Those Were The Days; 3rd April 1961

[Les1949]

THOSE WERE THE DAYS
3rd April 1961
Surrey Senior League Cup Final
Hampton 1 (Carroll) Croydon Amateurs 4

Brian Stevens; Johnny Webster, Bill Tucker, Peter Jennings, Ivor Griffin, Peter W Jennings, Brian Lambert, Jakie Cooper, Tony Carroll, Ron Griffin, Tommy Harris.

Hampton’s run to the Surrey Senior League Cup Final ended in a 4-1 defeat by Croydon Amateurs, on Easter Monday, at Kingstonian’s Richmond Road ground. Croydon Amateurs would end up as runners-up in the league and were favourites to win, however they were shocked when Hampton took the lead in the 20th minute. Peter Jennings collected the ball in midfield, Lambert passed it on to Cooper, Carroll finishing off the move to put Hampton ahead. Cooper had a chance to make it 2-0 but missed what appeared to be an open goal. Hampton still led 1-0 at half-time but Croydon came into the game during the second half, and as light faded wrested the cup from Hampton. Croydon equalised through a J Overall header. F Morris then put Croydon ahead, Cooper almost levelled the score again with an overhead kick. A power drive from M Lloyd gave Croydon a 3-1 lead. Twice, Hampton went close to scoring again but it was an unfortunate own goal by P W Jennings that put the trophy beyond Hampton’s grasp.



The Old Historian

[Shepperton Supporter]

I was at this game, still got the programme. Croydon were one of the stronger teams in that league at the time.

[RogerB]

I was at this game, still got the programme. Croydon were one of the stronger teams in that league at the time.

Like you, Shep, I can remember that game, sheltering from the rain in the old wooden stand at Richmond Road.
According to your programme, who was in goal for us on that day? We had two keepers with similar names around that time, Brian Stevens and Andy Steven, and my memory's convinced it was Brian Stevens that played that day.... and played a blinder! I think it was one of his last games before moving out of the area. I thought Andy Steven was a season or two later as a back-up to Joe Andrews. However Les's team sheet shows Andy Steven in goal. And did we really have a left-winger called Tommy Harris? That name doesn't ring any bells. Do you remember him, Shep?
Another story I remember from that game is that, to avoid a clash with Croydon's sky blue and navy, we had to change to our "away" shirts which that season were plain green and had no numbers on the back. The lack of numbers was deemed too "naff" for a cup-final so Ivor Griffin's wife Josie was dispatched to Bob Simester's sports shop in Kingston to buy some numbers. The only ones they had in stock were red so we wore green shirts with red numbers that day.

[Les1949]

I was at this game, still got the programme. Croydon were one of the stronger teams in that league at the time.

Like you, Shep, I can remember that game, sheltering from the rain in the old wooden stand at Richmond Road.
According to your programme, who was in goal for us on that day? We had two keepers with similar names around that time, Brian Stevens and Andy Steven, and my memory's convinced it was Brian Stevens that played that day.... and played a blinder! I think it was one of his last games before moving out of the area. I thought Andy Steven was a season or two later as a back-up to Joe Andrews. However Les's team sheet shows Andy Steven in goal. And did we really have a left-winger called Tommy Harris? That name doesn't ring any bells. Do you remember him, Shep?
Another story I remember from that game is that, to avoid a clash with Croydon's sky blue and navy, we had to change to our "away" shirts which that season were plain green and had no numbers on the back. The lack of numbers was deemed too "naff" for a cup-final so Ivor Griffin's wife Josie was dispatched to Bob Simester's sports shop in Kingston to buy some numbers. The only ones they had in stock were red so we wore green shirts with red numbers that day.

According to team lists from that time we did have a Tommy Harris, he played between 1959/60 & 1962/63, possibly a reserve player. As for Stevens, you are correct, looking back it was Brian, I definitely had Andy Stevens in mind when I typed up the team list - good spot! Have changed the original.

[Shepperton Supporter]

I will have to go through my programs to check. But I would agree about the Stevens, From memory Brian Stevens left us and the following season Johnny Birch was keeper but he got injured playing just once and a certain young keeper from the reserves took over named Joe Andrews, the rest they say is history! (Joe played in the next 38 matches that season). As for a Tommy Harris yes he was a winger around this time, he didn’t play many games 4/5 per season as he mainly was a reserve. Billy Groves became the recognised left winger from 62/63 season.
Andy Steven was later and was understudy to Joe Andrews.
Hope this helps.

[Shepperton Supporter]

Having had a few minutes to look at my records
Andy Steven 1 appearance 65/65, 1 appearance 65/66, 0 in 66/67, 9 appearance 67/68. In 68/69 he was replaced by Andy Welstead as reserve keeper.
It’s worth remembering that 67/68 we played 74 games.
The keeper appearances were in that seasonJoe Andrews 64 , Andy Steven 9 and Bob Mordell 1.
In 1968/9 we played 69 games Andrews 60, Welstead 8 and Bob Mordell 1.
That’s a heck of a workload for amateurs!

[Shepperton Supporter]

Interesting to think back to those times and how the whole basis of football and non league has changed. When we went to a Richmond Road Kingstonian were a well established senior non league team that had recently been to Wembley for an Amateur Cup final (which I went to) . Now they have no ground, about to be relegated and their gates have diminished.
Still a slightly better situation to our old rivals Staines who having lost their own ground, currently being used by Brentford. They are now a Staines and Lammas Middlesex and play in a junior league.