C O M M E N T S
/  H I G H L I G H T S

LL

Not Completed

FAC

Not Completed

AC

Not Completed

LC

Not Started

SCS

Not Completed

President

Arthur W.Turner

All re-elected

Chairman

Herbert Charles Pettett

All re-elected

Secretary

Harry Hawke

All re-elected

Manager

Selection Committee

All re-elected

Treasurer

Len Anderson

Asst Bill Townsend

All re-elected

SEASON
SUSPENDED FOR WORLD WAR II - Declared 3rd September 1939

THE BOOK confirms that there was no Reserve Team again for
39/40 as Epsom Town were groundsharing with

Epsom FC this
season, following Venners Sports decision to return to New Malden.

Home
Ground:

West Street, Ewell

Woodford and Hersham are new teams in the London League
this year. Bostall Heath and Finchley have now left league.

May 39 Epsom are rejected by Athenian League again, but
Finchley are accepted. Bostall Heath lose ground for housing

and fold. They played at Wickham Street, Welling.
Wandsworth also lose their ground and leave. Wembley Town were

originally accepted but problems with the Council led to
an issue with the ground and the League withdrew the offer.

June 39 It is
reported that the Committee are keen on reforming a Reserve Team, but this
doesn't happen.

This is because of the formation of a new team, Epsom
Town. They are separate to Epsom F.C. but will share West

Street on
alternate Saturdays.

June 39
Reference to Epsom Harriers now using Gibraltar Rec.

June 39 Tufnell Park Leave Isthmian League, as their
ground is to be lost in September. London Caledonians, who share

with Tufnell Park are left with no alternative but to
fold, while Park groundshare with Golders Green for the war years, at

Claremont Road, now home to Hendon F.C. who were
originally Golders Green F.C. Caledonians had tried Walton, but

found it too
expensive.

June 39 Attempts to form a "real" Surrey County
League are proposed at Walton's Annual Dinner. Proposed to include

Epsom, Walton,
Carshalton and Hersham.

30/6/39 reported that Roy Marlow has signed for Aston
Villa. He now holds three International Caps. He is currently 14 1/2

and helping dad Reg, the former 20's and 30's Epsom goal
scorer in his grocery business at Ruxley Lane. He will play

for a local
club until he is 16, but will get trips up to Villa Park for special training
from time to time.

1/7/39
Marriage of Dick Wilson, regular Epsom FC player for seven seasons, to Bertha
Smith, who was a keen

supporter of
the club. Bertha was sister of future Committee member Wilf Smith.

8/7/39 Sports Day for Goblin Sports and Social Club at
West Street. Prog Y.
It was their first and probably last Sports Day.

Many events listed in the programme, but no recognisable
names connected with the club. Just a private hire it appears.

AGM 17/7/39
announced a profit of £24.16s.4d

Vice-Chairman G.King presided in the absence of Chairman
Charles Pettett. Reference to 1938/39 season with Pld: 39

W25, D1, L13  F 103
A 67. It says top scorers were Jones (18), Solly (17), Collins (16), Curtis
(13), Stenning (10).

My records agree with most of this, but have Jones 2
extra, with Solly and Collins one less. Club is often wrong on this.

Jones was selected for International trials for Wales, and
rep matches for London League v Surrey Senior League, and v

Royal Navy and Marines. Basil Solly, Billy Heal, Bryn
Evans and Tommy Rochester also had rep matches this year.

Stated that Bryn Evans hadn't missed a game in 2 1/2 years
since joining, yet appears to have missed the Dunkerque

away game in 37/38 and the T & M game on 28/1/39. He did. Club is wrong. Bobby
Gill was club captain last season.

During 1938/39
Venners Sports had been co-tenants, but they are returning to their old
ground.

Epsom's new co-tenants are Epsom Town football club, who
are in the Surrey Senior League this year, and are a new club.

