Page 11 - Raynes Park Vale v Guildford City

TODAY'S VISITORS
T ODA Y ' S VISIT ORS
GUILDFORD CITY

THE STORY SO FAR
1921-1930
The first club in the town were amateur
and were formed in 1877 as Guildford
FC. Due to their colours, they were
nicknamed the Pinks and they played
their home matches at the Woodbridge
Road Sports ground. Professional foot-
ball in the town came about by a quirk
of fate. A violent thunderstorm caused
athletics meeting at Woodbridge Road
to be abandoned. A substantial amount
of money was lost. In an effort to raise It was several seasons before the club The Guildford City 1964/65 team
money to pay the debt, a Pinks XI played saw any real success. When it came
Brentford on 20 October 1920 in front in 1928 it was in the FA Cup. By now start of a change. Much of the credit fied and the team finished the Southern
of 3,000 spectators. The success of the the club had become Guildford City. for the improvement was due to the League campaign in fifth position.
match caused local businessman to in- Guildford had become a diocese and incredible total of 68 goals scored by Two influential players join
vestigate the forming of a profession- a cathedral was to be built. It was be- centre-forward Jock Thom, and the The following season, 1937-38, was to
al club. Eventually a club was formed lieved Guildford would become a city arrival of rock-solid central defender be memorable as City lifted the South-
with the name Guildford United and in in due course and that was enough for Sam Robinson. In February 1936 fi- ern League Championship trophy for
May 1921 they were accepted into the the club’s name to be changed. So, after nancial problems came to a head and the first time. Several additions to the
Southern League, the equivalent of to- battling through the qualifying rounds the board looked earnestly at selling squad had in particular seen two in-
day’s National League. A home ground City hosted Queens Park Rangers from the Josephs Road ground. The support- fluential players join the team in the
was obtained when local landowner the Football League in the First-round ers were aghast and a public meeting form of Jimmy Brown and Stan Denby.
Mr W. Triggs-Turner donated land on proper. In a memorable game City in the town was well attended, result- Brown was an out and out goal scor-
Josephs Road. Triggs-Turner later be- beat QPR 4-2 in front of nearly 8,000 ing in two new directors joining the er who had played for the USA in the
came the first chairman of the club. spectators. In the second round anoth- board and the threat of sale passed. On 1930 World Cup, and had also played
The chosen team’s colours were green er bumper crowd at Josephs Road saw the eve of the 1936-37 season Haydn for Manchester United and Tottenham
and white stripes. On 17 August 1921 Bournemouth romp home 5-1. Green was appointed manager. A for- Hotspur, whilst Denby was a schem-
the new club played their first compet- 1931-1940 mer Hull City manager, and assistant ing half-back. For the second time in
itive fixture, hosting Reading Reserves The early years of this decade were at Birmingham City, Green was ideal their history City knocked a Football
at Josephs Road. Guildford won that wholly unexceptional on the playing for the role. A poor start with just one League side out of the FA Cup. On
first match 2-0 in front of 5,000 fans. front. The 1934-35 season saw the win in the first seven games was recti- this occasion it was Reading, and a