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

LL

3rd out of 14

London League Premier Division

FAC

Pr

Sutton United

0-2

AC

1q

Leatherhead

1-4

LC

1st

Bedford Town

1-2

SSC

1st

Walton & Hersham

0-5

SCS

Not Played at all

President

HH.Maharajah Gaekwar of Baroda

Chairman

Mr Bert Ruddle (new)

W.V.Townsend (vice Chairman)

Secretary

Mr Sid (SH) Herbert

New Secretary replacing Harry (HW) Hawke

Asst C.E.Bass

51 Hazon Way, Epsom.

C.E.Bass: 36 Hamlet Court, Hammersmith. W6.

Manager

Selection Committee

Treasurer

L.A.Prince

Asst R.H.Gurr

Home
Ground:

West Street, Ewell

Club Colours

Light & Dark Blue Halves

but res played in red and black v PLA on
28/8/48.

Captain

Jack MacDonald

Additional
First and second team records in THE BOOK.

Chelmsford
City Reserves left league as did PO Telecom

June 48 As a
result of PO Telecoms resignation, Epsom sign eight of their players, who all
came over en bloc

along with
two Committee members who were co-opted on to the Epsom Committee. New
players are:

Len Bridgman, Norman F Griffiths, Eric D Jenner, Jack
MacDonald, Jimmy (WJ) Lawrence, Jim Kaley, and HF Bradley.

Bridgman and
Jenner Rep Honours: Civil Service and were in British PO team that beat the
French PO team on

3/5/48.
Griffiths was also selected but injured for that game. Jimmy Emblem also
joins club. Previously with PO and

Northern
Command. AW Kelly (Founder and present Chairman) and CE Bass (Secretary) join
Committee.

AW Kelly was
nicknamed "Ned", and apparently proposed Ray Chenery for membership
of the Epsom Golf Club.

He was
Treasurer there from 1960 to 1983. Ray became Captain of Epsom Golf Club in
1981.

Papers
believe it will make the club stronger. The opening prog of season gave the
following profiles:

Jack
Macdonald Rep Honours West London Schoolboys, Divisional Army London
Scottish, and Beckenham.

Len Bridgman
previously with Eton Manor, Lyons Club, Clapton Orient with 6 apps for London
League, Civil Service,

Army, Navy and Air Force? Age 24.

Jimmy Emblem
was a young utility player from Redhill "before
the war" and army representative player,
yet only 22??

Eric Jenner
previously with Dulwich before PO Telecoms. Rep honours Civil Service. Age
25.

Norman
Griffiths a strong half back and has a long throw "after the manner of
Sam Weaver"?? Previously with

Leytonstone
Reserves before PO Telecoms. Age 22. Also Dave Allen PO Engineers trainer,
offers his services.

Jimmy
Lawrence utility player "sound if not brilliant" was with
Walthamstow Avenue before PO Telecoms. Age 24.

Also
reference to a "boy" Coleman, but he never played for firsts.
Joined from Kingstonian. Due for military

service at
the end of the year but has "a brilliant future".

14/6/48 AGM
Monday evening 7pm at Epsom clubhouse West Street.

President
Maharajah Gaekwar of Baroda is a racehorse owner living in Headley.

Epsom reform
their Supporters club, which had folded with the closure for WW2. Harry Hawke
the retiring

Secretary,
said it would be a valuable asset. Hawke left to become Secretary and
Treasurer of the London League.

Vice Chairman
Bill Townsend praised his efforts, and he was made a life member of the club.

Tentative
proposals made to reform Supporters club by Mr AT Hall - 50 Woodlands Road,
Epsom Common.

Reference
was made to Tommy Rochester being leading scorer last season. 73 players used
last season.

New Chairman
Bert Ruddle replacing A Tuck. Publicity Secretary AW Kelly, and LA Prince
re-elected Treasurer.

Committee:
Ted Wheal, Macdonald, Osborne, FM Stewart, WI Bowe, Len Anderson, Sid
Bristow, Reg Marlow,

D Sims, HL
Hayward, Q Budd, R Scott, JE Greenleaf, Thompson, Bass, Gurr, and Kelly.

New Chairman
Bert Ruddle was previously associated with Sutton. Club lost £130 says Surrey
Comet.

Club are
looking for a professional trainer and a former Huddersfield and Guildford
player may be asked to join.

Also the Eton
Manor area may be providing another recruit.

Club lost
£129 last season. Calls made for more support. Harry Hawke made a
vice-president, likewise Albert Tuck,

and C
Moffatt, FWB Thwaites, and Miss E Alderton.

New
Secretary Sid Herbert is 28 and unmarried but very sociable! Native of Ewell
who spent 5 1/2 years in the

submarine
service "there is no greater test of a man's sociability". Called
up in 1940 L.T.O.Herbert went to Colombo

and
Australia and was a member of the crew that took over the first German U Boat
to surrender just before VE Day.

13/7/48
Training starts - 25 present, and 35 present the following Tuesday when
footballs were allowed.

28/7/48 First
trials.

Aug 48 Club
Secretary advised as Sid Herbert, with Team Secretary as CE Bass.

Aug 48
Former Secretary Sid Basford finally becomes a Vice-President of the Sutton
& District League after being

both
Secretary and Chairman there in the past. Remains in this position until he
is missing from the 1955/56 handbook

list,
presumably due to his death but not certain..

