On This Day

At the regular league meeting, the first piece of bad news was that Coggeshall Town announced they would be withdrawing their Reserve side at the end of the season.

Romford informed the league that unless they found an alternative pitch, they would not compete next season, their pitch at Brooklands had been sold and there would be some delay before the new playing area would be completed.

The Presentation dance made a profit of £12 but there was a loss on the representative game at Harlow of £26.99!

Witham Town were experiencing difficulties in making their new ground at Spa Road available next season. Clubs were warned to stop ignoring visiting teams and officials and to extend their hospitality more positively. The Committee thanked Tiptree for their gratis entertainment of the League at their buffet before Xmas.

Southend United wanted to pay bonus money for winning and drawing but this decision was put off until the AGM. The last date for the seasons end would be 31st May and Clacton Town Reserves were playing some games at Eastern Esplanade, Holland-on-Sea without approval? Eton Manor had sent an application to join for 1975-76 which was unanimously approved.

A discussion took place regarding a fixture on December 28th where the Southend United secretary 'forgot' about the match!

Billericay Town led the table on their way to being League champions but had been eliminated from the FA Vase earlier by eventual winners Hoddesdon Town. Their Wembley success would come a year later. The last two ESL clubs left in the competition on this date were Coggeshall Town, falling 0-3 to Clacton Town and Basildon United defeated by Hoddesdon Town 1-2.

In the Football League, Ipswich Town went one point ahead in the old Division One beating Middlesbrough 2-0 and Plymouth Argyle beat Bournemouth 7-3!

Brian Clough’s reign at Nottingham Forest commenced with a 1-0 FA Cup victory over Tottenham Hotspur and Referee, Roger Kirkpatrick took the team off the field because of a 'whistler in the crowd.'

Top of the charts was 'Lonely this Xmas' by Mud and Soviet Soyuz carried 2 cosmonauts to space station Salyut4.

Rob Errington
President & League Historian