Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).Indd 1 04/08/2019 19:12:37 WALTHAMSTOW FOOTBALL CLUB Match Day Centres, Wadham Lodge, Kitchener Road, Walthamstow, London, E17 4JP

WALTHAMSTOW FOOTBALL CLUB SPORTING BENGAL UTD BENGAL SPORTING vs 2019 // 3PM August Saturday 10th Round Preliminary Extra Cup // FA Lodge Wadham

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 1 04/08/2019 19:12:37 WALTHAMSTOW FOOTBALL CLUB Match Day Centres, Wadham Lodge, Kitchener Road, Walthamstow, London, E17 4JP

CLUB MANAGEMENT President: June Brazier Chairman & Secretary: Andy Perkins Vice Chairman: Steve Howe Company Secretary: Vacant Treasurer: Vacant Communications Manager & Assistant Secretary: Andrzej Perkins Club Historian: David Chapman Charter Standard & Veterans Secretary: Tony Brazier

Life Members: A. Brazier M.B.E., J. Brazier, D. Chapman, D. Crabb, C.E. Gross, K.J. Harris, S. Howe, G. Larkbey, A. P. Perkins, D. Salmon, D. Thomas, C. Ward, D.E. Ward

FIRST TEAM MANAGEMENT Player/Manager: Ryan Maxwell Assistant Manager: Nick Symons Physio: Lucelta Eugene

MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 2019-20 Editor: Andrzej Perkins Contributors: Tony Brazier, David Chapman, Graham Larkbey, Steve Howe, Aaron Moore, Charlie Ward Photography: Vacant

SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook: facebook.com/walthamstowfc Instagram: @walthamstowfc Twitter: @walthamstowfc YouTube: youtube.com/walthamstowfc Website: walthamstowfc.com

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 2 04/08/2019 19:12:38 ANDRZEJ PERKINS THE EDITOR

ood afternoon everyone, welcome to business from the spot. 1-0 with just five on the clock. Wadham Lodge for this FA Cup Extra But as Vinny Murphy said in his interview after the Preliminary Round tie against Sporting match, we never really got out of second gear. Our Bengal United. composure and effectiveness in the final third meant the victory was particularly comfortable. Just the seven goals for us on Saturday then. Everyone alawys hopes for a positive start, but I think the Today’s game will be significantly different though, I energy and ruthlessness we showed last week caught expect. even the most optimistic of us off-guard a little. Sporting Bengal have been a bit of a bogey side for us in It’s easy to clam up a bit, and let the situation get to recent seasons, and they’ll no doubt be confident again you on opening day, as we saw last season with a 2-2 this afternoon, having started the season with an away draw against Hoddesdon Town. win against Southend Manor. We’ll have to be at our best to get something from the game. The winners of But a feature of our pre-season games, and our first this tie will be at home to Great Wakering Rovers in league game was that we started quickly, and put the the next round. opposition on the back foot right from the off. Emiel Aiken (who had a superb game, despite not scoring) Enjoy the game, could have put us one-up a few minutes before Billy Jones was taken down and Dwade James did the Andrzej

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 3 04/08/2019 19:12:39 CHARLIE WARD THE TREE SURGEON

ell, last Saturday was an uneventful We met Hamlets on a very bad day at the office but, day, just the seven goals for us. we were cruelly clinical in forcing home the advantage.

We certainly hit the ground running and That is a very good sign - I have seen many of our seemed to carry out Ryan’s ethos of fitness and getting teams over the years come up against a side that into the opposition faces, to the highest degree. was undoubtedly poorer than ours and yet we struggled to put them away and on some occasions It was great to see Dwade James back into the usual routine we dropped two points or even three, so it was nice but it was also pleasing to see some debut goal scorers, to see this side are able to put sides to the sword. with Jack Grosvenor & Ryan Reed on the score sheet. I am certainly looking forward to seeing the I suppose, in a way, Billy Jones also scored on highlights on the WD Sportz programme on Tuesday. his debut, certainly this season’s debut anyway. Mind you - if you score seven goals without Also, good debuts for Bennett and Aiken. reply, you would expect to be top of the table at the end of the match but, we were trumped by It was a wonderful all-round team performance and Woodford who outdid us by one goal at Sawbo. some will ask questions about the standard of opposition, you can only beat the opposition you are facing. Today we take our first and we hope, not our last, in this season’s FA Cup.

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 4 04/08/2019 19:12:40 CHARLIE WARD

Our opponents are well known to us in the have at this stage of the season though! shape of Sporting Bengal, who of course ended our end of season unbeaten run, last season. This, of course, is the second of SEVEN home matches on the trot, five of those in the League, which In truth, I think it was a game too far is a ridiculous situation but, we have to get on with it. for us but, we still owe them one today. What we have to make sure of is that we take They like us, got off to a winning start to their advantage of the run of home games and try to League campaign and also kept a clean sheet make home advantage count. We will need to be but, managed to score six goals fewer than us. at our today best as the opposition is pretty stiff.

As the programme needed to be at the printers by We take on Stansted, ESL runners up, next Monday, I do not know, when typing these notes, Saturday and follow that up with a match against if they doubled their points tally in mid-week. newcomers Hadley, who enjoyed a 5-0 opening day victory against Enfield, so no mugs there. What I do know is, we need to get a victory today as we do not want to go out of the Then it’s Hoddesdon, always a hard side to beat FA Cup so early nor do we need a replay. followed by West Essex in the Essex Senior Cup.

