WEALDSTONE v BRACKLEY TOWN THE BIG INTERVIEW: CHARLIE TOWNSEND A record 514 games for Wealdstone..32 England caps.. why no-one deserves the title of ‘WFC Legend’ like Charlie Townsend On the day the current crop of Stones stars sit on the brink of Wembley glory, TIM PARKS gets the lowdown on one of the greatest Charlie lifts the Middlesex Senior Cup half a century ago. This was amateur footballers in England history about the last time we won it!

here is no doubt in Charlie that I hadn’t interviewed him for years before moving to North Townsend’s mind as to how this programme earlier. With Harrow - where he’s lived ever he finally got his hands on a record 514 appearances to since. Tan Amateur Cup Winner’s medal his name, Charlie is a genuine He played the huge majority in 1966. Wealdstone legend who de- of his career in a blue Stones “At the beginning of the 65-66 serves a book about his exploits shirt and, of course, the white season I asked my fiance rather than a seven-page feature shirt of the England amateur Margaret if, when she went to in the matchday magazine. side, winning 32 caps over a church, she’d ‘have a word’ about But the man himself is quiet period of seven years. And me getting that medal” said and self-effacing. He was born he even represented Great Charlie. “She joked that if I gave in Bushey and lived there for 28 Britain in Olympic qualification her a coin for the collection plate, matches, being involved in the she would do so. So I gave her infamous Greek tragedy of 1964 half a crown on a few occasions... when GB were outrageously and it worked because after 66 denied a place at the Tokyo years of trying we won the cup!” Olympics. Charlie is just a few months “That was one of the big short of his 80th birthday but disappointments of my is as sharp and clear-minded career. Hughie (Lindsay) as when he was running the had been involved in the Stones midfield for an 1960 Olympic finals, when astonishing 12 years with his Great Britain were knocked great pal Hughie Lindsay. out by a terrific Brazil side, I finally managed to catch 51 years of and myself, Hughie and up with him at the Support- wedded bliss! our Wealdstone centre-back ers Club’s 60th anniversary Charlie and his Johnny Ashworth were all dinner - and could only apologise wife Margaret CONTINUED OVERPAGE WEALDSTONE v BRACKLEY TOWN THE BIG INTERVIEW: CHARLIE TOWNSEND

