WEALDSTONE v CHIPPENHAM TOWN REWIND <<<<<<<<<< 11 years ago we Saturday January 13, 3007, British Gas Business League shocked the high-flying Premier Division: Wealdstone 3 Chippenham 1 e’ve only met Chippenham three times before in our club’s history and honours Bluebirds to give Kev Ware totally even - one win, a draw and a defeat. The draw, of course, came last October in Wiltshire when a game Bright a fitting send off of few chances ended, unsurpris- ingly, goalless. flying Chipps came to Chestnut But you may recall our brief WE’VE MET BEFORE Avenue for the return encounter in sojourn in the Southern League BY TIM PARKS January (where we were ground- Prem back in 2006-7 due to a sharing with Northwood) the Stones geographical hiccup. Having risen hadn’t won in nine league games. to the Isthmian (Ryman) Prem we ling. And that wasn’t necessarily a Only 225 people watched in fune- suddenly found ourselves travel- good thing. real silence for the most part. It ling down the M4 every other week For every Chris O’Leary we had a seemed rather apt as I stood with a - and while that may have been Gavin Bamford or a Kevin Swift. lot of ex-Stones fans of the 80s handy for a lot of today’s Stones Our trip down the motorway to who had come along as a mark of squad and management, 12 years Chippenham was a decent game in respect to much-loved fellow ago it meant finding half a new front of a decent 447 crowd, with supporter Kevin Bright, who had team due to the increased travel- the Bluebirds comfortable 2-0 died just a week earlier at a winners, but by the time the high- tragically young age. Just three days later, half a dozen of us were to travel up to Kev’s John Henry-Haden is taken native Sunderland to act as pall out by the Chippnham bearers at his funeral - and we defence on his memorable CONTINUED OVERPAGE debut, scoring the third goal to seal a surprise win WEALDSTONE v CHIPPENHAM TOWN REWIND <<<<<<<<<< desperately wanted a winning send off. That seemed a million miles away as Chippenham took the only chance of the first half, Dave Gilroy charging down a clearance Neil McDonald and racing away to beat our keeper Lee Carroll. (right) didnt But there was hope. Gordon play many Bartlett’s wheeling and dealing had times for the brought in three players for their Stones, but he debuts (striker John Henry-Haden was dominant from Hampton, pleasingly allitera- in this win over tive, Sky TV ‘star’ Ben Walsh on Chippenham. the left wing and giant centre back Chris O’Leary Ben Martin) and we appeared (left) was also pretty solid if not spectacular. on song Then a goal out of the blue! Left- back Lee Chappell interpassed with Henry-Haden, burst into the Clarke to steer in a second. 2-1! box and rolled a low shot past And our day was complete when Ben Martin, Neil McDonald, Dean Chippenham keeper Darren Henry-Haden took a Hector Clark, Chris O’Leary, Matt Good- Snoddy. The cries of ‘Where’s your Mackie pass in his stride and beat erick, John Henry-Haden, Ben bell Snoddy?’ and ‘You could have the dodgy Snoddy once again. Walsh. Subs: John Christian (for saved that with your Big Ears’ had Quite a send-off for Kev. RIP mate. Walsh, 60), Josh Cooper (for barely died down when a Chappell Wealdstone: Lee Carroll, Josias McDonald, 45), Stuart Goodall, long throw fell invitingly for Dean Carbon, Lee Chappell, Carl Martin, Hector Mackie (for Gooderick, 60). 6 years ago, play-off bound after win at the Met April 21, 2012, Ryman Prem: ON THIS DAY IN indeed early in the 2nd half we took Met Police (away) Won 2-1 the lead when a cracking half- everal hundred Stones fans STONES HISTORY volley from our keeper Ashlee made their way down to BY GORDON McKAY Jones (standing in for Northy after Imber Court for this one his leg break) put Richard Jolly in Saided by the clubs very generous the clear and he calmly rolled his With our fans giving the team fine offer of free transport being laid shot into the far corner. Of course backing we opened brightly on. We were pushing hard for a Jols had a real dream of a season attacking the covered end but as play off place and although the that year and he made scoring look has often been seen against the Met had very little to play for they ridiculously easy during that period. Met the presence of fans in the thrived on nicking results against