11/8/48 Weds
8pm First meeting of Supporters Club held at Comrades Club in Epsom and
chaired by Mr Hall.

Committee to
be selected there.

Training
starts on 13/7/48 and 25 are present with 35 the next Tuesday.

28/7/48 saw
the first official trial with four teams of players available.

31/7/48 Trial
at West Street. No other new players signed yet, but may keep looking.

Aug 48 Paper
believes that PO effectively amalgamated with Epsom, which might cause a
problem between the

members of
each club, but the committee are really keen and spirit is good it appears.
25 players were at

training on
opening night and this raised to 35 the following Thursday.

Aug 48
Terracing completed at Tooting & Mitcham. Capacity 15,000.

Aug 48 future
player Vic Honey signs for both Carshalton Ath and Sutton Utd!

Apparently
you could do this in those days if the teams were in a different league,
which they were.

11/8/48
Supporters Meeting at the Parade Branch of the British Legion attended by
treasurer LA Prince.

Chaired by
Councillor FD Cunnell (Assistant Sec of Wimbledon!). AT Hall provisional Sec
and Treasurer with support

to be given
by Wright Ford and Jones. They received a message wishing them well from
Kingstonian FC.

Aiming to
beat Supporters number of 283 which the previous club had.

Coaches
booked for Bedford and Dorking already and names will be taken on 21st
August.

14/8/48
Reference to a public trial match v Redhill 2-2 draw. Many players used.
Forward line will still have

problems,
although defence is sound says Advertiser.

First half
line up: Lowder, MacDonald, Maynard, Minter, Cutter, Lawrence, Davis,
Watkins, Emblem, Marshall, Chitty

2nd half
Bradley, Simmonds, Hunt, Emblem, Cutter, Watkins, Chitty. Rochester, Gilbert,
Marshall, Lawrence.

A warm sun on
the "springy and long-eared West Street ground"

Sid Faggetter
was present for Redhill "idol of the Redhill crowd" A bit slow
today.

21/8/48 Jack
MacDonald named club captain.

According to Ray Chenery, MacDonald was a full back, and a
big strong player. Ray thought he was better than Epsom

and should
have played at a higher level.

Other new
players listed as Jackie Collins, brother of pre-war Geoff who was killed in
the war + Fred Chitty (returning)

Both joined
from Leatherhead.

According to
Ray Chenery, Fred Chitty was a good player with a terrific shot, and was a
good crosser, although he

didn't
tackle. He was very fast, and was a gas fitter and then a maintenance
engineer. Was also connected with

Wandgas
Juniors, and was a bit of a comic. He lived in West Street but moved to
Middle Lane when he married.

He also
believes that Jackie Collins is still alive, but wasn't convinced when I said
he was related to Geoff, so may have

been a
different Jack Collins.

Jackie
Collins is alive as of September 2008 as I met him at Ray's funeral at Epsom
Golf Club. He was Geoff's brother.

Jackie Collins passed away on 29/11/13 according to his
son John. Jack was also named John Noel Collins as he was born on

Christmas Eve 1919 but was known as Jack as many often
are. Records advised him as JM Collins, but it was clearly JN Collins.

Norman
Griffiths was expected to join, but instead went to St Albans. Then returned
by October.

He lived in
Walthamstow at the time but preferred cricket anyway!

24/8/48 A promising 4-2 win over Ekco. Les Gilbert put us
ahead after 30 minutes with a shot in off the post after good work by

Rochester. HT was 1-0 but although we were well on top,
they equalised. However Minter put us ahead again almost immediately

from a Collins pass and then Gilbert got two more to
complete his hat trick, the first from a Minter rebound and the second from
a

Collins cross
to go 4-1 up.

28/8/48
Epsom unfortunate to lose in League Cup v Bedford, as their keeper was
excellent. 0-2 HT both goals

against the
run of play. Fred Chitty injured 60 minutes. Off for treatment for 15 minutes
then Passenger. Att 2,500!

Jim Kaley
made debut this day. Ex-Eton Manor who scored 4 v Woodford in 15 minutes last
year. Age 28.

Home
programme for reserve game this day announces the start of an SOS service as
the club will accept urgent

messages for
supporters at any time, on Ewell 7077.

28/8/48
Freddie Marshall scores 4 for res. Aged 21 and not deemed ready for first XI,
but got his chance shortly.

Had been
recovering from typhoid which he got in Palestine! Former Golders Green
player recently demobbed. Ginger.

4/9/48
Dorking game switched to Epsom as Dorking ground at Pixham Lane still
required for cricket.

Frank
Rawkins makes debut this day. Holder of a Surrey County Cap for 1937 and
1938. Civil Service rep honours,

and with
Grays when they won SE Combination (when?) and Corinthian League in 1946.
Doesn't have a shot to save.

Even so,
Herald describes the game as "vague and disappointing".

4/9/48 Many missed opportunities before Rochester put us
ahead after a "ragged opening". Two early goals in the second half
from

Gilbert and
Chitty ended the match as a contest.

Sept 48
Tommy Rochester offered the position of professional coach at Leatherhead,
and leaves Epsom. Succeeds

AW Smith the
ex-Huddersfield pro. Fred Stenning and Eric Bristow are there already.

