League History
(with thanks to Chris Dabrowski)
The roots of the League were from teams playing un-affiliated football at Melbourne Park where the likes of Allied Engineers, Boarded Barns, Chelmsford Co-op, Essex Chronicle, Eastern Garages, Eastern National and Saracens, whose goalkeeper Gavin Suttle would defend his goal by drawing his sword from his waist band and wave it menacingly at the opposing forward as he approached him.
All this activity soon came to the attention of the County Football Association Area Officer, Ivan Tuttle, who saw that there was sufficient interest and enthusiasm and called a meeting. He brought to their attention that this was not permitted under Association Football rules and, along with Peter Fidge (Park Avenue) and Ray Boreham (Eastern National), called a meeting at the Star & Garter in November 1961 where 14 clubs attended. The outcome was 13 pulled together to form the League which commenced on Sunday 14th January 1962, each team playing each other on the one occasion from January 1962.
The teams were Allied Engineers (now Chelmsford Social Club), Boarded Barns, Chelmsford Albion, Chelmsford CO-OP, Eastern Garages, Eastern National, English Electric, Essex Chronicle, Ford End, GPO, Hoffmann Rangers, Inter United and Saracens. Ivor Tuthill was Chairman and Secretary.
Allied Engineers were the first Champions whose players also played on Saturdays for senior sides such as Heybridge Swifts. Essex Chronicle were runners up in the league and won the Division One Cup, beating Saracens 8-1 at New Writtle Street, which remained the highest winning margin until 1981-82 when Roblin Sports defeated Walnut Tree 8-0 in a replay at Tufnell hall after a 2-2 draw at the Stadium. The Chronicle team were made up from the Marconi Works team who were successful in the Borders League.
Difficulties arose regarding the use of pitches but, with the co-operation of the council, 95% of the games were played at Melbourne Park as, at this time, there was no Chelmer Park. The only regret being that, Sunday teams were charged 27/-, whilst Saturday teams paid only 16/-.
The first full season, 1962-63 saw the competing clubs reduced to eleven, with Chelmsford Albion, Eastern Garages and Ford End all withdrawn, being replaced by Doddinghurst Youth “A”, whilst Boarded Barns changed their name to Park Avenue. Peter Fidge became chairman and his team, Park Avenue were the hot favourites when they faced English Electric in the cup final, but Electric really upset the form book by winning 4-0.
The league was desperately short of referees having only four regular officials one of which, John Davies, was later to become league secretary, Ray Boreham became press and publicity officer, referees appointments secretary and registration secretary and alone, Peter Fidge has remained a stalwart of the league throughout in one capacity or another.
Season 1963-64 saw further changes in the constitution with Chelmsford Co-op, Eastern National, Hoffmann Rangers and Doddinghurst Youth “A” all withdrawing, being replaced with Britvic, Bakers Arms, Medway United (Peter “Dambuster” Smith) Saints and Taurus, bringing the division up to twelve teams. In 1965 Horace Bates became referees appointments secretary, a position he was to retain for fifteen seasons before retiring. Essex Chronicle were the outstanding side in the early seasons clinching a hat-trick of league championships and they were so successful that they existed on a squad of only thirteen players. This, unfortunately proved their downfall in 1964 when, having reached the final of the Sunday County Cup, they were forced to field a team with only nine fit players and lost 3-0 to Waterhouse at Harlow’s Dorstel Press ground.
Having remained at just one division for the first two full seasons, Sunday football suddenly became very popular, to such an extent, that the next five seasons saw the divisions being increased by one each year, until six divisions had been formed at the start of season 1968-69. By this time the league covered a vast area with clubs from Ongar, Hanningfield, Mundon, Stebbing, Stisted, Wethersfield and Wickham Bishops. The league management committee considered that six divisions of seventy-eight teams were sufficient to administer efficiently, this decision resulting in the birth of the Braintree and North Essex Sunday league the following season.
Season 1965-66 saw Len Menhinick move from league secretary to chairman, a post he held for sixteen seasons, before retiring from all football involvement. This season also saw Maurice McNally enter the competition as secretary of Old Chelmsfordians and the start of an involvement with the League for over 40 years. The same campaign saw Little Waltham under the guidance of ex Chelmsford City player, Geoff Walker, obtain the “the double” and included in the line up was a youngster named Richard Ling, who completed over six hundred games in this competition with Bakers Arms and Little Waltham. Whilst Essex Chronicle and Little Waltham were the earliest successful sides, the largest crowd was always attracted whenever Park Avenue met Saracens. These two teams always produced our most competitive encounters with something usually controversial occurring, and whilst Park Avenue in the shape of secretary Peter Fidge had the character off the pitch, then Saracens stalwart Clive Barker was without doubt the extrovert on it!
Between 1967 and 1971 this league dominated the inter-league, seen under the captaincy of Jackie Parkinson, winning the trophy four times in five years, proving the strength of the league with victories over leagues which included top class amateur players including England internationals from the metropolitan areas of the county (this period undoubtedly saw Sunday soccer at its peak with our league worthy champions). Johnny Carter who scored two goals in the first final graced the league with his skills for fifteen seasons and represented the league on thirteen occasions, being a member of the 1967 and 68 winning sides, whilst Lance Gooch, who completed twenty seasons (1963-64 to 1982-83) was in the successful sides of 1968, 1970 and 1971, which included epic victories at grounds such as Dagenham and Roots Hall (Southend). Lance is also the only player to have won the man of the match award (presented at divisional cup finals) on three occasions.
Between 1967-68 and 1971-72 Bakers Arms from Danbury, under the guidance of manager Harold Young, dominated the proceedings, winning the championship for five successive seasons (a record). Since then, the league became more evenly contested with six different teams winning the league before the arrival in the top flight of Peter Taylor’s Roblin Sports, who clinched a hat-trick of championship triumphs (1980, 1981 and 1982). Since then the chase for the top prize has again evened out, making for a far more exciting finish. Although Ivan Ribban’s Walnut Tree became another side to clinch a hat-trick of wins (1984-85-86) followed by Highfield Victoria with two consecutive successes (1987-88). Manager Alan Smith joined them in 1982 and his appointment heralded the start of many victories in the county cups in 1982 and 1985 and the Essex Intermediate cup in 1990. That season saw the league prove its strength with a team in each of the three county finals, with Compasses becoming our first trophy winners. The Junior Cup has been our most successful competition with seven victories so far.
In 2008 ill health caused long-standing secretary Colin Hambrook to step down after nineteen years in the post and chairman Maurice McNally decided it was time, after 26 years, to allow a younger chairman to move the League into the next phase of its life. This left the League with new personnel in the key posts and an administratively rocky season followed but Adam Maine and Kevin Cornwell took over the secretary and chairman’s roles to steady the “ship” and restore the balance. Today sees Mick Elliott as chairman with Adam Maine as Secretary.
The John Coward Challenge Cup, in memory of our past president was introduced in 1968-69, after Len Menhinick suggested the idea to the Management Committee for a competition which every club could take part in. The idea was received with great enthusiasm, particularly by the clubs in the lower divisions, where they foresaw an opportunity of becoming Sunday league ” Giant–Killers”. This being followed ten years later by the Peter Gillott Reserve Team Cup. Sponsorship by local sports firm Pope and Smith arrived in 1979-80, and with it, the change of name to its present title.