Memory Lane Shower of **** FC… Who did you play for?

[Barling Magna]

After playing for Barling Magna Primary School's First XI (well, OK, Only XI) my final footballing days were played as left back for the Geography Department's team Trap Two Thistle at Southampton University in the '70s. In dozens of appearances I never scored a goal and we always seemed to lose 5-0. So I concentrated on playing cricket after that at which I was slightly better.

 

[They Call It Madness!!!]

So glad the thread went off topic and got its own one.

What a great read.

I'm a lot younger than alot of the teams mentioned but I was such a football nutcase, I'd spend hours reading the local papers taking in all results and team names.

That was standard wasn't it, every result from every league, junior and adult always appearing in the local rags in such detail.

My first ever competitive football was for the Porters Grange Southend Cubs section (was it 1st Southend?). We used to play mini soccer against the other cub groups at Bournes Green park.

Played for:

Westborough Primary School
Thorpe Athletic
Portdean Lions
Westcliff United
ShrimperZone FC

That's it. My job meant I had to retire as I could not risk injury. Sad times.

I still want to play by the way...reemergence of SFZC @The General one day (not yet though as life is too quick!)

 

[* ORM *]

Given up trying to remember the missing teams but one thing is for sure. Friday 8th November will see my last 11 a side game. It’s being played at a wonderful stadium with excellent pre and post match facilities so seems a fitting way to finish. There may be several sherrys afterwards

I’m still available for the annual 7s tour but for the last 2 years it’s been in Bangkok. The hotel’s nice but the place is a ****hole and not MCOT. Was Saigon before that, much nicer experience.

 

[Suffolk Shrimper In Dorset]

Played for Kents Hill against the next-door Catholic mob in a fierce derby. Got stuck on the wing. No one passed to me, and that was it for a couple of decades.

Then, when working at Sedgwick in Witham, a side was got together to play Standard Life, who included Peter Taylor amongst their ranks. I thought I must get involved here and got in the side and decided to mark Spud. After several nutmegs, I subbed myself after 10 minutes. I then took another long football playing breather.

When we moved to Swanage a few years ago, I decided to give walking football a go and joined the Swanage under 60's team, which I just qualified for (age wise) at the time. I really enjoyed it, I wasn't out-paced, and we were quite successful in a local league. Then, after a couple of years, the guy next to me in midfield got an injury and couldn't work for three months. The same happened to another player a couple of weeks later and, thinking if that happened to me it would not only lose money but also (as a self employed gardener) clients, I decided I couldn't afford for the same to happen to me and so gave it up. Two weeks later, another player died on the pitch after a heart attack. Rough stuff this walking football.

I now play the more gentile game of tennis and have joined the pickleball craze, which is great.

 

[monkwell]

Langport Colts, then Cardiff Dragons (the finest archaeologist football team in the land)

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Eastwood Falcons?? Didnt Ray & John Gosling play for them? They were good players .

I thought John (Goz was his nickname he sprayed everywhere when we lived on our estate), was the better player.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

I also played for Leigh Rangers. we played in green,must have been for about a year 68-69 ??
We done maybe a weeks tour of i think Butlins,maybe Clacton where we played two games v a team of holiday makers(kids).
And who was the bloke arrested? the manager?

I also played for Leigh Rangers. The manager Keith Ketley would not spend a penny on those green kits. So they were used hand me downs from the years before. When I was there he used to put them in the middle of the changing room, and count ''1-2-3 GO'', and we would literally fight for the best ones. He enjoyed that. Some had been washed so many times it was hardly green anymore. Some had rips in. Years later after I left, Keith started sexually abusing some boys. Word got about and some fathers gave him the beating of his life outside his mum's house where he lived in Cheltenham Drive Leigh. He immediately moved to the Ipswich area and changed his name. He started a boys football team up there and started abusing again. He got a prison sentence and was put on the register, and the local paper exposed his real name and mentioned Leigh Rangers.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Just for anyone interested, especially those that played for Leigh Rangers. I have been given more info from a mate. KK was given his beating first, then a couple of boys went to the police with their dad's. He got 18 Months prison for that. He moved to Ipswich and settled in under a new name, then started up a football club for young boys called Ipswich Saracens. He was caught again and charged with four counts of indecent assault, and got five years prison. He was put on the register for life, with restrictions regarding working with or mixing with young boys in any way in the future. That five year sentence was in the 1990s, so could be under another name now, or most likely dead by now.