11/9/48
Woolwich Poly are the oldest club in membership of the London League at this
time. Epsom defeat them 3-2.

11/9/48 Epsom had led early through Gilbert but HT was 1-1
as Woolwich scored just before the break. The second half was very

good said Herald. Kaley put us ahead before a soft
equaliser. Then Gilbert scored a last minute winner after Cutter beat five
men

on a run and
passed it over to him.

14/9/48
Supporters meeting attended by only 16, 8 of whom were female!

GA Rose is
elected Chairman, AT Hall is Treasurer, while Secretary remains vacant for
now. Committee Miss O'Brien

Miss Clarke,
Mrs Ford, Mr Ford, Mr Jones, Mr Wright.

Sept 48 Eric
Jenner selected by London League v Spartan League at Bishops Stortford on
22/9/48. Is his first

league rep
honours, but previously has played for Civil Service three times.

18/9/48 Epsom
praised by papers for not drastically increasing the entry price for the FAC
game v Sutton.

Entry to
ground and stand reserved and ticket only. Normally 1s.3d, and it was raised
to 1s 6d. Ground only is 9d

with stand
enclosure 6d extra.

18/9/48 Stand
tickets are sold out within ten minutes of going on sale for Sutton FAC.

18/9/48
Future players Denis Ford and Vic Honey both score v Epsom in FAC tie at West
Street. A late Collins

penalty in
extra time (112 mins) earns a replay, after an Ernie Watkins free kick had
equalised in the 90 minutes.

Sutton had
International keeper Ralph Carr in their side. "A large crowd" saw
the game.

Freddie
Marshall made debut this day. Nicknamed "ginger" and ex-Golders
Green. Just demobbed and still feeling

the after
effects of typhoid contracted in Palestine. Pro scouts will be watching. Age
21.

The crowd
"whose hugeness was well complemented by its enthusiasm" Approx
2,500, and described as the biggest

gate at West
Street. However, it was the biggest post war gate only.

Sept 48
Reference to EBD Arblaster (25) joining from Yorkshire Amateurs. Came to
Ewell to take up a teaching post

close to
West Street (it was an unnamed secondary school) Also played for Birmingham
Univ, and originally Sutton

had hoped to
sign him. However, he only played one game anyway.

Sept 48
A.Payne joins from Erith & Belvedere.

25/9/48
Replay was easy victory for Sutton, and 5-0 wouldn't have flattered them say
papers. Honey and Ford

were too
good and Rawkins played well to keep the score down. Noel Ball made debut
this day. A Warrant Officer

recently
demobbed from RAF, and played for Grays last season. Utility player who has
had Welsh International

trials at
right back. Age 28.

Freddie
Marshall was also injured in 2nd half. Passenger. Attendance was 3,500.

Oct 48 Bill
Wiles playing for Woking

Oct 48 Fred
Looseley is Guildford Captain

2/10/48 Jack
MacDonald and Fred Chitty unable to play v Chertsey in Amateur Cup. Macdonald
was on holiday.

2/10/48 Epsom took the lead after 15 minutes through
Emblem but Chertsey won a penalty when their player fell over his team

mate's leg! At 1-1 Collins hit the post then Griffiths hit
the bar before Minter's shot deflected in for the 2-1 lead at HT.
However

Chertsey
equalised in the second half and extra time couldn't separate them. Replay
required.

9/10/48
Jimmy Emblem injures knee after a collision with the keeper after 3 minutes.
10 men, but still won 2-1.

9/10/48
George Inkpen equalised for Chertsey, and relation to future treasurer Bill?

9/10/48
Herald says Griffiths scored not Chitty from a direct free kick. BOOK says
Chitty scored.

Ad says
Chitty scored from Griffiths' free kick. BOOK is right.

After looking at the Herald report again it says that
Griffiths free kick left the keeper completely deflated and this may have
meant

wrong footed, which leads me to believe that it did take a
deflection and the Herald reporter just couldn't advise who it was.

Jenner played
very well "consistently good playing". HT 1-0.

9/10/48 Freddie Marshall joins Sutton and plays for them v
Finchley this day, but is back playing for Epsom later in the season.

Oct 48 Press
Secretary AW Kelly says Epsom's all time record gate was 8,044 v Wimbledon in
1934 SSC.

However,
Wimbledon only visited West Street once pre-war, and this was when 4,500
attended for the Amateur

Cup 4q tie.
This has also been referred to as the biggest ever pre war gate at West
Street, and is more reliable.

Oct 48
Jenner, & Bridgman (with Griffiths as first reserve) selected to play for
Civil Service, with Colin Batchelor in

goal for the
Army at Kingstonian on 10/11/48. Batchelor was the reserve Epsom keeper at
this time.

Oct 48
Jackie Collins returns to Leatherhead, but from Leatherhead come brothers
Frank and Ted Goodall.

F Pidgeon
also signs, but never graduates from the reserves despite playing for the
Royal Navy - Mediterranean Fleet.

16/10/48 Programme v Leatherhead has Eric Bristow, Reuben
Leverington, Fred Stenning, and Tommy Rochester all v Epsom

Stenning
scores two. Bryn Evans also plays v Epsom. Tommy Rochester involved in the
two last minute goals.

