Essex Senior League, Premier (Step 5)
Saturday 28 January 2023
Played at Cricklefield Stadium
Lewisham Borough 0 v Tooting Bec 0
Southern Counties East League, Division One (Step 6)
Wednesday 25 January 2023
Played at Ladywell Arena
Those two games bring me somewhat to a tipping point. Because as we wave goodbye to January, Football Free Febeeruary hoves into view. And, as its name suggests, we cannot, in all sincerity, maintain recent (lower) levels of alcohol designed to keep my blood sugar low. (I'm a Type II Diabetic).
Suffice to say, I've had an NHS blood test, a paid for privately Randox blood test, and I've even bought a bit of kit that allows me to take my own blood tests. All three tests showed a nice reduction in blood sugar. But, the frustrating thing is that there was actually quite a bit of variation in results across the three tests. But, for the moment, we move on.
Ilford's Cricklefield Stadium was the 419th ground I've watched football on. Along with Lewisham Borough's Ladywell Arena, both were running track grounds.
Some clubs can be a bit loose with their history. Change of ownership, mergers with other clubs, in n out of existence, phoenixed to the nth degree. That said, Ilford are a very old club. Originally formed in 1881. They moved to their Lynn Road ground in 1904. In 1977, there was the oft heard elsewhere plan to sell that ground for development. And use the money to finance a new ground. Some reports have it that they miscalculated the tax they'd need to pay on the sale. Whatevs happened, they subsequently couldn't afford the new ground development.
Financial reality meant they merged with Leytonstone. That merged club later merged with Walthamstow Avenue to form Redbridge Forest. They then merged to form Dagenham & Redbridge. The Ilford Identity long buried.
And. Lo. The Ilford modern era phoenix club were formed in 1987. But, the very friendly Ilfordonians at Cricklefield. And the honours boards, display cabinets & match programme displays clearly claim the earlier heritage.
That heritage includes hosting a game in the football tournament of the 1948 London Olympics. (At their previous Lynn Road ground). I'm not gonna lie. I had no idea of the venues & teams involved in the 1948 Olympic Football. Wembley, Highbury, White Hart Lane, Craven Cottage, Selhurst Park, Griffin Park (Brentford), Fratton Park and Goldstone Ground (Brighton) were all used as venues. As were Champion Hill (Dulwich Hamlet) and Green Pond Road in Walthamstow. The Pond (that's a Gone Ground an' all) was the then home of Walthamstow Avenue. You'll fucking remember them of course. Merged with Leytonstone, who had earlier merged with Ilford. And then went on to become Redbridge Forest…. etcetera.
So, the 1948 Olympic Football was on three grounds subsequently and completely rebuilt. Four that are no longer with us. Three which are still in use. And, Ilford's no longer with us Lynn Road.
Lynn Road hosted France v India in the First Round on 31 July 1948. That was actually the first game India played as an independent nation. And the first with their new tricolour flag waving.
Now, if you're going to come over all - look at the silly little brown fellas - at least have the awareness to know you're pointing at the silly little brown fellas. So, here's a silly little brown fellas bit. Apologies.
Eight of the Indian players played without boots. Simply, because that is how they played at home. They had learned their skills without boyts, so they saw no reason to shoe up in Ilford.
Talimeren Ao, who was armbanding for India, was not surprised when the matter was brought up in one of the pressers.
"Well, you see, we play FOOTball in India, whereas you play BOOTball."
Shots. Fired.
17k watched France beat India two one at Lynn Road with an 89th minuter.
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