 

[Big_Nath]

Langport Colts, then Cardiff Dragons (the finest archaeologist football team in the land)

Cardiff Dragons still going

 

[Shrimper0116]

Played in the late 70s and early 80s. Earls Hall school and the Ray White and Paul Heffer's Whitecaps.

 

[meerkat54]

For all my sins, I think my footy cv goes as this;
Rayleigh Elim Eagles ( youth footy)
Benfleet Catholic
Benfleet United
Benfleet Amateurs (Sundays)
Pyworthy (North Devon League)

Might have missed one or two cameo (ringer) appearances for others lol
Oh probably the best player I played with was Jamie Reeves of Billericay town and Benfleet Ams. Very happy days

 

[C'mon you Shrimpers]

For all my sins, I think my footy cv goes as this;
Rayleigh Elim Eagles ( youth footy)
Benfleet Catholic
Benfleet United
Benfleet Amateurs (Sundays)
Pyworthy (North Devon League)

Might have missed one or two cameo (ringer) appearances for others lol
Oh probably the best player I played with was Jamie Reeves of Billericay town and Benfleet Ams. Very happy days

Jamie was in my class at Westcliff. Great bloke.

 

[meerkat54]

Jamie was in my class at Westcliff. Great bloke.

Jamie was a very talented footy player. If my memory serves me correctly. He played for Billericay in a cup final at Wembley on the Saturday, then turned up to play for Benfleet ams on the Sunday morning up at Woodside.
He really loved his football and was very talented. Wish I had 10% of his ability.

 

[C'mon you Shrimpers]

Jamie was good at everything sporting and academic as well. We were in the cricket, rugby and I believe basketball team together.
One thing we were not teammates in was the football team as there wasn't one. Westcliff was 100% rugby if you exclude hockey which most of us did. I last saw Jamie when he was over from Singapore where he lived what seems ages ago and probably was. He was at the time still teaching but moonlighting as the Jeff Stelling of ESPN in the Singapore region where he met the great and good of world football.
Locally he definitely played at Wembley in 2 Vase finals winning both.
As I said great bloke. Great memories

 

[Streaky]

I was Wickford Rangers !

Proper team!

 

[Eastwood for ever Blue]

For all my sins, I think my footy cv goes as this;
Rayleigh Elim Eagles ( youth footy)
Benfleet Catholic
Benfleet United
Benfleet Amateurs (Sundays)
Pyworthy (North Devon League)

Might have missed one or two cameo (ringer) appearances for others lol
Oh probably the best player I played with was Jamie Reeves of Billericay town and Benfleet Ams. Very happy days

My one and only team, Rayleigh elim eagles
Was better at ping pong, played that on a Saturday instead

 

[monkwell]

Cardiff Dragons still going

I made a guest appearance in the summer, few yards of pace lost

 

[tsbl2000]

Hughlynn Athletic and Lifstan Boys Club.

I played for Hewlyn too. Got concussion once went scoring my only goal from right back. I can still picture the shot in my mind. We weren't very successful as a team when I played (Div VI of the Southend and District League, I seem to recall, circa 1975?).

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

I also played for Hewlyn Athletic, but only one game. The manager lived on my estate. He was short of players and asked if I could play one game as a Centre Forward. I was happy to help as long as it was only one game. I scored two goals, one a penalty, but we still lost.

 

[Jacob Sladder]

Played for Oakwood Rangers in my teens -got thumped by everyone including a 24-1 v Rayleigh Town, I think it was. Best result was a 3-3 draw against Priory Athletic who then smashed us 8-1 in the return!! My career then took off massively with stints at NatWest, Landwick , Hewlyn Athletic, Brooklyn Sports and then helped Juventus, Sporting Lisbon and England onto major victories.
Actually, just realised those last three were Subbuteo games.