Page 22 - Raynes Park Vale vs Beckenham Town 18-04-22
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Elected to the London-Metropolitan Cup Final in 1985 (Greenwich Bor- Senior Trophy Final only to have two
League in 1973, they finished run- ough 2-3 aet) and 1993 (Ramsgate). goals disallowed as they went down
ners-up in the Reserve/Intermediate They also finished as runners-up to 1-0 to Chatham Town after extratime
Division in 1974/75 earning Senior Maidstone United in the Kent League on Maidstone United’s 3G pitch in
status that summer. In 1975 they were Premier Division in 2005-06. front of a crowd 1128.
placed in Senior Division Two of the The league was subsequently re- With the clear aim of gaining pro-
new London Spartan League (fol- named the Southern Counties East motion, long serving manager Jason
lowing the off season merger of the Football League in 2013. In 2014 Huntley and his coaching staff
London Metropolitan League with the - following three unsuccessful final oversaw a huge squad overhaul in
Spartan League). appearances in 1982 (when they lost the summer of 2019 and by March
After finishing runners-up behind 3-1 to Fisher Athletic at Bromley’s 2020, Becks were league leaders and
Fisher Athletic in 1977/78, they were Hayes Lane ground), 2005 (0-1 vs looking a good bet for one of the
promoted to the Premier Division. Thamesmead Town at The Belmont, TWO promotion spots in a fascinat-
They would compete there for the Whitstable) and 2008 (0-2 vs Thame- ing four-way title race. Then Covid
next four seasons and achieved their smead Town at Welling United’s Park struck. And the season was subse-
highest position of 6th during that View Road) - the club finally lifted quently declared null and void. The
first 1978/79 season. Becks also the Kent Senior Trophy with a 4-0 huge disapointment carried over
reached back to back Spartan League win over Ashford United. 22 days into the 2020/21 where Becks had a
Cup Finals in 1978 and 1979 but lost later they beat Corinthian 2-0 to sluggish start before climbing to 5th
to Welling United and then Farnham also lift that season’s League Cup. In before the league was suspended as
Town respectively. August, they then secured the 2014 the nation went back into a national
BREAKING NEW GROUND Roy Vinter Shield after a 3-0 victory lockdown with that season also sub-
In July 1980 Becks moved from over the previous season’s league sequently abandoned.
Stanhope Grove to their current champions Whyteleafe. The summer of 2021 saw the FA’s
home Eden Park Avenue, which they in 1998. In 2003 Beckenham Town MORE RECENTLY restructuring move Becks sideways
obtained from the London Borough FC were awarded £100,000 by the After finishing mid-table for six into the Combined Counties Premier
of Bromley, initially on a twenty-five Football Foundation for ground straight years, Beckenham strug- Division South. Squadwise Huntley
year lease. With one eye on the fu- improvements which enabled their gled in 2016-17 when they finished retained the bulk of the players and
ture, they formed a limited company venue to become enclosed with hard 18th - only avoiding relegation to added returning goalkeeper Nick
at the same time. On August 16th standing all around the perimeter the SCEFL FirstDivision (Step 6) by a Blue, new skipper and former Brom-
1980, Whyteleafe were the first visi- and for their award-winning pitch single point on the final day of the ley, Dulwich Hamlet and Billericay
tors in what would be their penulti- along with an improved drainage season. But that mediocre form has fan favourite Danny Waldren as well
mate season in the London Spartan system to be laid in 2004. The first been turned on it’s head in recent as former Thamesmead Town and
League. But in November that year off cial fixture at the new-look venue seasons. They finished fourth in Ashford Utd midfielder Tom O’Con-
manager Dave Fitzgerald resigned was a Kent League match against 2017-18 - thanks in part to the goals nor. The club also welcomed back
having been with the club for six Ramsgate on August 28th 2004. of the division’s leading scorer Rich- former players Nick Curran, Danny
years. In 1982 the club transferred SUCCESS AT LAST ard Atkins. And that was followed Fitzsimons and Damien Ramsamy as
to Division One of the Kent League. On the pitch there had been two los- by a fifth place finish in 2018-19 well as signing some exciting young-
This became the Premier Division ing appearances in the Kent League and another appearance in the Kent er prospects.