in the GB side that came so close to quali- fying for Tokyo. “We faced Greece in a play-off semi-final over two legs - we beat them 2-1 at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge in front of a big crowd, and then there were over 30,000 at the sec- ond leg in Athens. It was hostile. It was 1-1 with 15 minutes to go but then the referee gifted them two penal- Charlie (second left) in action for England in 1962 - he ties ... we went on the watches as an Italian forward attempts an overhead kick attack but they caught in the game to officially open Ascoli’s picturesque new us on the break and stadium. Italy won 1-0 in front of a 10,000 crowd added two more to end up 5-3 winners on aggregate. going to be our day, and their A couple of years ago in “But the real drama was the centre forward John Mason an interview, Stones full-back following week when it was scored four times. The crowd Mickey Doyle reckoned that discovered they had fielded SIX was enormous in a tiny ground, Hendon’s early goal in the Cup players who weren’t even eligible right on top of the pitch, about Final that year actually had the to play! 7,000 I think and we struggled effect of relaxing the team. Did “The Olympic committee kicked the whole afternoon. Charlie agree? them out, leaving us free to face “But then we faced them in “It’s hard to say. I know that Czechoslovakia in the playoff the semi-final the next season, we played some good stuff that final. But the timescale was now at Stamford Bridge, and after afternoon though. We got right too tight, after Greece’s appeal, to we had scored what was a lucky back at them and a big factor fit in our matches so the Czechs goal - Brian Allen’s cross flew was an injury to their right-half were allowed a walkover to reach straight in - and then survived a Dave Shacklock - there were no the finals. So frustrating!” missed penalty, me and Hughie substitutes in those days so he isappointment figures decided to just knock the ball was really just a passenger out highly in Charlie’s Weald- around and keep possession. on the wing. It gave us a man stone career. It was the We had been guilty in the past advantage and in the end we disappointmentPage of losing 4-1 of chasing the game when we scored the goals we deserved to unfancied44 rewind:Alvechurch in amateur the didn’t cup need final to, but thisspecial time we to win 3-1. That was a wonderful Amateur Cup last 16 - only a year were composed and it paid off. feeling.” beforecontinued we went to Wembley and from page 43 We were in the final!” harlie was a carpenter won the trophy - that led the the maximum wage... I only the whole of his working tigerishplayed midfielder once for Pompey, to atask his wife - life, beginning as an for divineFratton guidance.Park against Sunder land in the old Division Two ... apprentice with the firm of Field - ‘I waswe won getting 2-1 but the desperate” profes sional life wasn’t for me. & Hemley in Bushey village. admits “I’dCharlie. met Ann, my“That wife (they match at He then served his national Alvechurchrecently celebrated was awful. their 50th We were wedding anniversary) and we service, and worked for several favouriteswanted butto settle Alvechurch down. There had local building companies be- some wasvery a lad good I’d played players. with in We the Navy, Jimmy Coates, fore joining Guinness, based actuallywho had was skipper a penalty of at 0-0 and in Park Royal, in 1970 thanks I shouldKingstonian have intaken the Isthmian the kick, but League so I signed for them to a suggestion from Weald- I just didn’tin 1959ish, fancy and had it threeon that heavy good years there.” stone team mate Matt Farrell. pitch. Bernie“Did you Bremer,play in the 1960 our brilliantLittle known fact: Wembley was covered in thick snow just two days “I joined the company’s winger,Amateur stepped Cup Final up for and the Ks blasted before itthe final,Stones when the Stones players players in turned the up Wembley to get the feel of then, John?” I asked him. the stadium. Luckilysnow the two pitch thaweddays out before in time. otherange ‘66 ball weather!final CONTINUED OVERPAGE over the bar! “Yes, I Idid. knew And so then did it wasn’t Hughie Lindsay, who joined team. Held us all together in good no such munificence for teenagers Wealdstone a year before me, in times and bad.” like Mickey, who saw no future in ‘62. But that day wasn’t a happy “You weren’t bad yourself!” competing with First Division memory. Hendon beat us 2-1 in the laughed Johnny. And indeed our Fulham’s internationals - and was final that year and that was defi- energetic, attacking full-back Doyle asked along to Wealdstone for a nitely a motivating factor for me, won rave reviews right through his trial. initial three year spell before 1964 “I loved Wealdstone the first time when we found ourselves in the - Final again in ‘66. I didn’t want to and 67, and again when he I walked in. It wasn’t easy estab experience losing a final again.” returned to the club in 1969 for lishing myself as they had some ICKey Doyle chimed in. another 30-odd games. terrific players but this man (he “you know, we were all a bit “We were unique. The club was said, gesturing across to big John) nervous before the the big unique. The social side was let me in that team. He really did. Mgame, as I’ve already said, and it fantastic’ said Mickey, who was He saw something in me and that seems funny but the moment I just working all hours in a variety of led to the best years of my football knew we were going to win the jobs but spending every Saturday life”. game was when we went 1-0 down night (and quite a few after training) eITHeR men really hit the after just two minutes! in the Lower Mead social club with heights again after ‘66. I “There I was, picking the ball out his team-mates. asked them: ‘What of our net after Geoff Riddy had put He had come travelled south Nhappened? Surely that should have Hendon into the lead and I knew in from Barrow to join Fulham as an been the springboard for a tilt at my guts that we were the sort of apprentice. A certain Jimmy Hill the Isthmian League title?’ team that thrived on a knock-back, was the big cheese at the Cottage “I don’t really know”, said Mickey. especially so early in the game. (the Cottage cheese even) and “Maybe the club lost focus a bit. I “We were all up for it. The Mickey remembers Hill telling the ended up going to St Albans and skipper went around our team, young lads that if and when when Hendon for a couple of seasons, motivating everyone and we played they turned pro, they’d have to join but in the 1970s my working life the PFA. The days of the £20-a- sort of took over.” so well that day. It took a long time - to get the goals we deserved but week maximum wage were He had been an apprentice elec 3-1 was a fair result in the end.” drawing to an end (smashed by Hill trician at AEI in Willesden, and then Mickey looked fondly across at and his revolutionaries) and moved into the oil business for his captain. “you know, Hughie and Fulham’s Johnny Hayes was the Exxon, BP and Mobil, graduating to first beneficiary as the club hiked Charlie were absolutely brilliant continued overpage but this man was the glue in that his wages ten-fold. But there was WEALDSTONE v BRACKLEY TOWN THE BIG INTERVIEW: CHARLIE TOWNSEND

