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

CL

Position 15th out of 15

FAC

1q

Whitstable Town

1-4

AC

2q

Uxbridge

0-4

LC/MS

2nd

Uxbridge

1-5

SSC

1st

Dulwich Hamlet

1-4

SSS

W

Carshalton Athletic

1-0

WINNERS of
Surrey Senior Shield, beating Carshalton Athletic 1-0 in the Final.

Home
Ground:

West Street, Ewell

Club Colours

Light and Dark Blue Quarters

Change colours remain red and black.

President

Alderman G.C.A.Mann JP

Chairman

H.G.Sherman

Retired Nov 54. Replaced by v-c F.M.Stewart

Secretary

Ernest Fletcher

Manager

No Manager - Selection Committee.

Player Coach

Pat Lynch

Res Manager

Ernie Watkins takes over side in September

Doug Whitehead in charge by November

A' Team Manager

Fred Chitty

Treasurer

AM Thompson

Supp Club Sec

W.C.Taylor

President of Supp Club Mr P.B.Cooke

Committee
elected at AGM: RH Gurr, Sid Bristow, Bill Townsend, D Sims, W Mahoney, J
Martin, Bert Portt, Hunt, Fred Chitty,

W Mansey, JE
Greenleaf, VV Tatlock, Watson, SJ Rose.

Selection
Committee Bill Townsend, Sid Bristow, and Bill Carpenter, taking the place of
George Mason, who has been unwell

for some time,
and is still undergoing treatment and likely to be absent for some time.

Yiewsley join
League, increasing it to 15 teams

June 54
Supporters Club announce that they are to spend £40 on entrance to the
ground, but this may have been

diverted to the
changing rooms

Bill Townsend
says that "we have the worst dressing room in the Corinthian
League"

Apparently, the
Supporters Club had donated £90 since their post war reformation in 1948, in
addition to

approx £350 in
respect of the total maintenance of the public address system. Average yearly
membership only 200.

June 54
reference to Tooting & Mitcham Secretary Mr WL Watkin living down the
road in Lakehurst Road Ewell.

AGM 28/8/54
Monday evening reported a profit of £37.15s

The club is to
enter a new A team into the Surrey Combination.

Fred Chitty
will deal with it as the Juniors were no longer operating.

Presentation
made at AGM to Gordon Sanders who got married recently.

Previous
Secretary Harry Hawke commented on the improvement made by the club in the
last two or three years.

Pat Lynch
retained as Player Coach. No mention of any selection duties.

Alderman Mann re-elected as President, as was Sherman
(Chairman), Stewart (v-c), Fletcher (Sec) and Thompson (Treasurer).

Bill Inkpen
(Asst Sec) and G Deighton (Asst Treasurer) also elected, while Bill Carpenter
was Press Secretary.

L Stapeley a
former member, was not standing for re-election, which is a pity says Herald,
as he was largely responsible for

the successful
end of season dinner dance in May. He is a Detective Sargeant at Epsom C.I.D.

July 54
Reference to Bill Carpenter who had "an absence of hair" but was
still in his 30's and often at the ground working hard.

July 54 Bill Carpenter joins the Selection committee along
with Bill Townsend and Sid Bristow. Carpenter replaces George Mason who

was in the
Committee last year but was unwell and is still undergoing treatment.

Carpenter would
eventually become Mayor of Epsom & Ewell.

July 54 Supporters Club is critical of the side Epsom
fielded in the Surrey Senior Cup Final. They are told it is not their
concern.

20/7/54
Training starts at West Street. Contact Bill Carpenter (Ewell 8375)

July 54 Ron
Ruffell reported to be leaving club as he picked up a lot of injuries last
season which were affecting his work.

Bill Wiles and
Glyn "Chick" Hinshelwood had not rejoined at this point, but all
three would do before start of season.

Hinshelwood had
been on holiday. Wiles however, didn't play this season.

Aug 54 Mention
of Roy Dymott and how his father was retiring after 42 years working at Epsom
station. Last ten years

as Inspector.
Grandfather now 86 and had previously also worked on railways. Dymott
returned to the club this year.

Aug 54 new
players Danny Coughlin, Bernard Easton, and Bernard Wales (20) - all members
of the successful Juniors

side of 3 years
ago. Also Charlie Mutimer from Devas Inst. Rep Honours: Surrey, SSL (7
times).

Bernard Wales
died in 2004. He was the cousin of Billy and Trevor Wales. Billy was in the A
team around this time while

Trevor
Captained Epsom at Wembley in 1975.

Also Fred Sharp
(Barclays Bank) Friend of Gordon Hurst. Rep Honours: AFA. A left half, but
never plays for us.

Epsom have 35
to 40 to choose from and will consider youth supported by Lynch, Avis, Hurst,
Crane & Watkins

Watkins now fit
after op to remove troublesome cartilage.

Private Trial
Held 7/8/54 with public trial on 14/8/54. Very high standard says programme
21/8/54.

Aug 54 Ken
Elbrow leaves for Leatherhead but only actually plays in a trial match.