Their home ground has not always been a I am sure they will be a different proposition from good venue for us, although we beat fellow the side we beat easily at their place at a similar stadium users, Tower Hamlets, last season, the time of the year, in a League game, last season. percentages over recent seasons are not favourable. But, the encouraging opening performance has What impressed me last Saturday was not just got everyone buzzing and confirms we have to be the performance from those on the pitch but, considered one of the favourites for promotion. the quality that we had to offer off the bench. Let us hope we can make just an impressive start in our Ryan’s biggest problem it seems to me is being able FA Cup campaign. to keep everyone happy. There are worse problems to

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 5 04/08/2019 19:12:41 THE BIG PICTURE 6

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 6 04/08/2019 19:12:41 Ryan Maxwell holds court before last Saturday’s win over Tower Hamlets 7

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 7 04/08/2019 19:12:42 today’s vistors sporting bengal utd

Sporting Bengal finished 8th in the Essex Brasted Memorial Trophy in the Second Senior League. They made a steady start to round by us. the 2018/19 season getting 8 points from the first 5 games and starting the season with two Sporting Bengal also reached the Quarter- draws. final of the Errington Challenge Cup following a narrow 1-nil win over St Margaretsbury They beat Ilford in the Extra Preliminary at the Mile End Stadium but lost 4-3 on round of the FA Cup but were halted at the penalties to West Essex after a 2-2 draw. Preliminary round stage by Brentwood Town following a replay. Their run in the FA Vase They ended the season with 3 points from a also came to an end early, losing 3-2 to Enfield possible 15, winning 1 and losing 4. Their only Borough in the Second Round Qualifying. win in the last 5 games was a 2-0 victory over us whilst they were defeated by Ilford, Saffron They reached the semi-final of the Peter Walden, Southend Manor and Clapton either Butcher Memorial Trophy with wins against side of their win. Saffron Walden in Round 1, Harlow Town Reserves in the second round and Barkingside The biggest win they achieved in the league in the was a 6-0 thrashing of Enfield and their Quarter-final but their Semi-final against biggest loss was a 7-1 at the hand of Clapton Aveley Reserves was abandoned. The Bengal on the final day. Tigers were knocked out of the Gordon 8

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 8 04/08/2019 19:12:43 we’ve met before

ere’s not many teams we can Luke Ifil then rounded off the performance consider to be true bogey with a screamer from about 40 yards. teams, but Sporting Bengal are probably one of them. The game in February 2018 was Ryan Maxwell’s first game in charge for the club Having only beaten them twice in a league following the dismissal of Quyam Shakoor. game in our history, a run of good form against the side from Mile End is probably overdue. We raced into a first minute lead through Christian Owusu, but fielding a bare eleven, The two sides first met in December 2014. who hadn’t even trained together, it was Hassana Traore gave use the lead as early as always going to be an up-hill struggle, and the second minute, finishing a one-on-one Bengal made the most of some goalkeeping chance coolly after being put through by mistakes to win 4-1. Ibrahim Sari.

Traore then got his second, pouncing on a loose ball and firing in from just outside the box after some excellent work from Solomon Ofori and Jose Agua.

There was a sense of good fortune about Forest’s third – Ofori’s initial shot was well saved by the Bengal keeper – but neither of the two defenders on the line could turn the ball away from goal. The first missed the ball completely, while the second could only poke it over the line.

Date Competition Venue Score Result 13/12/2014 Essex Senior League Home 4-0 Won 25/02/2015 Essex Senior League Away 4-4 Drew 10/10/2015 Essex Senior League Home 0-1 Lost 17/02/2016 Essex Senior League Away 1-3 Lost 28/09/2016 Essex Senior League Home 1-0 Won 07/01/2017 Essex Senior League Away 1-5 Lost 16/08/2017 Essex Senior League Home 2-3 Lost 07/02/2018 Essex Senior League Away 1-4 Lost 12/09/2018 Gordon Brasted Trophy Home 4-1 Won 27/10/2018 Essex Senior League Home 1-1 Drew 03/04/2019 Essex Senior League Away 0-2 Lost

WON: 3 DREW: 2 LOST: 6 FOR: 18 AGAINST: 24

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 9 04/08/2019 19:12:43 on this day We’ve only ever played once on the 10th of August. In 2013, we returned to Wadham Lodge after five years playing at Ilford. VCD Athletic were the opponents, having just been promoted from the Kent League. However, it wasn’t to be the perfect return as VCD ran out 5-0 winners. They’d eventually win the league, while we were relegated. Thankfully, we’ve had some more enjoyable times back at Wadham Lodge since then.

The game started slowly but on home side’s first real shot but seven minutes the opening shot unfortunately it was saved by the at Wadham Lodge came from the VCD keeper. This was the only real visitors, however thankfully it went highlight of the half for the home wide of the mark. supporters.

Shortly after that the visitors As half time came James created another opening, this time Dduckworth had another chance it was Vences Bola, but again it but again it was saved by Hasler. came to nothing. The second half started with more However on 17 minutes Ola Rabiu VCD pressure as a free kick taken had a shot nicely saved by Charlie by number Nick Reeves was Hasler from the left hand side, and deflected off the wall and into the within seconds VCD’s Sherwin keepers hands. Stanley scored with an easy half volley into the net to make it 1-0 On the hour mark it was 3-0 to the visitors. with an unfortunate clearance by Hasler as it went straight to the Forest did get a free kick on the left on-rushing Stanley for feet for him hand side, but it came to nothing to tap in his hat-trick. this came to nothing, and on 24 minutes the visitors made it 2-0. Within a few minutes it was 4-0 with a goal from Duckworth firing A long free kick was not dealt with home after the initial shot was by Forest, and Stanley was there saved. again to double the advntage. The day continued to be a long one Within 5 minutes a cross into the for The Stags as Jermaine Findlator Forest box finding Stanley looking was shown a second yellow card. for his hat trick was well saved by Hasler. The misery was compounded for Forest by Vences Bola who scored Almost on half time Forest his side’s fifth thanks to some more Oyetunji Oyewale had the lax Forest defending.

