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Post by sillsunited on Dec 7, 2009 16:07:44 GMT
Both Jim and dad listed as members of Paignton Town.Jim Holberton was a Stoke Gabriel man and when I started as a rep for F J Reeves at Totnes in the 60s he was a foreman for Gibbs and Lugg. As far as I am aware he wasnt in the army.All the players selected came from the Southwest ( like Poole town,Cheltenham town ,Truro city,Bristol city and Exeter City to name but a few clubs)
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Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2009 16:44:27 GMT
Thanks again, sillsunited. I'm not an expert on the history of football in Paignton so wondering if Paignton Town were a considerable force in those days. Interesting how a really strong club has never emerged from a town of Paignton's size.
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Dec 7, 2009 22:21:21 GMT
What incredible information has been added to my opening post, I would never have expected to learn the details about an FA eleven match all the way back in 1937. I think Barton will remember well the post I did after spending half an hour in the company of 79 year old Reg Chapple at his home in Chillington. The details of how I came to meet him are on this thread torquayfansforum.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=tufchistory&action=display&thread=2158The above quote is so true, so much information that others would love to know, love to hear spoken about, can be lost when a person dies and takes all that information with him to the grave. I think we are honored on here to have some older posters who not only have great memories, but ones that go back a fair way. Its wonderful that they have posted what they remember and shared it with us all. |
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Post by sillsunited on Dec 8, 2009 15:00:20 GMT
Barton Downs I have been and got some dads old memorabilia from my mums. I have found amonst various letters the official letter from the FA inviting dad to play and also from Paignton Town advising him of the match. The letter from Paignton was on the official club note paper and it stated the leagues they played in, one was the South Devon League but what was interesting they also played in the PLymouth and District league.I understand that Paignton Town played on the sea front before the war. They played there for a while afterwards before moving to play at Clennon Valley,that was in the South Devon League and I understand they folded late 50 /ealry 60s.I would imagine that as Jim and Dad were at that time both regulars in the Devon County side in the mid 30s they had been selected on their performances for them.
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merse
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Post by merse on Dec 8, 2009 15:16:47 GMT
 Paignton Green was a hugely popular football venue before Clennon Valley was dreamed up and the occupants got exiled out onto that old rubbish tip. Whereas crowds regularly exceeded four figures on "The Green", they sometimes drew as little as four (singular) on that Godforsaken dump at the back of the zoo. Never been a fit place to play football properly with it's undulating and wind blasted surface, never will be due to it's second rate location and all in all a pretty miserable experience every time I ever went there! 
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Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2009 19:12:33 GMT
The letter from Paignton was on the official club note paper and it stated the leagues they played in, one was the South Devon League but what was interesting they also played in the PLymouth and District league. More fascinating material for this lovely thread. You would think playing in the Plymouth and District League placed Paignton Town a notch above the other clubs in Torbay. That league would have been a big thing back then, and looking at the history page of a recent Truro City programme, it appears many Cornish clubs played in the P&D until the early 1930s when they fell out with the Devon clubs over travelling expenses (surprise, surprise). Truro rejoined the P&D in 1934 and there's mention of a game against Dartmouth during the 'thirties. This suggests Paignton Town may have played clubs from far and wide attacting some of the best local players in the process. And, if they were good enough to play for the Devon county side in those days, that would have been a significant honour. The eventual lack of progress of clubs such as Paignton Town probably partly comes down to the old problem of pitches and facilities. Think about it carefully and a town such as Paignton could easily have a club in today's Southern League alongside Taunton, Bridgwater, Clevedon, Frome, Mangotsfield, Bishop's Cleeve, North Leigh, Paulton, etc. |
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Dec 9, 2009 0:10:13 GMT
Some fascinating stuff here from Sillsunited - just shows what treasures lie in lofts. Here's what the Devon FA Centenary History (published after 100 years not 99  ) says about these games. Unfortunately, they give line-ups from the 1937 games not the 1935 one, but it gives an idea of the standing of these matches.   I agree with what Barton says about the P&D League being far senior to the SDL between the wars. Paignton Town would have had a first team in that and a reserve team in the SDL. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2009 20:43:56 GMT
Good to see that article about representative football from the Devon FA centenary history. There was also the 1933 England v Wales amateur international at Plainmoor to consider.
The presence of players from professional clubs - even if the individuals concerned were amateurs - really would point to these being FA XIs against the likes of the Royal Navy and the Universities Athletic Union (UAU). Note too the presence of several "gasworks" players - including two from Bournemouth Gasworks Athletic who reached the Amateur Cup final in the 1930s. Maybe there's a history of gasworks football to be written?
