Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2009 20:07:41 GMT
Four clubs from the South East(ish), each with a good record on the pitch and a decent ground, once had aspirations to join the Football League. None succeeded and all the grounds have disappeared.
Bedford Town
A force in the 1950s and 1960s with a FA Cup win over Newcastle and a draw with Arsenal. Applied to join the league virtually every year between 1955 and 1975. Lost The Eyrie ground (record attendance: 18,000) in 1982 and disbanded shortly afterwards. Re-formed early 1990s and now play in the Southern Premier.
Chelmsford City
Won the Southern League four times by 1972. Nearly twenty applications to join the League between 1939 and 1976 (when a rule change restricted the number of applicants). Played at New Writtle Street (record crowd 16,800 against Colchester, Southern League 1949) until 1997. Torquay United played there in FA Cup 1970/71. Have played at a new ground in Chelmsford in 2006, after years of groundsharing, and are currently top of Conference South.
Who says Chelmsford is a city? It's not. Nor is Brechin.
Guildford City
Southern League champions in 1938 and 1956. Played at St Joseph's Road where the largest crowd was nearly 10,000 on two occasions in 1938/39. Around ten applications to the League between the 1930s and 1960s. Ground sold for re-development in 1974 when, shortly afterwards, the club merged with Dorking and left the town. There have been various clubs since with a side called Guildford City currently playing in the Combined Counties League at a local leisure centre. New stadium proposals have been mooted from time-to-time.
Romford
Romford were a leading amateur team which turned professional and won the Southern League in the 1960s. Applied to join the Football League in every year but one between 1960 and 1972. Played at Brooklands, the record crowd being over 18,000 for an FA Amateur Cup tie. There were once proposals to expand the capacity to 40,000. Problems started in the 1970s when the local speedway team was unable to pay its rent. This meant the ground was sold in the mid 1970s leading to the demise of the football club in 1978. A new club was formed in 1992 later merging with Collier Row. Romford are currently top of the Essex Senior League with aspirations towards joining the Isthmian League.
Bedford Town
A force in the 1950s and 1960s with a FA Cup win over Newcastle and a draw with Arsenal. Applied to join the league virtually every year between 1955 and 1975. Lost The Eyrie ground (record attendance: 18,000) in 1982 and disbanded shortly afterwards. Re-formed early 1990s and now play in the Southern Premier.
Chelmsford City
Won the Southern League four times by 1972. Nearly twenty applications to join the League between 1939 and 1976 (when a rule change restricted the number of applicants). Played at New Writtle Street (record crowd 16,800 against Colchester, Southern League 1949) until 1997. Torquay United played there in FA Cup 1970/71. Have played at a new ground in Chelmsford in 2006, after years of groundsharing, and are currently top of Conference South.
Who says Chelmsford is a city? It's not. Nor is Brechin.
Guildford City
Southern League champions in 1938 and 1956. Played at St Joseph's Road where the largest crowd was nearly 10,000 on two occasions in 1938/39. Around ten applications to the League between the 1930s and 1960s. Ground sold for re-development in 1974 when, shortly afterwards, the club merged with Dorking and left the town. There have been various clubs since with a side called Guildford City currently playing in the Combined Counties League at a local leisure centre. New stadium proposals have been mooted from time-to-time.
Romford
Romford were a leading amateur team which turned professional and won the Southern League in the 1960s. Applied to join the Football League in every year but one between 1960 and 1972. Played at Brooklands, the record crowd being over 18,000 for an FA Amateur Cup tie. There were once proposals to expand the capacity to 40,000. Problems started in the 1970s when the local speedway team was unable to pay its rent. This meant the ground was sold in the mid 1970s leading to the demise of the football club in 1978. A new club was formed in 1992 later merging with Collier Row. Romford are currently top of the Essex Senior League with aspirations towards joining the Isthmian League.
Possibly caused by Cambridge, and ourselves voting for themselves?