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 10 04/08/2019 19:12:45 2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 11 04/08/2019 19:12:45 STATS STOW

TOTAL MEETINGS | 11 W 3 D2 L 6

STAT ATTACK

TOP SCORER MOST APPS 2 Players (2) 11 players (1) CLEAN YELLOW RED SHEETS CARDS CARDS 1 0 0 SOCIAL MEDIA

5,131 621

TWITTER FACEBOOK @WalthamstowFC @WalthamstowFC

ON THE RECORD

TEN YEAR LEAGUE RECORD LAST 5 GAMES | 12 PTS

Takeley (H) 2-0 W

Sporting Bengal U (A) 0-2 L Isthmian League Division 1 North League Division Isthmian

St Margaretsbury (H) 4-0 W 4th 4th 5th

9th

11th 12th Southend Manor (A) 5-2 W Essex Senior League Senior Essex 16th 17th 17th

20th Tower Hamlets (H) 7-0 W

2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2016-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 (Includes 4 games at end of 2018-19 season)

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 12 04/08/2019 19:12:49 Note: Stats do not show Sporting LIFE Bengal’s midweek fixture SPORTING BENGAL UNITED BIGGEST STOW WIN BIGGEST BENGAL WIN v Sporting Bengal v Stow 4-0 (2014) 5-1 (2017) STAT ATTACK

TOP SCORER MOST APPS Tanvir Ahmed (1) 11 PLAYERS (1) CLEAN YELLOW RED SHEETS CARDS CARDS 1 1 1 SOCIAL MEDIA

3,128 1,123

TWITTER FACEBOOK @SportingBengal @SportingBengal

ON THE RECORD

TEN YEAR LEAGUE RECORD LAST 5 GAMES | 6 PTS

Saffron Walden Town 3-4 L Isthmian League Division 1 North League Division Isthmian Walthamstow (H) 2-0 W

Southend Manor (A) 1-3 L

8th

10th 10th 11th 12th

14th Clapton (A) 1-7 L Essex Senior League Senior Essex Kent Premier League Premier Kent 15th 15th

19th 20th Southend Manor (A) 1-0 W 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2016-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19

(Includes 4 games at end of 2018-19 season)

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 13 04/08/2019 19:12:52 GROUNDHOPPING THE BIG QUESTION NORTH LONDONER MICHAEL GRIMES’ TRIP TO STROUD ENDS IN SOMETHING OF A REALISATION...

It is the 2nd of December, a chilly evening in Stroud. I caught me cold, I’d never thought of myself as a pop into the local Wetherspoons for a quick pint and to groundhopper before, I’ve heard the term and always get some warmth before the next stage of my journey equated it to something like a train spotter, with his back to London via Swindon. At the bar sits an Exeter book and camera, receiving abuse from those actually City fan, he recognises me from the bus I have just travelling the trains up north; puny wimps with pencils, caught from the village of Nailsworth and knows I have being laughed at by the bullies with cans of lager, been to the match. sticking their heads out of the football special at Crewe. I’m not even sure if I answered the question, The match in question being Forest Green Rovers was it a question or just a rhetorical question? verus Exeter City in the FA Cup 2nd round. The game was a bit of a thriller finishing 3-3 after some late and Thing is though it got me thinking; “is he right?, “am I even later goals. He asks me, as all football fans will, one?” “Can it be cured?” So I checked the definition who I support, probably expecting me to be a fellow from the Cambridge online dictionary : “someone who Grecian, despite my London accent. He seems a bit surprised when I mention West Ham. In fact he looks puzzled, a bit like I have suddenly started talking to him in tongues. I tell him that I’m off finishing my 92 grounds this year.

Then he spins it around and says something nobody has ever said to me before: “so you’re a groundhopper then?” That

WORDS: MICHAEL GRIMES PHOTOS: ANDY POTTS

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 14 04/08/2019 19:12:53 goes to watch football games at many different places: questions and argue with the TV, it does annoy my son Groundhoppers travel the world in order to attend though.) I start to make calculations, and realise I may matches of any level in as many stadiums as possible.” be a pensioner and the free bus pass doesn’t quite get Not a very accurate description as this could include you to the Globe Arena. anyone just following their team, home or abroad. So I tried that bastion of truth and font of all knowledge Also there is another reason; I enjoy travelling, yes Wikipeadia: some people would rather Tenerife or the Greek Islands or a bit of adventure in South America, but what’s “Groundhopping is a hobby that involves attending wrong with Accrington on a cold spring morning? matches at as many different stadiums or grounds as Finding out the social history of the place and visiting possible. Participants are known as groundhoppers, the museums, tasting the local beer and even watching hoppers or travellers. Largely a football-related pastime, some football, speaking to fans who’ve supported their groundhopping probably found its origin in football team through thick and thin, and usually thin. No in the 1970s in England. From the late 1980s fans in pretentions of trophies or Premier League status, just Germany started groundhopping as well. Currently it happy to turn up and in some cases help out the club is especially popular in the United Kingdom, Germany, when they can. the Netherlands, Belgium and Norway.” Once I reached the promised land of the 92 there Ok that’s a bit more descriptive but still doesn’t tell me was nowhere else to go, in the PL and EFL anyway. if I am one. Yes I travel different grounds and stadiums, So this season decided to dip my toe into the non- the reason for doing the 92 was mainly the fact I league, from bottom to top and do at least one club had done so many over the years, I thought why not from tier 11 (Step 7) to the National League. Now this complete the lot? It’s a bit like having is where the true anorak lives, on an autumn night at some stickers missing from your Harpenden I overheard a groundhopper say how he Panini album and you keep was doing all Step 5 clubs after previously finishing telling yourself you’ll finish the higher tiers, now that’s serious, that’s 14 divisions this one day. Then you with approximately 20 clubs each. He’s also come from ask yourself “when Leicester to do so, whilst his mates pulled straws for is this day going elsewhere. That’s where my head boggled, I can’t see to come?” (yes myself doing that…not soon anyway. I do ask myself