Aug 54 former
keeper Don Butler is at Bromley

Aug 54 future
player Ray Fillery selected for Athenian League v Champions Finchley on
02/09/54 at Finchley.

14/8/54 16 1/2
year old Brian Pell does well at trial.

Aug 54 Future
player Malcolm Robbins joins Tooting & M from Wimbledon.

Aug 54 Bobby
Musto returns from the forces (National Service)

19/8/54 Paper
headline states that Watkins may not play soccer again, but actually plays
for another 13 years!!

Apparently he
played in the trial match, and was sore afterwards, and had to see a
specialist.

21/8/54 Crane
& Hurst are on holiday. Unavailable. Still defeated Tilbury 5-2.

21/8/54
Supporters Club Sec W.C.Taylor advises membership at 2s., which includes
insurance against injury.

21/8/54
Attendance was "around the 750 mark" says programme. Two papers had
said 900.

Aug 54 Brian
Brumwell appears to have left, and Reg Oakes joins Wimbledon.

28/8/54 Bill
Nuth turned up to meet officials regarding a move from Edgware but ended up
playing, despite not having

his boots, and
needing to borrow a pair that were two sizes too big, so plenty of padding
was used!

In the second
half he got a pair of boots nearer his size. Jim Crane had been delayed by
train trouble.

Nuth was a
builder working in Stoneleigh.

Ray Chenery
remembers him as solid. Former Middlesex player, at Hayes and Edgware.

He was also at
Trowbridge before joining Edgware. Represented Middlesex and Corinthian
League.

28/8/54 Epsom
missed four sitters against Yiewsley in the first half, yet trailed 1-0 at
HT.

28/8/54 Epsom
played v Yiewsley in red & black.

3/9/54 Epsom write to the Surrey FA for a loan to develop
their ground. It is referred to the Finance Committee. Result unknown.

Sept 54
Reference to Bernard Wales who "could become one of the most
constructive half backs Epsom have ever had"

Sep 54 Henryk
Mikrut at Chesham

4/9/54 Gordon
Hurst is a teacher and "taught the Carshalton left half a few
things" during the LC game. Won 4-1

This days
programme is selling tickets for coaches to Dorking for the FA Cup game. Only
leaving between 2.45 and 3pm

for a 3.15
k.o. Tickets are 2s 6d return, and can be bought from the usual agents -
Quinceys in Ewell, and Chipperfields in

East Street, Epsom. Ron Holloway injured a cartilage in
this match and will be out until Christmas, although he didn't know that at
the time.

Supporters trip
on 11/9/54 to the Southend Illuminations, leaving Clock Tower at 6.15 Tickets
7s.

Sept 54 Ernie
Watkins currently coaching the reserves.

11/9/54
"Biggest crowd at Dorking ever" for FA Cup tie. Att 2,400. Also
thunder and lightning during game.

11/9/54 Mick
Simmonds scored from 25 yards in this 3-1 win with all the goals in the
second half.

11/9/54 Ref EJ
Rivett injured during game and had to switch with linesman R Mould.

18/9/54
Reference to a 15 year old schoolboy Johnny Byrne playing for the newly
formed 'A' team under Fred Chitty.

Went on to
represent Crystal Palace, West Ham and England, scoring HT v Portugal and
dying in 1999/2000 aged 60

in South
Africa, where he had been coaching and living for a while.

18/9/54 Ken
Elbrow makes debut for Carshalton Ath after leaving Leatherhead.

18/9/54 We are
due to be at Civil Service but the match is switched to West Street and Epsom
win 6-1.

18/9/54 Tommy
Wright returns to club from Hounslow and scores 4 v Civil Service.

18/9/54
Supporters club advise they are selling tickets to the Norman Wisdom show at
the Palladium on December 3rd.

Tickets 9s.
Club ties have also on sale at 5s

Supporters Club
have now extended their insurance to cover any accidents in their coach.

25/9/54 Gordon
Sanders suffers black eye in collision with Geoff Porter. Lives in Waddon.
Now lives near the South Coast

towards
Eastbourne and visited Merland Rise to buy a book in late 2007 aged nearly
80.

25/9/54 First
goalless draw since 29/03/1937 v Tooting & M.

29/9/54 Epsom crash 4-1 at home to Whitstable in the FA
Cup replay. "A reasonably large crowd" and "played in the
brightest of

sunshine" according to the match programme that
followed this game. They deserved their half time lead of 2-1 but the second
half

was more even.

Sept 54
F.Graffham is at Fetcham OB in Sutton League

Sept 54 reference in Epsom herald to the West Street slope
being more than nine feet from end to end. There is talk of work being
done

to level it,
but it never happens.

Oct 54 Bill
Wiles joins Farncombe

Oct 54 former
keeper Jim Ferguson is still at Banstead Athletic where he has been for a few
years but is currently injured.

2/10/54 Epsom
offer to stage AC tie at Epsom instead of Kingsbury, but they refuse.

2/10/54 Sid Law
makes debut for Worcester Park. C.Palace scouts are watching by xmas.

