A LOOK INTO HISTORY 220

A LOOK INTO HISTORY TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY

WEMBLEY FC – THE BEGINNING

The Second World War was over and the good folk of the Wembley area were concerned that in being home to a famous football stadium was scant consolation for having their own team of local talent so, by merging two Sudbury teams, the Rangers and the Ratepayers, formed Wembley FC in 1946. Known as “ The Lions” (like the Speedway team of the 70’s), they gained immediate membership to the Middlesex Senior League which would later, in 1951 be called the Parthenon League to which Canvey Island FC were members.
Our Match Programme is their very first v Rayners Lane on October 5th even though they had already played three games away, Rayners Lane in a friendly on September 7th losing 4-5 followed by their first league game at Hawkers, a 2 2 draw and a 1-5 defeat at Ruislip Manor. The Reserve team were in the Harrow & Wembley league. The game was at Vale Farm, Sudbury which is still their home ground and was priced 2d with a 2.15 kick off.
Their next home game would be at Kingsbury Town followed by Acton Town then variously, Edgware Town Hounslow Town, Staines Town, Twickenham, Wingate, Polytechnic, Willesden and Harrow Town. That season was a good start with a very creditable fourth place. In season 1947/48 they won the League just ahead of Hounslow Town and additional clubs among the fourteen competing were Harris Lebus, Crown and Manor, Rootes Athletic. Following another good season in 1948/49. Wembley were elected to the Spartan League West in 1949/50 and they won that in 1950/51 but the Spartan League was gradually being reduced to one division so they joined the newly formed Delphian League as founder members with fellow Home Counties sides.
In that first season, 1951-52, of the brand new Delphian league, Brentwood & Warley were champions, Dagenham runners up, Woodford Town were fifth, Bishop’s Stortford 10th, Stevenage Town 12th, Cheshunt 13th and Wembley 14th and last but they would pick up as the years passed to where they are now but as this tale is of the very beginnings of Wembley FC, there we will leave it.