Saturday 13th February Match Thread

[Chris Clapham]

Premier Division

Ashford Town v Westfield

Badshot Lea v Colliers Wood United

Cove v Chertsey Town

Epsom & Ewell v Bedfont Sports

Farnham Town v Sutton Common Rovers

Guildford City v AFC Hayes

Hanworth Villa v Horley Town

Hartley Wintney v Camberley Town

Knaphill v Chessington & Hook United

Spelthorne Sports v Raynes Park Vale

Windsor v Redhill

 

Division 1

Banstead Athletic v Dorking Wanderers Reserves

Bedfont & Feltham v Cobham

Dorking v Farleigh Rovers

Epsom Athletic v CB Hounslow United

Frimley Green v Ash United

Sheerwater v Staines Lammas 2pm

South Park Reserves v Abbey Rangers

Worcester Park v Eversley & California 2pm

[E&E Rich]

Our match preview v Bedfont Sports is here:

 

http://www.eefconline.co.uk/Fix2015.16-37.html

[Beano_ATMFC]

 

Premier Division

Ashford Town (Middlesex) v Westfield

 

 

I know that asking this question will mark me out as a sad, obsessive individual (which I am), but I shall ask it anyway.

 

Why is it that Ashford Town (Middlesex) is the only club, week after week, whose full name is not listed in the fixture lists that start these threads? The brackets are important; they have been part of the club's name since 1990 and are not going anywhere.

 

We are not Ashford Town FC. Ashford Town FC ceased to exist in 2011, having been liquidated; the phoenix club which replaced them are currently doing rather well in the Vase. We are Ashford Town (Middlesex) and proud of it.

 

I know this isn't a "copy and paste" from the League Bulletins, as they do have an abbreviated form of the word Middlesex within the brackets and they also abbreviate words like Reserves, which are shown in full.

 

I don't get to many games any more, as I now live a long way away, but it has always bugged me to see my club referred to as plain "Ashford Town" online and in print, because it's just inaccurate.  I'm sure that Mr Lambert of this parish would be quick to pick me up if I always referred to "Epsom FC" when talking about his club and he'd be spot on. 

 

I know that it is a minor thing but it bugs the daylights out of me. And now I've said so, I feel much better. 

[E&E Rich]

 

I must admit I have wondered recently why Ashford didn't drop that tag, bearing in mind that there is no other Ashford Town anymore.

 

I actually don't have a problem with the Epsom FC bit. We used to be called Epsom FC up until 1960 and things get shortened from time to time anyway.

 

The only issue I have with our name is why a famous, well known town like Epsom constantly gets referred to as "Epson". We and the town were around long before computers came along!

[Beano_ATMFC]

After the Kent Ashford Town went into liquidation, dropping the brackets was considered by the club's committee and I looked into what was required, as I was the General Secretary of the club at the time.

 

I discovered that, in order to make such an amendment to the club name, we would first need to hold an EGM to get the members to approve the idea. We would then require the permission of The FA, the Middlesex FA, the Surrey FA (as we dual-affiliate to them) and all the Leagues in which the club plays, using the EGM minutes as evidence that the committee were behaving in accordance with the wishes of the club as a whole. We would then have had to work out what to do about our company name, which is "Ashford Town (Middlesex) Football Club Limited", although we could have got away with leaving that be.

 

Logistically, changing the name of the Football Club even slightly would have been a complete nightmare. The rules were different when we added the brackets on our promotion to Senior Football and The FA had ordered us to do something to distinguish ourselves from the "other" lot anyway.

 

In any case, there was no real desire to drop "Middlesex" from our name, either at committee level or among the supporters. It's one of the things that makes our club what it is and is incorporated within our badge both in word and in the Seaxes from the County Crest. So we decided to keep it.

[Chris Clapham]

Isn't Ashford railway station called (Ashford (Surrey)? 

[Beano_ATMFC]

On tickets, yes. On train announcements, no. On the platforms, the signs just say "Ashford".

 

I think one of the reasons train companies refer to Surrey is because the borough of Spelthorne is politically in Surrey and some services are provided by Surrey County Council.

 

This is a hangover from the abolition of the Middlesex County Council in 1965; most of the Council's catchment area became London Boroughs, except for the area around Potters Bar and South Mimms (which is now in Hertfordshire for the purposes of local government) and Spelthorne. The boundary between Surrey County Council's sphere of influence and that of the London Borough of Hounslow is the fence behind the goal at the Tank End of our ground.

 

Middlesex might not exist as a political County, but it is an historic one which remains very much alive, particularly in the sporting sense, as a keen cricket fan such as yourself will be well aware, Mr C. 

[Chris Clapham]

On tickets, yes. On train announcements, no. On the platforms, the signs just say "Ashford".

 

I think one of the reasons train companies refer to Surrey is because the borough of Spelthorne is politically in Surrey and some services are provided by Surrey County Council.

 

This is a hangover from the abolition of the Middlesex County Council in 1965; most of the Council's catchment area became London Boroughs, except for the area around Potters Bar and South Mimms (which is now in Hertfordshire for the purposes of local government) and Spelthorne. The boundary between Surrey County Council's sphere of influence and that of the London Borough of Hounslow is the fence behind the goal at the Tank End of our ground.

 

Middlesex might not exist as a political County, but it is an historic one which remains very much alive, particularly in the sporting sense, as a keen cricket fan such as yourself will be well aware, Mr C. 

 

I am very aware. Still in touch with Russell Grant via twitter.

 

http://www.middlesexfederation.com/

Edited February 12, 2016 by Chris Clapham

[Chris Clapham]

Not too promising Saturday at Epsom Athletic it appears

 

Tweet - can't get anything on the pitch to sort it out so no chance of playing tomorrow! Will have to book it in another time!

[Chris Clapham]

Not looking good for Badshot Lea v Wood today.

Pitch covered in water!

Edited February 13, 2016 by Chris Clapham

[Chris Clapham]

Not too promising Saturday at Epsom Athletic it appears

 

Tweet - can't get anything on the pitch to sort it out so no chance of playing tomorrow! Will have to book it in another time!

 

As suggested, Epsom Athletic v CB Hounslow OFF

Virginia Water v AFC Cubo off in the Elite League

[Footy Mad]

Understand they are taking a look at Hanworth Villa's pitch in the next half an hour

[Chris Clapham]

The pitch at Ash now!

 

 

[Chris Clapham]

Understand they are taking a look at Hanworth Villa's pitch in the next half an hour

 

Looks like Worcester Park v Eversley for me (if on)!

[Chris Clapham]

Badshot Lea v Wood POSTPONED!!!

[Jeff Hamnett TSF]

Dorking v Farleigh postponed

[lazarus]

As at 11.30 a.m., I have been advised of the following postponements:

 

Premier

Badshot Lea  v  Cove

Cove  v  Chertsey

Farnham Town  v  SCR

Div One

Dorking v Farleigh Rovers

Epsom Athletic  v  CB Hounslow

 

Suspect more to come!

Edited February 13, 2016 by lazarus

[Manors]

Worcester Park v Eversley = OFF

[Chris Clapham]

Hartley v Cambo OFF

[Chris Clapham]

Knaphill v Chessy OFF