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 15 04/08/2019 19:12:53 Another thing that struck me on my journeys is that or discuss the fact they’ve just travelled all night by you stick out like a sore thumb, go to a ground and Eurostar from Lille to get there, almost happened, someone will inevitably come up to you and tell you a bit of poetic licence…it was all morning, but you you are a groundhopper, not sure why that is, maybe get the point. You also end up spotting the spotters the camera snapping away, or the fact you are carefully yourself, the end can result in some friendships and writing down notes. It seems you can take as many companionships on future trips. selfies as you want and be anonymous as you wish, but get a notebook out and you will look as conspicuous as So despite all this I don’t feel I’ve truly answered my a fat man in a ushanka crawling around a US military own question: am I a groundhopper? Well I certainly base. People will then look at you worryingly and move go to as many grounds as possible, though I will always away, thoughts going through their heads “he’s writing support West Ham. I do sometimes tick them off, about me, isn’t he, what’s he saying?” though I haven’t counted how many I’ve done yet… true groundhoppers know this information down cold. Whilst surreptitiously peering over to take a look. On Do I want to go to as many stadiums as possible? Well the other side you do get locals and other hoppers within reason…if it interests me I’ll go. Do I enjoy it? come up to you, first informing you that you are a Yes you bet I do. groundhopper (thanks), then striking up a conversation. My conclusion: I am what I am and enjoy what I do, The local will ask why did you travel 300 miles to if people want to label me something for convenience Workington on a winter’s day to see this shite… laugh then so be it, who am I to argue? loudly and tell his mates, this did happen by the way,

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 16 04/08/2019 19:12:54

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 17 04/08/2019 19:12:54 FIXTURES & RESULTS F-A Cmp 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Sub 1 Sub 2 Sub 3 Unused Aug Sat 3 H Tower Hamlets 7-0 ESL Bransgrove Bennett Gulliver Folan Murphy Grosvenor 1 Jones 2 Crilley * James 2 Aiken * Gebrai * Fortune (10) Douglas (8) Reed (11) 1 Yexley / McCullock Sat 10 H Sporting Bengal United FAC Sat 17 H Stansted ESL Sat 24 H Hadley ESL Sep Sat 7 H Hoddesdon Town ESL Wed 10 H West Essex ESC Sat 14 A Enfield ESL Wed 18 H Ilford ESL Sat 21 H Takeley ESL Wed 25 A Clapton ESL Sat 28 H Cockfosters ESL Oct Tue 8 A St Margaretsbury ESL Sat 19 A Redbridge ESL Wed 23 A Sporting Bengal United ESL Sat 26 A Southend Manor ESL Nov Sat 2 A Ilford ESL Sat 9 H Saffron Walden Town ESL Tue 12 H Woodford Town ESL Sat 16 A Tower Hamlets ESL Sat 23 H Southend Manor ESL Sat 30 H Hashtag United ESL Dec Sat 7 A West Essex ESL Sat 21 A Hashtag United ESL Jan Sat 4 H Clapton ESL Sat 11 A Hoddesdon Town ESL Sat 18 A Stansted ESL Feb Sat 8 H Sawbridgeworth Town ESL Sat 15 A Hadley ESL Sat 22 A Takeley ESL Sat 29 H Enfield ESL Mar Sat 7 A Saffron Walden Town ESL Sat 14 A Sawbridgeworth Town ESL Wed 18 H West Essex ESL Sat 28 H St Margaretsbury ESL Apr Fri 3 A Woodford Town ESL Sat 11 H Redbridge ESL Sat 18 A Cockfosters ESL Sat 25 H Sporting Bengal United ESL TBC Buckhurst Hill ETT 2nd Round FAV Hashtag United GBT Tower Hamlets ERC

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 18 04/08/2019 19:12:54 F-A Cmp 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Sub 1 Sub 2 Sub 3 Unused Aug Sat 3 H Tower Hamlets 7-0 ESL Bransgrove Bennett Gulliver Folan Murphy Grosvenor 1 Jones 2 Crilley * James 2 Aiken * Gebrai * Fortune (10) Douglas (8) Reed (11) 1 Yexley / McCullock Sat 10 H Sporting Bengal United FAC Sat 17 H Stansted ESL Sat 24 H Hadley ESL Sep Sat 7 H Hoddesdon Town ESL Wed 10 H West Essex ESC Sat 14 A Enfield ESL Wed 18 H Ilford ESL Sat 21 H Takeley ESL Wed 25 A Clapton ESL Sat 28 H Cockfosters ESL Oct Tue 8 A St Margaretsbury ESL Sat 19 A Redbridge ESL Wed 23 A Sporting Bengal United ESL Sat 26 A Southend Manor ESL Nov Sat 2 A Ilford ESL Sat 9 H Saffron Walden Town ESL Tue 12 H Woodford Town ESL Sat 16 A Tower Hamlets ESL Sat 23 H Southend Manor ESL Sat 30 H Hashtag United ESL Dec Sat 7 A West Essex ESL Sat 21 A Hashtag United ESL Jan Sat 4 H Clapton ESL Sat 11 A Hoddesdon Town ESL Sat 18 A Stansted ESL Feb Sat 8 H Sawbridgeworth Town ESL Sat 15 A Hadley ESL Sat 22 A Takeley ESL Sat 29 H Enfield ESL Mar Sat 7 A Saffron Walden Town ESL Sat 14 A Sawbridgeworth Town ESL Wed 18 H West Essex ESL Sat 28 H St Margaretsbury ESL Apr Fri 3 A Woodford Town ESL Sat 11 H Redbridge ESL Sat 18 A Cockfosters ESL Sat 25 H Sporting Bengal United ESL TBC Buckhurst Hill ETT 2nd Round FAV Hashtag United GBT Tower Hamlets ERC

