Page 23 - Raynes Park Vale vs Guildford City

took their longest trip when they when League Cup with a 2–1 aggregate success
they travelled to Gateshead in the 2nd over Barnet.
Round of the FA Cup. An estimated 5,000 In 1967–68 City had a notable FA Cup
supporters made the overnight trip to the run. Drawn away to Brentford the City
North East of England in December. A were leading 2–1 when the match was
15,000 crowd saw City dominate the game abandoned during the second half because
but lose 2–0. In debt again, City sold Jim- of snow. A second trip to Griffin Park end-
my Langley to Leeds for £2,000. He even- ed with a 2–2 draw and meant a replay at
tually joined Fulham and earned three Joseph's Road in front of 7,500 fans who
England international caps. roared City to a famous 2–1 victory. Goal-
keeper Peter Vasper was sold to Norwich
Built a side to win the title
City for £5000 and it was thought that this
Archie Macaulay was brought in as play- might ease the club's financial problems
er-manager in 1953 and he started build- but they were worse than many had re-
ing a side that would win the title in 1955– alised. The following season brought the
56. However, he left before the end of the end of Albert Tennant's nine-year reign
season leaving Bill Thompson to take over and the club was relegated.
and lead the side to the championship. In Crowds of 4,000 were needed
1958–59 the League expanded and was re-
gionalised. City were in the South Eastern In 1969–70 Joseph's Road was sold to sig-
zone and could only finish 15th out of 17. nal the beginning of the end for the club.
For 1959 the league was revised again, The following year they reached the sec-
this time to a Premier and First Divi- ond round of the FA Cup but the inevita-
sion. City's miserable time the year before ble was only being delayed and although
meant they started in the lower division. in 1972–73 the club again reached the
Albert Tennant, who had been a coach at first round of the FA Cup (a visit to Wat-
Chelsea, took charge and he led City to ford ended with a 4–2 defeat), they could
promotion. In the 1962–63 season they only finish 18th in the League. Crowds of
lifted the Southern League Cup for the 4,000 were needed to break even but bare-
first time, beating Nuneaton Borough 2–1 ly a quarter of that was achieved at most
on aggregate over two legs. games.
Despite this success by the summer of In 1973–74 a new board of directors took
1965 it seemed that finance was again a over with Bill Bellerby elected President
major problem at the Club. A strict budget (recently elected as Patron of the new
left the club short of players, resulting in a club) and club stalwart Darby Watts as
disappointing 16th-place finish, although player manager.
they did manage to reach the final of the Despite the best efforts of Mr Bellerby
Southern League Cup again. They went on and the long-standing chairman of the
better the next year, winning the Southern Supporters' Club John Daborn, cont... it