Braishfield’s Successful Tour MATCHES IN BELGIUM
AND FRANCE, EASTER 1969
THE combined village sides, Social Sports and Braishfield
F.C enjoyed a successful Continental tour over the Easter
holiday. On Saturday they beat F. C. Bruggemans Boys 5—O
at Brugge, Belgium, and then, on Sunday, they went down
2—1 to J. S. Wizernoise, a French senior team. Highlight
of the latter match, watched by a crowd of well over 500,
was a brilliant display by Dave Adams in the Villagers’
goal. The Braishfield party arrived in Blankenberg on Friday
morning, having travelled overnight from Dover, and, after
breakfast went sight-seeing through the large shopping centre
and the marvelous miles of beach. In the afternoon there
was a coach tour, taking them over the border into Holland
and including several stops for shopping and refreshments.
Both sides exchanged pennants at the start of Saturday’s
game in Brugge, and the villagers also received a cup from
their hosts. After many photographs bad been taken the game
started at the unusual time of 3.45. Cautious play marked
the opening stages with the two teams sounding each other
out and the Belgium side. After only ten minutes, brought
on a substitute. The villagers attacked hard and when Wassell
centred Old hit a low drive past the ‘keeper to give them
the lead. Wassell on the left wing was giving the Belgian
defence plenty of trouble and from one centre Parsons headed
inches wide. Then, from a Wassell corner the keeper dropped
the ball and wing-half White put them 2—0 in the lead. At
the start of the second half, the game became a deadlock
with neither side breaking down the other’s defence, in
which P. Fielding and Byrne starred for the visitors and
Miller did well to block out the Belgians’ dangerous outside
left.
With only ten minutes to go, the Villagers turned on a sparkling
spree, and Wassell netted twice from identical moves featuring
Reg Fielding, Gritt and Old, the keeper having no chance.
Then Wassell hit the crossbar and Old banged in the rebound
to net the Villagers fifth goal. They were unlucky not to
have added even more to their score, but both Old and Wassell
had goals disallowed for offside. Gritt had a fine game
on the Villagers right-wing and John Fielding, playing in
his old wing-half position, also came out with great credit.
Team v. Broemans Boys
D Adams, R Miller, P Fielding; J Fielding, J Byrne, A White,
L Gritt, R Fielding, D Old, B Parsons and B Wassell
On Sunday morning, the party travelled 80 miles over the
border into France, and, on alighting from their coach at
Wizerness found posters and photographs of the home side
displayed on hoardings and in windows and stuck all over
cars in the Town Square. After being entertained to refreshments
by the host club, they watched a youth match between Wlzerness
Youth and Locks Heath, from Southampton, which the visitors
won 3—O. This game was followed by the Social Sports fixture
and the home sides first eleven, watched by over 500 people,
the was largest crowd ever on the French club’s ground.
At the start, both sides stood while the National Anthems
were played and then all the players names were called out
over the loudspeaker. Pennants were exchanged and photos
taken before the kick-off at 4.30.
The home side looked like running riot over the Sports from
the start, but Dave Adams was brilliant in the Sports goal
and defied them time and time again. Then, at the other
end, Old beat three men but shot straight at the keeper.
The French side were hard in the tackle, and very fast,
and deserved their one goal lead at half-time, although
it was a very lucky one, the ball rebounding from P. Fielding
past keeper Adams Half-time: l—0.
At the start of the second half
the Villagers substituted Parsons for Langford, who had
received an ankle injury, but the home side again scored
a lucky goal when Wood failed to push the ball back far
enough to Adams and French forward netted with a great shot.
Not letting their 2—0 deficit worry them Social kept on
plugging away and Wally Wassell hit an upright on three
occasions, Barry Wassell was inches wide and then a header
by the same player scraped the crossbar. Wing-half Byrne
was having by far his best same ever for Social and broke
up many attacks by the home side. Then at last Social were
rewarded when Barry Wassell scored from a long ball through
the middle by Reg Fielding. Seconds later he netted again
but the referee turned the Villagers’ delight into dismay
as be gave it offside. Dave Adams brought applause time
and time again from the crowd with fantastic saves as the
home side, who bad two brilliant ball players in their forward
line, forced pressure on the Sports’ goal. Then right on
time a shot from Wood went inches over the home cross-bar.