16/10/48 Leatherhead defeat us 4-1 in the Amateur Cup at
Fetcham Grove. Former player Fred Stenning put them ahead with a

shot that Rawkins should have saved. HT was 1-0 on a very
wet day. Stenning extended the lead before a foul gave us a penalty,

and although Ernie Watkins' shot was saved by future Epsom
keeper Eric Bristow he scored from the rebound. We then let in

two late
goals.

23/10/48
reference to Eton Manor players having to come up through the junior elevens
as no-one aged above 16

can join the
club. Very odd! Bridgman was ill so Noel Ball took his place and scored.

23/10/48
Epsom defeeat Eton Manor 2-1.

23/10/48 Ken
Minter's winning goal hit underside of bar and then crossed line and spun out
like World Cup 66.

Fred Chitty
following up made sure, but the goal was credited to Minter.

23/10/48 Herald Report of this match doesn't mention
Minter hitting the bar at all, just credits him with the goal. Ball had
opened

the scoring
from a Davis pass after 12 minutes but 1-1 on 24 and Minter's winner was in
the second half.

Herald
reports on the "sudden dip" at the bottom goal at West St, which
caused many players to shoot over the bar!

27/10/48
reported that Ken Wingett, ex-Carshalton Ath Secretary has joined Epsom in an
official capacity. He has a

"long
experience in football administration"

30/10/48
reference to Devas's ground being in Merton Park, but game was switched to
Epsom anyway.

30/10/48 Epsom defeat Devas 4-0 in a one sided game.
Minter put us ahead from a Davis cross that Cutter couldn't reach after
20

minutes then Ernie Watkins dispatched a penalty for hand
ball before HT. Cutter made it 3-0 and then 4-0 from a Davis cross.

Griffiths and
Hunt were "excellent in the half back line".

Nov 48
Reference to Eric Jenner partnering Jack Neale (Walton & England) for
Civil Service v Army @ Kingstonian

on 10th
November. Len Bridgman also playing, and Epsom are the only team with two
representatives.

Nov 48 LG
Handscombe writes in to Herald with reference to the Herald Sports Editors
column in a Sunday newspaper

where
"shamateurism was referred to. Apparently Epsom had an amateur for a
trial, and at half time, the triallist asked

how he was
doing, and it was said that he would fit in well. At this point the triallist
asked for £2 per game plus

expenses. The
club declined. "Well done Epsom!"

6/11/48
"Magnificent" winning goal from Ted Goodall who crashed it into the
top corner from 25 yards out.

Dartford are
a professional club, so London League rules say they can only play 5 pros
when playing an amateur side.

6/11/48 "Dartford came off worse in a battle of wits,
speed and temper" as Epsom edge them out 4-3 at West Street. We were

0-1 down early but Cutter finished off a Davis cross for
1-1 befoe Chitty gave us the lead from a Minter pass. However, Dartford

were on level terms almost immediately and HT was 2-2.
Then 3-2 down but Cutter headed in from Minter's cross before Goodall's

winner that
the Herald says was from 20 yards.

Nov 48
Freddie Marshall plays for Sutton Res in SIC, but because he had played for
Epsom previously, he was cup

tied, and
Sutton were removed from the competition.

13/11/48
Bedford Reserves keeper carried off after 25 minutes after conceding the 3rd
goal against Epsom. He

must have
been wrong footed as the goal was a deflected shot. Went to Epsom
"County" Hospital where he was

visited by
committee members, and players brought him cigarettes! He finally left
hospital on Monday, and was

seen off at
the station by Bert Ruddle. Bedford had two penalties at the end of the game,
but Rawkins saved

the second
one.

Watkins put us ahead with a penalty for handball of a
Goodall overhead kick. Five minutes later Chitty increased the lead before an

own goal
from a Goodall shot deflected in. Then Minter for 4-0 and Cutter from a
Griffiths pass to make it 5-0.

20/11/48
Coach to Ekco was cancelled due to only 9 booking. Currently only 186 members
of Supp Club

Hardly anyone
at the game from either side, and the stand was "all but empty" at
Southend.

20/11/48
Referee almost scored for Ekco as an Ernie Watkins clearance hit the ref and
was stopped on the goal

line by
Rawkins. Poor game on a poor pitch, with Epsom lucky to avoid serious injury.

Chitty put
us ahead after 12 minutes from a Cutter pass and Cutter made it 2-0 after 53.
A clear win but uninspired.

27/11/48
Byfleet only had 10 men for the first half. An available sub took the field
in 2nd half, but it was 5-0 by

then.
Finished 6-1. Ernie Watkins missed penalty (wide). Byfleet only formed in
1942. Music played before this game

(and
presumably at HT) and supporters club looking into the hire of equipment so
this can be done again.

Prog this day
announces no game for xmas day, but Worcester Parkill visit.

27/11/48 Cakewalk says Herald as Byfleet are beaten 6-1 in
the Surrey Senior Cup at West Street. Goodall made it 1-0 then

Griffiths got the second two minutes later from a Chitty
pass and Minter made it three soon after. Watkins then made it 4-0
before

a mispen but Chitty made it five from a Davis cross. Then
5-1 before Griffiths scored a penalty for handball to complete the scoring.

Nov 48 HV
Watkins rejoins from Leatherhead, and AC Graffham also joins from there.
Watkins was an engineer.

27/11/48
Future player Gordon Tillyer scores HT for Surrey Youth v Kent Youth in a 4-0
win. He was playing for

Stoneleigh
Athletic at the time.