Oct 54
Reference to a crowd of about 30 supporters who like to barrack Pat Lynch.
However papers say he is playing

as well as ever
now, after recovering from a hernia last year.

2/10/54 Kingsbury still played at Silver Jubilee Park back
in 1954. It must have been named after King George V Silver Jubilee,

in 1935, as
this was the address back in 1954.

2/10/54 Gordon
Hurst pulls muscle early in the game. Passenger, but Epsom still win 3-0 in
front of 200, although

another 200
stood outside the ground looking in.

Many of the crowd jeered Bobby Avis, because of his
previous connection with Hendon. Strangely though, there is no reference

to Pat Lynch or Glyn Hinshelwood getting the same
treatment. Programme refers to George not Glyn Hinshelwood but they are
wrong.

2/10/54 Ernie Watkins returned from injury at left half
for the Reserves as Epsom drew 1-1 with Yiewsley in the Neale Trophy at West
Street.

Oct 54 Future
player Brian Jenkins scoring plenty for his current team Teddington Gremlins
in West Middlesex League.

Oct 54 Epsom
sign Ron Ballard (28) from Carshalton Ath. Lives in Hackbridge. Previously
with Clapton.

Also Michael
Moore (17), and Robert Carrigan (21) both from Chatham

9/10/54 Gordon
Hurst pulls muscle again after 10 minutes. Passenger again. Not clear if it
was same one as last week.

Hurst is no
longer a teacher, and is now a banker living in West Ewell.

9/10/54 Epsom
lose 2 goal lead by HT. Lost 2-4.

Oct 54 Ron
Ruffell training with Epsom again.

Oct 54 former
player Denis Ford returns to Sutton United after a spell with Leatherhead.

Oct 54 Epsom
Herald referes to Norman Griffiths rejoining the club after leaving five
years previously to go to St Albans City.

However, he
never playes for the First team, remaining with the Reserves instead.

Oct 54 Mention
of future player Norman Dearlove scoring 15 in his first 4 games for
Carshalton 'A'. 600 went to watch him

at the next
Carshalton home game, although first XI and Reserves were away.

16/10/54
Supporters Club announce that tickets are on sale for Aladdin on Ice at
Wembley on 7/1/55. Tickets 10s. Sold out.

16/10/54 Brian
Brumwell plays for Leytonstone this day in the Isthmian League.

16/10/54 One of
the largest gates of the season was very disappointed by the performance.
Papers said it was

"pathetic".
Papers referred to Uxbridge winger Brooks as "coloured"

Programme
declares it as one of the worst performances ever!

Oct 54 Alan
Wigley joins club. A centre forward who played seven first team games for
Walton & Hersham last season.

Oct 54 Glyn
'Chick' Hinshelwood declared a professional by FA and is not able to play for
Epsom any more.

Had previously been captain at Eastbourne, where there had
been a recent inquiry into payments. Also at Hendon & Tooting &
Mitcham.

Papers are very
sympathetic to Hinshelwood, and says he will be missed.

23/10/54 Pat
Lynch dropped by selectors for Erith game. Replaced by Jim (Jack) Langley who
had been playing in reserves

after last year
when he was a first teamer after joining from Kingstonian.

Ernie Watkins
also returns to the first team after some months out, as does Bill Nuth.

Oct 54 Bernard
Alcoe (23) wing-half joins from Leatherhead.

Oct 54 Bill
Goddard rejoins Epsom. Originally joined from Edgware in 1951 then left in
Aug 53 for Sutton, then Leatherhead.

He had stomach
troubles since then, but after an operation, he dropped out of senior soccer
for a while. Played 4 times

this year for
London Transport in the West End League. Storeman by trade. Lives in Chelsea.

30/10/54 Club
Dance at the Baths Hall, Epsom. With Ted Wicks and his music. KO 7.45.
Tickets 4s.

6/11/54 Bill Goddard unable to play at last minute due to
recurrence of stomach trouble and in fact never plays again for Epsom.

Geoff Porter
was kicked early, and left field after 60 minutes. Ernie Watkins went in goal
and only let one in.

Gordon Sanders
injured 33 mins. Passenger.

Nov 54 Henryk
Mikrut is at Chesham

Nov 54 Derek
Evans is at Hounslow

Nov 54 former
player Albert "Tubby" Braithwaite reaches the age of 30 and
retires!

11/11/54
reported that Chairman H.G.Sherman had retired.

Had spoken of
retiring for a few weeks. Had connections with Epsom Racing Lads Club too.
Replaced by v-c F.M.Stewart

13/11/54
Mentioned in club programme that Doug Whitehead had taken charge of the
reserves.

Surrey Comet
says he joined as Assistant Coach. His pre-war Kingstonian scoring record of
90 still stands! He is a former

Scottish International who played for Scotland in 1934,
1936, 1937, and 1938. He was the only amateur not playing for Queens

Park on one
occasion! He was being considered for a full Scotland Cap, but pro clubs in
Scotland saw him as an "anglo-scot"

who shouldn't
be considered ahead of other players in Scotland. Turned down numerous offers
to turn pro, even though it

would have
meant "near automatic" selection for Scotland.

