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
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!
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?
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 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
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!)
Despite the club not actually moving into Senior football until the 70’s the origins of our old humble stand go back to at least 1954-55 when the footings were first built and covered accommodation erected pitch side.
Before this picture taken in the 80’s the stand had a corrugated iron roof and back which rusted away over the years. The early 80’s saw the breeze block back put in and a new roof with asphalt covering. The front and sides undertook yet another coat of paint to keep them going. It was a little later in the decade though that the old girl finally gave way. During a storm overnight the wooden timbers, so long a stalwart, gave way and members turned up at the ground to see the old girl flattened by the overnight winds.
A new square version was rebuilt to take her place with a donation from the council. The steps still existing were then incorporated into the new stand which we see today. Observant spectators may see that the stand is at an angle to the pitch to match the original 1954/5 building and I believe the steps can still be seen nearer the middle of the present structure.
Every now and then pictures such as this one that I class as gold dust appear, to me this is no exception! In the 70's Waltham Abbey FC was on the rise for sure and the football club was a great place to be. If anyone has a story and/or knows the exact year I'd love to hear from you.
Pictured where today the car park now sits, with the allotments in the background before the new club house entrance road was built are :
Dave Hellen, Andre Gascoine, Robert Brace, Ian Matthews, Philip Argent
Gary Towner, Gavin Harman, Mark Atfield, Paul Holloway
Ian Spillett, Gary Matthews, Tony Footman
One of the great photos from the past that was on the clubhouse bar wall for many years. Keith Fletcher, as was customary for him, telling the referee how to ref the game and what he done wrong! We lost 0-3 at home to Hanwell Town that day 27th October 1984. We were in the London Spartan League Premier Division. No wonder Keith had plenty to say!
I last saw Keith in Waltham Cross in the bank about 5 years ago, are you out there Keith, any memories?
Sadly the Covid virus put paid the the 2019-20 but The Abbott's Chairman John Martin has moved fast in preparation for next year. Around 240 tonnes of sand were delivered to our Capershotts ground in early April, in anticipation. Once again the top layer has been taken off the pitch and the ground aeriated and sand filled. The chance to work on the pitch this early was too good an opportunity to miss after the FA declared that all football at our level was to be ruled null and void. That won't stop us including all results and appearances in our official records books though. The ground is pictured Sat 18th April 2020, a view not often seen in the past.