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 19 04/08/2019 19:12:54 classic programme david chapman ood afternoon to everyone and England Amateur cap. especially, to Sporting Bengal. Today is ‘Cup Day’. In my youth The two going on were Ken Facey who later this was the most important game joined the Orient, where he was captain, and Len of the season, unless you progressed to the next Casey who played for Chelsea. Leyton had to round. make a late change as Len Gardiner went down with rheumatic flu and was replaced by Ken Yeo. All the home supporters will remember last seasons heroic performance away at Felixstowe We were up against it after only five minutes & Walton United. When even reduced to nine when Harry Dixon deflected a free kick into his men we still came away with a comfortable own goal. victory. After only ten minutes another defected shot Just looked to see if we had the evil eye over came off Ray Pullinger for Chester’s second. Sporting Bengal – sadly no. Last season we Luck seemed to be going the home sides way. did beat them in Gordon Brasted Trophy but ‘Un’Sporting took four points off us in the However, Charlie Fitch rose to head home to league. bring us back into the game just after the half hour mark. Chester regained their two-goal Todays classic programme takes us back to advantage when after a scramble the ball went in the last time we progressed beyond the First off the post. Talk about unlucky Leyton. Round Proper – years before we even made the Quarter Finals – in 1951. It is a year I remember Shortly after the restart Johnny Goddard had a as it was the Festival of Britain. I remember goal disallowed for off-side! The superior staying going to the South Bank to marvel at the Shot power of the professionals counted when a drop Tower and the Skylon. shot added their fourth.

Meanwhile back to December 1951. Ten days Ted Hasley scored again for Leyton in the 73rd before Christmas Leyton travelled to Chester minute. Only for Chester to add a final fifth. We City to take on the Third Division North side in gave it our best shot. The final score Chester the Second Round of the FA Challenge Cup. City Five, Leyton Two.

Leyton had already beaten Cheshunt, Eton Chester City went on to play Chelsea in the Manor, Woodford Town and Walthamstow Third Round where they held out for a replay Avenue. Having reached the First Round Proper against that seasons eventual semi-finalists. we beat Chippenham Town at home three nil. Annoyingly, in the programme the editor posed So on to the train for the journey north via three questions in ‘Puzzle Time’ – the answers to Crewe for Chester. The team put up on Friday be given next week! night at the Queens Hotel, a few steps away. One was ‘What famous Music Hall artiste was What we did not know then was we had two actually signed by Chelsea as an inside forward’. players destined for higher things and that Answer next week if I remember or can find it! our captain, Ken Yenson would be awarded an And no, the answer is not Graham Larkbey.

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 20 04/08/2019 19:12:55 21

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 21 04/08/2019 19:12:56 2 -Sporting Bengal United(FA Cup)(2).indd 22 jack grosvenor 04/08/2019 19:12:56 jack grosvenor

One of the biggest defensive talents in the Essex Senior, Jack joined in the club in the summer from Woodford Town. He scored on his debut last week against Tower Hamlets.

WHAT YOUTH CLUB(S) DID YOU PLAY FOR? I played for a team called Eclipse which was a local team to me before playing for Woodford.

WHO WAS YOUR FOOTBALLING IDOL GROWING UP? Apart from Vinny [Murphy], I’d have to say Rio Ferdinand because of the position I play.

WHAT DID/DO YOU SUPPORT AND WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THAT TEAM? I get a lot of stick for this but I had Manchester United wallpaper when I was 7. I then supported Leyton Orient but they got relegated so now its Arsenal.

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT IN FOOTBALL? Scoring in an FA Cup match has got to be my biggest achievement.

WHAT ARE YOU AMBITIONS? I want to win the league and every cup we’re in.

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT PLAYING WHO IS THE WORST DRESSED? FOR WALTHAMSTOW? I have to say Emiel [Aiken]. I saw him wearing tracksuit The intensity during training from the gaffer Ryan bottoms and a polo shirt and you just can’t do that. [Maxwell]. WHO HAS THE WORST TASTE IN MUSIC? WHAT IS THE BEST GAME YOU’VE BEEN I have to say Emiel again. INVOLVED IN? Today’s game [a 7-0 win over Tower Hamlets] has got WHO HAS THE WORST BANTER? to be up there with a win, a goal and a clean sheet. Benji [Crilley] has some of the worst banter. It’s the mannerisms and just they way he does it WHAT WOULD BE YOUR DREAM CLUB TO PLAY FOR? WHO THINKS THEY ARE THE CLUB’S HARD Real Madrid because they are one of the best MAN? I’d had to say the gaffer, Ryan Maxwell.