Nov 54 Mention
of Sutton East Schoolboy Dave Farley (14) being selected for Surrey Schools
u-15 at Cricket. Future keeper.

Nov 54 Herald
says who is Epsom's longest serving player? It is Ray Chenery, as Ernie had
some time at Leatherhead.

Chenery is
captain of the reserves and scored from 40 yards in a 5-1 win in SIC.

Nov 54 future
player Tommy Kerner currently top scorer in Athenian League for Tooting &
Mitcham.

Nov 54 Reports
are critical of Ernie Watkins, saying that he wanders too much, leaving a gap
in the defence. Lynch is playing

well, but the
defence is the worst in the Corinthian League right now.

Nov 54 Roy
Shea joins from Hendon, and had been understudy to England International
Laurie Topp. Lives in Norbury.

Nov 54 future
player John Berry apparently joining Sutton from West Ham, but doesn't, and
comes to Epsom in Aug 55.

18/11/54
reported that Ernie Watkins offered to resign from the club, and join
Carshalton Ath on 15/11, but no one

at the club
would confirm this. Ernest Fletcher also denied any talk of a cash crisis.
"There is nothing wrong with the club"

19/11/54 Epsom apply to Surrey FA for Associate Membership
of the national FA. SCFA agree to recommend their acceptance.

Nov 54 Danny
Willoughby joins from Eastbourne.

Nov 54 former
player Ron Orford is at Bromley, mostly Reserves

Nov 54 Ernie
Watkins says he has resigned. Bernard Canham also leaves to rejoin Malden
Town.

In December Ernie writes in to the Herald explaining his
reasons, and suggesting that the paper should have checked with the Epsom

Committee
before advising reasons which were not true. The Sports Editor of the Herald
replied to say that they had in fact

contacted the Committee who showed them Ernie's letter,
and stood by their reasons. Ernie would not return to the first team
until

February, and
the Reserves were taken over by Doug Whitehead shortly afterwards.

Brian Brumwell
returns to club after seeing service with several clubs, and Bill Goddard is
back in the reserves after illness.

27/11/54
Programme advises a Gala Night for all Football Supporters Clubs, organised
by the National Federation of

Supporters
Clubs at Tom Arnold's Circus in Haringey. Tickets are 6s plus 3s 6d for
transport. Also jumble sale in canteen

at 7pm on 10th
December.

27/11/54 Epsom
4-2 and 5-3 up but lose 6-5 to Hounslow. Bobby Musto scores HT.

Dec 54 it is rumoured in Epsom Herald that Bob Avis will
rejoin Hendon. He gives no comment to the papers but leaves in February.

Dec 54 Geoff
Porter asks to be rested for game at Slough on 4/12/54. Charlie Mutimer comes
in to side.

Dec 54 four new signings George Rumble (Sutton).
Previously Carshalton Ath and Villa amateur. Frank Booth (26)
(Lensbury),

Eric Collins
(22) (Wallington) and Ken McKenzie (Kingstonian 'A')

Dec 54 Jorgen
Sorensen leaves Sutton and may go to Epsom after xmas rush at his shop -
gents outfitters in Ewell. Home

town is
Aalborg in Denmark. Married to an English girl and speaks impeccable English.
Also father of future player Mick (80's).

In the end he
joins K's but would eventually end up at Epsom on a regular basis.

Dec 54 future
player Dave Hermitage (Surbiton) selected for SSL  v Dulwich at Dulwich on 27/12/54

Dec 54 Herald
describes Dulwich Hamlet as "the old enemy" seems a bit harsh!

11/12/54 Large support goes to Dulwich Hamlet, but they
were the better side, even though Epsom held them at 1-1 for 56 mins.

18/12/54 Epsom
should have won by 4 or 5 clear goals, but last minute equaliser gets
Maidenhead a point. Bobby Avis scored

twice but also
mispen.

Dec 54
Maintenance engineer Jim Crane rumoured to be leaving for Carshalton Ath but
changes his mind and stays. Lives in

Court Farm Avenue - Ewell. Rep Honours: Surrey, SSL, and
Corinthian League. Used to play for Hawker Ath where he still works.

Last time Epsom
played on Xmas Day 25/12/54 k.o. 11am @ Carshalton Ath L1-2

Mutimer and
Lynch are unavailable for this game and Porter has flu. (18) Bob Murray A
team keeper is promoted and

plays well v
Carshalton Ath. Ron Holloway also available after injury early in season.

Also Brian Pell
debut as a youngster. Had more success with Leatherhead and Dorking. Lives in
Horsham now.

Carshalton
programme has Ken Elbrow in goal for them.

27/12/54 5
changes to printed programme as Gordon Tillyer and Bob Avis were away on
"Bank Duties"

Jan Sorensen
guests for Epsom. Currently at Erith & Belvedere who he joined after
xmas.