"A new club which has no official connection
whatsoever to this club" "Quite separate" Very unusual
statements, indicating

possible hostility towards the club, the root of which
might be found in Herald between Jan-Jun 1939 (currently missing).

Income and Expenditure: Total Income £775 9s.7d inclusive
of v-p donations £48 16s, Members subs and season tickets

£30 9s.7d, Adverts and programmes £66 0s. 6d, Catering
profit £29, League matches £289 16s cup comps £158 16s.6d,

Share of gates
£21 18s. 9d. Rent received £125.

Expenditure: £750 13s. 3d inclusive of players expenses
and refreshments £231 6s.10d, ground upkeep and cost of

groundsman £136 0s. 10d, Adverts, stationery and postage
£100 6s. 8d. Last years deficiency was £590 7s 6d, which has

now been reduced to £542 6s.8d. Non-playing members costs
are up from 1s to 2s 6d, but players costs remain at 1s.

Arthur W Turner re-elected as President. Harry Hawke
advised that although Charles Pettett was President of the new

Epsom Town club, he should remain as Chairman, and the
members agreed. Len Anderson (Treasurer) and Bill Townsend

(Asst Trees), Harry Hawke (Sec), EA Taylor (Publicity) and
DWG Jones (Press). Committee re-elected except P.Parr,

E White, and EA Taylor, but addition of JW Hockley, AE
Shelbert and one vacancy to be filled by co-option. Hunt, Denyer

and Co are
elected Auditors, and Harry Cottee is still groundsman, while Mrs Parr still
helps at the canteen.

July 39 Epsom, Leatherhead & District Schools FA
meeting Sec JW Gregory said that Epsom had been put on the

football map by Roy Marlow of Ewell Central School and had
3 Internationals. Thanked Epsom for loan of the ground

at Christmas
1938 for Surrey v Kent and other matches.

July 39 reference to PO Engineers who offered the use of
their ground to London Caledonians, but they disbanded after the

loss of their ground. Their opening FA Cup tie on 2/9 is
Camberley & Y (H) but it is not played. Ned Kelly was their founder

in 1932, and
he would come over to Epsom in the late 40's. Harry Tiffany and J.Judge are
there currently.

However Kelly
resigns from PO Engineers in Aug 39 citing "official business" -
presume war related.

Aug 39 Roy Marlow signs for Sutton. David Wesley leaves
Epsom for Sutton. Roy Marlow is on Aston Villa's books too.

Both Epsom
sides will have trials shortly and on different days says Herald.

David Wesley gives the club plenty of notice, and Epsom
are grateful for this. Wesley said it was not an easy decision,

"but it
is only human that players have personal ambitions" and London League
football wasn't helping.

August 39
Corinthians and Casuals have now merged, and will play in Isthmian League as
Corinthian Casuals.

Aug 39 Tot
Winship and Bill Ruffell at Hersham

Aug 39 Gordon Brogdale (listed as George) played and
scored for Romford v Dartford on 16/09/39 as they lost 4-1.

This report
was in Croydon Advertiser - he is also Captain of Cameo C.C. in Croydon

Aug 39 Prospects for Epsom FC. Trial was held on 19/8/39 -
Probables v Possibles. Welch remains in goal, after playing

in last year's held over cup final, and Hook joined from
Bostall Heath. Reference to the loss of Wesley "one of the best

goalkeepers Epsom ever had". Calvert will remain
despite travelling from Dartford. H Underdown would also have joined

from Bostall Heath, but he doesn't finish work in Arsenal
until 2pm on Saturdays! Calvert was from London Paper Mills.

FA Cup draw sees Epsom FC drawn at home to Hersham, with
the winners to play Sutton or Redhill (venue unknown).

Epsom have
drawn Sutton United in the Surrey Charity Shield and they are the holders
(venue unknown).

