Page 31 - RPVFC v Erith & Belvedere

forward Bob Collins 67, although
the circumstances and the stand-
ard of the opposition – Forces
teams and local rivals weakened
by call-ups – make comparison
with peacetime records unfair.
Heyday of Dennis Crawford
Having won the London Senior
Cup on the weekend after VE Day
with a 5-3 win over Tooting and
Mitcham, the Deres were found-
er members of the Corinthian
League, winning the Memorial
Shield (League Cup) three sea-
sons in succession (1948-50).
Along with Slough and Maiden- Erith & Belvedere 1956-57 team
head, the Deres remained in the
Corinthian League throughout League Cup finalists, the high- – before starting a groundshare
its existence, and in 1963, hav- light of Peter Peters’ record 17½ with Welling United in 1999.
ing finished runners-up in the years in charge between 1971 Acland departed in 2003, and
final Corinthian League table, Kent Amateur Cup four times in and 1991. in 2005 the Deres were relegat-
they joined the Athenian on its five years and were runners-up in Deres were relegated ed, ending a 23-year Southern
expansion to 3 divisions. It was an international tournament in Life was hard for the Deres in League stint. This was despite
not a promotion: admission to Belgium! They reached the Athe- the Southern League, with just a senior debut season for Chris
the Athenian premier was by in- nian premier division in 1971 six top-half finishes and a best Dickson, who later played for
vitation not league placing, and (managed by local-born Roy placing of 7th under Harry Rich- Charlton and in the Champions
Deres were denied the level their Dwight, FA Cup Final goalscor- ardson in 1993. On his depar- League with AEL Limassol, and
league place deserved. The 60s er with Nottingham Forest in ture the club’s fortunes were at a gained caps for Ghana.
saw the heyday of Dennis Craw- 1959 and of course Elton John’s low ebb until the appointment of Epic Kent League title
ford, who holds the club appear- cousin), and won the League Cup Mike Acland in 1996. 18 months Back in the Kent League, the
ances record with 505, and Col- in 1974. Tommy Ord from the into Acland’s reign the club Deres were in promotion conten-
in Johnson, a former West Ham early-70s team played briefly for could have folded when arson- tion until the final day of 2005-
youth team-mate of Bobby Moore Chelsea and lined up alongside ists destroyed the main stand at 06, but were out of the hunt in
whose tally of 227 puts him way Pele for New York Cosmos in Park View on 1 September 1997. the following few seasons, apart
out in front in Deres’ goalscoring 1976! The club chose to return The club was based in portaka- from an extra-time Kent Sen-
list. to the Kent League in 1978, but bins for two years – to Acland’s ior Trophy final defeat to VCD
Elton John’s cousin in 1982 entered the Southern credit results actually improved in 2009 when they were twice
In the late 60s the Deres won the League as Kent champions and in these difficult circumstances within 17 minutes of the trophy.

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