1/1/55 Geoff
Porter gets married. Unavailable

Jan 55 Ernest
Fletcher going to Carshalton Ath's AC tie at Norton Woodseats. Fletcher comes
from Norton, Sheffield.

8/1/55 Bobby
Musto unavailable with torn muscle.

8/1/55 former player Dennis Dodd scores seven goals for
Carshalton Athletic Reserves in a cup tie and moves up to the first team.

8/1/55
Travelling reserve Ray Chenery goes in goal as Mutimer is unable to reach the
coach in time. Had played in every other

position except
keeper over the years with Epsom.

Jan 55 mention
of C.Palace keeper Roy Bentley (23) being Epsom born.

15/1/55
Uxbridge (H) p-p. Snow all over the South East. Programme sequence indicates
that no programme was produced.

22/1/55 Nearly
postponed at Yiewsley but fog clears just in time. Was a programme produced?

Mention of
Wells Cup being named after Mr A.L.Wells, a Leatherhead businessman.

22/1/55 Ernie Watkins returns to Epsom and plays in the
Reserves match this day at home to Chesham United which is won 7-5!

Jan 55 Bernard
Smith joins Carshalton Athletic from Uxbridge.

Jan 55 Ivor
Hughes is now at Carshalton and was listed as former Epsom, Sutton and
Leatherhead. Dennis Dodd is also there.

Feb 55 George Shailer is reported as joining Epsom from
Carshalton Athletic after failing to get a place there, but never plays for
the

first team. A
right half. It turns out that he never joined due to "domestic
difficulties" as the Herald points out the following week.

Feb 55 reported in Stratford Express that Billy Williams
who nearly became our Manager has just resigned as Leyton Manager. He is

no connection to our player from the 30s who was a former
West Ham professional, even though this Williams would manage a few

clubs in East
London over the years that followed, mainly Barking.

Feb 55 Bob Avis and Jim Crane both leave Epsom. Crane is
offered the player coach role at Hawker Athletic, while Avis returns

to Hendon,
whom he joined from in Nov 53. Crane is still likely to train at Epsom which
the club are happy to agree to.

Feb 55 Les
Peake joins from Hounslow, and Ernie Watkins is included in the side for the
Worthing game on 5/2/55.

Feb 55 Bernard
Canham is at Malden Town

Feb 55 former
player Ken Elbrow is at Carshalton Athletic.

Feb 55 Dick
Muirhead (23) joins from Tooting & M. Was leading scorer in 53/54. Lives
in Kensington and is Scottish.

Muirhead had
joined T&M in October 1953.

5/2/55 Lost
3-1 at Worthing, although Epsom hit woodwork three times and an early Epsom
goal was soon cancelled out.

5/2/55 Former player Reg Oakes scores two as Wimbledon
beat Hayes 2-0 in the Am. Cup at Church Road in front of over 7,000.

5/2/55 future player Ted Day plays for Kingstonian in
their famous 3-12 home defeat to Bishop Auckland. 12-0 down at one point!

11/2/55 Jumble
Sale at West Street.

Feb 55 Epsom sign a 17 year old keeper Ray Watkins. Made
his debut for Reserves at Worthing on 12/2/55. Lives in Surbiton and

has represented
Surrey Juniors.

12/2/55 Charlie
Mutimer is an engineer in a laundry and is attending a conference in Glasgow.
Unavailable.

12/2/55
Programme announces that FEJ Behn, a popular right winger has been awarded
the OBE. FEJ stands for Frederick

(Freddie)
Evelyn James Behn. He was born in Southern Rhodesia, and came to this country
as a young man, and has lived

in West Ewell
since 1923. Southern Rhodesia is now Zimbabwe. Award was in 1955 New Year's
Honours list.

Programme also
announces the death of a keen supporter Reggie New. Funeral was the previous
Wednesday (9th Feb).

It is probable
that the programme writer at this time was V.V.Tatlock.

19/2/55 First
win since 2/10/54 v Kingsbury. 20th game since then.

Petter Sports
currently known as McLaren Sports, and previously Lagonda Sports.

Feb 55 Secretary of Supporters Club WC Taylor denies that
club is disbanding. Rumour appeared because coaches had been

suspended due
to lack of numbers. 25 a match were required, but they were getting only 12.
Also fund raising schemes were

also suspended
on advice from "Our National Federation"

26/2/55 Pat
Lynch has a cold. Unavailable. The big match at Eastbourne is lost 3-0 in
front of nearly 3,000 speactators.

March 55 Epsom Herald says Bobby Musto is the anser at
centre forward and not Dick Muirhead. The club appears to agree and Musto is

moved back
there with Muirhead moved over.

5/3/55 Ex
players Dennis Ford and Bill Cutter watch game

5/3/55 Bill
Purkiss (19) recommended by Bill Goddard and will play for first team.

12/3/55 Gordon
Hurst had asked for a rest for a few weeks, but ended up playing against his
wishes and scores.

12/3/55 Ex
player Vic Honey guests for Epsom, as did Dennis Ford, who had rejoined.

