NO THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENT OF THE YEAR

[BOROMAN]

Anyone out there without a game to go to this Saturday 27th. Come and help swell the attendance at Purfleet F.C.'s ground for Romford Football Club's last game in the Ryman before a necessary move down to a lower level of football.

The game is against Hemel Hempstead and kicks off at 3.00pm

[Jacey's Slave]

Whilst it is always nice to go to your home ground, I will be at Billericay watching your hosts, Purfleet FC, secure 3rd place in the league (hopefully).<p>Be sure and spend plenty of money in the clubhouse though to drown your sorrows

[carjam]

Good luck to Romford, hope to see you all back at the pinnicle of non-league soccer in a few years. I hear your ground deal now has good prospects.

[Cressing Toad]

The only pinnacle this Romford (formerly Collier Row) have seen is Spartan league champs lol. Don't kid yourself carjam Collier Row isn't and haven't ever been in even the same borough as Romford (Havering). Some people say Collier Row were bought out by the people that were involved with the old Romford defunct at least 30 years, but from where i'm stood, Collier Row is destitute and borassic lint.

[BOROMAN]

Mr Iron Knob sums you up mate. What are you going on about. Romford F.C reformed in 1992 and took over Collier Row's Sungate ground when Collier Row folded/merged with Romford four years later.<p>The 1992 club was a reformation of the old Southern Legaue side, we have never been anywhere near the Spartan League. We don't play at Sungate now anyway.<p>Get your facts right next time

[BOROMAN]

P.S. Sungate was in Havering untill they moved the boundaries a few years ago!<p>God, some people!

[carjam]

Whoops Iron Knob, looks like your barking up the wrong tree this time. Its the same Romford and they are one of the only sides along with Southend and Chelmsford in Essex who have the long term potential to achieve soccer at a far higher level than you are ever going to witness. Once the difficulties are over for them you can expect to be humbled on the pitch on a good few occasions on there way back up.

Good luck Romford, anyone remember Jim Towers.<p>Carjam

[Cressing Toad]

I actually remember the REAL Romford FC and they never played in the Spartan or Isthmian come to that but only the Southern league. They were a proud club, but for whatever reason were liquidated a good 20 years before 1992. Romford dissappeared for two decades then miraculously reformed and a few clowns say its the one and same club as pre 1970's. Collier Row were Spartan league champs and moved to the Isthmian in the latter part of the 1980's. Boroman can hurl the insults but this Romford aint the one and same as the old one. If they are where have they been playing? Sungate in the London borough of Barking & Dagenham? And which year did they switch from Southern to Isthmian? Some people need a reality check.

[Willow Street Ender]

Hello again Iron Knob,<p>Final words on this subject, no importance at all of course apart from the facts. I lived five minutes walk from the old Romford ground which for your information was called Brooklands. In 1950, when I became a child supporter, Romford were in the ISTHMIAN League where they remained until joining the SOUTHERN League in 1959, going bust in 1978. A final thought. I was born in Stebbing and am therefore,rather like you, a good old country boy and can understand your problems of sorting fact from fiction. Keep trying, you'll get there and don't waste any more of my time. Smarter cookies than you have tried and failed to wind me up, I'm just glad that I managed to escape from Rusticania.

[Guest]

Boroman me old mucker, I'd like to post a message from Johnny G wishing you well, but I don't want to open old wounds. (JG and Haysee were reminiscing last night at the Club about the Romford days and turning over Boreham Wood with regularity.) Instead I will send you our SC and my personal wishes for your turn of fortunes. For next season, we have decided to put the Essex Senior League table in our programme so we can keep an eye on you and you never know, some of us might make an appearance at Stansted/Sawbo/Walden games against Romford :-) Best of luck

[Colin, Germany]

I don't get to see many Foresters Essex Senior League matches, but perhaps I will get to one of our matches against you next season.<p>The last time I saw Romford was against Enfield F.C. in the F.A. Cup.

[Cressing Toad]

Mr Hoarse,<p>You wriggle around getting cocky coz you know something i didnt. Ok the old Romford were Isthmian at one stage. But what the heck has that got to do with Collier Row now called Romford? The two clubs are chalk n cheese. You assume a damn lot, I've lived in Braintree, but actually lived in Wickford for most of my years and am based there still when not overseas. I suggest you keep your eye on the ball and not the side issues, you sound like a politician, but unlike yourself won't make the assumption you are.