Charlie has kept the itineraries from his England tours... this one is from his second Italy trip to Liguria in 1964

maintenance team as a carpen- year. I left home at Bushey on teams of that era actually just a ter, and stayed there for 24 years the Monday and caught the collection of individuals? until we were offered early retire- Green Line down to Marble Arch “Well, when I first came to ment. Then I worked for myself, and then walked to Lancaster Wealdstone the training simply plus a few days a week Gate, to the FA. We had lunch, involved coaches barking at you maintenance at Nower Hill High then got taken to the airport, ‘Run! Run! Run!’ I think the idea School in Pinner, where my wife flew to Jersey, stayed overnight, was to make us hungry for the was also working. played on Wednesday then ball, but all it did was make us “The fact that I was able to get travelled back on Thursday and knackered. We played a 4-2-4 time off work in my 20s meant I was back at work for Friday. So system at Wealdstone in the was available to play represen- I missed four days’ work. The FA 60s with me and Hughie in the tative football - but it was often gave me three shillings for the middle and when we went to hectic. I couldn’t drive but the bus fare and one meal play for England they adopted wonderful Dick Kelly, a committee allowance but playing for the same line-up. We had man at Wealdstone, put himself England and the FA were licence to play as we saw fit. out to give me lifts everywhere, unforgettable experiences.” “But it used to be a running even up to Bisham Abbey for harlie had the thrill of joke at Wealdstone because England training. being managed by Alf we’d kick off and I’d shout “Although it was a great honour Ramsey for that game across to Micky Doyle (our full- to be selected, playing in these C- just a year before he steered back) ‘This is the last time I’ll be games often meant losing quite a England to World Cup glory at within earshot of you Mick!’ lot of money as you weren’t rec- Wembley. “We’d just attack, attack, ompensed for loss of earnings. “He was very quiet, very attack. It was a great side to “For example, in 1965 I was humble and thanked us for play in”. delighted to be one of two travelling. We didn’t receive That conversation brought us amateurs chosen to play for a any coaching as such, but then inevitably to the 6-5 FA Cup win Football Association XI that teams weren’t really tactically over Southern League profes- travelled to the Channel Islands aware in those days.” sionals Stevenage in 1965, to mark the Jersey FA’s jubilee So were the top amateur CONTINUED OVERPAGE WEALDSTONE v BRACKLEY TOWN THE BIG INTERVIEW: CHARLIE TOWNSEND

England line-up for their game v a Ligurian XI (in a change strip of all red) in the 1964 tour, which they won 4-2 with Charlie second from right in the front row. Left: He leaps to challenge the France keeper in a game England lost 3-4 when Wealdstone were 5-3 down - and then sheepishly went was our stand-in keeper but with five minutes to play. Hughie into work on the Monday and he’d already been substituted, Lindsay cracked in the winner avoided his eye. I felt awful. injured, and I certainly didn’t from a freekick 35 yards from “But almost worse was the put my hand up to play in goal goal. following year when we reached but the next thing you know, “Yes, that’s up there in my top the quarter-finals and had to the green shirt is being handed three memories but the best thing travel up to Tyneside to play to me! I’ve heard about it was from Ray North Shields who were a “Well I’m just 5ft 7ins and Corner (long-time Stones fan) tough, tough side. Another big, Andy’s shirt seemed enormous - who was sponsoring a home noisy crowd on a filthy wet, cold and sopping wet and caked with game a couple of weeks ago. and muddy day, but we were mud. It took an age to get it on, Apparently it was the first Stones surviving and it was a real injus- and the sleeves rolled up, and game he’d ever seen and he said tice when they were awarded a all the time our manager Dave ‘if it’s always like this, I’m com- Underwood (who had been a ing every week’, and he pretty ‘Our keeper Andy Williams was goalkeeper at ) was much has” laughed Charlie. sent off for arguing and I didn’t standing behind the goal and A couple more bad memo- coaching me. ‘Stand a foot to ries though: Firstly the 2-0 volunteer to take over in goal.. the right of the middle of the Amateur Cup semi-final defeat goal’ he was saying, ‘and then to Chesham United at Craven but the next thing you knew dive to the big side’. Cottage in 1968. I was pulling on the green “Well he hadn’t even “Oh, that was desperate” stopped saying this when their recalled Charlie. “ We were jersey, sopping wet and caked guy took the penalty and skied so much the favourites after in mud, to face a penalty...’ it over the bar!” winning the cup two years Sadly, Charlie’s story had before but we just didn’t perform. penalty. another disappointing ending Unbelievable really. What made it Our keeper, Andy Williams, when the Geordies bundled in worse was that I was working on kept protesting to the referee the only goal of the game from a block of flats in Bushey Heath and should have stopped when a contentious corner in the last with the Chesham goalkeeper, he was booked - but he carried few minutes. “Dave Bromley Denis Wells, and had a chat with on and was sent off. So we had was pushed over when the ball him the day before the game to find a goallie. Bernie Bremer CONTINUED OVERPAGE WEALDSTONE v BRACKLEY TOWN THE BIG INTERVIEW: CHARLIE TOWNSEND