12/3/55 Icy
surface at Uxbridge.

12/3/55 Without
realising it at the time, this would be Pat Lynch's last game for the club.

12/3/55 Former player Gerry Saffery plays for Hendon as
they defeat Hounslow 2-1 to reach the Amateur Cup Final at White Hart Lane.

Mar 55 Tommy
Wright now playing for Leatherhead.

Mar 55 Gordon
Tillyer (24) selected for Corinthian League v Navy at Maidstone on 12/3/55,
but game cancelled as pitch unfit.

Tillyer lives in Court Farm Avenue, Ewell and is a bank
clerk. Previously with Kingstonian and Stoneleigh Athletic. Rep Honours:

Surrey Minors. According to Colin Tong he died quite a
while ago. Geoff Porter and his wife lodged at Tillyer's parents for a
while

after getting
married in January 1955.

March 55
reference to Ron Webb leaving Carshalton for Bromley. Formerly with T&M,
Bromley, Hayes, Carshalton

in that order,
joining the robins in Feb 53.

Mar 55 Bernard
Willis starting career with Sutton. Ivor Hughes now playing with Carshalton
Ath, after spells at Epsom.

Previously also
with Sutton and Leatherhead and lives at Carshalton Grove, Sutton.

19/3/55 Pat
Lynch dropped again by selectors. Selectors want Lynch to watch the game from
the stand to see what problems

are occurring,
and what weaknesses Epsom had. Roy Dymott played instead and Epsom won 2-1 v
Maidstone Utd!

Maidstone were
second at this time, yet only got one more point in the last 9 games, and
ended up 12th out of 15.

Epsom Herald flatly denies this was the reason why Lynch
was dropped, but it still makes sense that he would watch if not playing.

26/3/55 Epsom
beat Camberley and face Carshalton Ath in final of SSS who beat Chertsey
10-2.

Dave Fillery at
T&M Reserves Apr 55

2/4/55 Vic
Honey helps out again at Hounslow. Future player and manager Derek Evans
plays for Hounslow v Epsom.

9/4/55
Programme at Erith refers to a previous long serving player Bobby Gill,
having captained the London League on many

occasions, both
at home and abroad.

Apr 55 Pat
Lynch virtually retires from football. Last game 12/3/55 v Uxbridge.

Has told club officials that he will concentrate on his
ironmongery business in Crouch End. Currently he worked there in evenings,
while

his wife
worked during the day. Lynch played for Hendon and was captain for 7 years,
playing in both AC SF's v Pegasus

with Bob Avis.
Joined Epsom in Aug 52 and is a toolmaker by trade. Lives in Highgate with
two children. Will look out for

Epsom's
progress in forthcoming seasons he says. He would later become Manager of
Wingate.

Ernie Watkins
takes over as Captain of the club.

9/4/55 Jan
Sorensen scores twice for Erith & B v Epsom. Jack Langley was injured
early. Passenger. Brian Pell hit woodwork

three times
during game. Epsom are still crushed 6-0.

11/4/55 Ref blew for HT 10 minutes early v Uxbridge. The
linesman ran over to tell him, so ref gave his watch a few violent shakes and

play continued! Epsom scored after 90 seconds of each
half. After losing the previous three to Uxbridge with a gd of F1 A16 this
3-0

win was a major
surprise!

16/4/55 Bobby
Musto unavailable as his father had died.

16/4/55 Only
about 200 spectators at Tilbury, but only about 100 left by the end of a poor
game.

16/4/55 Ray
Watkins plays in goal for the A team at West Street, but had earlier been on
the pitch for the Reserves and

scored the only
goal.

23/4/55 Epsom
play Sutton in a friendly and Sutton are allowed two substitutes by
agreement.

Advert for Jan
Sorensen's outfitters in Sutton programme at 50 Stoneleigh Broadway, and 194
Kingston Road Ewell.

23/4/55 Pitch
used for Epsom & Ewell League Cup final between Banstead Ath Juniors 0-4
Green Lane Wanderers. 5.30K.O.

28/4/55 Pitch
used for Epsom & Ewell League v North Surrey Minor League. North Surrey
won 3-2

29/4/45
Mention of 15 year old Albert Pollington playing and scoring for Chipstead in
East Surrey Charity Cup @ Redhill.

30/4/55 Epsom & Ewell League play a match against the
North Surrey Minor League who win 3-2 at West Street - probably this date.

5/5/55 2
minutes silence for President of Corinthian League Earl of Gowrie V.C. who
had died. Armbands worn at Grays.

5/5/55 Line up
unknown against Grays. Check!

14/5/55 Ivor
Hughes plays for Carshalton Athletic v Epsom in SSS Final. Ernie Watkins
injured and had lots of cotton wool up

his nose after
a collision. Epsom win 1-0 and Shield and medals presented by Mr Blackmore of
the SCFA.

Johnny
Hitchcock is man of the match but Bobby Musto scores the goal after 59
minutes.

Carshalton had
reached the Quarter Final of the Amateur Cup this season, losing in a replay
to Hounslow.

