Saturday 11th November 2023 3pm – The Isthmian Premier League – The Dripping Pan

Welcome to The Dripping Pan for this afternoon’s Isthmian Premier League game against Wingate and Finchley . Here is your complimentary e-programme.

NOTES FROM THE CHAIR

I have now been trying to fill the enormous gap left by Stuart for two weeks and the highlight of my as yet brief tenure as acting Chair was our first win in competitive European Football. Not that I deserve any credit for that victory, but Tuesday night was one of those special nights at the Pan that demonstrates the essence of Lewes FC, the supporters turned out in their hundreds and rallied the team, whilst giving our opponents a good natured Dripping Pan welcome. These are the sorts of events that the club excels and I cannot be more proud of the team, the staff and of course the supporters in making the magic happen.

Lewes FC also excels in campaigning for Football for Good and one area we have lead the way on is a more equitable distribution of FA Cup prize money as we have campaigned tirelessly for not only a more equal distribution of prize money between the Men’s and Women’s FA Cups, but a fairer allocation of prize money to the earlier rounds of the competitions so that clubs from lower down the football pyramid, where funds are most needed, can extract greater benefit from the World’s oldest cup competition. Thursday marked a further step towards these goals when the FA announced that prize money for the Women’s FA Cup will double this season. We of course welcome this as a positive move but we will continue to campaign for a more equal and fairer distribution of prize money. Nether the less we can again all feel proud of our players, staff and supporters for the influence we have asserted in bringing about this progressive move.

This afternoon we welcome Wingate and Finchley to the Pan for what should be a hotly contested match with the Blues sitting one place and one point ahead of us in the Isthmian Premier League. We wish the Wingate and Finchley team, staff, officials and supporters a very warm welcome to the Dripping Pan and lets hope we can put on another special game that gets Ryan Gondoh jumping for joy at the back of the Philcox stand.

Good afternoon everyone and welcome to today’s fixture against Wingate and Finchley.

Margate – the preparation for that game wasn’t great. We had to call training off on Thursday due to the storm, so that wasn’t helpful. We did a Zoom session instead. They had changed their shape recently, so I wanted to do some shape with them in person, but it wasn’t to be. We did our best to prepare them, and it worked for the first 10 minutes, then we started to come off plan. I must also take a lot of the blame as I got the team selection wrong. I was asking players to do things that didn’t suit their style. So it was a little round holes in square pegs. It was a Poor day at the office, so sorry to the fans who travelled. If it is any consolation, there was no water in the changing rooms after, so it meant everyone had to go home without a shower and a long drive. Bad day all around. 

Oslo game – Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect for the night itself. Would many fans come? Would the fans be that interested in it? Would the atmosphere be flat like a friendly? I soon worked out that our fans were bang up for this one. It was a special night and one I won’t forget in a hurry. At one point, I could hear the seating stand behind me singing “ Lewes, Lewes!” when we had a corner in the 2nd half.  I said to the players after the game, we go to Belgium in December, and if we can beat them, it would set up a home tie in Jan/Feb to qualify for the finals. Can you imagine the atmosphere at the Pan on a Tuesday night under lights to get through to a European final? It’s making me smile just thinking about it. Okay, I  know it’s a long way off, but let me dream…

The game itself was an odd one. We watched them play in this competition vs Beveren last month, and they brought a very different team over for us. In fact, they brought 30 players over, so I feel we got a better version of the one we see. Having watched them play, we thought they would struggle to handle our tempo and pressing, and in the first half, it proved that way. We came out of the blocks and pinned them in for long periods.  I guess the only disappointment was that we were only 1-0 up. Right on half-time, the Oslo 10 did a really poor tackle on Arthur Penny. His calf looks like a tiger has clawed it.