4/12/48
Epsom lose 100% London League record after being 2-0 up at Woolwich
Polytechnic but losing 3-4.

Jenner was injured, and it was 2-0 at HT. Chitty put us
ahead after just 6 minutes and Cutter from a Davis corner made it 2-0
but

two goals in three minutes made it 2-2 and although Cutter
made it 3-2 with a cross shot from 15 yards, two late goals gave

Woolwich Poly
the win.

11/12/48 Game
scheduled as an away game at Chingford, but the game was played at West

Street, as
pitch was unfit at Chingford. Chingford's first season in league, and they
had had to move the river Ching 70

yards so
that the football pitch could be used. It was also a County boundary, so they
had to bury pegs one foot under

the pitch
showing the original course of the river! Pitch still exists in 1996 and was
used then by Chingford United in

London
Spartan League.

Future
Chairman from 1981/82 Peter Smith was a Chingford player for three years from
1947. Did he play against us?

11/12/48
Ernie Watkins injured concussion early 2nd half. 10 men.

11/12/48 Herald advised that we had a poor right wing this
day. Started with ten for a while as Griffiths was late arriving before

Watkins was
injured. HT 0-0 but two second half goals clinched the points for Chingford.

Dec 48 Ken
Wingett appointed to Selection Committee.

Dec 48 Eric
Jenner and Norman Griffiths both played for Civil Service recently when they
lost 1-0 to the RAF. Also

reserve
keeper Colin Batchelor has a trial with Brentford.

18/12/48 Deserved 3-1 victory at Dartford Reserves with
the new right wing including HV Watkins. HT was 0-1 with a goal scored
"a

second before the half time whistle" but Cutter
equalised straight after HT before Griffiths scored a free kick and Goodall
got a third

with fifteen
minutes remaining after Cutter's shot was saved.

Dec 48 Ken
Scott joins from Sutton. Previously with St Albans and Hendon too.

25/12/48 Easy 6-1 win for Epsom over Worcester Park.
Mostly a Reserve side played says Herald. Not strictly true as 5 first

teamers
played. Les Gilbert scored a hat trick.

27/12/48 An Emblem winner from a MacDonald pass after 75
minutes was the only goal against Guildford. This game was

referred to
as a Boxing Day fixture but it was definitely played on the 27th as the 26th
was a Sunday.

1/1/49 High
winds and rain but Epsom come from 2-0 down to win 4-3 in 84th minute. A
fortnight later against the

same
opponents, Epsom would lose a 2-0 lead (Woodford 2-3)

8/1/49
Walton are the best team Epsom have played all season, but are consoled with
their share of a 3,000 gate.

They were
also Corinthian League holders and Surrey Senior Cup holders. Coaches there
were 3 shillings return,

and left
Epsom station at 1.30.

8/1/49 Walton
programme mentions a knighthood for Stanley Rous, FA Secretary.

We were a goal behind after 17 minutes and 3-0 by HT. The
third goal was a penalty for handball. A fourth was scored after 63 with

a fifth
towards the end as Walton & Hersham won this Surrey Senior Cup tie 5-0.

Jan 49 Ernie
Watkins resigns from club, but is talked around "Is too good a man to
sit hugging a fire"

15/1/49 Lost 3-2 at Woodford Town but had gone a goal up
after 7 minutes when Goodall converted a Minter pass. The
BOOK

says Bill Cutter scored. Check Advertiser before amending. Chitty set up Watkins for the second and it was 2-1 at
HT.

22/1/49 P.Nicholls returns to the club and plays this day.
Had played for Epsom Athletic, Epsom's nursery side at this time. It was

Epsom's
first ever win at Leavesden. One goal down early 2nd half, but we equalised
on the hour and won 2-1.

22/1/49
Mention of the appointment of a team manager, Sid Bristow. Papers say he
joined club in 1929 and was

captain for
many years. However, it must have been earlier than 1929, as he had stopped
playing by 1927/28.

He joined
from a Kent League side and was recently club trainer, only giving up the
position to join selection com.

26/1/49
Civil Service v Royal Navy & Marines sees 3 Epsom players selected for
Civil Service. Venue unknown.

Jenner,
Bridgman and Griffiths played.

29/1/49 Len
Bridgman to be rested this week. He had recently played a lot of
representative matches.

29/1/49
Visitors lose their keeper but were 2-0 down by then. Epsom won 5-1.
Advertiser then reported an

"extraordinary
incident" where by Epsom hit the woodwork 5 times in one attack but
didn't score!

Cutter had put us ahead after 25 minutes with a header
from Nicholls and then Chitty kicked the ball out of the keeper's hands

to make it 2-0 in the incident where the keeper was hurt.
Leavesden got it back to 2-1 but Cutter scored his first before HT and he

got the fourth just afterwards. Herald
says Watkins scored the fifth in off the bar but BOOK says Cutter scored.
Check Advertiser.

Feb 49
Freddie Marshall is back with Epsom.

Feb 49
Reference in Herald to a new defender Wells, but he never appears to play for
either Epsom team.

5/2/49
Nicholls, Jenner, Griffiths all unavailable with flu. Then Ernie Watkins had
a bad head injury. 10 men. Originally

thought to
be a  fractured skull, but he is ok,
although out for 4 weeks. Game played at Temple Mills, Stratford.