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 23 04/08/2019 19:12:57 player in focus

leon lalite 24

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 24 04/08/2019 19:12:58 LEON WAS ONE OF THE PLAYERS FORMER MANAGER HAKAN HAYRETTIN COVETED THE MOST. HE DIDN’T HANG AROUND FOR LONG THOUGH... Leon Lalite (or Leon Bell as he was known when playing Forest, but only made two appearances before moving for Forest) has had quite the non-league career. back to Harlow. For all Hayrettin’s hard work in signing Lalite, his Forest career was over before it even started. He began his career with Barnet, making his senior debut on the final day of the 1999-2000 season, as Leon spent the next five season with Harlow, a mainstay Barnet drew 1-1 away to Rochdale. He made 15 futher in a team which was promoted to the Isthmian Premier appearances for Barnet next season, but couldn’t help in 2005-6, but relegated in 2008-9. them from getting relegated from the football league. From there he moved to Thurrock, linking up with He was an almost ever-present the next season in the Hayrettin again. After two seasons at The Fleet, Lalite Conference, turning out 28 times and scoring twice, returned to Harlow, only to reunite with Hayrettin earning a move to Stevenage Borough the following for a second time, this time at Grays Athletic. Here, season. he was instrumental in Grays winning the Isthmian Division 1 North title, losing just four games all season. It’s here where he caught Forest manager Hakan Hayrettin’s eye, and despite spells for Boreham Wood, The following season back in the Isthmian Premier Bristol Rovers and Cambridge City, Hayrettin always was Lalite’s last one playing senior Saturday football, coveted Lalite, and was sure he could get him playing though he was part of the New Salamis team who won for Forest. the FA Sunday Cup two years running.

After a brief stop at Harlow, Lalite finally signed for

League Cup Total Season Club Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals 1999-0 Barnet 1 1 2000-1 Barnet 15 15 2001-2 Barnet 28 2 6 34 2 2002-3 Stevenage Borough 14 14 2002-3 Boreham Wood 2003-4 Bristol Rovers 2 2 2003-4 Cambridge City 2003-4 Harlow Town 2003-4 Waltham Forest 2 2 2004-5 Harlow Town 2005-6 Harlow Town 2006-7 Harlow Town 2007-8 Harlow Town 2008-9 Harlow Town 2009-10 Thurrock 40 3 3 43 3 2010-11 Thurrock 2011-12 Harlow Town 2012-13 Grays Athletic 37 1 13 50 1 2013-14 Grays Athletic 22 1 10 32 1 Overall 161 7 32 193 7 25

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 25 04/08/2019 19:12:58 PROUD SPONSORS OF WALTHAMSTOW FC

222 CHINGFORD RD, E17 5AL | DOGANDDUCK-E17.CO.UK [email protected] | 020 8523 3111 26

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 26 04/08/2019 19:12:58 ESSEX SENIOR LEAGUE (Does not include midweek games) P W D L GF GA GD PTS 1 Woodford Town 1 1 0 0 8 0 8 3 2 Walthamstow 1 1 0 0 7 0 7 3 3 Hadley 1 1 0 0 5 0 5 3 4 Redbridge 1 1 0 0 3 0 3 3 5 Takeley 1 1 0 0 3 0 3 3 6 Sporting Bengal United 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 3 7 Stansted 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 3 8 Saffron Walden Town 1 0 1 0 3 3 0 1 9 West Essex 1 0 1 0 3 3 0 1 10 Clapton 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 Hashtag United 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 Hoddesdon Town 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 Ilford 1 0 0 1 0 1 -1 0 14 Southend Manor 1 0 0 1 0 1 -1 0 15 Cockfosters 1 0 0 1 0 3 -3 0 16 St Margaretsbury 1 0 0 1 0 3 -3 0 17 Enfield 1 0 0 1 0 5 -5 0 18 Tower Hamlets 1 0 0 1 0 7 -7 0 19 Sawbridgeworth Town 1 0 0 1 0 8 -8 0

SELECTED FA CUP FIXTURES

Woodford Town Fri White Ensign Clapton v Stowmarket Town Crawley Green v Takeley FC Clacton v St Margaretsbury Fairford Town Football Club v Enfield PROUD SPONSORS OF Hadley v Redbridge Ilford v Harwich & Parkeston Leyton Athletic v Cockfosters WALTHAMSTOW FC Sawbridgeworth Town v Halstead Town Southend Manor v Long Melford Tower Hamlets v Selsey Walthamstow v Sporting Bengal United Barkingside Sun Stansted 222 CHINGFORD RD, E17 5AL | DOGANDDUCK-E17.CO.UK Hoddesdon Town Sun Brantham Athletic [email protected] | 020 8523 3111 West Essex Sun Whitton United 27

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 27 04/08/2019 19:12:58 It was the perfect opening day for Walthamstow as they kept a clean sheet and got off to a winning start by thrashing Tower Hamlets 7-0. The home side won the physical battle and created the better chances as they brushed the visitors aside. 7 Stow got going when referee pointed to the spot as Billy Jones was upended in the box. Dwade James made no mistake from the spot, putting Walthamstow ahead less than five minutes into the game. 0

Walthamstow were 2-0 up after 28 minutes when Benji Crilley headed in from a 03.08.19 corner moments before Aiken saw his header rattle of the crossbar. By the 31st Essex Senior League minute of the game, Stow were three to the good when Billy Jones closed down the keeper and saw his deflected shot bounce into the goal. All the best to Walthamstow FC for the 2019-20 season Right at the end of the first half, Jones had his second of the game. Samrai Gebrai did well on the right-hand side before Jones had the audacity to take a touch over the from Wild Card Brewery keeper and tap the ball into an open net.

James had his second of the game and Walthamstow’s fifth when Aiken pulled the ball back, allowing James to smash the ball into the net. The scoring continued and with 15 minutes left to play, Jack Grosvenor joined in, heading the ball in from a corner to put the home side 6-0 up.