14/5/55 One of
the linesmen is former player and future top class linesmen Charlie Holliday.

May 55 Future
player Norman Dearlove playing baseball for Sutton Beavers this season.

Epsom are
bottom, but they and Eastbourne are re-elected to Corinthian League. No one
else was allowed in, even though

Hounslow had
gone up and Leatherhead had applied.

30/5/55 Fete at West Street with P.T. exhibition and judo
displays and running events. Organiser is Mr Stapeley. Free admission.

May 55 Epsom Herald is critical of the team and its
supporters. A large part of the crowd in the stand are not very
knowledgeable.

May 55 Epsom
announce their first ever official Team Manager - Doug Whitehead

He was a
member of Kingstonian's 1933 Amateur Cup winning side, and had played and
scouted for K's regularly since.

Reserves:

Corinthian League Reserve Division

Position

15th out of 15

SICC

2nd

Carshalton Athletic

1-4

SIC

3q

Addlestone

3-5

Neale Trophy

1st

Yiewsley

2-5

21/8/54 There
were many late changes to the side and the programme advised that at times it
seemed like only Chenery and

Mutimer offered
any real resistance as we crashed 4-1 at Tilbur on opening day.

4/9/54 Epsom
lead at HT but lose 2-1 at Maidstone United. Programme line up had changes
written in it, so I have used this as

an official
line up.

11/9/54 Club advises in opening day prog that Reserves are
home to Yiewsley in Neale Trophy but instead the league match is played.

18/9/54 Club
advises that Ernie Watkins has taken over the running of the Reserve side.

25/9/54 Meant
to be Tilbury (H) but League switched the game and we hosted Erith &
Belvedere winnning 4-0.

2/10/54 Ernie
Watkins returned from injury this day as Epsom drew 1-1 with Yiewsley in the
Neale Trophy at West Street..

9/10/54 SIC
opponents Wallington F.C. formerly Carshalton Albion and play at Foresters
Drive.

20/11/54 Lost
3-1 at home to Edgware in a game that was closer than the score suggested
with two late goals for the visitors.

18/12/54 No
game for Reserves.

25/12/54 K.O.
in the morning for this match that Epsom lose 4-0 at home.

27/12/54 2.15
K.O. on Monday instead of on Boxing Day, as this was a Sunday.

8/1/55 Mick
Simmonds scores HT v Worthing

15/1/55 Grays
Athletic (A) p-p - snow.

22/1/55
Reserves trail 3-1 but defeat Chesham 7-5 at West Street in poor visibility.
A small band of supporters were present.

Visibility was
poor and the game was restricted to 80 minutes instead of the usual 90.

Programme
5/2/55 says we drew 3-3 with Worthing on 8/1/55 and not 4-4. The programme is
wrong.

12/2/55 Man of
the match in a 3-1 defeat was Ray Watkins (gk) Not related to Ernie. Ray
would go on to greater things. Debut.

Programme described it as a "superlative
performance". Also reference to the fact that he is equally at home in
goal or at half back.

Spoke to Colin
Tong and Stan Williams at Colin's house 57 Cotterill Road, Surbiton on
17/09/11. Both are now 76, with Colin

being the
elder of the two by 6 days 07/09/35 and 13/09/35. Both joined this season
after a spell with Court Athletic in minor

football. Both
advise that they made their Reserves debut against Edgware at the White Lion
ground and that they lost 2-0 in

this game. Most
of their time was spent in the 'A' team and again the following

season as
Manager Doug Whitehead had gone to Edgware to watch the Reserves and wasn't
that impressed!

They referred to Ernie Watkins playing alongside them as
he recovered from injury and Colin recalled playing alongside a young

Johnny Byrne.
Also making his debut for the reserves that day was Brian Hayes who would go
on to play three times for

the first team
in 1957.

Byrne went to
Danetree School with Colin Tong and he was recommended by Vincent Blore, the
sports teacher who was a

former Villa
and West Ham player.

Colin's phone
number is 0208 399 2932 and Stan's is 01483 275385. He lives in Cranleigh
with wife Jan whose brother

Terry Molyneux
may have played for Epsom Reserves at some point around this era. He didn't
play for the First team

according to my
records.

Also Colin referred to a friend he knew from cricket Ted
Drake, former first team player who was son of the famous player, but

he didn't want
to talk about the history. Very modest chap says Colin. Also in their cricket
team was Ken Knowlson former or

future Press Secretary with Epsom who also played in the
Ewell Boys team pre-war that contained Ray Chenery and Roy Marlow.

12/3/55
Programme not issued for Maidenhead (H) Reserve game as First team games
either side have consecutive numbers.

This may be
because we were originally meant to play Uxbridge (H) so its possible they
weren't expecting any game and the

Maidenhead
match was a late arrangement.

8/4/55 Epsom
draw 3-3 at home to Maidstone United. Ray Watkins plays in goal.

9/4/55 Epsom lose 6-0 at home to Slough. Epsom Herald
advise that young keeper Ray Watkins played at right back in this match!