Ernie Watkins
had to stay in Hackney Hospital while his wife "celebrated" her
birthday without him.

5/2/49 Epsom fall to a 2-1 defeat at Eton Manor. The hosts
say that Cutter was "the best centre forward we have seen on our

ground in many years" but we trailed after 62 before
Cutter equalised three minutes later after hitting the woodwork twice
from

Chitty's pass
then finally scoring.

5/2/49 Future
player Pat Jordan selected for Surrey Juniors v London Juniors @ Bromley

Feb 49 AR Powell joins from Redhill. Goal keeper made
first XI debut on 26/2/49 in friendly v Dartford. Listed wrongly as

AW Powell in
the BOOK Reserve lists.

Feb 49
B.Colloff joins. Previously with Leyton Orient and Darlington.

12/2/49 Late equaliser gets a well earned point at
Crittall Athletic. We had led just before HT with a Cutter header from a
Bridgman

cross but we then went 2-1 down before Bridgman equalised
from a Nicholls pass with ten minutes remaining. Drew 2-2.

Feb 49
Supporters Club struggling to fill coaches they say.

19/2/49
reference in programme to an FA rule that forbids St John Ambulance from
going onto the ground unless

requested by
one of the trainers. I wonder how often they kept going out there uninvited!!

19/2/49 Griffiths suffers a broken rib. 10 men. Won 3-2
and he was out for one week afterwards. We dominated the last 30 minutes

of this match at home to Crittall Athletic but were behind
after 12 minutes before a Cutter header made it 1-1. Then 1-2 before HT

when Griffiths was injured. Chitty equalised after 47 from
a pass that everyone else missed and near the end Cutter scored the

winner from
Chitty's cross.

24/2/49
Supporters Club Dance at Ebbisham Hall with DIX Dance Band.

26/2/49 B.Colloff debut for friendly 2-0 loss to Dartford
Reserves at West Street. Promoted from Reserves. We conceded a goal in

each half.

March 1949 future Epsom player Robbie Craze and former
player Lionel Hanton play in a demonstration of soccer skills against

a couple of
professional players at the Dorking Halls, while members of Dorking F.C.

5/3/49
Griffiths penalty saved by keeper, who then saved another shot from him,
before Griffiths netted at 3rd try!

Herald says that the game was an "empty victory"
as we needed a penalty to win and were poor throughout. Cutter scored from
a

Colloff pass
after 35 minutes then we scored the penalty eventually!

12/3/49 West
Street is used for a London League representative match v Royal Navy &
Marines

Jack
Macdonald, Eric Jenner, Norman Griffiths, and Bill Cutter all selected for
London League v Royal Navy

while Len
Bridgman is named as a reserve but plays too. London League lose 4-0. Big
crowd was expected.

5 players
selected is a record for Epsom. Programme was issued
- Number 31 - Y. London League played in
white

The band of
the Epsom & Ewell Unit of the Sea Cadet Corps are providing a display of
Bugle marches during the day.

19/3/49 Epsom play in red and black quarters v RN Depot,
who also play in blue. Epsom win easily 4-1. Their keeper played well

and we were behind after 10 minutes but Marshall got two
soon after and HT was 2-1 before H.Watkins and Griffiths completed the

scoring.

26/3/49 Late consolation for Bill Cutter in a 2-1 defeat
at Edmonton Borough. An earlier header from Marshall had appeared to

cross the line but wasn't given, and Epsom fell away a bit
after that. Lost 2-1 "Dull game". HT 0-1 after a 38th minute goal.

26/3/49
former player Bill Daragon scores for Carshalton Athletic Reserves in the
Surrey Senior League Charity Cup.

2/4/49 Epsom
led three times, yet Tilbury won 4-3 at West Street.

Apr 49 former
player Gordon Brogdale is playing for Tufnell Park

Apr 49 Reg
Madgwick is at Cobham and Eric Bristow is at Leatherhead

9/4/49 Ken Minter injured early (passenger) in 5-0 win
over Chingford who visited West Street for their proper home game this
time.

Brian
Moffatt injured in collision with opposition player Shiel. Both took no
further part in game. Treated in hospital.

9/4/49
Rawkins made a pen save in 2nd half at 4-0 up, and he repeated it the
following Friday at 0-1 in 1st half.

9/4/49 Hunt had put us ahead after 10 and two from Cutter
before HT were added to by Cutter again and Chitty in the second half.

15/4/49
Epsom unlucky to lose to Champions Guildford City Res but gain revenge on
Easter Monday with 4-1 win,

although Ted
Goodall fractures his collar bone and never plays for the first team again.
Herald says that Epsom

are
"capricious"! How can they lose to Guildford on Good Friday, yet
beat them on Easter Monday with 10 men?!

Apr 49 Roy
Dymott also playing for Sutton Utd when not playing for Epsom.

20/4/49
Ground is used for a rep match between London League Reserve Division and
London District Army XI and

reserve
teamer E Telford played. KO 6.30. Programme was
issued - Number 37 - Y.

23/4/49
Epsom's first visit to the new Tilbury ground where a fast and clean game was
seen. Lost 0-4. Herald says that

we sent
almost entirely a Reserve side but at least 7 regulars played this day. HT
for Carmichael (Tilbury).