But I'm still bemused by the AFA badge. We can only assume it belonged to Jim Holberton and we've already admitted we're not certain it's for the same game. It's a mystery. The FA and the AFA were separate organisation but I suppose they could have shared premises and officials leading to some sort of cock-up by the blazers.
As for the present day, I've not seen any details of FA XI representative games for a few seasons now - perhaps they're not played any longer? Nonetheless the army, navy and air force still play games against the good old Amateur Football Alliance.
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Dec 9, 2009 21:07:03 GMT
I found this story about the old Bournemouth gasworks team Barton and thought you would enjoy reading it. Bournemouth gasworks football players still united October 2009 THEIR footballing days might be behind them – but the memories of sporting glory remains strong for these former members of the Bournemouth Gasworks FC. More than 20 team members, now in their 80s and 90s, who played together during they club’s 1950s heyday still meet to reminisce at the Hamworthy Club in Poole. Although the football club is long gone – the name and the record of their achievements remains. Bournemouth Gasworks FC, known as The Lights, was a strong force in amateur football from its founding in 1899. The club hit a pinnacle in 1930, reaching the final of the final of the FA Amateur Cup, which they lost 1-5 to Ilford before a 21,800-strong crowd. Former player Joss Jenkins, 86, said: “They were known all around the country. The Amateur Cup in those days was almost as big as the FA Cup - they were the names on everybody’s lips.” Their footballing prowess was so well known that Joss, now 86, decided to join the Bournemouth Gas and Water Company after returning from the war just so he could get into the team. His fondest memories are of a “supreme 10 years”, when they became the first amateur side to win the Hampshire Senior Cup in 1953, then won it again the following season. Of the first win he told the Echo: “I had the pleasure of scoring the winner in the last dying seconds. It was pretty well the last kick of the match. We had a lot of supporters there, and so did Newport. “There was a terrific atmosphere. I think a lot of people will remember that. “We still speak about it every time we meet, and everyone has different stories every time.” Joss himself went on to trials for the English amateur team – and made it in – until it emerged he was born in Cardiff. Then he missed out in the Welsh trials. But there are no hard feelings. “It’s a good story,” he added. Bournemouth Gasworks Athletic lost their Alder Road home ground in 1972, and became defunct two years later. But as this group of former players can testify, while they are gone, they’re not forgotten.  |
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Dec 9, 2009 21:15:52 GMT
I'm sure many gasworks teams folded simply because the gasworks closed, many of the old gasworks sites still lay empty and unused, so its good to see one such old gasworks may be used for a new football stadium.
Derelict gas works future home of football stadium for Robins will put town on map
A leading councillor has backed outcry from Dudley Town fans for a new football stadium.
More than 3,000 footie fans have signed a petition calling on the council to bring home their dream stadium.
St Thomas' councillor Shaukat Ali ensured the sports ground was top of the agenda at the central area committee meeting.
And now a derelict site at the former gas works, on Martin Hill Street, has been earmarked as a prime location for a new stadium.
Councillor Ali said: "The site has accessibility as it's near the bus station and proposed metro stand.
"There is already car parking available on Flood Street and building on this disused ground would regenerate the area in time for the 2012 Olympics."
Councillor Ali is now leading the campaign to ensure the proposal goes forward by arranging informal talks with MP Ian Austin.
Fellow councillor John Davies agrees.
He said: "It would be fantastic to have our football team back in Dudley.
"The gasworks has stood unused for years, there is plenty of car parks and few residents, so it's ideal really."
There are also talks of the stadium being dual-function - giving Cradley Heath's homeless speedway team a new base.
Councillor Ali is urging everyone to back the campaign to put Dudley on the map.
"We all need to put our efforts into realising this vision and ambition," he said.
The next central area committee meeting is on Tuesday January 24.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2009 21:22:09 GMT
Bournemouth Gasworks FC, known as The Lights, was a strong force in amateur football from its founding in 1899. |
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Dec 9, 2009 23:28:58 GMT
I found this story about the old Bournemouth gasworks team Funnily enough, Torquay's first ever game outside of Devon was away to Bournemouth Gasworks Athletic - an FA Cup second qualifying round replay in 1910. We won 1-0 after extra time. The local papers at the time referred to them as Branksome Gasworks, but the FA website has them down as Bournemouth Gasworks. The Alder Road ground referred to was in an area called Branksome - between Poole and Bournemouth. |
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) says about these games. Unfortunately, they give line-ups from the 1937 games not the 1935 one, but it gives an idea of the standing of these matches.