Pay Attention At The Back There!

By alan ainsworth (legacy user)13/7/2014 23:01Sun Jul 13 23:01:50 2014

Views: 11820

I know nobody reads the NLP nowadays, but this was in it today:

Where Are They Now?

Hendon - Barassi Cup Winners 1973.

The sands of time have done nothing to dampen John Evans' memories of Hendon winning the European Amateur Cup. Even though it is 41 years since Hendon beat Italian amateur cup winners Unione Calcistioa Valdinievole over two legs, Evans still remembers it like it was yesterday.
Hendon were invited to play in the Barassi Cup in 1973 after beating North London rivals Enfield to win their third FA Amateur Cup at Wembley. In the four seasons previously, Evans had seen Leytonstone, North Shields, Enfield and Skelmersdale United all win the competition. But now Evans had built one of the best sides amateur football had ever seen, one that was packed full of internationals and Olympians who had very few equals.
Hendon already had experience of Italian opposition after playing host to Torino in a friendly match in September 1971. The Turin side were in London prior to taking on Tottenham Hotspur in the Anglo-Italian Cup-Winners' Cup and wanted a practice match. Hendon provided the opposition and even though they lost 3-1, the experience was to prove to be invaluable 12 months later.
Goals from Bobby Childs and Rod Haider were enough to see Hendon win the first leg at Claremont Road and Evans reminisces with fond memories.
"I looked at Leytonstone and Enfield with envy when they played in this competition so to have the chance to be involved in it was a joy," said Evans. "What did it for us was winning that first leg, but we had already played Torino and they destroyed our shape. It was a huge learning curve for when we played the first leg of the Barassi Cup. You have to remember this was all at a time when you couldn't find out a lot about teams. When Unione came to us they looked very sleek but the goal from Bobby Childs took the wind out of their sails. What a goal that was. It enabled us to puff out our chests and look forward to the second leg."
They needed the two-goal cushion for the return as the Italians used every trick in the book to try and put them off. Hendon even had to play with the handicap of having John Baker sent off, but they still managed to secure a 1-1 draw thanks to a Tony Bass effort.
Evans added: "It was an achievement for us because it was quite hostile out there. You don't want to hear about some of the things that were going on. It was something that we were not used to. Some of the things we went through were infuriating, but I don't really want to go into it. It was intimidating but it was important that we kept our shape and held our nerve. We got a lovely goal from Tony Bass after Gary Hand did the damage down the left. then they scrambled a horrible mucky goal towards the end of the game to get the draw, but we came away with the trophy. It was a huge experience for us."

The team photo shows them lining-up in civvies in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Disgraceful lack of kipper ties, but some styleless pullovers on display. Jimmy Wilsonham wins the barnet contest. Gary Hand is the worst dressed; Bobby Childs arguably the coolest clad and the only man in shades.

Tony Bass - An England Amateur striker with Tottenham Hotspur, Enfield and Dagenham who worked as a postman for 26 years. He still lives in Dagenham and has delivered coffee for the last 14 years.
Alan Phillips - Wales & Great Britain international centre-back, who for many years was an accountant with Heinz foods. He was based in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire.
Tony Jennings - Right-back who captained and managed the England semi-professional side. He also managed Carshalton and worked in a London market. is now based in the West Country.
Arthur Paisley - A long-serving goalkeeper who worked for a shipping line and is now retired and based in Chalfont St. Peter near Gerrards Cross in Buckinghamshire.
John Swannell - One of the finest England international goalkeepers in amateur football. A transport manager, then a warehouse manager, who now works for an electronics firm while living in Surrey.
John Baker - A prolific marksman who was an England Youth international, he worked in the family fruit and veg industry in Hayes market for all his working life but now lives in Frimley, Surrey, in retirement.
Derek Baker - A left-winger who was reserve team manager at Barking. He worked ina Degenham factory, Dagenite Batteries, and then became a logistics manager in the City of London before retiring.
Jimmy Wilsonham - Midfielder who did various jobs including owning a fish stall and working in a fruit and veg market. He liven in Dagenham until his death in January 2005, aged 58.
Fred Pudney - A midfielder who had two spells with Hendon, and a lengthy stint at Dulwich Hamlet. He worked at Smithfield meat market before doing the Knowledge and becoming a London Taxi driver.
John Muir - A physio with the NHS who, after retiring, moved to Derbyshire and lived in Chesterfield until his death in July 200, aged 74.
Phil Fry - An England Amateur international defender who worked as an engineer, before opening up a garage in Weald Park and now lives in Brentwood.
Bobby Childs - Midfielder who scored against Hendon for Wealdstone in the 1966 Amateur Cup Final. He worked as a toolmaker but died in June 1989, aged just 45.
Peter Deadman - England and Great Britain international centre-back who was an analytical chemist at the Bank of England printing works before going to work with children in east London and Essex.
Walter Koller - Swiss winger joined Hendon when he worked for the International Master Printers Association. Now lives in Lake Geneva and is a managing director for a real estate business.
Gary Hand - Left-back who served Hendon as both player and manager. He was audit director at Capital Consultants, and now runs G Hand & Company in Garston, near Watford.
Rod Haider - England's most capped amateur international. A midfielder who worked in the insurance industry for all his working life, but is now retired and living in Wokingham, Berkshire.
John Evans - Manager and former Millwall, Hendon and Wales amateur. He was a PE, metalwork and latterly a design teacher in Dagenham, but is now retired and living in Great Bentley, Essex.