25/4/49 Friendly v Hounslow 1-0 up at HT but Rawkins saved
two penalties in 2nd half before Hounslow equalised. Then

Ernie Watkins
got the winner ten minutes from time.

27/4/49 Epsom
& Ewell League v North Surrey Minor League @ West Street Kick off 7pm.

30/4/49 Edmonton Borough are deteated 7-2 at West Street
but the papers say it was "a drab game". Minter put us ahead after
20

minutes from a Chitty pass before Marshall got our second
before HT. Then Griffiths made it 3-0 from the edge of the area and

Watkins got the next two before two goals for the visitos
but Chitty made it 6-2 from Minter's pass and Minter made it 7-2 after

Watkins
header had come back off the post.

7/5/49 Epsom
& Ewell League Cup Final Westonian v Ewell Athletic @ Epsom 7pm.

Alderman GCA
Mann to present trophies.

7/5/49 Colin
Batchelor pensave at 0-3 2nd half, plus a follow up save.

May 49 report in Epsom Advertiser advises that Charles
Pettett our former Chairman is now involved with the Surrey FA. Listed

as being with
Carshalton Athletic at this time.

17/5/49
Supporters Club AGM announces a membership of 217 and presented 10 guineas to
the parent club.

Chairman Mr
GA Rose reported that they were trying to revive the football-mindedness in
the town that was so

prominent
before the war. They were also making arrangements for a PA system as they
were one of the few

clubs
without it locally. Supporters are also keen on the proposed move to the
Corinthian League. Bill Townsend

said that
70% of Corinthian clubs were in favour of their admission. HL Hayward elected
President, and all other

officers
re-elected.

Reserves:

London League Div 2

Position

11th out of 14

SIC

2nd

Croydon

2-4

LLC

2nd

Cheshunt

0-3

21/8/48
Reference to a friendly being played at Redhill Reserves but no result. Was
one played?

28/08/48
Programme Line Up for this match: Frank Rawkins, HH Simmonds, A.Maynard,
Brian Moffatt, Don Butcher,

Reg Hunt,
Alan Davis, WT Johnson, Freddie Marshall. Don Ralph, L.Poole

Ray Chenery
came in for Hunt.

28/8/48
Freddie Marshall scores 4 for res. Aged 21 and not deemed ready for first XI,
but got his chance shortly.

Had been
recovering from typhoid which he got in Palestine! Former Golders Green
player recently demobbed. Ginger.

Epsom won this match 6-0 against the Port of London
Authority a London League club from Ilford playing in another division.

This was a
London League Cup first round tie.

11/9/48 Marshall gets HT (inc pen) v Cheshunt in 3-3 draw
despite Hunt being kicked in the calf after 5 minutes. 10 men.

Then midway
through second half, Marshall was injured. 9 men Reference to Marshall and
Coleman being in the wars.

We were 2-0
down after just ten minutes but 3-2 up by HT.

11/9/48 Only
one player was listed in the BOOK for this match. Line ups very patchy in the
BOOK this season.

18/9/48 No
players are listed in the BOOK for this match.

25/9/48 Just
two players and one scorer are listed in the BOOK for this match.

2/10/48 Just
5 players are listed in the BOOK for this match plus two other scorers.

09/10/48 Programme Line Up for this match: Colin
Batchelor, HH Simmonds, George Jupp, DR Arblaster, Don Butcher,

Brian
Moffatt, Alan Davis, Ray Chenery, Les Gilbert, H.Howell, Don Ralph

WT Johnson
came in for Moffatt

9/10/48 Late goal in 4-3 loss at Crittall Athletic. We
were a goal down but Gilbert equalised from an Arblaster free kick and
seven

minutes later Davis tapped in for a 2-1 lead. However, we
then trailed 2-3 at HT! Johnson equalised for us after 63 minutes from a

Ralph pass,
but the Crittall winner came in the 85th minute.

16/10/48 In the return match with Crittall Athletic Epsom
dominated the first half and Johnson put us ahead after 12 minutes after

good work from Lawrence and Chenery. They equalised early
in the second half before Lawrence put us ahead again straight after,

but later on
Crittall equalised again on a breakaway.

30/10/48 Res
lose 6-0 at Dagenham despite an even game. New players Ronnie Wilson
(Carshalton) and the

Goodall
brothers both played along with a "B.Abson" that THE BOOK has
missed. He resigned the following week.

Dagenham BL
would eventually finish bottom of the league, but Epsom weren't much higher.

30/10/48
Just 8 players are listed in the BOOK for this match. They are supplemented
by Wilson and Abson.

6/11/48 Just
9 players are listed in the BOOK for this match.

13/11/48
Epsom travel to play Croydon in SIC. Game played at Croydon Aerodrome, or was
it across the road at

Purley Way,
maybe?

20/11/48
Programme Line Up for this match: Colin Batchelor, HH Simmonds, F.Bridger, DR
Arblaster, Brian Moffatt,

J.Sanders,
Les Dowding, Frank Goodall, Les Gilbert, WT Johnson, E.Burchell

Two of these
three didn't play, WT Johnson, L.Dowding, E.Burchell. Chenery and Minter came
in, but…

20/11/48
Just 10 players are listed in the BOOK for this match. Was the eleventh
Burchell, Johnson or Dowding?

20/11/48 UGB
defeat Epsom 4-2 at West Street in a League game. They were mostly the
Charlton Athletic 'A' team.