23/8/39 Practice trial match v Malden 6.30 k.o. Prince
(prob LA) joins committee. G Bolton will now train the club,

in succession to Sid Bristow, who was looking to stop.
Ground improved due to Mr Cottee. Likely line up at trial on 19/8 is

Probables: H
Welch, G Baker, Bobby Gill, Billy Heal, Bryn Evans, Geoff Collins, HE Hook,
Basil Solly, Tommy

Rochester, Jimmy Jones, AF Curtis. Possibles: J Doe
(local), RC Parminster (local), VE Curd (Worthing), (age 23 6ft 1 in),

Bombardier C Whitehouse, J Stubbs (current), R John
(Lovells Athletic & Swansea, a Welsh International triallist, who had

also had trials with Liverpool, WH Haines (Kingston League
team), H Ruckin (Nunhead, Clapton, Southend), AH Firth

(Worcester
Park, Ewell & Stoneleigh), Fred Stenning (current).

Aug 39 Tot
Winship is now at Hersham.

Aug 39 former player Archie Griffiths leaves Tooting &
Mitcham for Walthamstow Avenue. Returns in October 1940.

Aug 39 Amateur Cup draw has Epsom v Reigate Priory with
Epsom Town v Banstead Hospital both at home in Group 17.

19/8/39 Instead of a Probables v Possibles trial, it was a
sort of Epsom FC v Epsom Town trial, which Epsom won 7-1. It

was a hot day, even for cricket said the papers! Fred
Stenning got a HT whilst Solly and Curtis were amongst the scorers.

Paper says that Dick Wilson's team showed promise with his
brother T Wilson and four other youngsters, including RWF

Munns (Chelmsford Res) Ham, H Eason, J Dodswell. Also
Williamson and Billy Neave (ex Dagenham g/k) played. Ham

was replaced at HT by WH Haines, while TG Temlett played
well, while Welch replaced Bywater, and VE Curd replaced

Dodswell. Probables: Welch, Baker, J Bruce, Billy Heal,
Bryn Evans. Tommy Rochester, HE Hook, Basil Solly, Fred

Stenning, Jimmy Jones, AF Curtis. Possibles: WJ Neave, A
Williamson, JE Morgan, H Easton, J Dodswell, D Wilson,

Bywater, Ham,
RWF Munns, TG Temlett, T Wilson.

21/8/39 Further trial for Epsom Town with further new
players inc Purdie (19) 6ft 2in and over 12st. goalkeeper who came

from a local Carshalton postal team. Outside left Lloyd
came from a junior team in Twickenham. Don Butcher came from

Wandgas, and played at left back. Would become an Epsom
regular after the war. Wandgas were a London League

Division 1 team. Roy Marlow also played in this trial,
despite having left Epsom for Sutton, while WH "Bronk" Challis

was at left back, but wouldn't play regularly, as he was
getting on a bit by now. Further trial planned for 26/8 after Epsom's

game with Eton
Manor.

23/8/39 Epsom FC trial v Malden: H Welch, Bruce, Gill,
Rochester, Evans, H Liddicoat, Hook, ST Reynolds, Stenning,

R John, AF Curtis. Malden were in the top division of the
Surrey Intermediate League, but Epsom beat them 7-0 with

Fred Stenning getting four. Reynolds was ex Clapton and
Ilford, while Liddicoat was from the Streatham League. 6.30 k.o.

Aug 39 Billy
Heal reported to be leaving the club.

26/8/39 Epsom win 4-3 v Eton Manor, but after a goalless
first half, they were 3-0 up before Eton Manor levelled it up. In the

first half, there was a handball by an Eton Manor player,
but to players surprise, the referee just threw the ball up and

carried on! 2 almost identical goals from Hook put Epsom
2-0 up after three minutes of the second half, and Jimmy Jones

made it three,
but Hook scrambled a winner near the end for his hat trick.

26/8/39 Future players J Judge and Harry Tiffany are with
P.O.Engineers this day who are beaten 7-0 at Hersham in a friendly.

