Former SSML News

[Rhodes]

Karen attempted to start a thread a while back entitled 'Ex SSML News' but it didn't really take off, I was surprised as former Welwyn Garden City supremo Rob Pattwell leaving Barkingside after just a short spell was surprising news which warranted more than just one short response from Savagebee. Rob was brought in by then Manager Gus Gulfer in May 2015 who took over from the legendary Matt Frew and spent two years at the Cricklefield Stadium without achieving a great deal before being replaced by former Clapton boss Michael Walther: 

 

[Rhodes]

The great Craig Hammond in action for Royston Town, photographs against Hatfield Town at Garden Walk on Saturday 28 February 2009, in a 2008/09 SSML Division One fixture, which Royston Town won 2-0, no prizes for guessing who scored both goals. Was Craig arguably the most gifted and prolific striker the SSML has ever witnessed, albeit over a short period with Royston Town under his mentor Paul Attfield, the Club won Division One by 16 points that season scoring 138 goals with Craig getting 61 of those plus another 20 in Cup competitions:

Edited January 10, 2021 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

I see that former SSML Club Haringey Borough have reached the last sixteen stage of the FA Trophy and are due to travel to Oxford City's Marsh Lane tomorrow (16 January), they are one of only three Step Three sides still left in the competition and just one from Step Four, the remainder all being from Steps One and Two. I am sure that we all wish the Club luck in their endeavours to progress to the Quarter Finals:

Edited January 15, 2021 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

Who can recall when Hertford Town were in the SSML and visiting Hertingfordbuty Park, it wasn't so long ago when the friendly Club finished five points behind Champions London Colney in 2016/17 but were promoted to the Isthmian League as London Colney declned promotion. Here are some photographs, I saw the best goal of my life scored there on Tuesday 15 August 2006  but that's another story:

Edited January 18, 2021 by Rhodes

[Savagebee]

47 minutes ago, Rhodes said:

Who can recall when Hertford Town were in the SSML and visiting Hertingfordbuty Park, it wasn't so long ago when the friendly Club finished five points behind Champions London Colney in 2016/17 but were promoted to the Isthmian League as London Colney declned promotion. Here are some photographs, I saw the best goal of my life scored there on Tuesday 15 August 2006  but that's another story:

It was always a fave of mine and there was some top people at that club as well. A lovely ground and setting in my opinion ?

[Rhodes]

On 15/01/2021 at 12:23, Rhodes said:

I see that former SSML Club Haringey Borough have reached the last sixteen stage of the FA Trophy and are due to travel to Oxford City's Marsh Lane tomorrow (16 January)

What a missed opportunity for former SSML Club Haringey Borough last Saturday, they were leading 2-0 at Oxford City in the FA Trophy Fourth Road after just 19 minutes however lost the tie 4-2 with Oxford City crucially pulling a goal back just before the interval and then equalising on 67 minutes. Had they won the Coles Park Club would have then had the luck of the draw when hosting Peterborough Sports in the last sixteen of the competition: 

[Rhodes]

These photographs will interest Karen and hopefully bring her out of the woodwork, I hope the floods in York aren't affecting her. Ossie Ardiles was at Herns Lane on Sunday 12 November 2017 to unveil Welwyn Garden City's impressive stadium upgrade, they were still a SSML Club at that time however were promoted to the Southern League as Premier Division Champions at the end of that season:

Tottenham Hotspur FC Ambassador Ossie Ardiles officially unveiled Welwyn Garden City FC’s major stadium upgrade recently (Sunday 12 November). The project was made possible by a grant from the Premier League, through the Football Stadia Improvement Fund (FSIF), the largest funders of non-league football in the country. Also in attendance was the star of BBC’s DIY SOS, Billy Byrne, who lives locally and Cllr. Lynne Sparks, Mayor of Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council