27/11/48 Res
game in cup at Cheshunt abandoned to fog. Cheshunt were averaging 2,000 for
gates this year.

Not clear
whether game even started. Almost certainly postponed. Epsom returned there a
fortnight later and lost 3-0.

The week
between the two cup ties they had played their reserves in the league and won
6-1. This league cup was for

division 1
and 2 teams. 4/12/48 Gilbert HT v Cheshunt Res.

4/12/48 Cheshunt Reserves are defeated 6-1 at West Street
with practically a new team. Stubbs (Carshalton Athletic, set up HV

Watkins (Leatherhead) to Gilbert who headed in before Ray
Chenery made it 2-0 with an efffort that went in off the post. Then 2-1

but a 45th minute foul of Watkins led to a Graffham
penalty and HT was 3-1. With the slope in the second half we were well on
top

and Telford
(Finchley) and Moffatt excelled before Gilbert (2) and Graffham (another pen)
completed the scoring.

4/12/48 AC
Graffham was wrongly listed as FC Graffham.

4/12/48 BOOK
says that George Jupp played but this wasn't the case and Telford was in
instead.

11/12/48 Gilbert missed two chances in the first 15
minutes as they took on First Division Cheshunt first team in the London

League Cup. Then Graffham injured his knee before Ball was
also injured early in the second half. Passenger. Lost 3-0 to three

second half
goals.

11/12/48
Reference to Wilkison, another spelling of Wickerson. More details awaited on
this player.

18/12/48 Just
8 players are listed in the BOOK for this match.

1/1/49 Just 8
players are listed in the BOOK for this match.

8/1/49 Just 7
players are listed in the BOOK for this match.

15/1/49 Just
3 players are listed in the BOOK for this match.

22/01/49
Programme Line Up for this match: Colin Batchelor, HH Simmonds, Don Ralph, DR
Arblaster, Brian Moffatt,

Ernie
Telford, WF Smith, H.Watkins, Les Gilbert, Ray Chenery, R.Barrett

22/1/49 Just 4 players are listed in the BOOK for this
match. They are supplemented by Smith and Barrett and the scorer Chenery.

22/1/49
Programme advises of two new reserve players WF Smith resident at
Leytonstone, but used to go to school

in Hook Road
(Pound Lane?). Recently demobbed and with two games for Clapton Reserves. R
Barrett is an RAF

divisional player, and has an Essex County Junior Cap.
Neither ever reached the first team, and both were poor today as

Vickers win
3-1 at West Street. Don Ralph was absent.

5/2/49 12
players are listed in the BOOK for this match.

12/02/49 Programme Line Up for this match: RW Powell
(should be AR), HH Simmonds, Don Ralph, DR Arblaster, Brian Moffatt,

Ernie
Telford, Alan Davis, Ken Minter, Freddie Marshall, Ray Chenery, Jimmy
Lawrence

Ball came in
for Ralph (with the first team) and Lawrence for Johnson.

12/2/49 Ray Chenery gets HT v Royal Ordnance Factories in
a 7-3 win at West Street. A Moffatt own goal had given ROF the lead

but Marshall equalised. Then we went 2-1 down after 25
minutes before Marshall headed in a Davis cross for another equaliser.
HT

was 2-2 before Chenery got two and Minter made it 5-2
after a scramble before he got the sixth too. Chenery completed his hat

trick to make it 7-2 before a late goal for ROF. Herald says Lawrence played at 11 not Johnson. Advertiser
has no line up.

BOOK is not
reliable at this point. I will stick with Herald.

19/2/49 Just
9 players are listed in the BOOK for this match, plus scorer B Colloff who
wasn't listed.

26/2/49 Just
9 players are listed in the BOOK for this match.

26/2/49
Freddie Marshall gets five goals in a 6-1 win at Ford Sports Reserves. Alan
Davis gets the other goal.

Advertiser
report wrongly says it was 6-0 and Chenery not Davis got the other goal and
that HT was 2-0. Because they

got score
wrong, I can't trust the rest of the report.

5/3/49
Woodford are defeated 2-0 in a friendly at West Street with goals from
Marshall and Chenery.

12/3/49 No
game for Reserves.

19/3/49 Just
10 players are listed in the BOOK for this match.

26/3/49 Just
8 players are listed in the BOOK for this match.

2/4/49 Port
of London Authorities played in Ilford.

23/04/49
Programme Line Up for this match: Colin Batchelor, HH Simmonds, D.Ladd, DR
Arblaster, H.Robertson,

Ernie
Telford, (AN Other), H.Watkins, Les Gilbert, H.Kurr, R.Barrett

22/1/49
Programme advises of two new reserve players WF Smith resident at
Leytonstone, but used to go to school

Practice
Matches

Prog?

14/08/1948

Redhill

H

2-2

No Issue

Dec 48 EEBC
Council told that West Street, Epsom cannot be changed to Lower High Street,
and court orders it

to be
renamed back. The Epsom and Ewell West Streets were believed by council to be
confusing, and the

Epsom one was
changed as there were only 28 properties as opposed to 136 in the Ewell one.

26/3/49
Corinthian Casuals granted permission to get land for a new ground at Grove
Estate, near Cranbrook Drive,

Esher.
Planning permission was granted in Feb, but they then decided to go to the
Oval instead.