5 a-side

[davef]

I'm aiming this at some of the older fans.

Who remembers the Isthmian League 5 a-side tournament that was played at Wembley Arena ?    It would have been late 70s I think, but I am sure PressSec or Mark F will know for sure.   I don't actually remember too many details, other than we didn't do particularly well I seem to think. I think we only played in it twice.

Something that seems to have become lost in the mists of time.

[presssec]

I've got programmes for the event in 1979 and 1980. The first time we beat Carshalton then lost to Dagenham in the quarter finals on penalties. Bromley beat Wycombe in the final. In 1980 we beat Billericay on penalties then lost in the quarter final to Harrow, who went on to lose in the final to Enfield.

There was a celebrity match before the final on each occasion, one between a team of Test cricketers(mainly from Surrey) and a pro-celebrity team, and the second between an Isthmian League team (including Bobby Moore and Harry Redknapp who were at the time manager and coach at Oxford City) and a pro-celebrity team.

[davef]

Thanks Tony. I had completely forgotten about the celebrity games.

[davethegrave]

I don't remember these but I remember the 6-a-side tournaments we used to host at the end of the season. Really enjoyable days. They seemed to be on for years but there may have only been a few.

[davef]

They ran for quite a while , I think Dave Herm may have run them. I went to several before being old enough to play in them for my Sunday club in mid 70s.
I remember Norman Milne beating one whole team twice before scoring.