We managed to see out the game ground seems to spur them on - clubs such as oursleves. and take a step closer to the prom- and we were caught ised land of the play offs. cold on the half hour Wealdstone: Jones, McCubbin, Peter Dean mark when a free kick gives the Chappell, Parker, Cronin, Dyer, from way out by the Brooks, O’Leary, Dean (Fitzgerald Met a touchline was headed 63), Jolly (Mulley 90), Pett (Smith chasing home at the far post. 86). Subs not used: Hoban, However their joy was Massey. short lived as we WHAT HAPPENED NEXT equalised not long after We secured a play off semi-final when Alex Dyer wrig- place a few weeks later but unfortu- gled free in the box to nately we had to play away in a send a deflected shot one-off game, away at Lowestoft a past the home keeper. team we have still never beaten. So 1-1 at half time and CONTINUED OVERPAGE WEALDSTONE v CHIPPENHAM TOWN REWIND <<<<<<<<<< Robinson levelling up matters early in the 2nd half and from then They were a team and manage- wood. Having looked odds on to on in we dominated but it looked as ment who we well versed in the get relegated for much of the though it wouldn’t be our day... until dark arts so it was a very big ask. season, a late spurt of results (this Dean Clark popped up with a low On the night we were not at our was our third successive win after drive from just inside the box to best but at 1-1 on the hour mark beating Banbury and Gloucester in earn us three very vital points. we were starting to dictate the previous week) gave us a bit of For me personally I had no time proceedings and looking likely hope going into the last three to hang around and enjoy the win winners. However we lost our games. Corby were also down in as I had a waiting taxi to whisk me discipline in the pressure cooker the danger zone so it was all to off to the airport - as I was off to atmosphere and were reduced to play for. watch Porto - but a fine wine was 9 men. Even then we managed to A nervous opening saw Corby enjoyed later on to the toast the hold on until the last few minutes on top and it was no surprise when win. when a hotly disputed penalty saw they took the lead around the 20 WHAT HAPPENED NEXT them go through to the final. minute mark. Normally that would We travelled to Yate three days have knocked the stuffing out of us later and won 4-2 to ensure our April 21 2007, Southern League but with our new-found confidence survival. As for Corby - well they Prem: Corby Town (Home) Won and belief we gradually worked our were relegated so what appeared a 2-1 way back into the game creating a very important game at the time his was a true six-pointer few chances but still found was in fact the biggest and most played out on the penultimate ourselves behind at the break. significant game of the season. Saturday of the season at Eventually the pressure told with Luckily we won and lived to fight Tour then home ground of North- our Watford loanee Theo another day. 62 years ago: Stones hit eight past Finchley but it’s an Athenian League season to forget BY TIM PARKS Saturday April 21 1956. Athenian the sort of travails that have occurred League: Wealdstone 8 Finchley 1 every decade since. Back in the mists of time were these mid In 1952 the first great Wealdstone side 50s - yes even before I was born! - finally landed a major trophy, the when the Stones were suffering exactly Athenian League, after half a century of trying. And, much like thirty odd years later, that was quickly followed by finishing bottom of the table. The 1954-55 campaign was a rude awakening. Our two star playmakers, the Poles Henryk Mikrut and Henryk Wegrzyk had both departed and an abject season saw the Stones six points adrift of Cambridge City. Luckily Action from the there was no relegation in St Albans game those days and the the that season with club soldiered on (still (from left) watched by crowds of over George Knox, 1,000) until a raft of decent Viv Evans and players (including the Ivor Harper returning two Henryks) eager to impress signed in the summer. the big Lower CONTINUED OVERPAGE Mead crowd WEALDSTONE v CHIPPENHAM TOWN REWIND <<<<<<<<<< A spate of big wins moved us up the table- five against Sutton and Walton & Hersham and seven against hitchin- and finally this thumping of mid-table Finchley at Lower Mead.