LOOK INTO HISTORY 214

A LOOK INTO HISTORY TWO HUNDRED AND FOURTEEN

RUISLIP MANOR FC

Ruislip Manor were formed in 1938 and after the War, joined the London League
finishing as runners up in 1951-52 in Division 1 with the reserves in Division 2.
The club left to join the Spartan League in 1958 until 1965-66 when they joined the
Athenian League then moved up to the Isthmian League in 1992-93 but left them in
1995-96 for the Spartan League. At the end of season 2007-8 the club were relegated
after losing their Grosvenor Vale ground and changed their name to Tokyngton Manor.
After a move to the Viking Sports ground in Greenford a number of games were
postponed due to it being unsafe which resulted in a ban from their League so they
dropped into Sunday football before rejoining the Spartan South Midlands in 2010
sharing with Amersham Town. The club then sat out the 2012-13 season and played in
the Middlesex County League in 2013 before folding. In 2017-18 the club formed again
under a new name, London Rangers, the connection being with Glasgow Rangers and
played their first season in the Hellenic League Div 2 East coming last then moved
sideways to the Middlesex County League.
I have two Match Programmes of Ruislip Manor, both of significant historical value one
for the First team and the other, the Reserves. Both are a very unusual and even unique
size, being A3 folded into four parts and for season 1951-52 in the London League. They
were locally printed at the Ruislip Press Ltd. The first team game in the London League
Cup On September 29 th 1951 is against Royal Naval Depot from Chatham, with a 5-3
result and on November 29 th , the Reserves v Wapping Sports. These programmes priced
2d contained one side of Notes and the teams in the middle with the rest taken up with
no fewer than 20 small adverts. The programme v Wapping Sports wishes the senior
side all the best over at Chiswick against Civil Service in the County Cup and includes a
league table for the second division led by Storey Athletic who became East Ham
United. Aylesford Paper Mills were second, Lea Bridge Gas third and Ruislip Manor
fourth. Bata Sports, Pitsea United, Eton Manor, Ford Sports P O Engineers were all part
of the Division with only three clubs that are still with us, Welwyn Garden City, Aveley
and Beckenham.
The London League Premier Division champions for 1951-52 were West Thurrock United
with Ruislip Manor runners up, Guildford City Reserves were third and Crittall Athletic
(now Braintree), fourth followed by Gravesend & Northfleet, Eton Manor, Beckenham,
Welwyn Garden City, Dartford, Cray Wanderers, Leavesden, Woolwich Poly, Aylesford
Paper Mills, Royal Naval Depot and P O Engineers (LTR) last.