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Paris 1990
Our first foreign tour was to Paris in May
1990. When we arrived to play our first match it was in a
2,000-seater stadium against a team who had reached the
Third Round of the French Cup the year before, USM Gagny.
Needless to say, we just about came second, with Alan Dawson
scoring the first Lea Sports goal on foreign soil. Steve
Close scored the second as we lost 2-10. The post-match
party was great, however, with Hugh Byrne leading the
singing which went on long into the night. The second game
was just as tough, with a 0-6 defeat vs.Rosny-sous-Bois.
Adults - May 1990, Paris
27.05.90
U.S.M. Gagny. 2-10 Marsh, Lee, Bradley, Bownes,
Thompson, Dawson1 , Mayman, Gathern, Turner,
Hebron, Pearson,N. Subs: Bignell, Byrne, Close1,
Jenkins, Moorhouse
28.05.90 Rosny-sous-Bois 0-6 Sheppard,
Blake, Jenkins, Bownes, Thompson, Bignell, Mayman, Byrne,
Moorhouse, Connolly, Close Subs: Bradley, Dawson,
Gathern, Hebron, Lee, Marsh, Turner
LEFT:The team
before the Gagny match.
Tour guide Rima Nouri.
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Dűsseldorf
1991The 1991 tour to Dusseldorf was a great
success - not only did everyone have a great time, but we
were unbeaten in our two matches. The first of these was a
4-3 victory vs. SV Hilden-Ost, with Phil Thompson scoring
twice, Russell Sheppard and Neil Wilkinson one each on a
gravel pitch. The second match was a hung-over 0-0 draw vs.
Sparta Bilk.
LEFT:The team
before the Hilden-Ost match.
Adults - May 1991, Dusseldorf
26.05.91
S.V. Hilden-Ost 4-3 Hebron, Goldsmith,
Callow, Byrne, Blake, Bownes, Mayman, Connolly, Sheppard1 ,
Thompson2 , Close Subs: Lee, Wilkinson1
27.05.91 Sparta Bilk 0-0 Hebron,
Goldsmith, Callow, Byrne, Wilkinson, Bownes, Mayman,
Connolly, Sheppard, Thompson, Lee Subs:
Blake, Close
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Paris 1992
Everyone enjoyed the 1990 trip to Paris so
much that we decided to return in 1992 - and we weren't
disappointed. We left from the Teachers' Centre in Stopsley
around midnight - and some people came dressed for the trip.
The two matches both produced 6 goals; firstly a 1-5 defeat
to UJA Alfortville in a very enjoyable, sporting match -
Trevor Taylor scoring our consolation goal; followed by a
3-3 draw against Neuilly-sur-Marne in a match we should have
won - goals from Russell Sheppard (2) and Steve Bingham. The
post-match entertainment was again unforgettable.
Adults - May 1992, Paris
24.05.92 U.J.A.Alfortville 1-5
Goldsmith, Shiers, Lee, Taylor1 , Gathern,
Byrne, Wilkinson, Lowrie, Boxall, Sheridan, Bownes
Subs: Grimes, Mayman
25.05.92 Neuilly sur Marne 3-3
Sheridan, Hebron, Blake, Campbell, Justin, Bingham1 ,
Sheppard2 , Close, Boxall, Mayman, Jenkins
Sub: Talling
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LEFT:The team
before the Neuilly-sur-Marne match.
Cologne 1994
1994 brought a trip to Cologne - although the
matches were played across the border against Dutch
opposition. This is significant, since Andy Sheridan - or 'Strawman'
as he is more affectionately known - had forgotten his
passport. On the way back from the second match he was
convinced we were being pursued by enthusiastic German
border guards and spent half an hour in a very much
over-used coach toilet. Many players were convinced that the
second match was the 'Billy Kellock Testimonial' and was to
receive mass coverage in the local media (Billy Kellock, of
course, being a local hero). In the end, one man and his dog
turned up to watch and a large number of teetotal players
were left feeling a bit daft!
Adults - May 1994, Cologne
29.05.94 V.V.Stadbroek 4-2 Carter,
Hebron, Blake, Shiers, Hughes,S.1 , Robson,
Sheridan1 , Justin, Mayman, Bingham, Warner1 Subs:
Bownes, Byrne, Close, Temple1
30.05.94 V.V.Achilles 2-4 Carter,
Jenkins, Close, Shiers, Hughes,S., Temple2 ,
Sheridan, Burgess, Brown, Byrne, Tebbutt Subs: Bingham,
Bownes, Hebron, Mayman, Robson, Warner
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Weymouth 1997
In May 1997 the two Under 11 teams, under
Godfrey Knock and Peter Skingley, took part in a junior
Tournament hosted by Weymouth Cougars. The adults decided
that this was a good excuse for a wekend away, so they
organised a friendly in Weymouth on the same weekend.
Needless to say, the juniors did not quite
get up to the same antics as the adults...
(The details - for those interested...31st
May 1997 vs. Chickerell United lost 1-4. Team: Steve
Baggett, Andy Shiers, Neil Addison, Mark Kempton, Nick Kane,
Gavin Campbell, Barry Leek, Steve Close, John Temple (1),
Micky Justin, Alex Houghton Subs: John Harvey, James
Tebbutt)
Note: Lewis Smith and Richard Knock in
this picture!
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Under Thirteens - Harderwijk,
Holland 1999In May 1999 the Under Thirteens embarked on a
tour to a junior tournament in Harderwijk, Holland.
The accommodation was in a small holiday
camp, which appeared to cater usually for hospital patients
- my bed was equipped with levers to raise it and a hoist!!
The Under Thirteen Reds, under Godfrey
Knock, were to play in the Tournament, while the Blues,
under Peter Skingley, played a friendly match on the final
day.
Godfrey's team started well with a 4-0 win
over DOSC, with goals from Wayne Mullooly, Danny Duggan and
Ben L'Honoré (2),
followed by a 0-0 draw with SV Zeist. The third match
brought a 1-0 defeat to Mizst SZ25, which left the team
having to play-off against SV Zeist 'A' (while the Blues
were playiong the Zeist 'B' team). Godfrey became
increasingly annoyed at the lack of protection given to his
team (and to Ben L'Honoré in particular) by the Dutch
referee and after one particularly bad tackle, with the Reds
at 2-3 down, Godfrey brought the lads off the pitch and the
tour was over!
Meanwhile the Blues enjoyed a
rare 4-2 victory over the Zeist 'B' team, with goals from
Ian Skingley, Ryan Hadden, Liam Dwyer and Aurelian
McNaughton.
The highlight of the trip was
a tour around the impressive Ajax Stadium in Amsterdam.
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