The stud marks are not good, and I wanted to take him off, but he wouldn’t have it. Unfortunately, the 2nd half continued in the same way the first half finished. They kicked us for the most of the second half. It is not ideal when we have a load of games coming up, but football happens like that. Sometimes, we just had to manage the game, and apart from a 40-yard shot, they deflected into Nathen’s hands. They never got near our goal. They just won the 4th division in Norway last week, and as one of their coaches said to me, no team has done that to them before (He was talking about how we dominated the ball and pinned them in), so maybe they come out with a different plan. We must take it as a compliment that a team who had won their league felt the need to have to do that. It was all handshakes at the end. Archie got the all-clear from the hospital, but he can’t play football for a bit as he was knocked out on the pitch, so we need to keep an eye on him. We are a little battered and bruised, so we will see how the the lads pull up training on Thursday. Kieran Murtagh got a kick to the knee, so our Super physio Toni will be busy Thursday night, that’s for sure.

Wingate will be a challenging game. They are young and have 3-4 who would walk into most sides, and are well coached. Carvalho & Long are the big dangers in attack. The press needs to be good. I watched them play Dulwich and Enfield and was so impressed by them. They should have been winning both games by halftime, but in 2nd half, they fell away a little. And as much as I rate them, it is pretty clear where you can get at them, but to do that, you have to leave yourself open a little, so this has the makings of a good game. I just hope we have recovered enough so I can put in a plan For what I want us to do. I will make a final call on the game plan at training once I see the group.

Enjoy the game!

Tony.

PHONE SCREENSAVER

Lewes FC Acknowledges Women’s FA Cup Prize Money Increase as Significant Step Forward

Lewes FC welcomes the news that the women’s FA Cup prize money is set to double this season as a necessary step forward towards full equality of FA Cup Prize Money.

We cannot risk the Women’s FA Cup becoming like the Men’s where 67% of the prize pot ends up with Premier League clubs. The clubs lower down the women’s pyramid deserve better.

Maggie Murphy, Chief Executive Officer of Lewes FC said, “The FA continue to prove their commitment towards the growth of women’s football by enhancing FA Cup prize money significantly.

“This allows women’s teams to fight and win their own money and lessen dependency on the success and generosity of those holding the budgets of men’s teams.

“However, we are concerned by the distribution of the entire increase towards the later rounds only. We must not forget the scarcity of resources for clubs outside of the top two tiers who need to have a chance of winning these funds even more.

“The success of the WSL, Championship and the England team is dependent on the strength of the whole women’s football ecosystem. They cannot survive without a healthy pyramid and I worry we have lost a chance to strengthen the base to set us up for long term success.”

Lewes FC has campaigned for an equalization of FA Cup prize money and a redistribution of funds into earlier rounds for almost five years. Earlier this year, our players took on the mantel campaigning for equal FA Cup money ahead of their clash against Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter-final.

At the end of the club’s best ever run in the FA Cup, Lewes FC took home £51,000, a dramatic increase from the £7250 we would have taken home the season before, barely enough to cover travel for the games.

However, this season that cup run would be set to win £191,500, a hugely significant amount for smaller, independent clubs. We see these increases as a significant step forward towards full equalization of FA Cup money.

THE FACTS

• Wingate and Finchley Football club can trace its roots back to the formation of Finchley Football Club in 1874, making it one of the oldest clubs in the country.

• It was immediately after WW2 that saw Major Harry Sadow, Frank Davis, George Hyams and Asher Rebak form a Jewish Football Club, believing the field of play was a ground of battling the ignorance of anti-Semitism. So in 1946, Wingate Football Club began life in the Middlesex Senior League. The club was named after General Orde C. Wingate who, despite not being Jewish himself, oversaw the creation of the Israeli Army during the Second World War. The club enjoyed early success and by 1952 they were promoted to the London League.

• Wingate & Finchley are often perceived as a ‘Jewish club’, due to Finchley’s sizeable Jewish community and a number of other factors, including sporting the Star of David on the club’s badge, having a number of Jews on the committee of the club and being able to apply for special dispensation to move their games should they fall on Yom Kippur.