[Willow Street Ender]

Hi Iron Knob,<p>How spooky! I moved from Wickford to Rayleigh in 2000, having lived there since 1975, so we share remarkable similarities in our Essex dwelling places. Glad you now believe me re Romford / Isthmian etc, the only thing you now have to accept is that Collier Row were taken over by Romford when they were on the brink of collapse. The Isthmian League would only admit Romford on the proviso that for one season the club would be known as Collier Row & Romford FC. According to Essex Radio today the "Iron" beat Canvey 2-1. Congrats on a great result, nice to see that an ex-Romford player scored the goals. I don't feel at all cocky, today was the last Ryman game before Romford drop down to the Essex Senior again. I assume you will be pleased about that!<p>Bye for now.

[Touchline]

Well said Mr Hoarse! Let's take encouragement from the sentiments of Carjam. Incidentally, I well remember Jim Towers - scored a few goals, but could have done with losing a little weight!

[Cressing Toad]

Mr Hoarse<p>I'm never pleased to see a club go down the pyramid. I have no truck with Romford FC only fond memories. I do however have somewhat poor memories of when Collier Row were in the spartan and visited Cressing Road in the mid 1980's for an FA Vase tie. 15-20 rowdy followers of that club arrived long before kickoff and of course our volunteer admission guy never bothered getting in position earlier than 30 mins before kick off time, so he'd do the rounds of the bar and the ground first to request those staying for the match to cough up their 1.50 or whatever it was in those days. To a man the Collier row followers refused, they sounded like out and out East London barrow boys with the language to match, in reality they were bullies in numbers. Those things leave bitter memories, while its not fair to chuck that on the present players, officials or followers of the club the memory lingers.<p>I will re-iterate the present club bearing the proud name of Romford - was born from Collier Row and played at Sungate outside the London borough which Romford is situated in, it gives a glamorous touch to Collier Row. No one can persuade me they are anything like the original Romford with their thousand plus crowds.<p>I wish Romford (Collier Row) well in the ESL. Yep it was a great result yesterday, Canvey are a wonderful team at this level, via their cup exploits have brought the Ryman much prestige , but being self -indulgent am pleased we get to play them again next season.<p>Well done Iron on securing 4th place in their first season.

[Willow Street Ender]

Dear Cousin Iron,<p>The current Romford FC were reformed in 1992 starting a ground share at HORNCHURCH FC. The first full scale pre-season friendly was AGAINST COLLIER ROW at SUNGATE where COLLIER ROW continued to play until 1996. Geddit? <p>To re-iterate:-<p>ROMFORD REFORMED IN 1992, COLLIER ROW WERE STILL PLAYING AT SUNGATE IN 1996, SO HOW CAN ROMFORD POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN SPAWNED FROM COLLIER ROW?<p>I have run this message past our ten year old cat and next door's year old grandson and they both readily understood, I hope that you will too.

[Cressing Toad]

Thanks for all the interesting info, much of it new to me. But still doesn't answer where Romford (the once proud club of pre1978) have been playing? Did the new Romford have to come up from junior ranks as is the normal process? How did they circumvent that without merging with a current senior club? What happened to Collier Row who appeared to dissappear from the Ryman around the same time Romford appeared in it playing at the same location? Thanks in advance for any clues you might like to give.

[Willow Street Ender]

Hi Iron,<p>From 1992 to 1995 - Groundshare at Hornchurch. From 1995 to 1996 - Groundshare at Ford Utd in Rush Green. From 1996 onwards when Collier Row were taken over/merged with Romford at Sungate. The true details of what happened in 1996 are a bit sinister regarding the take over/merger. This was all handled in a covert manner by our former chairman Mr Goodwin, who eventually defected to Bishops Stortford taking all our best players and team management with him. The fans were kept in the dark but it was common knowledge that C/Row were in big trouble. I can't remember exactly when the problems with Ryman began regarding the state of the Sungate ground which was opened and closed with alarming regularity. Romford then played at Grays, Purfleet, East Thurrock, Barking and even as far afield as Hendon and Chesham to name a few. I think the total of grounds at which Romford have had to play "Home" games now stands at eighteen. In 1992 on reformation a deal was done with the Essex County FA when Romford were awarded Senior status enabling entry to the Essex Senior League. The current Romford FC hold legal title to Romford FC Ltd which folded in 1978. Former players from pre 1978 were actively involved in the reformation and some have attended matches.<p>Bye for now, I've run out of words!

[Cressing Toad]

Thanks, It could be said we've got it all from the hoarses mouth now. Good luck in the ESL see you back in the Ryman sometime and hope you get a nice home before long.

[Willow Street Ender]

Cheers Iron,<p>Enjoy the close season, same wishes to you and BTFC. Keep your eye on the Romford website, its a good one, things are looking up for next season with the possibility of a new ground now looking quite hopeful.<p>Look forward to more chat next season, I enjoy this internet lark, only been up and running for a few weeks but the trouble is I'm hooked and getting severe ear bashings from the wife!<p>Bye for now.