The Start of a New Beginnning

April 2nd, 2020 by Abbey Abbott

It's April 2nd 2020, this was going to be our year.  Instead it has turned out to be everyone's year!  The world is in pandemic due to Covid 19 and the worlds population is basically in mass lock down.  Working, if possible, from home is the norm.  Could this be my chance to finally get this project off the ground and give it the time I feel it deserves after years of procrastination.  Let's give it a go.   Its going to be a long slog but I'll give it another shot.

Apologies if you click on a year and it says Under Research.  I wanted to get every season on board and work from there.  It's a huge project researching and scanning etc but we will get there. Thanks

Whatever happened to this Densham fella?

January 30th, 2021 by Abbey Abbott

abc (1743)

Trying out a new feature, Vote on best pictures.

December 2nd, 2020 by Abbey Abbott

Please have a click on http://www.theabbeyabbott.com/2004-05/  if you are passing and try and vote on a pic, would love to see if this new addition works  Thanks all.

Lest We Forget

November 8th, 2020 by Abbey Abbott

Poppy Pitch

Who remembers the entrance early 90’s?

November 6th, 2020 by Abbey Abbott

I know this was early 90's because of my car!  That gate post to my knowledge has also never been repaired!   Gates have now gone and sign erected for forthcoming games on the left.

WAFC Entrance Early 90s

No Longer Alone?

October 28th, 2020 by Abbey Abbott

I visited Barking last night for our league game (in which we went down 3-0), and for the first time probably, in around my 40 odd years of supporting the club, my mind came to the conclusion that finally, maybe, just maybe, I'm no longer alone!  Attendances this season have gone up all around non league, it has to be said, mainly due to the Covid crisis.  Fans cannot go and watch the pro teams at the moment and are getting their football fix elsewhere.  When the "game" returns hopefully the clubs will have done enough to retain the new found support.  So where was I, ah yeah  Last night the attendance was given as 103.  Driving home I began to have a tot up and I counted at least 31 of those were from the Abbey.  At least 30% of the crowd.  In my time it's never really been heard of.  You know that old saying, one man and his dog?  Well usually I seem to be that man without his dog!   Our home gates have gone up and finally it looks like Im not alone anymore at away games!

 

Thanks guys...  I'll revisit this blog later!

Town Hall Nights

October 21st, 2020 by Abbey Abbott

Here's a great photo from the 70's when the club used to have both Senior and Youth Presentations at the Town Hall in Waltham Abbey.  How many can you recognise, and indeed if you are in the picture, have you got any photos that we can share?

Click on the pic for bigger version.

The Abbey Abbott

October 21st, 2020 by Abbey Abbott

How we doing today? animated-monk-image-0033 This is me having a play with the site, updates coming soon I promise! Pray for me!

Spurs Legends

June 25th, 2020 by Abbey Abbott

Odd, that I had never seen this video until this week! (June 24th 2020)  This game took place in March 2011, and although I didnt attend my only memory is of going to the clubhouse after when the players were leaving and speaking to Tony Galvin in the car park,

Good video showing the ground in its old light and how far its changed and improved since then.

 

Beechfield

May 19th, 2020 by Abbey Abbott

Great Photo From 1973

Beechfield Football Club is engrained in the history of Waltham Abbey FC as research tells me that way back in the 1940's there was an original Beechfield that amalgamated with Abbey Sports in the early 1950's. To my knowledge (and I would most welcome feedback on this), when I was a youngster in the 60's Beechfield was restarted, and don't quote me, by people such as Charlie Sharp, John Woodward, Stan Edmans and Brian Gilson who all lived in Beechfield Walk at the time.  (Confirmation on  the history would be great) The famous Green Hut which stood for years was the headquarters until the amalgamation with Waltham Abbey United in 1974.  Beechfield was originally a Sunday section but went onto to play in the Northern Suburban Saturday League and had many famous battles with Waltham Abbey United, again before the amalgamation.

The photo below is one of the Youth teams from Beechfield pictured in 1973, only recently obtained for my history files. (Thanks to Graham Sheridan)

Back Row L > R : Barry Edmans, Nicky Skinner, Steve Hennessey, Paul Bridges, Ian Ladyman, Brian Paisley, Paul Thomson, Les Slater Manager.
Front Row L > R : Graham Sheridan , Steve McRoe, Mark Kelsey, Martin Gilson, Johhny Herbert, Jon Haldane

Beechfield 1973

80’s Memories

May 12th, 2020 by Abbey Abbott

Pictures from the old entrance that originally came out on the other side of the allotments that have survived to date.  These photos are early 1980's probably just before the M25 started construction.  It looks like a couple of the big trees that ran alongside the river were felled and the river itself was "tidied" up ready for re-routing.  Things that those of you who have keen eyes can see are: the red phone box in Beechfield Walk that is no longer there.  The pitch goals on the other side of the river where our A and B teams used to play, alongside numerous others on Sundays.  The swimming pool is in the background, sadly demolished at the end of 2019.  Some of the old blue swings that were in the park are in the photos about to come to the end of their life.  The original old clubhouse that stood where our beer garden is today can also be seen.  For the purists and Beechfield fans the old famous Green Hut can be seen in the distance of at least one of the photos.

Apologies if the pictures all show, they are meant to be in a sliding gallery. (Technology!)

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