• Finchley were in the middle of their glory years after WW2, with the 1952-1953 season proving to be the pinnacle. That year saw their progression to the Third Round Proper of the FA Cup. Defeated along the way were Chelmsford City, Kidderminster Harriers (1-0 at Aggborough) and Crystal Palace (3-1 at Summers Lane) before the Finches were finally beaten 2-0 at Gay Meadow against Shrewsbury Town.

• The club was established in 1991 by a merger of Wingate and Finchley. Although Finchley were the higher placed of the two clubs, the new club took Wingate’s place in the Premier Division of the South Midlands League and played at Finchley’s Summers Lane ground, which was renamed after Harry Abrahams, a long time Wingate supporter.

ONE TO WATCH?

Ruben Carvalho

The 22 year-old attacking midfielder adds flair and creativity to W&F. Carvalho spent last season playing for  Kings Langley, Corinthian-Casuals and Biggleswade Town. He has already netted 8 times this season, including braces against Kingstonian, Canvey Island and Whitstable.

RECENT HEAD TO HEAD

31st Jan 2023	Isthmian Premier League	Lewes	5	W&F	0
13th Aug 2022	Isthmian Premier League	W&F	1	Lewes	1
2nd Apr 2022	Isthmian Premier League	Lewes	2	W&F	3
27th Nov 2021	Isthmian Premier League	W&F	1	Lewes	1
3rd Oct 2020	Isthmian Premier League	W&F	4	Lewes	1
29th Feb 2020	Isthmian Premier League	W&F	1	Lewes	1

DID YOU KNOW?

• Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was a patron of Wingate & Finchley and played a key role in the formation of the club. Following her death in 2013, Wingate & Finchley were the only football club in the United Kingdom to hold a minutes silence to mark her passing

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REMEMBRANCE DAY

As today is the 11th of November, Terry Morton will lead the team out in his uniform, and a two minutes silence will then follow. Here’s an interview with Terry from last year:

On Remembrance Day, it is a time for us to reflect, remember and commemorate those who defended our freedoms. 

We decided to speak with supporters club member, and volunteer, Terry Morton, who completed 22 years of service for his country.

In his own words, Terry tells us his story and ultimately, what Remembrance Day means to him.

In 1977, I went to join the Royal Engineers but somehow ended up in the Intelligence Corps. During my career, I travelled widely including Northern Ireland, Germany, the Falklands, Cyprus and the Gulf War. Out of my 22 years of service, I spent eight years and two months deployed on operations. Thankfully, I returned from all of them unharmed.

Others weren’t so lucky, and it’s those that we remember at this time of year. Personally, I remember the two friends I lost in Northern Ireland, but also those who survived and have since passed. “Absent friends” is a toast often heard at reunions.

But I also think of those who died in the two world wars and other conflicts. The term ‘lost their lives’ is often used in place of ‘died’, but the former carries greater weight for me. They truly did lose their lives – their entire life that was before them. Those young men who died on the Somme, at El Alamein or on the Falls Road, never married, had children, walked their daughter down the aisle or watched their grandchildren open Christmas presents. On their death, a branch of their family tree was cut off. Perhaps the great-granddaughter of Private Tommy Atkins would, had she been born, gone on to discover a cure for cancer?

Of course, Remembrance means different things to different people. My earliest memories are of a childhood in the sixties, just 20 years after the end of World War Two. Pretty much every adult I knew, from relatives, to teachers, to neighbours, to shopkeepers, had served, or suffered loss, or survived the Blitz. At family gatherings, I was surrounded by reminiscences of the war. We played on bomb sites pretending to be commandos, or in the park where all the iron railings had been cut off to build battleships.

But things change. War changes. Aircrafts can launch strikes from hundreds of miles away, a drone operator in Kansas can attack a target in Afghanistan and then go home for his tea. We’ve become detached from war. Apart from the price of petrol, it doesn’t affect us. As a kid, if you’d asked my class, “Who has a relative who is in or has served in the military?” every hand would have gone up. Now, in 2022, maybe one would go up.

