KINGS WIN WITH LES

The FA Vase is the modern equivalent of the old FA Amateur Cup, a trophy played for since 1893. I shall not remind you that the Old Carthusians won the first final beating the Casuals 2-1 on the 7th April 1894 at the Athletic Ground, Richmond. 3,500 watched it. Nine teams in the two early rounds were Old Boys' sides, true amateurs.

The Amateur Cup was introduced when professionalism overtook the FA Cup and major teams paid money to their players to win silverware. The Amateurs (apparently) demanded no such rewards apart from pride.

The FA Vase draw has been made and the next round is being held on December 2nd. The draw is still regional and the winners in this 3rd round will earn £1125.
Holders are South Shields who beat Cleethorpes 4-0 at Wembley in May at the end of last season. In this year's FA Cup 3rd Qualifying Round, South Shields met York City who won the FA Trophy on the same afternoon, beating Macclesfield Town 3-2 having been 2-0 up. South Shields are now out of all national cup competitions. In the meantime, local rivals, North Shields are still going strong, away at Newcastle Benfield in the Vase.

I have been alerted to a retired footballer who happens to live near my brother in Ampthill (or nearby). Les Gilson has written his "life story" and on many occasions he has made reference to his appearance for clubs in the amateur leagues. He has journeyed at the "top end" through Nottingham Forest and County, spent time with a minor side in Brentford after the war, Guildford City (a substantial southern league team in the post war period) and in 1956-7 at Hayes, he played against the mighty Bishop Auckland in the Amateur Cup semi-final at St James Park in front of a huge local crowd. Hayes lost 2-0 and the northerners won the final beating Wycombe Wanderers with a crowd of 90,000 at Wembley.


I suspect that he would regard his peak period being at Kingstonian FC, with whom he won through to the 1960 FA Amateur Cup Final at Wembley, playing before a crowd of 60,000 on April 23rd. He later played at Oldham before returning to the Ks.

Kingstonian (a team sited at Kingston-u-Thames) lost 2-1 to Hendon. En route to the final the Kings beat Histon from Cambridge, Letchworth Town, Ferryhill Athletic, Carshalton Athletic and Crook Town, who held the trophy. The cup was a regional affair until the latter stages.