It was meant to be a league match but PO had player
shortages so match changed to a friendly! They withdraw from FA Cup

the following
week at Camberley & Yorktown for the same reason.

26/8/39 former
player Archie Griffiths is c-f for Walthamstow Avenue

26/8/39 A.Beglan (Dulwich) and S.Brogdale playing for
Romford. Clearly former players Brian Beglan and Gordon Brogdale.

30/8/39 Epsom had another practice match with West
Norwood. Hook, Bruce, and Reynolds were late absentees, so

West Norwood, despite being the away side, lent Martin to
Epsom so they had 11! McDonald (keeper) from Bexleyheath,

D'Arcy at
right back, while Osborne was also promising. Drew 1-1.

Sept 39 reported that Eton Manor had lost their ground at
Temple Mills "taken over for national purposes" and may close down.

They would
restart after the war though.

2/9/39 Provisional friendly away at Enfield, but this was
postponed, and Epsom FC would not play another game for 6

years.

2/9/39 Other
FA Cup ties p-p this day Wimbledon v Venners and Kingstonian v Banstead
Hospital.

3/9/39 World
War II declared. All competitions suspended.

15/9/39 reported that the Epsom Committee were to meet the
following week to discuss what to do next, but Secretary

Harry Hawke
had already been called away on "government business".

It was also reported at this time that Charles Pettett was
now Chairman of Epsom Town FC, and stated that the Town

club hopes to
continue, as only 4 call ups so far.

23/9/39 Epsom
FC decide to close down for the duration of the war.

Charles Pettett is not happy with this, even though only
he and one other were in favour of continuing. Epsom Town may

well continue, but agreement will need to be reached with
the Epsom FC Committee, as the ground is not currently open.

Epsom FC players were generally older than Epsom Town, so
have not been called up yet, with exception of Jimmy Jones,

who was on reserve at the time. The FA declares that
permit players are now unrestricted, and that players may also sign

for another club, near where they are stationed, but they
may not sign for a third club. The FA also talks about an

emergency County war league, but this doesn't start as the
South East Combination takes many of the bigger clubs,

like Dulwich, Sutton, Tooting, Wimbledon and Woking.
However, the League idea was not totally shelved at that meeting,

and one would
eventually start later in 1939, with Epsom Town in its line up.

6/10/39 reported that 7 Committee members wrote to the
Herald on 4/10/39 to dispute comments made by Charles Pettett

regarding the closure of the club. There had been a
meeting on 5/9/39 but Pettett had missed this. They disputed his

Epsom-Eton remark which reminded them of the "story
of the invisible man who was hit on the head with a handful of

nothing". They state quite clearly that Epsom closed
down purely because they could not see how the club could pay its

way, especially with the debts that they already had. It
was struggling to do it in peace time, and it was felt that it was

not right that
the club should incur more costs at this particular time.

13/10/39 reported Charles Pettett responds in Herald
providing written confirmation of his remarks. He defended his

absence at the meeting, as it was two days after war was
declared, and like many others, was very busy. What he wants

is to get the game going again, and says that cinemas are
open, so why not football? He felt that he was at least trying

to do
something, while the old club wasn't.

Oct 39 Future player Reuben Leverington at Leatherhead
United this year along with Tommy (TG) Temlett and Jackie Collins,

just playing
friendlies.

Another former
player Cecil Weller plays for Leatherhead Rose throughout the war.

Epsom's centre half Bryn Evans played for Ashtead in a
friendly v Leatherhead Rose L 3-8 at Green Lane, Ashtead.

14/10/39 Future player Jack Lock (Sutton) and Sid
Faggetter (Redhill) both play in a friendly at Sutton v Redhill (won 2-1).

Basil Solly is reported to be rejoining them too. Prior to
his original spell with Sutton, he was with Newport County in the

Football League, where he was their only Amateur in the
3rd division side. Before then, was with Dulwich and Wimbledon.

Oct 39 Sutton play another friendly v Venners, losing 2-3
but had former players Reg Marlow (38) and Maurice Gill in their side.