Of course, that’s a good thing. No sane person wants war and we don’t want children to be exposed to those horrors, but it does create a danger that Remembrance will, over time, be diminished. I hope not. In a time when we can dedicate entire months to causes, it’s always important to spend one day remembering the sacrifice of those who fell and those left behind.

Thank you, Terry, and lest we forget.

OUR LAST GAME

To find out more, please visit: https://branchingoutadventures.co.uk/

Welcome to ‘1 on 1’, the new quiz segment in the Progcast, where 2 players will face head to head, to see which Rook would fare better in a pub quiz. Each week, 2 players will be asked 8 questions. 6 on general knowledge, and 2 on football, to see who will eventually be crowned the ‘1 on 1’ champion. So far, we’ve seen Deon and Tommy progress to the next round. Who will join them next?

1. What is a group of Rooks called?

Archie: Clamor

Ryan: Clamor (hence the name)

2. What is the capital of New Zealand?

Archie: The Hacka? lol

Ryan: Wellington

3. What kind of food is Penne?

Archie: Pasta

Ryan: Pasta

4. Who plays comedy character Alan Partridge? 

Archie: I don’t even have a guess in mind

Ryan: No clue

5. Where would you be if you were standing on the Spanish Steps?

Archie: Santiago Bernabéu

Ryan: In Spain?

6. What artist has the most streams on spotify?

Archie: Ermm I’ll go with Drake

Ryan: Drake

7. Dele Alli moved to Spurs from which club?

Archie: MK Dons

Ryan: MK Dons

8. Which club set a premier league record for most goals scored in a match away from home, with a 9-0 win against Southampton?

Archie: Liverpool or Leicester? (Sorry Arch, has to be one!)

Ryan: Leicester

Before we reveal the winner, a final comment was made by Archie, who described that quiz as “murder”, and Ryan, to say “to be fair my knowledge is good, like I’m not bad at quizzes”. He also suggested the club should host a quiz night, offering to host it himself! What do you think? Let us know!

Well, I can confirm that the winner is…

RYAN GONDOH (OH)

A tight one this, but Ryan griddys on through to the next round, to join Tommy and Deon. Who would you like to see next?

The Answers:

1. Clamor
2. Wellington
3. Pasta
4. Steve Coogan
5. Italy
6. Drake
7. MK Dons
8. Leicester

MISSED OUR PROGRAMME ON TUESDAY NIGHT?

You can download and read a digital copy of our FC Oslo programme here.

ON THIS DAY IN FOOTBALL HISTORY – 11th NOVEMBER

Just your average German Sunday

The Football Tourist is back on his work travels and surprise, surprise managed to fit in a game or three over in Hamburg.

It’s been a while since I’ve been able to sneak a game in whilst travelling for work – blame global event organisers who schedule conferences I need to attend outside the relevant domestic seasons. But finally, I had a chance to combine the two, heading to Hamburg for a few days – I just needed the fixtures to fall in line with my travel plans.

There were certainly enough fixtures in and around the city on Sunday, starting from 10.30am, extending through the afternoon and early evening.  Alas, the Hamburg had played on Saturday, St Pauli were away so I’d have to dip into some of the extensive lower league pyramid for my fix.

I didn’t want to be greedy, nor forget why I was in Hamburg in the first place, but unable to check into my hotel room until after 3pm meant I had to do something, and fortunately that something was virtually on my doorstep.

Back at home I have drawn my active football watching line at Step 6 of the English game, but I had no clue what level I was watching in my first game. I think (checks Wikipedia) that the Kreisliga Hamburg 6 sits within my level of tolerance, but if not, I can claim an accepted exception based on the ground.