Both James and Jones had opportunities to score their hattricks but neither could find the back of the net before Ryan Reed scored the 7th and final goal of the game in the 90th minute from a good cross. @wildcardbrewery wildcardbrewery.co.uk 28

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 28 04/08/2019 19:12:59 All the best to Walthamstow FC for the 2019-20 season from Wild Card Brewery

@wildcardbrewery wildcardbrewery.co.uk 29

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 29 04/08/2019 19:12:59 30

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 30 04/08/2019 19:12:59 Wish Walthamstow FC all the best for the new season!

53 Hoe Street, Walthamstow, E17 4SA

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 31 04/08/2019 19:13:00 match action

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 32 04/08/2019 19:13:02 The Beer Hunter The Great British Beer Festival’s opening day on Tuesday provided the ideal opportunity to raise a number of glasses to our fantastic win last Saturday! Hopefully, we can repeat that today - a warm welcome to one and all for our first step towards Wembley glory in the FA Cup. Well, we can always dream...

In the event of today’s game resulting in a replay, what’s the pub/beer situation in the vicinity of the Mile End Stadium? Sadly, the answer is (to put it politely) not very promising, with the nearest pub over a quarter of a mile away. Having said that, it sounds like a good ‘un - the Star of the East at 805a Commercial Road, Limehouse (pictured).

This is a splendid-looking Grade 2 listed building which has been stylishly refurbished by the Old Spot Pub Company, according to that essential traveller’s guide, the CAMRA Whatpub website (whatpub.com). The wooden-floored downstairs bar is a mixture of booths, tables and comfy chairs, lit by chandeliers, and pictures of East London decorate the walls. The bar offers a choice of four handpumps and 11 keg lines; house beer is Fuller’s London Pride, supplemented by three changing guests, often from East London Brewery or Rebellion of Marlow (both always recommended). Sounds like the place to head for!

If you have time in hand and fancy exploring, the Crown (667 Commercial Road) is a traditional corner local with one handpump offering a changing national beer. Or head up Barnes Street from Limehouse station and you’ll find two more small pubs, the Old Ship and the Queen’s Arms - but right beside the station, the former Railway Tavern has been taken over by the Craft Beer Co who have done a very good upgrade on it while retaining its character and many original features. No shortage of choice here, with six handpumps and 21 (count ‘em!) keg taps, plus an impressive range of bottled beers including German and Belgian brews. The only problem may be tearing yourself away to head for the match....! 33

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 33 04/08/2019 19:13:02 OUR HISTORY The history of our great club is not what you’d call the second round three times. straightforward. Having reformed on at least three occasions, we’ve played under seven different names, After a successful 1950s and 60s, things dried up for but can lay claim to being the second-oldest club in Leyton, and by the 1970s they could not carry on, London, and one of the oldest in the country. so a merger was completed with Wingate from north London. The initial Leyton FC was formed in 1868 when The Reverent Morgan Lloyd obtained a pitch behind The The pinnacle of this club was winning the Athenian Lion & Key public house. The first Leyton played League in 1982, but by the early 90s with most of mainly friendlies, but did take part in the FA Cup, the former ‘Wingate’ committee now either deceased before folding in 1880 when they lost their ground. or having had left, the newly-merged Wingate & Finchley requested Leyton drop the ‘Wingate’ title Seven years later, the members of Matlock Cricket from their name. Club, based on Hoe Street established a football club named after the Matlock Villas, which overlooked the By 1995, the Hare & Hounds was really beginning to club’s pitch. In 1894, Swifts moved out of Leyton, to show its age, and with Leyton not having the funds a new ground in Blackhorse Road, Walthamstow. This to bring it up to standard, a merger was completed lasted just a season though, as the club moved back to with Walthamstow Pennant, with the new club being Leyton and changed their name to Leyton FC in the Leyton Pennant and playing at Wadham Lodge. process. This club spent most of its life in Divisions One and The club won the Essex Senior Cup on no fewer than Two of the Isthmian League, with no notable success, five occasions, and the London Senior Cup, as well as save for two London Challenge Cup final appearances. the South Essex League four times. It’s first season in 1995 saw the club finish 4th in Division One, but it was mostly mid-table obscurity Leyton turned professional in 1904, joining the after that. London League. The following year, Leyton moved to Osborne Road, which would later become Leyton In 2003 the club changed names to Waltham Forest, Orient’s Brisbane Road. and were bankrolled heavily with aspirations of playing in the Football League. Sadly, these never came In April 1912 a loan by a donor was called-in, and to fruition and an Essex Senior Cup was the only without any hope of paying it, the club disbanded for silverware to show for it. a second time. Disputes with the then-management at Wadham Only a year later a third Leyton was formed, but this Lodge in 2008 saw the club exiled for five seasons, incarnation was extremely short-lived. The outbreak playing in Ilford. The first season back at Wadham of war meant there was essentially no one to watch or Lodge, in 2013 ended in relegation to the Essex play for the club, and it was suspended. Senior League for the first time in the club’s history.