4/11/39 Erith & Belvedere draw 1-1 with Sutton United
in the opening match of the South Eastern Combination. Epsom Town

would join it
next season. In the Sutton side were David Wesley, Bobby Gill and Basil
Solly.

2/12/39 Cobham Avorians v Leatherhead Rose in Kingston
& District League Premier Division. Fred Stenning played for

Cobham, and
Bryn Evans for Leatherhead Rose.

19/12/39 EGM
at Hollies Club, Church Street, for Epsom F.C. Only about ten present.

7 of these were Committee members. W.Voller the acting
Secretary in the absence of Harry Hawke said "the Committee

are anxious to inform those who have supported the club
that a new club has been formed (fairly obvious by now, I would

have thought!) Apart from the rental of the ground, this
new club has no connection with Epsom FC. Certain supporters

have been approached for subscriptions and they wanted to
clarify the situation. The club currently has debts of £186 of

which £30 are pressing and the Committee have raised £11
of this with further help welcomed. Albert E Tuck was

appointed into the Chair for this meeting and stated that
it was wrong for the club to incur further losses "for
amusement".

Charles Pettett was still Chairman, but despite being
present, had declined to Chair this meeting, and Tuck asked him

why, but Pettett said that with his views it was not
appropriate at this time. Effectively, this is the date at which he
resigns,

you could argue. Tuck said that he thought Epsom Town's
formation was to foster and help Epsom FC, which Pettett sort

of agreed
with, and said would have happened had the club not closed down.

David WG Jones said that Epsom FC was not against war time
football, but they didn't feel that they could "pay their way".

Ernest Taylor
felt that ex-Epsom FC members should put the reduction of debts ahead of fund
raising. Former

Vice-Chairman G King was named as the person doing most of
the appealing. Mr Parry felt that people were adopting the

attitude of "leaving a sinking ship" and going
over to a club with a similar name, and asked why Epsom Town was chosen

as the name. Pettett was rather defensive about this, and
said that there was nothing to prevent him from doing this.

Albert Tuck advised that since the last meeting, the club
had raised £58, and debts were now £69, which was less than

they had been for a while. The Committee again stated that
they were in favour of continuing but couldn't justify the

expense. The new club is paying rent to the old club. Len
Anderson suggested that the matter was to be left to the

Finance Committee to consider ways of raising more money
and report back later. This was seconded by Ernest Taylor.

Jan 40 reference to WJ Keeling's shop at 15 High St,
Epsom. He is a house furnisher and was father of Fred and Harold.

10/2/40 Tom Ogle made his debut, and papers refer to there
only being 14 players in Epsom Town's ranks. Tom had

played briefly
in the mid-thirties for Epsom FC.

24/2/40 Former player in the 20's Harold Keeling is best
man at the wedding of SE Allen, who was the younger brother of

Frank Allen, who was killed in the car crash at xmas 1937
that also killed Jack Parr. Harold Keeling had also been in the

crash but
survived. The reception was at Nore Yacht Club in Westcliffe, Essex where the
wedding had also been.

March 40 DWG
Jones is still headmaster of Ewell Boys School and attends the annual prize
giving.

13/4/40 Worcester Park v Fetcham OB @ Epsom in Final of
Sutton & Cheam Hospital Cup. W Park won 4-3. A second ball

was required when a first ball was impaled on a corrugated
iron fence. This match was followed by the Junior Hospital Cup

Final where Cuddington beat Epsom Spartans 5-0. K.O. 6pm
after the earlier match at 3.30. There was a fair crowd and

large number
of ladies present for the Worcester Park v Fetcham game

April 40
reference to Basil Solly, Bobby Gill and brother Maurice Gill playing for
Sutton.

11/5/40 former Epsom keeper David Wesley plays at centre
forward for Sutton United in a 2-2 draw with Walton on Thames

at Gander Green
Lane.