CHRISTMAS AT THE ISTHMUS

OK, back to normal? Boxing Day holds many memories for me and my footballing career but I am modest as you know, so I am not going to go on about Boxing Day matches that I played in, that I can remember! Mind you I can't remember much these days, so suffice it to say I need a nudge.
I got two yesterday. My old college friend Bill Rogers lives in Ripe, East Sussex, and we visited, shared food and wine with him and his family and then we scuttled off to the Dripping Pan (sometimes known as the Rookery) at 3pm to see the Rooks play, that is Lewes FC. It was where I cut my teeth in senior football having been encouraged to join the club (35 miles away from my home) by my PE teacher Ray Smith. I only had a Vespa 150cc as transport so a 70 mile round trip for training and matches three times a week sometimes took its toll on Lewes' expense budget!

Lewes, founded in 1885, were hosting an East Sussex derby in the Bostick Isthmian (as it was once known) Division South. It was played at the Dripping Pan and there is much to say about Lewes FC but I have been there before in this blog, so look it up. Safe it to say, Lewes is up front in social diversity, real ale (Harveys in the bar), advertising and equality.

My long standing friend Pat Francis lives in sight of the ground but he was at Bournemouth scouting for the Seagulls, so a reunion was not on. Several "life members" were in the side I played for and I had hoped to "bump" into one or two, but we old folk all look the same now, so we are not easily recognised.

The game was fun, Lewes won, probably deservedly, and they are top of the division. Hastings, a DHSS sponsored south coast resort, brought with them some drunk scallywags who were spoiling for a fight and their crowd chanting and drum banging were not really in keeping with the 800 or so middle class establishmentees surrounding the Pan-the ground named from the original use of the site as a salt pan using tidal water and much earth moving around the priory motte and bailey.

The Isthmian League, as it was known before sponsorship, got its name from the Isthmian games, associated with the Isthmus of Corinth in Greece. The games were held before and after the ancient Olympic games as a sort of trial. The league was formed in 1905 to help encourage amateurism as clubs began to fall into the professional Southern League and alike.
The Corinthians FC (also Greek origins!!), Civil Service, Clapton, Ealing Association, Ilford and the London Caledonians were founder Isthmian members in March 1905, the motto, "Honor Suficit", which you should be able to work out...there were no cups or medals to be won.

By 1922 the league grew to 14 teams and by 1970 it took professional clubs, if they wanted and in 1973 there were two divisions of 16 teams, and a third added in 1977. By 1985 teams could get promoted to the Football Conference from the Isthmian.
 check out the "hospitality chalets" top right.
Lewes won the newly formed second division (third tier) in 2001-2, the Division One South in 2003-4 (second tier).
 A couple of arty posters adorning the ground.