half the matches – Maurice Bromilow, Tony Gibson and Bob Horton (14 each) and Reg Carter (13). Maurice Bromilow with ten goals was leading scorer.

1ST TEAM PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORER
9/9/1944469 Heavy Anti-Aircraft (Mixed) Battery (Ashes) ‘A’ XIHomeFriendly2 – 4Tom Jones 2
16/9/1944Light Anti-Aircraft Artillery (Broomham, Guestling)AwayFriendly4 – 3Frank Crisford 2, Maurice Bromilow, Richard Pettitt
23/9/1944478 Heavy Anti-Aircraft (Mixed) Battery (Pett) ‘A’ XIHomeFriendly4 – 1Maurice Bromilow 2, Richard Pettitt, S Hodson
30/9/1944478 Heavy Anti-Aircraft (Mixed) Battery (Pett)HomeFriendly7 – 2R Houston 2, Richard Pettitt 2, Tony Gibson, Frank Crisford, Tom Jones
7/10/1944H M S Haig (Rye Grammar School)HomeFriendly1 – 6J Hamilton
21/10/1944Icklesham Casuals MinorsHomeFriendly2 – 0Tom Jones, Robert Wilson
28/10/1944H M S HaigAwayFriendly1 – 3J Hamilton
4/11/1944102 Light Anti-Aircraft Royal Artillery (Rye)HomeFriendly1 – 5Richard Pettitt
11/11/1944102 Light Anti-Aircraft Royal Artillery (Rye)HomeFriendly1 – 3Tom Jones
18/11/1944R A F BrooklandHomeFriendly1 – 4Frank Crisford
2/12/1944‘B’ Company 2nd East Surrey ‘A’ (St Leonards)HomeFriendly4 – 3Maurice Bromilow 3, Robert Wilson
9/12/1944Hastings Grammar SchoolAwayFriendly8 – 0Maurice Bromilow 3, Les Fuggle 3, Robert Wilson 2
23/12/1944102 Light Anti-Aircraft Royal Artillery (Rye)HomeFriendly2 – 3George Roberts 2
26/12/1944Rye Grammar School TeamHomeFriendly3 – 4Cyril Rich, Ted Mann, Maurice Bromilow
6/1/1945Company 2nd Royal West Kent (Hastings)HomeFriendly0 – 4
13/1/1945‘F’ Company 30th Queen’s (Wittersham)HomeFriendly2 – 5George Roberts, Frank Crisford
10/2/1945Rye Grammar SchoolHomeFriendly1 – 2Jimmy Jury
24/2/1945Victoria RangersHomeFriendly1 – 2Reg Carter
10/3/1945Rye Grammar SchoolAwayFriendly1 – 5Ted Mann
24/3/1945Icklesham Casuals MinorsHomeFriendly1 – 1Bob Horton
31/3/1945Victoria RangersAwayFriendly2 – 1George Roberts 2
2/4/1945‘A’ Company 2nd East Surrey (St Leonards)HomeFriendly2 – 3George Roberts 2
7/4/1945‘C’ Company 2nd Royal West Kent (Hastings)HomeFriendly0 – 3
14/4/194510 Platoon ‘C’ Company 2nd Royal West Kent (Hastings)HomeFriendly8 – 2Bob Horton 3, George Roberts 2, Jackson 2, Denis Swaine

NEWSPAPER REPORTS

MINOR TEAM

The under 19 team did quite well and were runners-up in the Hastings Minor League, finishing four points behind champions Victoria Rangers whose only points dropped were in two defeats to the Casuals Minors. Six teams entered the League with teams playing one another four times but Silverhill Young Men’s Club withdrew during the season.

Richard Pettitt with thirteen goals and Peter Dee with ten goals led the goal scoring.

MINOR TEAM PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
7/10/1944West Hill Youth ClubAwayLeague9 – 0Richard Pettitt 5, Jimmy Jury 2, Michael Watson, John Arnold
14/10/1944Victoria RangersHomeLeague3 – 1Peter Dee 2, Richard Pettitt
21/10/1944Icklesham CasualsAwayFriendly0 – 2
28/10/1944Silverhill Young Men’s ClubHomeLeague7 – 1Richard Pettitt 5, Tom Apps 2
4/11/1944‘G’ Company Army CadetsAwayLeague4 – 1Tom Apps 3, Peter Dee
11/11/1944‘G’ Company Army CadetsHomeLeague7 – 2Peter Dee 3, Richard Pettitt 2, John Arnold
18/11/1944Ore UnitedAwayLeague1 – 9John Archer
9/12/1944West Hill Youth ClubHomeLeague5 – 1Peter Dee 2, Bill Playford, Ted Mann, Robin Edwards
16/12/1944Victoria RangersAwayLeague1 – 9Peter Dee
30/12/1944Ore UnitedHomeLeague6 – 1George Roberts 5, Ted Mann
6/1/1945Victoria RangersHomeLeague6 – 1George Roberts 3, Les Fuggle 3
20/1/1945Ore UnitedAwayLeague4 – 2Ted Mann, Brian Dawson, George Roberts, Les Fuggle
3/2/1945Ore UnitedHomeLeague9 – 1Jimmy Jury 2, Cyril Rich 2, Ron Adams 2, Ted Mann, Peter Wood, Bill Playford
17/2/1945Victoria RangersAwayLeague0 – 10
24/2/1945West Hill Youth ClubHomeLeague4 – 0Ted Mann 2, Robin Edwards, Peter Dee
17/3/1945West Hill Youth ClubAwayLeague0 – 1
24/3/1945Icklesham CasualsAwayFriendly1 – 1Cyril Rich
18/4/1945Ore UnitedNeutral<Hastings F A Minor Challenge Cup Semi-Final4 – 4 *Ted Mann, John Archer, George Roberts, Les Fuggle
21/4/1945Ore UnitedNeutral<Hastings F A Minor Challenge Cup Semi-Final Replay1 – 2John Archer

NEWSPAPER REPORTS

GENERAL MATTERS

In the six wartime seasons, one hundred and seventy four first team and one hundred and seven second team and under 19 games had been played which can be considered an outstanding record. Football was kept alive in the district and much pleasure was given to Servicemen stationed locally with almost one hundred and thirty first eleven matches against Service teams being played.

It is obvious that this could not have been achieved without the great determination of the keener and more regular players, especially of Les Beeney, Peter Moon and Reg Carter, the wartime captains, and of Bill Funnell, Frank Crisford, Dick Merricks and Stan Huggins, who several times captained sides. The second team and under 19 side owed much to Jim Shearer, Bill Jeffery, Harry Kennard, Peter Martin, Alan Burton and Jimmy Jury, who led it at different times.

The pitch on the Church Field was again used during the 1944-45 season. Jim Y Shearer refereed several games and many players helped in collecting teams. Once more it was pleasant to record that almost no free kicks were given against the Club, which maintained its reputation for clean and sporting football. During the year, on the recommendation of the Honorary Secretary, Tony Gibson, Bob Hobbs and Reg Carter played for Hastings and St Leonards Football Club. Thanks to Jimmy Jury, P Playford and others, a successful whist drive was organised for Club funds.

The Club recorded with sorrow the death of wounds sustained in Italy of Alan Smith, serving as a lieutenant in the Queen’s Regiment. Alan played most of the 1939-40 season with the Club and was a sound half-back whose friendly and honest nature would make him sadly missed.

The Annual General Meeting of the Club took place at the Queen’s Head, Icklesham on Thursday, 26th July 1945 at 8 pm.

CLUB OFFICIALS