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Request for help from historians / stattos - other matches at Claremont Road
Views: 2375
Hello all,
To (hopefully) distract from all the current stuff...
Being a complete sad-sack, I'm trying to work out all the games I've been to (cos, you know, important stuff). And I've whittled it down to four games at Claremont Road that I can find no reference to anywhere on the internet (unsurprisingly, not involving the first team...). They are:
- About 1990/1991, there was a charity friendly match between a Cannon Cinemas XI and Jewish Chronicle XI. I know it was a Sunday. I know it ended 2-2. It rained. Couldn't tell you anything else about the game, apart from Mark Hughes played in it. Yes, THAT Mark Hughes. The one who worked for Cannon Cinemas.
- Around the same time, there used to be a short-lived annual match between the GAA All-Ireland Champions and the GAA National League champions on St. Patrick's weekend. In 1991, it was between Mayo and Donegal (Mayo won it). Now, I *think* in 1990 (or it could have been 1992) there was a game between Mayo and Down, same thing. But I can't find anything anywhere for it (tried on various GAA forums).
- Around 2007/2008 ish, I remember Romford had their ground closed towards the end of the season, and ended up playing a home game at Claremont Road. At least I think it was Romford. They certainly played in the game, but I can't remember if they were the home or away side. Anywyay, they won 3-0 and got promoted. Or they lost 3-0 and the other team got promoted. I remember that bit as I celebrated with the fans and players at the final whistle, because lolz. Anyway - anyone got any recollection of this?
- last one. There was a game at Claremont Road AFTER the last home game of the season, where either the U16s or U18s played a match (could have been any season from 2001 onwards - I can't remember if Jacs was around then, and when I asked her if she remembered it, I got a blank look). It was a few hours after, so was enough time to out and get some food and come back. No idea of the teams, score, or date - I do remember a small child wandered out onto the pitch at one stage, and nobody noticed until the kid nearly got decapitated by a clearance.
If anyone has ANY idea about any of the above (dates, scores, actual teams involved etc), it would massively help me sleep at night, and I will buy them a pint next time I make it to a game (though with work currently, that could also be a pint celebrating the start of the 2020 season).
Hope all's well.
Re: Request for help from historians / stattos - other matches at Claremont Road
Views: 8941
Hi Paul,
Hope you and the family are well.
If you have a copy of Hendon's Centenary History, the first match is easy to trace. Right at the start of the book there is a Foreword by Rod Haider, then an Introduction by David Bedford, then a piece on Playing at Claremont Road by Ian Lush. The piece by Ian describes his playing in the Cannon Cinemas v Jewish Chronicle game in November 1991. It doesn't go into a great deal of detail, but it might jog a few memories for you. Ian is the brother of Peter Lush, one of the authors of the Centenary History.
I've also seen a mention of Romford playing a home match at Claremont Road somewhere very recently. I'll see if I can track it down, It occurred at the end of a season when Romford's ground was closed for some reason not specified in the bit I saw.
Re: Request for help from historians / stattos - other matches at Claremont Road
Views: 2209
Ian Lush is on both Twitter and Facebook so should be fairly accessible.
Hope yourself, Jacqs and the little un are all well. (and Larry, obvs!)
Re: Request for help from historians / stattos - other matches at Claremont Road
Views: 2233
Specifically with regard the 3-0 game. This maybe of completely no help what-so-ever but I have located a game from the 1998-99 season at Claremont Road where Romford lost 0-3 to Hitchin Town. Monday 26th April. The original game was abandoned at the ground of Romford 02 02/01/99 with the score at 0-2. Dixon 50, Abbey 74 & Hall 85 with the goals. Attendance 103.
Hitchin did get promoted that campaign with may shed some confirmation on the actual season - bit of long shot.
The Romford side:- Horne, Price, Ray, Marsden, Risley, Cox, Wood, Kinnear, Paul, Matthews & Stanbrook. Bird for Marsden 84mins.
Re: Request for help from historians / stattos - other matches at Claremont Road
Views: 2212
Gary Dixon, Zema Abbey and Rudi Hall. The latter a couple of years previously had a penalty saved by Gary McCann after Macca had seen a photo in the programme when we played up there. Crucial, it was, kept us up. Abbey went on to play for Norwich.
I think as well the Horne in goal for Romford that day was Brian Horne, formerly with Millwall and the Canvey goalkeeper on Bontcho's debut when he scored *THAT* goal that Bob Stanley later legendised in song.
Re: Request for help from historians / stattos - other matches at Claremont Road
Views: 2209
This is all brilliant stuff, thank you folks. I had completely forgotten about the charity game being referenced in the club history (though I remember following Sandra out into the car park at Margate where she was getting the first box of the book out of her car to distribute, and being ludicrously excited seeing that game mentioned).
The Romford game - it could very well have been that early (most games after about 1996 blur into each other after a while...). May very well accept that as being the game.
Also, the Bontcho goal - I remember that vividly, as we were all still talking about it about five minutes later when Canvey levelled! And the Gary Mac penalty save - remember that as well, and the one man pitch invasion afterwards to go and celebrate with Gary!
Family are grand, hoping to get to a game soon (annoyingly, despite being the nearest ground to my house, I'm working the night of the Farnborough game). Hope everyone is doing well. And thanks again for the responses.
Re: Request for help from historians / stattos - other matches at Claremont Road
Views: 2156
That was I who undertook the one man pitch invasion....I was about half way up the pitch when I realised I was on my own....had to see it through then.
Walked back to the Hendon end with John Simon White & I think Matt Moran.....halcyon days....
Re: Request for help from historians / stattos - other matches at Claremont Road
Views: 2234
It took you about a minute and a half to get over the barrier!
Re: Request for help from historians / stattos - other matches at Claremont Road
Views: 2200
The Rabster pitch invasion was one of the funniest things I have seen in watching sport. The sheer joy and elation of the pitch entry, the realisation of the solitude of the invader and the dogged determination to go all the way, and no ban or punishment. Thank heavens the referee blew the final whistle when the invader was still at the Hitchin end penalty area.
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