A caged 3G isn’t my idea of a fun watching experience but when the ground is in the shadow of the Millerntor Stadium, home of St Pauli and the remarkable Feldstrasse Bunker, a 35-metre-high structure that was designed to house 18,000 during WW2.  Today it is now an apartment complex, overlooking the home of St Pauli, where their 4th team were taking on HSV Bambek-Uhlenhorst III.

A five-minute walk up the road and it was time for game 2 – a tasty Bezirksliga Hamburg Süd game between VfL Hammonia and FC Bingöl Hamburg, at the Sportsplatz Sternschanze.  Again, another caged 3G but overlooked by a superb turret structure.

But these games were mere appetisers for the main course, the Regionalliga Nord game between FC Teutonia 05 and Blau-Weiss Lohne.

The Regionalliga is the regionalised fourth tier of German football.  Above are famous names such as Dynamo Dresden, 1860 Munich and 1.FC Saarbrücken.  Below it’s a far more local affair in the Oberliga.  Whilst attendances at step 3 are a respectable 8,100 on average, at step four it drops to around 1,500, so there was little surprise there wasn’t a queue to buy tickets when I arrived at Stadion Hoheluft, home of SC Victoria, as well as tenants FC Teutonia Altona-Ottensen and St Pauli’s reserves.

Teutonia’s linage is complicated and not one to try to explain without pieces of string and lots of sticky notes.  Suffice to say that their name gives some clue to the various mergers over time.  The club were awarded a place in the restructuring of Step 4 back in 2020 but by their own admission, were still a long way off being ready to take the next step, averaging around 500 fans in the 17,000-capacity stadium.

Ten Euros for a ticket, five for a beer and three for a sausage.  Whatever happened now on the pitch was a bonus, and we didn’t have to wait long before top scorer in the season so far Ole Wohlers netted after just three minutes.  I’d wandered round to take my position on the terrace, wide and steep steps which had manicured grass which would send the stadium assessors in England into apocalyptic fits.  The home support was gathered in the main stand and a small, elevated patio area but no hardcore/ ultras style fans, which is unusual in Germany.

BW Lohne equalised to silence in the 10th minute when Emanuel Mirchev turned the ball into his own net from a corner.  Seven minutes later Affamefuna-Michael Ifeadigo restored the home side’s lead with an effort from the edge of the box.

I took my place in the main stand for the second half, a wonderful structure with a wooden timbered roof and a glitterball.  Perfect for the hardcore, German techno-rock pumping out the speakers as the teams re-emerged.

Teutonia extended their lead, Lohne hit back before two late goals from the home side gave the final score a slightly generous 5-2 look.  It was an odd spectating experience – almost as if the fans were going through the motions.  Perhaps it was normal for this level or just a Sunday afternoon thing? Either way, one short bus ride later and I slipped back into the working world, football tourism would take a back seat for a few weeks.

In today’s Vox Pop, we asked Lewes fans ‘How did you find our first European game?‘ – Here are your responses…

“Played very well first half but second half Oslo came out better! UTR” – Ollie Horton

“Epic mid week game. My POTM is Lumbombo Kalala, had the pace.” – Swoop Art

“AMAZING” – Tyrone Gondoh

“Great to see the Pan full on a Tuesday night, solid performance to match, bring on Beveren!” – Benjamin Cook

“Loved it. Only disappointment was Nat missed his first game & it wasn’t the same without him! – Chris Roberts

“Murtagh!!” – Meg Bliss

“Loved it, can’t wait for Antwerp. POTM: Their keeper, Robin, what a legend” – Perry Anderson

KIT CLASH BY HARVEY LOCK

In this segment of the Progcast, we welcome young Harvey Lock, who throughout the rest of this season, plans to rate each Isthmian Premier team’s home and away kit, as we all know we’ve seen some unique kits during our time…