The fourth Leyton was established in 1919, and it In 2018, the club changed names once more to would be arguably the most successful period for the Walthamstow FC. We hope this new change kick- club, now back at the Hare and Hounds. Leyton won starts success both on and off the field, and enables the FA Amateur Cup (now FA Trophy) twice, and the club to form part of the local community which were runners-up on four more occasions. They also deserves a thriving non-league club. reached the first round of the FA Cup four times and 34

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 34 04/08/2019 19:13:02 HONOURS As Leyton FC (1868-1894) As Leyton-Wingate FC FA Cup Second Round: 1875/6 (1976-1992) FA Cup First Round: 1874/5, 1876/7, 1878/9 FA Cup First Round: 1985/6 Athenian League Champions: 1981/2 As Matlock Swifts (1887-1895) Athenian League Division One Champions: 1976/7 Essex Junior Cup Winners: 1893/4 Essex Senior Trophy Winners: 1984/5 London Junior Cup Winners: 1894/5 Isthmian League Division Two (N) Champions: 1984/5 Leyton & District Alliance Champions: 1892/3, 1893/4 Herald Cup Winners: 1891/2 As Pennant FC and Walthamstow Pennant FC (1965 – 1995) As Leyton FC (1876-1904) London Senior Cup Runners-Up: 1990/1 Essex Senior Cup: 1896/7, 1897/8, 1899/0, 1900/1, 1901/2, 1902/3 London Junior Cup Winners: 1974/5 London Senior Cup Winners: 1903/4 SW League Junior Cup Winners: 1968/9 South Essex League Champions: 1895/6, 1876/7, 1899/0, 1899/0 SW League Intermediate Cup Winners: 1969/70 Walthamstow Charity Cup Winners: 1896/7 SW League Senior Cup Winners: 1970/71 Walthamstow Charity Cup Runners-Up: 1897/8, 1901/2 SW League Premier League Winners: 1972/3 West Ham Charity Cup Runners-Up: 1900/1 London Metropolitan League Winners: 1974/5 London Metropolitan League Runners-Up: 1978/9, 1979/80, 1981/2 As Leyton FC (Professional) (1904-1912) London Metropolitan League Intermediate Cup Runners-Up: FA Cup Third Round: 1909/10 1977/8, 1978/9 FA Cup First Round: 1910/1, 1911/2 Spartan Reserve League Winners: 1980/1, 1990/1 London Challenge Cup Runners-Up: 1908/9 Spartan Reserve League Runners-Up: 1987/8 Southern League Division 2 Runners-Up: 1905/6 Spartan Reserve League Cup Winners: 1980/1, 1988/9, 1990/1

As Leyton FC (1919-1976) As Waltham Forest FC and Leyton Pennant FC FA Amateur Cup Winners: 1926/7, 1927/8 (1995-2018) FA Amateur Cup Runners-Up: 1928/9, 1933/4, 1936/7, 1951/2 Essex Senior Cup Winners: 2005/6 FA Cup Second Round: 1925/6, 1929/30, 1951/2 London Challenge Cup Runners-Up: 1995/6, 1996/7 FA Cup First Round: 1927/8, 1928/9, 1952/3, 1955/6 Essex Senior Trophy Winners: 1995/6 Athenian League Champions: 1928/9, 1965/6, 1966/7 Eastern Floodlit Cup Winners: 1997/8, 1998/9 Essex Senior Cup Winners: 1929/30, 1930/1, 1934/5 Essex & Herts Champion’s Cup Winners: 1996/7 Essex Senior Cup Runners-Up: 1932/3, 1949/50 Essex & Herts Border Comb Cup Winners: 1996/7 London Senior Cup Runners-Up: 1933/4, 1937/8, 1945/6 London Intermediate Cup Runners-Up: 1996/7 London Challenge Cup Runners-Up: 1927/8 Suburban League Division Winners: 2005/6 London League Champions: 1923/4, 1925/5, 1925/6 Essex Veterans Cup Winners: 2017/8, 2018/9 Essex Thameside Trophy Winners: 1951/2, 1963/4, 1966/7, 1992/3 Essex Thameside Trophy Runners-Up: 1964/5, 1972/3 Youth Teams East Anglian Cup Winners: 1972/3 EJA Under 18s Trophy Winners: 2003/4 Grays & Tilbury Cup Winners: 1939/40, 1941/2 (shared) EJA Under 15s Trophy Runners-Up: 2014/5 Grays & Tilbury Cup Runners-Up: 1942/3 Conference Youth League: Winners: 2005/6 London Charity Winners: 1934/5, 1936/7 Pelly Cup Runners-Up: 2005/6 London Charity Runners-Up: 1932/3, 1946/7, 1966/7, 1970/1 West Ham Charity Cup Winners: 1929/30 Awards West Ham Charity Cup Runners-Up: 1924/5, 1925/6 Essex County FA Website of the Year: 2012 Leyton & Walthamstow Hospital Cup Winners: 1925/6 Essex Senior League Programme of the Year: 2017/8 35

2 - Sporting Bengal United (FA Cup) (2).indd 35 04/08/2019 19:13:02 WALTHAMSTOW SPORTING BENGAL UTD

MANAGER: MANAGER: RYAN MAXWELL IMRUL GAZI

James Bransgrove 1 Joshua Adeji Jamie Bennett 2 Aqil Ahmed Kyan Gulliver 3 Syed Tanvir Ahmed Jack Folan 4 Sadique Ali Jack Grosvenor 5 Anthony Bruce-Murray Vinny Murphy 6 Codey Cameron Billy Jones 7 Steven Carvell Ben Crilley 8 Rokib Choudhury Dwade James 9 Jordan Dixon-Walker Emiel Aiken 10 Kamarl Duncan Samrai Gebrai 11 Raul Gazi

Charlie Yexley 12 Charles Gregory Ryan Reed 14 Amir Hamzah Olly Fortune 15 Adil Haque Danny McCullock 16 Ali Jalo Gus Douglas 17 Modou Jammeh

NEXT MATCHES Stansted (H) Hadley (H) Hoddesdon Town (H) 17.9.19 // 7.45PM 24.9.19 // 3PM 7.9.19 // 3PM

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