Page 15 - Raynes Park Vale v Farnham Town

From The Dugout THE UNTOLD GAME

While we rant and rage about the modern game, football history supremo Martyn
No-one is hitting the panic button but four points
from 12 not exactly promotion form. Everyone Green peeks into football’s nooks and crannies to unearth the stories that don’t make
can see the quality in the squad and in the dug-out it into the papers...anymore. This week we celebrate Black History Month with the
so what’s your explanation? Yeah results havent fascinating and heroic story of Walter Tull.
been good enough. The players know that. There is
still a long way to go so we certainly aren’t panicking. The first black footballer to him on trial, on their tour of
The frustrating thing is that our Performances have play in English football, that we South America, where he became
been really pleasing, we’ve played well. But just know of, did so in 1885, when the first mixed heritage player
haven’t had that cutting edge to score in front of Arthur Wharton took up a place to play on the continent, and
goal, we’ve made individual errors which have cost between the sticks for Darlington. impressed sufficiently to join the
us goals (put these two together and things do It shouldn’t be much of a surprise, team for the following season.
become difficult no matter how well we’ve played. then, to find black players in the Despite early promise, the level
This is no excuse as the squad is very strong but a lot You must be pleased with the impact made by record throughout the history of of racial abuse he received from
of people injured, away or Ill haven’t made it easy. your close season signing from Horley Town, the game. Thirty years later, when opposition fans was so vitriolic
But we know it’s not acceptable and are looking to Ethon Archer. Tell us what he’s added to the conflict broke out and football that he was dropped to the
kick on from our game at Camberely last week. Vale and what you expect of him this season? came to a halt, teams signed up reserves after just a few games.
Ethon has been brilliant. He loves football, always together to go and fight in the to take place in fierce fighting at
kicking a ball about. That’s how he plays on the trenches of France. And yet the He wouldn’t return to the first
Is promotion still the aim for this season? Yes team for over a year, and in total Delville Wood and Guillemont
promotion is still the aim, we all know what we are pitch. He has fantastic ability which can take him story of Walter Tull, a footballer manged just ten games for the during the Battle of the Somme.
capable of. So nothing different there. We will fight a long way. He needs to keep his feet grounded who become one of the county’s side before the player and the The grim conditions took their
all the way. and continue to perform the way he is. He is a first to sign up for military service, club decided to cut their losses, toll, however, and by January
player that wants to develop, he listens and gives has gone largely unheralded in and he was moved on, this 1917 he was again returned to
Amongst the fans there is always a lot of talk everything. He wants to add goals and assists to the century since he became a time to a Northampton Town Britain, this time with Trench
about the squad. Do you think that current woes his game, he’s doing that. I’m sure the more he war hero. side that was developing under Fever. He made this time work
are a reflection of the make up of the squad and plays and develops, he will only get better. Tull’s life is a life of pioneering Herbert Chapman. It would be for him, however, and joined a
recent changes and injuries? Well like i said, in ‘firsts’. He was born in Folkestone the move that made his career, nearby Officer Training Corps.
the last month we’ve lost Jordan and Wazza both We’ve written before about the impact that in 1888, three years after Arthur and over the next three seasons Despite huge opposition, he was
long term, so we had to replace them along with your brother (Jake Gallagher) brings to Vale’s Wharton’s debut, and was the he made 110 appearances for promoted upon its completion
having a further 8 players either ill, injured or away at game and he is missed by the fans both as a grandson of a Barbadian slave, the side, scoring nine goals. to Second Lieutenant. He also
different times doesn’t help with the consistency of player and as personality. Is there any news but when tragedy struck and Preparing for his fourth season secured his post-war future by
the team. So it’s lucky we’ve got the squad we have on when we can see him back at Grand Drive? both of his parents had died by in the summer of 1914, nobody agreeing a move to Rangers,
as it could’ve been a lot harder for us. At the same Jake and Jordan will both be in Australia when the age of eleven, he was sent could have guessed what was upon the cessation of hostilities.
time the results doesn’t reflect the strength of the you are all reading this. We are hoping Christmas to an orphanage in London, about to come. War was declared
squad. Some players aren’t hitting the form they’d time (maybe before) we may see them back. But before being adopted by a on the 1st August, and despite Sadly, Tull would never take up
like to, this may take time. But if you look at the force that is if we are lucky. There is a bigger chance Glaswegian family and moving some attempts to get the season his position at Ibrox. Returned to
changes we’ve had to make with Jordan, Wazza, we may not see them again. So we have to north of the border. In his new going, the conflict soon engulfed France, he became the first black
Louie D. These are big parts of the team and aren’t plan without them. The squad we have is good home, he excelled both in sports every aspect of life. Footballers officer to lead British soldiers
easily replaced. enough. We are really happy with how the team and academia, becoming the were not immune. into battle, at the Third Battle of
is developing. Ypres, and was recommended
country’s first dentist of mixed for the Military Cross. As the
It’s never fair to ask managers to explain away heritage before embarking on his Tull signed up for the army in
unexpected defeats but…what happened against For the 2nd half of the Camberley game you footballing career. December 1914, less than a week war began to draw to a close,
Guildford? Guildford summed up exactly how we’ve set the team up in an unusual 2-6-2 formation. after, and completely separately however, his luck ran out. He
been recently. Our performance was really good, we What was the thinking there? How the players Heading back to London in from, a meeting in London led died at Arras in March 1918, 2nd
played Some great football and scored two great respond? Was this something that you had 1908, Tull signed with amateur by players of Clapton Orient Lt. Tull, and his body was never
goals. But individual errors cost us that day. We can’t discussed in training? Haha! Well Camberley side Clapton FC, at the time a to encourage the creation of a recovered. His name can be
afford to do that. played a 4-5-1 so were no threat going forward. much fancied team who were footballers’ battalion. He started found on the Arras memorial in
We had 3 at the back and was a waste of a body. considered to be one of the best his training in Cranleigh, and was France, just one of 35,000 who
I guess, what we’re asking is…what’s the mind- So we said at half time we would make two in the amateur game, at a time moved to various training camps died. But his life was not “just
set in the squad and management now? The changes. Bring a striker on and midfielder to get when the amateur game was held before being sent to France, as one of”, it was “the first of”, right
squad have been immense. They’ve been very level more numbers forward. So we went to a 2-6-2 or in high regard. Considered the part of that battalion. Rising fast to the end.
headed, they know the expectations and are doing a 2-4-4 you could call it! It completely back fired “catch of the season”, he helped through the ranks, less than a Enjoy the game.
everything they can to get where we all want to as they brought on 2 strikers at HT and we ended the side to the FA Amateur Cup, year had passed before he had
be. Training and attitude has been superb. We are up changing back to a 3 as the balance of the the London County Amateur made the rank of Sergeant. Martyn Green, The Untold Game
staying very positive about it, addressing where we team was better with their two up top! If they’d Cup, and the London Senior Cup, Find more at TheUntoldGame.
can improve and making sure everyone is fit and stayed the same as the first half, it would have and caught the eye of Tottenham In May 1916 he was sent home co.uk or on social media @
available. worked I promise! Haha. Hostpur. They offered to take suffering from shellshock, but
was returned to France in order TheUntoldGame
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