Result: 2—1. The Villagers were unlucky to lose this game
as their opponents were a good footballing team and enjoy
senior status.
Entertained at Town Hall
After the match the teams were entertained to champagne
at the Town Hall where Social Sports secretary Dave Old
was introduced to the Mayor of Wizerness, and captain Brian
Wood received a cup for the Club from the home side, whose
friendliness and hospitality wilt always be remembered by
the villagers.
Team v. J, S. Wizernoise:
Dave Adams, R Miller,
P Fielding, J Byrne, B Wood, D Langford, B Parsons, Dave
Old, L Gritt, B Wassell and W Wassell.
Monday morning was
free for shopping and after a mid-day meal at their hotel,
the party sailed back on the 3.45- ferry from Ostend, arriving
in Dover at 7.30.
Braishfield ladies team Boxing
Day 1969 (Fun event)
There were high jinks at
Braishfield on Boxing Day 1969,
when members of the local teams and some retired players
and their wives and girl friends took the field for a
comic football match. The ladies, captained by Mrs. Jean
Gritt, were dressed in pyjamas, while the men, led by
Mr. Len Gritt, turned out in shorty nighties!
A sporting encounter was
enjoyed, with the ladies winning 3-2, although the game
was played in light-hearted fashion and not always
strictly according to the rules. Most of the men's team
lined up between the posts on one occasion, for
instance, in an effort to thwart a penalty kick, and
referee Mr. P. Cawte was not averse to giving the ball a
helpful boot in the ladies favour
when it came his way. The ladies' scorers were Mrs.
Maureen Fielding (2-one pen.) and Mrs. Bet Byrne, with
S. White and Colin Dowling replying.
Afterwards, all went to the
Braishfield Social Club for a celebration drink and
dance.
Social Sports 1970
Many of their players originally
played for Woodley Rangers, but after they finished quite
a number of them then signed for Braishfield Social who
then became quite successful, climbing up through the leagues
to the Premier Division. After a while this became too much
in what was a tough division and they changed leagues, and
became known as Social Sports (we think!).
Braishfield FC 1988-89
Crampmoor
Happy, carefree days of football
soon to be shattered by the First World War are recalled
by this old but hitherto unpublished photograph of Crampmoor
FC. 1912-13. The team played friendly's against Awbridge
Albion, Ampfield, Chilworth, Braishfield, Mottisfont and
Romsey Reserves. The year after the picture was taken, many
of the young men concerned were in the Forces and some gave
their lives for their country.
Lockerley
Run by Phil Stemp, who was awarded
manager of the year and they finished third in the table,
semi-finalists in one cup and runners-up to Redbridge Eagles
in the Southampton Under 18 cup final.
Michelmersh and Timsbury
Mottisfont
Romsey
Romsey Town FC ground at Priestlands
1950
Sun Inn FC
Sherfield English
West Dean FC
West Dean FC - 1980-81 Salisbury Sunday League Division
Two Champions
Back row: 1. David Selby; 2. Gary Whitfield; 3. Simon Barry;
4. Andy Day; 5. David Strover; 6. Alan Higgins; 7. Martin
Pearce; 8. Tony Porteous; 9. Kenny Hughes.
Front row: 1. Paul Wilkins; 2. lan McDonagh; 3. Gary Poolman;
4. Phillip Hodges; 5. Jimmy Porteous; 6. David Poolman.
Whitenap
Back L-R, George Smith,
Stefan Nater, ?, Michel Smith, Peter Windibank, Simon
Cull, Chris Allen, Piers Trussler,
Front L-R, Steve White,
James (Jock) Adams, Simon Clarke, Alan Crockett, Andrew
Taplin
Woodley Rangers
Charlie Woods, Brian
Knights, John Bobbett, Pat Savage, Dave McLaughlin,
Eric Williams, Dave Bobbett, Mick
Farthing and Len Levy.
Norman Ayres, Jimmy Byrne,
Terry Fish, Dave Leigh, Geoff Hattersley
Woodley Rangers 1968/69
Woodley Rangers 1967/68
Wrynams
Wrynams FC 1972
Back row:- Alan Lambert, Ben
Smith, Alan Fields and Rob Sillence
Front row:- Keith McGrady, Derek
White, John Perry, Dave Lambert, Barry Head and Kevin Snow