move to Hayes, and was in the air, nurturing the potential and he fell into of another striker - me and I couldn’t Robin Friday - before get near it. A bloke Hayes sold him to called Brian Joy- Reading on the back cey stuck in the of his performance loose ball and our in those FA Cup Wembley dream ties. “Friday became was over again”. a real cult hero at Charlie was 31 Reading but he just then, and it was burnt out too quickly” his last chance said Charlie. of repeating his So was amateur Amateur Cup Final football in your day heroics of ‘66. He slower than the cur- describes himself rent game, or more as ‘the workhorse’ skillful? alongside the “Well, I watched flamboyant, sharp- Wealdstone through shooting Lindsay the 70s and 80s - I but Charlie had a came back to help fantastic range of run the reserves in passing and was Charlie is measured for his Cup Final suit the early 70s - and the regarded as the best user of in 1966. “We got our England suits from players were definitely the ball in the amateur game Simpsons in Piccadilly but the Amateur more aggressive in the throughout the 1960s. Cup Final suits came from the Co-Op!” semi-pro game. It would His link-up play with strikers have been interesting Bobby Childs and Jim Cooley, there, asked me to become to compete with players and passes to wingers Brian Allen a coach. I also did a bit of like Willie Watson, Paul Bowgett and Bernie Bremer were a fea- scouting and watching future and Vinnie Jones. The Weald- ture of that Final against Hendon opposition (which was rare for stone side that won the double - despite the Wembley pitch being a club at that level) and in 1972 in ‘85 was technically very good very heavy, having been covered Hayes had an FA Cup run which but also very physical. in unseasonal snow just two days saw us beat Bristol Rovers 1-0 “That’s the conversation I before kick-off. in the First Round Proper and always have with Hughie, when hat defeat at North Shields then get drawn against Reading we meet up to watch a game. in March 1969 was a decid- in Round Two. The club flew me Would we have been good ing factor in Charlie deciding up to watch Reading at Bolton enough? I think the players from Tto sever his connection with the a week before the cup tie, and I every successive era believe club. “I needed a new challenge met Football League chairman they are the best and certainly - I’d been at Wealdstone since Alan Hardaker in the boardroom they are fitter now, but if we’d 1957, and the former Wealdstone who couldn’t believe little Hayes been around these days I sup- coach Vince Burgess had gone would sent a scout all that way. pose we’d have adapted.” to Hitchin Town and asked me “But even better, on the flight o what is he up to these to come over. I played there back from Manchester there days, on the cusp of his for a season but came back to was George Best and 80th birthday? Charlie and the Stones in the last amateur Barbara Castle (the Labour SMargaret have raised daughters season (1970-71) playing every Home secretary) sitting just Jane and Sarah from the family game. But I was never going to across from me!” home in North Harrow and they turn pro. Charlie’s dossier helped have three grandchildren. “ Instead I signed for Hayes, Hayes draw 0-0 at Elm Park, but He stays active with aquaro- who had stepped into Weald- they lost the home replay 1-0. bics classes at his local sports stone’s place in the Isthmian He also helped discover centre and says: “I’ve been a League and after a couple of some raw talent, watching Cy- member now for 18 years. I years Bob Gibbs, the manager rille Regis at Molesey before his CONTINUED OVERPAGE WEALDSTONE v BRACKLEY TOWN THE BIG INTERVIEW: CHARLIE TOWNSEND