Edited January 22, 2021 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

Photographs from when Brimsdown were still a SSML Club and a 2017/18 FA Vase First Qualifying Round tie against Eastern Counties League Division One side Debenham LC, played at Coles Park on Saturday 9 September 2017. Debenham LC won 2-1 having been 1-0 in arrears with five minutes remaining, Lionel Stone scored Brimsdown's goal, the game was remembered for a 'biblical' type thunder and rain storm during the proceedings which can be seen in some of the photographs: 

Edited February 1, 2021 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

Here's another one for Karen, photographs and match reports from then SSML Division One Welwyn Garden City and Combined Counties League Division One Bedfont & Feltham in a 2013/14 FA Vase First Round proper tie, at Herns Lane on Saturday 19 October 2013. Welwyn Garden City won 1-0 with a 27th minute goal from Perry Stellon and progressed to beat Ely City after a replay before succumbing 3-2 at Hadleigh United in the Third Round who had defeated Ampthill Town at Ampthill Park in a Fifth Round tie the season before:

Welwyn Garden City 1-0 Bedfont & Feltham - Results - Bedfont & Feltham Football & Social Club (bedfontandfelthamfc.co.uk)

NonLeagueFootballShots: Welwyn Garden City 1-0 Bedfont & Feltham

Edited February 4, 2021 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

These 200 or so photographs will interest Agamemnon3, he was probably there, Cockfosters v AFC Rushden & Diamonds in a 2013/14 FA Cup First Qualifying Round tie, at Chalk Lane on Saturday 14 September 2013, resulting in an exciting 2-2 stalemate after ninety minutes, Stuart Blackburne netted both goals for the then SSML Premier Division side in front of a large attendance of 305. AFC Rushden & Diamonds, who had disposed of London Colney in an earlier round after a replay, trounced Cockfosters 8-0 the following Tuesday in front of a crowd 421:

Cockfosters 2 AFC Rushden & Diamonds 2 – AFC Rushden and Diamonds (afcdiamonds.com)

[ Sat 14th Sep ] Cockfosters v AFC R&D FA CUP - The unofficial AFC Rushden & Diamonds messageboard (afcdiamondsforum.uk)

Edited February 6, 2021 by Rhodes

[agamemnon3]

No, I wasn't there.  I lost interest in football for some years and in 2013 only went to a handful of Middlesbrough away games -- Reading, Bournemouth, Watford, QPR, Brighton, Yeovil.

My first visit to Chalk Lane was in 2014 for an FA Vase tie against Hoddesdon Town.

A lot of familiar faces in the crowd -- some, sadly, no longer with us.

Ah well... 

[Rhodes]

On 22/01/2021 at 18:04, Rhodes said:

Ossie Ardiles was at Herns Lane on Sunday 12 November 2017 to unveil Welwyn Garden City's impressive stadium upgrade, they were still a SSML Club at that time however were promoted to the Southern League as Premier Division Champions at the end of that season

I see that Welwyn Garden City Secretary Karen Fisher, who I believe is still at the Club, wrote a speculative letter to Tottenham Hotspur prior to the upgrade at Herns Lane in 2017 to request turnstiles from the old ground at White Hart Lane, her ingenuity paid off handsomely as the Club donated three turnstiles which must be very pricey to buy for Non League Club's particularly at a lower level:

Tottenham donate White Hart Lane turnstiles to non-league side Welwyn Garden City FC | London Evening Standard | Evening Standard

Tottenham have responded to a plea from non-league side Welwyn Garden City FC by donating three of the turnstiles from their old ground, White Hart Lane.

Spurs waved goodbye to their home of 118-years last month with a 2-1 victory over Manchester United before demolition got under way.

But fragments of the club’s famous old ground lives on after being handed down the football pyramid, in what has been described by the Hertfordshire side as a ‘wonderful gesture’.

Aside from a friendly encounter to celebrate the installation of floodlights at their ground in 1987, Welwyn have no long-standing relationship with the London side.

But club secretary, Karen Fisher, wrote to Spurs chairman Daniel Levy in January to see whether the Premier League side would donate two of White Hart Lane’s turnstiles at the end of the season.

