The AGM was held on 11th June 1952, reviewing the 1951/52 season. The Secretary reported that it had been the Club’s best ever season, but also a disappointing one. The club had entered six cup competitions and reached the semi-finals of five and the final of the Evesham Hospital Senior Cup, only to be defeated. The team had finished 4th in the 1st Division of the Stratford League. The Treasurer reported that the Club had a balance of £126-0-10.
The Officers for the 1952/53 season were then elected:-
President: Mr A. R. Mansell
Vice Presidents: En Bloc
Chairman: Mr E. W. Sturt
Vice Chairman: Mr C. Ward
Hon. Secretary: Mr F. J. Taylor
Assistant Secretary: Mr W. H. Johnson (also Auditor to the Club)
Groundsman: Mr C. Summers
Committee: Mr J. Hodges, Mr F. Southern, Mr H. Haile, Mr H. Griffiths, Mr H Tigwell, Mr P. Harrison, Mr C. Summers, Mr G. Franklin, with powers to co-opt.
In the Chairman’s Report it had been agreed that the Club would play again in the 1st Division of the Stratford League.
Wickhamford F. C. registered players for 1952/53 were as follows:-
|
Name |
Address |
|
D. Bearcroft |
51 Avon St., Evesham |
|
J. A. Firth |
18 Evesham Rd., Honeybourne |
|
D. H. Grove |
105 Albert Rd., Evesham |
|
W. A. Sims |
Greenacres, Willersey Rd., Badsey |
|
M. D. Hewlett |
5 The Leys, Bretforton Rd., Badsey |
|
J. H. Plant |
67 Horsebridge Ave., Badsey |
|
R. A. Plant |
Chaple Lane, Aldington |
|
V. Cull |
9 Pitchers Hill, Wickhamford |
|
G. T. James |
Bredon View, Badsey |
|
A. C. Norledge |
12 Philipscote. Bengeworth |
|
A. L. Hartle |
21 Boat Lane, Evesham |
|
J. W. Cox |
41 Pitchers Hill, Wickhamford |
|
E. J. Price |
11 Council House, Honeybourne |
|
S. M. Taylor |
13 Victoria Ave., Evesham |
|
R. H. Thould |
27 Peewit Lane, Hampton |
|
L. J. Roberts |
36 Manor Rd., Wickhamford |
|
R. New |
The Lodge, Wickhamford Lane, Evesham |
|
J. Folkes |
18 Pitchers Hill, Wickhamford |
|
R. W. Marshall |
30 Manor Rd., Middle Littleton |
|
L. Smith |
3 Northwick Ct., Bewdley St., Evesham |
|
E. J. Moore |
13 Newtown, Offenham |
|
M. Harris |
83 Windsor Rd., Evesham |
|
P. Sutton |
5 Sandys Ave., Wickhamford |
|
F. E. Saunders |
37 Fairfield Place, Hampton |
|
R. Cole |
36 Kings Rd., Bengeworth |
|
J. Summers |
Pitchers Hill, Wickhamford |
|
H. Haile |
7 Manor Close, Wickhamford |
|
P. Harrison |
34 Manor Rd., Wickhamford |
|
H. Garwood |
6 Oat St., Evesham |
|
H. J. Burston |
33 Bredon Crescent, Peewit Rd., Hampton |
The full set of results for the 1952/53 season were as follows:-
|
Date |
Home or Away |
League or Cup |
Opponents |
Result |
Score |
Scorers |
|
30/8/52 |
A |
L |
E.S.D. Long Marston |
L |
1-3 |
own goal 1 |
|
6/9/52 |
A |
L |
Bidford Old Boys |
L |
1-3 |
Cox 1 |
|
13/9/52 |
A |
L |
Forest of Arden |
W |
5-3 |
Price 1; A. Plant 2; Moore 2 |
|
20/9/52 |
H |
L |
Bidford Old Boys |
D |
3-3 |
Price 1; Smith 1 |
|
27/9/52 |
H |
L |
Alcester |
W |
6-1 |
Price 4; New 1; A. Plant 1 |
|
4/10/52 |
A |
C |
Hampton Rovers |
W |
4-3 |
James 1; New 1; A. Plant 1; Sims 1 |
|
11/10/52 |
H |
L |
Ettington United |
L |
0-3 |
|
|
18/10/52 |
H |
C |
Brailes United |
W |
9-0 |
Cox 1; James 1; New 4; A Plant 2; Bearcroft 1 |
|
25/10/52 |
H |
C |