Home

Home Kit: A unique patterned shirt, seemingly a Wingate signature as they’ve done it a few times in the past years – if it ain’t broke, etc – Looks very good up close, but the effect may not come across from further away. The plain sleeves break things up a bit, but not more than the glaring red and orange sponsor across the front; yes, it’s a charity, so you can’t really knock it, but the bold colour choice does distract slightly. 7/10

Away 

A feeling of deja vu hit me seeing this, looking almost identical at first glance to the kit FC Oslo wore against us a few days ago (remember that? That was fun eh), almost exactly the same shade of luminous yellowy green, except this time it’s not pulled off as well. Again, the red sponsor is a massive contrast that distracts, and the text across the front is just in the wrong place to annoy me, not central like the home kit, but not far enough to the side to blend in like a normal kit maker logo. The traditional collar and buttons on such a garish colour is admittedly so funny it works, but overall a bit of an odd strip. 5/109/10

THE LEAGUE TABLE AND FORM

ON THE ROAD TO…CANVEY ISLAND – TUESDAY 14th NOVEMBER

When did we last meet Canvey Island?
Two monumental games, both for very different reasons.  The weather-delayed home game in late March saw Canvey Island arrive in Sussex on a seven game unbeaten run and the form team in the division.  They sat back, soaked up the Lewes pressure then ruthlessly took advantage of two late errors, punished by top scorer Evans Kouassi to not only take all three valuable points, but to bring to end the longest unbeaten home record in the Isthmian Premier League.

Come the last Saturday of the season and the Rooks travelled to Canvey Island needing a miracle to pip Cray Wanderers for the final play-off spot.  Canvey had secured third spot, and a home play-off tie but still had pride to play for.  However, a Razz Coleman De-Graft hattrick, his first for the club in his last game (for now) saw the Rooks claim a superb win. Alas, results elsewhere meant the Play-off dream ended, as we fell short by just 2 goals.

Our last six meetings

W 2 D 1 L 3 GS 10 GA 12

About The Movie Starr Stadium
It’s not just the ground name that has changed significantly in recent years.  The club demolished the old club house and have built a cracking new venue for the club and its fans.  The rest of the ground is as it was, and quite frankly, didn’t really need much changing.  Yes, the wind blows off the Thames Estuary but the view, well the view from the excellent steep terrace at the north end of the stadium is one of the best in Non-League football. Perfect for watching the game and the massive container ships and cruise liners passing by.  Opposite the club house are two narrow covered terrace areas which are the haunt of the home fans, and they use the low roof to make quite a din.  Be warned, cash is king here and attempting to pay with a rectangle piece of plastic will see you frown upon at best, keel hauled at worst.

How to get to The Movie Starr Stadium
Head to the M25 and then take anti-clockwise route towards Dartford Crossing.  Exit M25 at Junction 30 and take the A13 towards Southend. You will reach a series of mini roundabouts. At these roundabouts, take the A130 towards Canvey Island. At the next roundabout take the 2nd exit which will keep a sports centre on your right and follow signs for Canvey Island Football Club. Eventually, you will enter a one way system. Keep left through the one way system and after one mile you will pass the Transport Museum on your right. Park Lane is on the right hand side shortly afterwards, with The Prospects Stadium located in front of you. There is plenty of parking outside the ground.

Benfleet Station is 40 minutes from London Fenchurch Street and 50 minutes from London Liverpool Street on the C2C line. The station is 5 miles from the ground. There is a taxi rank around the back of the station. Alternatively, you can use the frequent bus service from the front of the station –  the number 22 or 27 buses drop you directly outside Park Lane. Alternatively, you can use the number 21 or 21A to be dropped by the sea wall. From here, continue walking in the direction you travelled across some playing fields, and you will see The Prospects Stadium on your left.

Admission at The Movie Starr Stadium
Admission is £12 for Adults, £7 for Concessions and £2 for accompanied under 16s.

Fancy a beer?
There’s not much in the way of good pubs around the ground.  The Hoy & Helmet and The Half Crown are next to Benfleet Station, whilst the Lobster Smack on the island has some interesting history but nowhere near the ground.  Probably best to stick to the excellent clubhouse at the ground.

