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WINGATE FOOTBALL CLUB (1946-1991) |
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Wingate Football Club was founded in 1946 by four enthusiastic Jewish sportsmen who returned to the U.K. after the Second World War and wished to form a Jewish Football Club playing in senior amateur competition. They earnestly believed that one positive way of helping to combat the ignorance and social evil of anti-Semitism was on the field of play.
The four main founders were Major Harry (Chi) Sadow, Frank Davis, later to become Mayor of Finchley (1963/64) and a Justice of the Peace, George Hyams and Asher Rebak, the late uncle of current Committee Member and immediate past Club Chairman, Peter Rebak. Within a short while they were joined by Jack Woolf Goldwhite and Peter's father, Maurice Rebak. Today, almost 60 years later, both Maurice and Jack regularly attend matches at The Abrahams Stadium.
The Club was named after the famous British General, Major General Orde C. Wingate, who although a non-Jew is widely credited with his work during the period 1936 to 1945 with the Jewish Defence Forces as the mastermind behind the formation of the Israeli Army.
Wingate Football Club began its career in one of the Senior Amateur Leagues of the day, The Middlesex Senior League, a competition from which they were promoted in 1952 to The London League, but not before winning the league championship and the league cup.
After performing creditably in the London League and winning the coveted London League Trophy in 1957/58 the Club took a great step forward when it was accepted as a member of the Athenian League in 1964.
In addition to having had players selected for the Middlesex County F.A. Representative Team the Club has also contributed in no small measure to the Great Britain teams at the World Maccabiah Games in Israel, often referred to as the 'Jewish Olympics'. For example, in 1961 the Club had the single honour of having eight players selected, together with the Team Manager and Coach, and for the first time in the history of The Maccabiah Games, Israel was defeated by a visiting team and the winners of the Championship were the unbeaten British side, for which performance the football team were awarded the British Best Performance Trophy.
In 1972 Wingate F.C. lost their ground at Hall Lane, Hendon due to the extension of the M1 motorway and although near neighbours, Finchley F.C., came to the rescue with a ground share arrangement in 1974 it soon became apparent that it was not feasible to compete in senior competitive football without a home ground. However it is interesting to note that the England team often used the Club's ground for training sessions prior to international matches at Wembley when the players stayed at the nearby Hendon Hall Hotel. Photographs of the England team including Johnny Haynes, Bobby Charlton, Bobby Robson and Jimmy Armfield, training at the ground can be seen in the Club's Boardroom today.
The Club therefore ceased to compete in senior football at the end of season 1974/75 and reverted to junior football at a new ground in Arkley, which was not suitable for senior football. The Club rebuilt from grass roots and progressed into the Herts Senior League and the South Midlands League. The major success at Arkley was the winning of the Herts Senior Centenary Trophy in 1988 - the first team from the Herts County League to win the trophy. Unfortunately with the Arkley ground being located in the 'green belt' no development was possible and a move was essential if the Club was going to continue to progress.
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FINCHLEY FOOTBALL CLUB (1874-1991) |
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Finchley were the six oldest (substantiated) club in the UK. They were founded in 1874 by NL “Pa” Jackson who also founded the famous Corinthians, the London Football Association, and who later became Secretary of the FA.
Finchley joined the London League from the North London League in 1902. This was to be their first of four spells in the London League, during which time they became runners up in 1906 -07. In 1912, the club joined the Athenian League, but their stay lasted only two seasons due to the outbreak of the Great War in 1914. Finchley rejoined the London League in that year, but that competition was also halted after the 1914-15 season.
After the war Finchley joined the Spartan League where they stayed (except for a brief two season spell back in the London League) until 1927.
The club rejoined the Athenian league in 1929 for one season before once again rejoining the London League. This third spell in the London League saw some notable success for the club; the league cup was won in 1934-35 followed by the league championship in 1936-37. Just as it seemed the Finchley had at least settled down the clubs progress was halted by WW2
After the war Finchley rejoined the Athenian League here they were to remain for twenty-eight years, during which time they won the championship once and finished runners-up on three occasions. This period in the clubs history also saw further success with the London Senior Cup, the London Charity Cup, the Middlesex Senior Cup and the Middlesex Charity Cup (twice) finding their way into the trophy cabinet at Summers Lane.
During this unbroken twenty-eight year spell in the Athenian League the halcyon days for most fans would have been the 1952-53 season. That was the season Finchley played before more than 227,000 spectators.
The club reached the 3rd Round proper of the FA Cup defeating Chelmsford City, Kidderminster Harriers, and most famously of all Crystal Palace, this was the famous game that Finchley won twice; the first game was abandoned because of fog with Finchley leading 3-1. This reprieve only delayed a great cup victory as Finchley won the re-match three days later by the same score. In the 3rd Round Finchley travelled to Gay Meadow home of Shrewsbury Town where they were defeated 2-0.
Finchley had a fine cup tradition, reaching the First Round Proper of the FA Cup on four other occasions as well reaching the ¼ Finals of the FA Amateur cup six times including a run of four appearances in five years during the 1950s (where they always seemed to come up against the eventual winners) and a Semi-final in 1665 where they lost 2-1 to rivals Hendon at Highbury
Finchley joined the Isthmian League in 1973 but never really made an impression and the sense of decline was compounded with relegation to the second division in 1980-81.
Four years later Finchley finished runners-up to Leyton-Wingate despite having a point deducted and secured promotion to division one. However after one dreadful season that saw the Finches finish bottom, the club found themselves in Division Two (North).