Charlie’s wife, Margaret, passed on this wonderful tribute from magazine. Written by Norman Creak who was manager of the England Amateur team at the time (and himself widely respected thoughout the game), it is testimony to the regard in which the Wealdstone wing-half was held. “Men like Charlie Townsend are few and far between”. WEALDSTONE v BRACKLEY TOWN THE BIG INTERVIEW: CHARLIE TOWNSEND

always be a Christmas Eve used to go to the gym five days event at the social club so you a week but now it’s just two or might get home in the early three times. You have to try to hours knowing you had to be stay in a bit of shape”. reporting at ten o’clock the next It’s over 60 years now since morning. At least I had Dick the midfielder signed for the Kelly to drive me...” Stones from Watford, where he Did the slope at Lower Mead had been a centre-forward in make a difference to the op- the Juniors. “Len Goulden was position? “No I actually never the Watford first team manager noticed it; we seemed to score but he got the sack in 1957 and as many attacking the Elmslie came over to manage Weald- End as going ‘downhill’. It cer- stone, partly I think because he tainly wasn’t as pronounced as also ran a cafe in Wealdstone. I Barnet’s Underhill. My favourite played the first five games and though was Arsenal, where scored two goals and then was we played a few times in the dropped - then Edgar Francis London Challenge Cup and in moved me to inside right in the the London Senior Cup final. reserve team - I got back into They actually had underfloor the first team at inside right A very young Charlie trots onto heating in the Highbury chang- and the following season moved the Lower Mead pitch in one of ing rooms!” to right half. his early appearances. “That’s I told Charlie we’d sort him “The team was picked by a my army haircut” he jokes out a ‘stadium tour’ when he committee of ten in those days, next comes to the Vale. He saw no-one had the final say but when got cramp playing on it. I was the Dartford game a couple of I was picked for Middlesex my too slow to get that! weeks ago and should be here career took off. I wore the No.4 “On the amateur circuit there today for the big Trophy match. shirt for the vast majority of my were some grounds, like Sutton “I played at Ruislip Manor 50 dozen years at Wealdstone, with with its running track, where years ago when it was very a few at left-half (No.6) and some the crowd needed binoculars to soft and muddy but the pitch is further forward at inside-right.” see the game. And others like definitely better than it was then. He wore that same shirt at Lower Mead where it was very I had a walk on it when the club Wembley in ‘66 but, surprisingly atmospheric with the stands staged the Anniversary Dinner enough, it wasn’t the best pitch behind the goals - particularly of the Amateur Cup Final and he’s ever played on. for the Christmas games with we all lined up on the halfway “I’ve played abroad for England Hendon. One year we had line. That was a lovely do and and some of those pitches - in 6,000 at Lower Mead on Christ- it was great to see all the old Genoa, and particularly, mas morning and 4,000 for the faces again - whether it’s here were excellent. Wembley was return at Hendon on Boxing or at Lower Mead, Wealdstone very heavy after the snow and day - people would look forward holds a place in my heart and it you can see why so many players to those games but there would always will.”

harlie’s wife of 51 years, Margaret, was down the table at us and grinning. On the way watching Wealdstone long before the out Vinnie Burgess (the Wealdstone coach) midfielder ever appeared in the blue and joked that I must be his sister as he’d never Cwhite! Her dad, Stan Savage, and her three invited anyone before!” brothers were football-mad, and started to Margaret was extraordinarily devoted both watch their local side after moving down from to Charlie and the Stones, watching every Northumberland to Stanmore after the war. single game he played or the club, in an era “I first came to games at Lower Mead from when WAGS were just something a dog’s tail the age of 12” she said, “but I first met Charlie did. when he was playing with one of my brothers “Not many wives and girlfriends watched in a Sunday League Cup Final at Finchley FC the games” she reflected, “but it was wonder- in 1963. He was very quiet but he asked me ful watching Charlie play. I enjoyed every one. along to the Wealdstone FC dinner that sea- He talks down his ability but he really was son - and I could see all the players peering hugely respected in that amateur era.” CHARLIE TOWNSEND

PIC. Graham Smith