Page 30 - TEST BRIT AIRWAYS - 2019-20 Season

Walton F.C. was formed in 1895, and in of this era included Swans’ most famous
1945, following World War II, amalga- player, England and Great Britain Olympic
mated with Hersham F.C. to form Wal- defender C.R. ‘Jack’ Neale, and the prolif-
ton & Hersham F.C., the present club. ic Reg Sentance, still the club’s all-time top
They immediately joined the newly formed scorer. Some lean years followed, although
Corinthian League and followed a poor first the FA Cup First Round was reached for the
season with a hat-trick of Championships first time in 1957-58, Southampton winning
and a runners-up position. They also won the 6-1 before 6,000 people at Stompond Lane.
Surrey Senior Cup for the first time in 1947- Don Stoker’s popular sides of the early 1960’s
48, beating Isthmian League neighbours brought cup fever back to the Lane and there
Kingstonian 2-1 at Crystal Palace. Election were fine runs again in the Amateur Cup.
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to the Athenian League soon followed and Two late goals by the prolific and popular
in their first season, 1950-51, Swans finished Brian Jenkins beat the star-studded Wimble-
runners-up and again won the Surrey Senior don side in the Surrey Senior Cup Final of
Cup at Palace, defeating the much-vaunted 1960-61, and the trophy was retained against
Dulwich Hamlet 2-1. Sutton United the following season. After
Great days, big crowds several years of mid-table respectability, the
These were halcyon days for the Stompond appointment of Allen Batsford as manager
Lane side and the FA Amateur Cup Semi-Fi- in 1967 heralded the beginning of the most
nal was reached in successive seasons, 1951- successful period in the club’s history. At the
52 and 1952-53, only for Swans to go out to end of his first season, a superb victory over a
Walthamstow Avenue and Harwich & Park- powerful Wimbledon side in the two-legged
ston respectively. During this period the Final secured the Premier Midweek Floodlit
club enjoyed a tremendous following, and a League title, the first of three, followed a year
record crowd of 10,000 were at the Lane in later by the winning of the Athenian League
1952 when the famous Crook Town were championship for the first time. The FA Cup
the visitors for an Amateur Cup tie. Stars First Round Proper was again reached in the