Because of geographical considerations the club found itself constantly switched from Division Two North & South. Season 1989-90 saw one last final hurrah when the Finches under manager Steve Ringrose finished 3rd in Division Two (South) just missing out on promotion in the final few weeks.
The 1990-91 season saw Finchley return to Division Two North early season optimism soon turned to despair as the clubs off the field problems impacted on the team, who struggled to win games.
Early in 1991 it was announced that the club would merge with Wingate and a new club would participate in the South Midlands League the following season
4th May 19991 was the saddest day in the history of Finchley FC. The clubs last fixture was an Isthmian League Division Two North clash at Saffron Walden Town. The Finches were defeated 1-0 that day and a small band of travelling supporters saw one of the greatest names in Amateur football consigned to history.
The club left a great legacy perhaps best shown in the players who started their careers at Finchley, the list is long and distinguished and includes the greatest ever Finchley player George Robb.
George Robb joined Finchley at the age of sixteen from Holloway County Grammar School. He made his first appearance in 1943 playing for the reserves, whilst in the Navy he converted to inside left and it was playing in this position that Finchley fans fondly remember him. Remarkably as an amateur George was able to play for both Finchley and Spurs simultaneously, he reportedly turn down two offers to turn professional, one with Italian club Padua and another from Spurs in 1951 it was another two years before Arthur Rowe finally got George to sign for Spurs in June 1953. George had a distinguished playing career he won seventeen Amateur International Caps, and one full England cap against Hungary November 1953. Other representative honours were playing for the Football League, FA XI, London & Middlesex County Football Associations, Athenian League and Middlesex Wanderers. It was said that George considered one of his greatest honours to be his selection to play football for the British Olympic Soccer Team in Helsinki in 1952.
Other English Internationals who played for the Finches were Arthur Willis and Eddie Bailey both of whom also played for Spurs. Other Spurs players who played for Finchley were John Westwood, H Woodward, Tommy Harmer, Charlie Withers and J Ireland. Other Finchley Players who went on to play for professional clubs were: Bob Brockenbank and Jack Chisholm (Plymouth Argyle), K Tucker (West Ham), F Lock and Peter Shreeve(Charlton),J Mullen (Fulham), S Hall (Clapton Orient), W Sperrin (Brentford), D Uphill (Watford), P Crossley (Manchester City), and Kenny Vasey (Torquay).
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THE MERGER BETWEEN WINGATE AND FINCHLEY (1991) |
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The merger became a reality in 1991 when a schedule of refurbishment commenced that saw considerable expenditure on the Summers Lane ground and by the start of the 1991/92 season the new 'Abrahams Stadium' was ready. The ground was named in the memory of the late Mr. Harry Abrahams and the Club owes a considerable debt of thanks to Harry's widow, Mrs. Greta Abrahams MBE, who has continued to give the Club most generous support in recent years.
The Club then competed in the South Midlands League, the competition that Wingate F.C. competed in prior to the merger and remained there four seasons until 1994/95 when the Club finished runners-up and winners of the London Senior Cup. The Club were then promoted to the 3rd division of the Isthmian League and in 1998/99 finished runners-up and gained promotion to the 2nd division where they remained for one season despite winning their opening seven league matches.
In season 2000/2001 the Club consolidated its position in the 3rd division and finished just below mid-table under the management of former player Jon Bolle. However at the beginning of season 2001/2002 the Club appointed Tommy Cunningham, formerly of Chelsea, Queens Park Rangers, Wimbledon and Leyton Orient as first team manager with former Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur star, Clive Wilson, as player-coach and Adam Lee, another former Wingate & Finchley player, as assistant manager.
The Club enjoyed a successful season under the guidance of Tommy, Adam and Clive and promotion to the newly formed regional first division of The Ryman Football League was secured when the Club finished in seventh place and received a 'B' grading for the Abrahams Stadium following extensive work on the ground, including the erection of the Harvey Ackerman Stand duly named after the Club's joint President, Harvey Ackerman, in recognition of his fantastic support of the Club in recent years.
The season did however have one very sad moment when Mr. Ken Aston, one of our Life Presidents, passed away. Ken was highly regarded throughout world football for his refereeing and his work with FIFA. The introduction of the red and yellow cards was Ken's idea following an inspiration that he had when he was driving his car and stopped at a set of traffic lights. The interpretation of using colours as a signal was as simple as it was brilliant and overcome any language barrier that occurred at the highest level of football, international matches, when the officials and the two teams may, on occasions, speak three languages without a common tongue between them. Ken also refereed the infamous 'Battle of Santiago' when Chile met Italy in the final stages of the 1962 World Cup in Chile.
In season 2003-04 the Club under the management of Adam Lee with Jeff Bookman assisting him finished in mid table in the Ryman League Division 1 and after the non league restructuring that took place was placed in The Southern League Division 1 East for the 2004-05 season. Due to work commitments Adam Lee brought in Michael Stone to replace Jeff Bookman. Michael had previously held a senior position at the Youth Academy of Tottenham Hotspur. The Club now places great emphasis on its high standard of coaching especially with such a youthful squad. Season 2004-5 was successful and as well as a mid table finish the Club reached the final of the London Senior Cup where we were beaten by a strong Fisher Athletic team.
Season 2006-07 sees the Club retain many of the young squad of the last two years as well as the introduction of many new youthful and experienced signings. Having spent two seasons in the Southern League, the Club moves back across to the Ryman Isthmian League and competes in Division One North.
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