Edited February 17, 2021 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

On 19/01/2021 at 09:13, Rhodes said:

What a missed opportunity for former SSML Club Haringey Borough last Saturday, they were leading 2-0 at Oxford City in the FA Trophy Fourth Road after just 19 minutes however lost the tie 4-2 with Oxford City crucially pulling a goal back just before the interval and then equalising on 67 minutes. Had they won the Coles Park Club would have then had the luck of the draw when hosting Peterborough Sports in the last sixteen of the competition

How do we think former SSML Club Haringey Borough will be feeling tomorrow afternoon at roughly 2.55pm when Oxford City run out onto the hallowed Meadow Lane turf in Nottingham, for an FA Trophy Quarter Final tie, and lock horns with the oldest professional football league club in the entire World, founded in, wait for it, 1862. Notts County began playing at Meadow Lane in 1910 having had five different homes prior to that, before many other Club's were even formed, including Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, their first home being in the idyllic grounds of the old Nottingham Castle (pictured) for just one year between 1862 and 1863. This is what Haringey Borough are missing out on tomorrow and they must be toe punting themselves at losing their Fourth Round tie 4-2 having led 2-0 at National League South Oxford City after just 19 minutes. Had they won at Marsh Lane the Coles Park outfit would have then just had the formality of beating fellow Step 3 Club Peterborough Sports at home in the last sixteen before making the trip to Meadow Lane:

Edited February 26, 2021 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

It was always a delight to go to Lowfield for a game wasn't it when Hoddesdon Town were in the SSML between 1997/98, as founder members, until 2017/18 when they sadly left 'us' for the Essex Senior League, it was 'an occasion' what with their door stop programme, meeting Chairman Roger Merton and Jonno, well not so much Jonno ?:

Hoddesdon Town FC 1-1 Kentish Town FC (3-3-12) | Flickr

Hoddesdon Town vs Sawbridgeworth Town | Flickr

Edited March 1, 2021 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

Karen created another thread back in the day entitled 'Do you remember them?' and this time it proved more popular with members with three pages and 73 replies, Karen highlighted a lot of Club's involved in the South Midlands League prior to it amalgamating with the Spartan League in 1997/98 to become the SSML. It's interesting stuff and you can see why Karen is often compared to 'Motty', Tring Army pointed out that he made his Tring Athletic First Team bow at Toddington Rovers in the early 1990's, I don't know his name but that may be him in goal against Holmer Green at Miswell Lane on Saturday 29 November 1997 (see below): 

Edited March 1, 2021 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

Back in the day you could literally hear a pin drop at Coles Park for SSML Premier Division games, and the Club's one season in Division One in 2007/08, however look at it now, where were all these 'hangers on' then as presumably they are local people:

 

[petethegreek]

3 hours ago, Rhodes said:

Back in the day you could literally hear a pin drop at Coles Park for SSML Premier Division games, and the Club's one season in Division One in 2007/08, however look at it now, where were all these 'hangers on' then as presumably they are local people:

 

Will the prodigal son ever go back to Coles Park?

[Part Time Par]

The response will be as silent as that pin dropping!

[Rhodes]

Enfield Til It Died - I didn't resurrect an old thread, how come you posted. I wouldn't be interested in going back to Coles Park now with all the fair weather hangers on and big time Charlies on the pitch who let the Club down badly this season losing to Maldon & Tiptree in the FA Cup, Oxford City in the FA Trophy when 2-0 up and to Hanwell Town on penalties last Tuesday in the London Senior Cup. Those three defeats cost the Club a six figure sum as Maldon & Tiptree's FA Cup First Round tie with Morecambe was televised, this afternoon's London Senior Cup Semi Final with Tooting & Mitcham at Coles Park would have generated good gate receipts.

[Part Time Par]

4 hours ago, Rhodes said:

 I wouldn't be interested in going back to Coles Park now with all the fair weather hangers on and 

the fact that you are probably still banned from the ground!