Legals and Credits

“The Isthmian Football League strongly supports the FA statement that there should be a zero tolerance approach against racism and all forms of discrimination. Accordingly any form of discriminatory abuse whether it by reason of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion and belief, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, sex and sexual orientation or any other form of abuse will be reported to The Football Association for action by that Association.” (The FA 0800 085 0508 / Kick it Out 020 7253 0162).The Isthmian League and all Member Clubs in the League are committed to promoting equality by treating people fairly and with respect, by recognising that inequalities may exist, by taking steps to address them and providing access and opportunities for all members of the community.”

Lewes 2000 FC Limited. Registered in England and Wales with Company Registration Number 03790979. Lewes 2000 FC Limited is 100% owned by Lewes Community Football Club.

Honorary President Terry Parris
Interim Chair Trevor Wells
Directors Priscila Aldridge, Willa Bailey, Tim Bradshaw, Ed Briggs, Andy Gowland, John Peel, Trevor Wells
Chief Executive Officer Maggie Murphy
Club Secretary John Peel
Fan Engagement Manager Shrey Nilvarna
Operations Manager Damian Watts

Life Members
Peter Brook, Dorothy Brook RIP, Vic Blunt, Pat Dartnell, Gary Elphick, Gordon Fowlie, Peter Hiscox RIP, Billy Nixon, Derrick Parris RIP, Terry Parris, Jimmy Quinn, P. Swaysland, Steve Ibbitson, Jason Hopkinson, Steve White, Martin Elliot, Kevin Fingerneissl, Kevin Powell, David and Barbara Arnold, Roger and Cathy Feltham, Ethel Treagus, Roy Dartnell RIP, Ron Moore, Derek Southouse, Ray Smith, Ken Carter RIP

Manager Tony Russell
Assistant manager Joe Vines
First team coach Nathan White
First team physio Toni Miller
Goalkeeping coach Charlie Himbury
Match logistics Vikram Dogra
First Team Performance Analyst Henderson Russell
Under-18s Manager Jon Miller

Golden Rook Rob Read
Web Editor Stuart Fuller
Progcast Editor Stan Lahood
Club Photographer James Boyes

TODAY’S QUIZ ANSWERS

1. Nowadays local derbies between Manchester City and Manchester United are fixtures which receive national attention but that wasn’t the case when the clubs played each other for the first time back in 1881. Back then they were just two ‘ordinary’ Manchester clubs and in that first meeting – a friendly played on Saturday November 12th 1881 – St Mark’s (West Gorton) lost 0-3 at home to Newton Heath. In modern language that would be Manchester City 0 Manchester United 3.
2. A First Round FA Cup tie between Barrow and Bristol Rovers at Holker Street saw the first player in England to be jailed for an incident during a football match. After half an hour Barrow defender James Cotterill punched the Bristol Rovers forward Sean Rigg, breaking his jaw in two places. The match officials hadn’t seen the attack but Match of the Day cameras had and Cotterill was charged with causing grievous bodily harm, found guilty and sentenced to four months in prison.
3. The first all-London match in the top flight which was played on Saturday 9th November 1907 at Stamford Bridge with Chelsea recording a 2-1 victory over Woolwich Arsenal in the First Division fixture.
4. The match was played on Armistice Day and England players, as well as the Scots, wore armbands displaying poppies, a minute’s silence was held, the Last Post was played, there was a display of poppies on the big Wembley screens and poppy T-shirts were handed out to the fans. The trouble was FIFA had a ruling banning ‘political and religious’ symbols and displays at matches and they considered poppies to be just that! Ridiculous or what! England were 3-0 winners but were fined a little over £35,000.
5. Lewes beat Bishop’s Stortford 2-0 with goals from Charlie Coppola and Billy Medlock in front of 568 fans at The Pan.