11/4/55 Edgware (A) Colin and Stan made their Reserve
debut with Hayes but Stan believes they lost 2-0 that day. This looks wrong

though as table
tracking clearly suggests 2-1. Ray Watkins played at right half in this
match!

16/4/55 Ray
Watkins plays in goal for the A team at West Street, but had earlier been on
the pitch for the Reserves and

scored the only
goal.

Apr 55 Epsom Herald refers to a youngster called Forbes
who is doing well for the Reserves and might make the First team next season.

He doesn't, but Dave 'Jock' Forbes would play for the
Reserves and showed up well in the pre-season trials against many new
players.

'A' Team:

Surrey Combination

Position:

6th out of 10

LC

F

Walton & H

0-1

Junior Team disbanded in favour of the 'A' team. Fred
Chitty was also in charge of them. They all got too old and had to do
National Service!

18/9/54 Their
first match of the season is the friendly with West Ewell Ath. Hoping to
arrange a few friendlies before then.

25/9/54 No game
for A Team

2/10/54
Definitely A Team's first competitive match v Banstead Athletic. Drew 2-2.
Venue unknown.

23/10/54
Chertsey (A) was due this day but no result. Almost certainly not played.

30/10/54 Woking
(H) is p-p.

13/11/54
Programme advises that we beat Chertsey at Court Rec by 10-0 but my records
have 10-1. Check.

27/11/54 Carshalton programme advises that they beat Epsom
7-2 this day at Carshalton. Clearly wasn't played on 26/03/55 as thought.

11/12/54 Woking
(H) is p-p. Waterlogged.

18/12/54
Molesey (A) was due this day but no result. Probably played though.

Table in 25/12/54 Carshalton programme says we were second
at this point Pld 5 W4 D1 L0 F23 A6. However, prog was only up to

and including 13/11/54 and if it was correct it means that
we didn't play Chertsey (A) on 23/10. Also GD doesn't tally as I haveF22 A5.

1/1/55 No game
for A Team

8/1/55 Was
there a game this day? Kingstonian (A)?

15/1/55 Sutton
(H) is p-p in League Cup.

22/1/55 Molesey
(H) is p-p.

29/1/55 No game
for A Team.

Record advised in Epsom programme 29/1/55. Played 12, W7 D2 L3 F 41
A ? and are in SF of League Cup.

This might or might not include the friendly though. Also mentions
that they haven't played a game at West Street this season.

Club are
almost right as we are in the QF of League Cup having apparently received a
bye to the QF in this ten team comp.

At this point
I can only trace 8 results and whilst we may have played Chertsey and Molesey
(see above) it's likely that the

record may
include a game on 8/1/55 (Kingstonian (A) maybe) and the opening friendly.

For the 8 games
so far I have W5 D2 L1 F31 A 13

5/2/55 Sutton
(H) is p-p in League Cup.

12/2/55 Molesey
(H) is p-p.

19/2/55
Carshalton (A) is p-p. Had already been played. Was this the return match?

26/2/55
Wimbledon (H) is p-p.

5/3/55
Wimbledon (A) was due this day but no result. Probably played.

12/3/55 Vickers
(A) is p-p.

League inc 19/3

11

5

3

3

28

30

13

7th

This varies
significantly from the figures advised in January's programme even though we
probably haven't played..

The 10-1
Chertsey win had been removed as they had withdrawn at some point between
13/11/54 and 19/3/54 and it is

quite possible
that we lost two Chertsey results and replaced one with the Wimbledon (A)
game on 5th March..

19/3/55 Programme refers to the A team as "our only
ray of sunshine at the moment" and mentions players names. Billy Wales,

Potter, Tong,
Falloon, and Murray, but no reference to Johnny Byrne at this stage.

26/3/55
Carshalton (A) was due this day but no result. Played on 27/11/54.

2/4/55 First
appearance of season at West Street as we defeat Sutton United 1-0 in QF of
League Cup.

9/4/55
Wimbledon (A) was due this day but no result. Probably played.

16/4/55 A Team have game at home to Carshalton Athletic at
5.15 k.o. at West Street, following the Reserve game with Uxbridge.

Epsom win the
game 3-1.

23/4/55
Wimbledon are defeated 1-0 to make the League Cup Final where they will meet
Walton & H at Stompond Lane.

27/4/55 Woking
(H) was due this evening but no result. Probably played.

3/5/55
Kingstonian (H) was due this evening but no result. Probably played.

5/5/55 Walton
& H (H) was due this evening but was not played.

7/5/55 Vickers
(A) was due this evening but was not played.

Epsom only
played 16 games this season and did not play Walton and Vickers at the end of
the season.

2/10/54 Sutton
v Middlesex Hosp rugby match ends in a 0-0 draw at Cheam! This was before
Sutton became

Sutton &
Epsom RFC.

Nov 54 Game
Cock pub is starting to be built. Proper licence to be granted for the Jolly
Waggoners. Previously only a wine

licence since
1949, as it was an old beer house before then.