Weston United |
W |
10-0 |
Price 1: Smith 3; A. Plant 2; Moore 4 |
|
1/11/52 |
H |
C |
Broad Marston |
W |
4-0 |
Smith 1; Cox 1; Moore 2 |
|
8/11/52 |
A |
L |
Alveston |
W |
2-1 |
Moore 2 |
|
15/11/52 |
H |
C |
Quinton |
W |
5-4 |
Cox 1; Moore 4 |
|
22/11/52 |
A |
C |
Harvington |
W |
4-1 |
New 2; Moore 1; Hewlett 1 |
|
29/11/52 |
A |
C |
No 1 E.S.D. Long Marston |
W |
6-3 |
James 1; Moore 3; Sims 1; Cull 1 |
|
6/12/52 |
A |
C |
Fernhill Heath |
L |
2-10 |
A. Plant 1; Moore 1 |
|
13/12/52 |
H |
C |
Newbold Rangers |
W |
9-0 |
James 1; New 4; Moore 2; Cull 2 |
|
3/1/53 |
A |
C |
Quinton |
W |
5-0 |
New 1; Moore 2; Cull 2 |
|
10/1/53 |
A |
C |
Ilmington |
W |
5-2 |
Smith 1; James 2; Moore 2 |
|
17/1/53 |
A |
C |
No 1 E.S.D. Long Marston |
W |
6-3 |
James 2; New 2; J. Plant 1; own goal 1 |
|
24/1/53 |
H |
C |
Welford |
W |
3-1 |
Cox 1; New 1; Moore 1 |
|
31/1/53 |
A |
L |
Ettington |
W |
4-1 |
New 2; Moore 2 |
|
7/2/53 |
H |
C |
Brewery Sports |
W |
3-2 |
New 1; Moore 2 |
|
14/2/53 |
A |
L |
Broad Marston |
W |
5-2 |
A. Plant 1; Moore 4 |
|
21/2/53 |
A |
C |
Alcester |
W |
5-0 |
Smith 1; James 1; New 2; Moore 1 |
|
28/2/53 |
H |
L |
Forest of Arden |
D |
1-1 |
James 1 |
|
7/3/53 |
H |
L |
E.S.D. Long Marston |
W |
3-2 |
Moore 1; Garwood 2 |
|
14/3/53 |
A |
C |
Alveston |
W |
3-2 |
James 1; New 1; A. Plant 1 |
|
21/3/53 |
A |
L |
Ilmington |
W |
3-2 |
Moore 2; Hewlett 1 |
|
28/3/53 |
A |
C |
Bidford |
D |
2-2 |
New 1; Moore 1 |
|
4/4/53 |
A |
C |
Bidford (Final) |
W |
6-3 |
Smith 2; Cox 1; New 2; Cull 1 |
|
6/4/53 |
A |
C |
Kineton Wasps (Final) |
W |
5-3 |
not recorded |
|
11/4/53 |
H |
C |
Bidford |
L |
1-5 |
not recorded |
|
16/4/53 |
A |
C |
Bidford |
L |
1-2 |
not recorded |
It would seems that in the Stratford League a complete set of home and away fixtures was not played, but Wickhamford F. C. won the competition this season.
The cups they won that year were the Stratford Hospital Cup, the Stratford Nursing Home Cup, and the 1st Division of the Stratford League.
Standling, left to right, Cliff Summers, Harry Haile, Cecil Ward, Frank Southern, Tony Hewlett, Henry Tigwell, Ron Thould, A Hartle, Stan Taylor (goalie), Arthur Simms, Derek Bearcroft, Horace Griffiths, Fred Welland (treasurer), Walt Johnson, George James, Gilbert Franklin, Pete Harrison.
Seated, left to right, Mac Taylor (secretary), Ernest Sturt (chairman), Vic Cull, Jim New, Lol Smith (with football), E Moore, Arthur Plant, Reg Mansell (president).
In the photograph above, all of those shown are mentioned in the Minute Book during 1952/53 as players or Club Officers or Committee members apart from Fred Welland and George James. The Minute Book always mentions the Clubs’ Vice-Presidents as being re-elected ‘En Bloc’, but they are never mentioned by name (the Minute Book consulted runs from ca 1950-1958). Perhaps Messrs Welland and James were Vice-Presidents. One other man in the photograph is not mentioned in the Minute Book is Henry Tigwell, who is amongst the players in the picture, but may also be a Vice-President ?
Acknowledgements. Thanks are due to Neil Jones of Wickhamford Sports Club who kindly lent the Minute Book for examination.
Tom Locke November 2012