This is Denis Compton, one of the glamorous England cricketers who was the face of Brylcreem in the post Second World War period. A bit of a "little dab will do you!". Sadly some of you will have no idea what I am talking about. Hey ho.
Denis played football too and started his career at Nunhead FC, a settlement in Peckham, South London, a team playing in Greater London. Denis played 12 games for England during the war period, in "unofficial" internationals.
Not a very inspiring badge, but then not a very inspiring team (I'm being unfair).
Nunhead FC, originally known as Wingfield House FC, was formed in 1904 and became founder members of the Spartan League in 1907-8 (only 10 teams in the division). The club joined the Isthmian League a season later, which had only 14 teams at best.
The Spartan exists now as a Midland's league division (Levels 9-11) and the Isthmian has four divisions in the South-east (Level 7-8). Both divisions now have a full complement (20 clubs).
Why am I knocking around Nunhead? Blame Denis....The club was founded in 1888, they had a remarkable run of success in the Isthmian League from 1913 with a gap in the war years, through to 1930 when they were runners-up in the league 4 times and champions twice. There were only 14 teams in the division between the wars.
They played Watford FC in the FA Cup 1st Round proper in 1935-6 season, losing 2-4 at home.
To reach this point Nunhead FC met en route:
Extra-Prelim-Carshalton Athletic won 0-4 a
Prelim-beat West Norwood 2-0 a, following a 3-3 draw........see below
Qual Rd 1-beat Will Sports 4-0 h
Q Rd 2- beat Sutton Utd 1-0 h
Q Rd 3-beat Beddington PO Engineers 2-0 h
Q Rd 4- beat Kingstonian 3-2 a
Southern fans will note that in this competition my old local sides:-
Surrey village Cranleigh was beaten 7-1 by Walton on Thames after a 2-2 draw in the Extra Preliminary Rd.
Also Guildford FC lost to West Norwood 3-2 a in the same rd
And Godalming beat RAMC Aldershot 3-4 away following a 1-1 home draw.
Godalming then lost to Courage and Cos Sports away 3-0.
Denis Compton went to Arsenal in 1936 and of course, his career was interrupted by the war. He played 54 times for the Gunners, helping them to win the League in 1948 and the FA Cup in 1950 along with his brother Lesley. A knee injury eventually put pay to his footballing career,
Nunhead played Kingstonian FC in the FA Cup 1st Rd in 1926-7 and set a record for the highest score for a Non-League club, when they won 9-0. In the next round they lost to Poole 1-2
To balance things out, they played Bath City in the 1st Rd of the FA Cup in 1931-2 losing 0-9.
Nunhead FC ceased to function after 1940-1 and its old site is part of the Haberdasher's Askes' Federation School.
Albert Cadwell started his career at Nunhead and then turned out at left half for West Ham Utd in over 272 games for a decade up to 1933, scoring a magnificent 1 goal. He died in the war.
Sydney James Pugh went from Nunhead to Arsenal over the 1938-44 periods but only played a handful of games, as well as one for Bradford City. He became injured, then was killed in the war, in training with the air force in 1944.
Brothers who have played in the FA Cup Final:
Hubert and Frank Heron of The Wanderers 1876
who opposed Alfred and Edward Lyttleton for the Old Etonians and of course the Neville Brothers in 1996. Wanderers won 3-0 after a 1-1 draw.
and of course The Comptons 1950.
No comments:
Post a Comment