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Hendon F.C. in Cup Action

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The most famous goal in Hendon FC history? Goalkeeper Iam McFaul fails to prevent Rod Haider scoring the equaliser in Hendon's   1 - 1 draw against Newcastle United at St James Park in the FA Cup Third Round on 5th January 1974.

 

After falling behind to a Pat Howard header, Hendon grew in confidence as their well drilled short passing game both suprised and frustrated their top flight opponents. Hendon deservedly equalised and had chances to win the game late on. 

 

The replay took place on the following Wednesday afternoon due to the three day week. One Hendon player had to resign from his job to play, as his employer refused to give him the time off. Hendon again matched their full time profesional opponents for more than an hour before a superb Terry Hibbett strike broke their resistance. The final 4 - 0 scoreline flattered Newcastle who went on to reach the Final at Wembley. 

Rod Haider again, this time scoring the only goal of the game in the 54th minute of the 1969 London Senior Cup Final against Dagenham at Barnet's Underhill ground. 

 

This was the second time Hendon were winners of this competition having won the Cup for the first time in 1964 after being runners up on four previous occasions.   

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Hendon captain David Hogwood on the shoulders of Rod Haider and Mickey Cooper as the Hendon players and supporters celebrate with the prestigious London Senior Cup after their 1969 triumph. 

 

Other identifiable Hendon players in the photo include Mickey Cannon, Peter Anderson, Eddie Devlin, and Paul Collett. 

 

Hendon would have to wait another forty years to lift this magnificent trophy again.  

Hampstead Town's Cecil Wise with Herbert Pacey of Botwell Mission, and match referee Mr B. M. Neville at the start of the Middlesex Charity Cup Final at Griffin Park, Brentford on 13th May 1922. 

 

S. J. Howard scored for Hampstead after twenty minutes and H. S. White added a second just before half time. In the second half Mission pulled a goal back through Arthur Findlater but Town, with Howard now a passenger through injury, held on to win the game 2 - 1 for the club's first cup success in senior football. The game was played in front of a large crowd and Town had a good following with several char-a-bancs being run from Childs Hill.

 

After the game the Hampstead players and officials enjoyed a celebration dinner at the Clarendon Hotel, Hammersmith with genial Club Chairman C.E. Timms at the head of the table.

 

Cecil Wise was the first player from the club to be capped for England. Botwell Mission were later renamed Hayes FC. 

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Hendon goalkeeper Reg Ivey in action during the FA Cup First Round replay at Northampton Town on 27th November 1952. In the first game of the tie five days earlier, an excellent defensive performance had earned Hendon a goal-less draw against a Northampton Town team who were riding the crest of a wave at the time and were the top scorers in the Football League. The match had attracted a crowd of 9000 spectators which was the all time record attendance for Hendon's Claremont Road ground.

 

The replay also attracted a large crowd of 6100, providing gate receipts of £820 despite being  played on a Thursday afternoon in poor weather conditions. The replay was hard fought, on a very heavy pitch which did not suit Hendon's neat passing game. The superior stamina of the full time professionals proved decisive as Northampton won 2 - 0 with both goals coming in the last five minutes of the game.

 

Hendon goalkeeper Reg Ivey, a mobile policeman, made several top class saves during the game and the team were given a great ovation by the Northampton Town fans at the end of the match.

Hendon centre forward Allan Wyatt scores on the stroke of half time, having taken the ball round Dulwich Hamlet goalkeeper Dave Darvill in the now defunct London Charity Cup on 1st October 1960. 

 

Jimmy Quail also scored either side of Wyatt's goal to give Hendon a 3 - 1 win over Hamlet. The game was played at Dulwich Hamlet's famous old Champion Hill ground in front of a big crowd.

 

It was an impresive performance from Athenian League Hendon who outplayed Dulwich of the Isthmian League for much of the game with Jimmy Quail and Terry Howard outstanding.

 

In 1963, Hendon themselves were accepted into the Isthmian League where the club stayed until 2018 when they were moved to the Southern League. Always playing in the top division, Hendon were Champions in 1965 and 1973 and Runners Up in 1964, 1966, 1974 and 2015.

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Laurie Churchill fires in a shot in an FA Amateur Cup quarter final game against against Wycombe Wanderers on 26 February 1966 at Claremont Road in front of a packed crowd of 5489.

Hendon, the Cup holders, were leading 2 - 1, with goals from John Evans and Laurie Churchill when the game was marred by an injury to Hendon playmaker Jimmy Quail who sufferred a badly broken leg. 

 

Reduced to ten men, Hendon produced a brilliant rearguard action, superbly marshalled by captain Bobby Cantwell and held on to their lead to reach the semi final for the second year running.

The heavy Claremont Road pitch played its part in the victory with goalkeeper John Swannell persistently clearing the ball long to the centre of the field, slowing down the Wycombe attacks as they tried to play through the middle where conditions were the most difficult.

Peter Anderson beats Carshalton goalkeeper Ray Watkins in a dramatic First Round FA Cup tie at Claremont Road in November 1969. 

 

In a distinct game of two halves Hendon led 5 - 1 at the interval. Whatever was in the Carshalton half time tea certainly worked and after the break they were an irresistible force. 

 

Brilliant goalkeeping and desperate defense restricted the away side to just two more goals and Hendon scraped through.  

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Hendon centre half Mickey Cannon heads goalwards in that 1969 FA Cup run watched by Hendon forward Bobby Wilson. 

 

This action comes from a qualifying round tie at Bishop's Stortford. Trailing 1 - 0 at half time 

 

Hendon went on to win with two second half goals from John Baker and Peter Anderson. 

 

The 1969 FA Cup run would end in disappointment. Despite a home draw against non league opposition in the Second Round proper, Hendon lost 2 - 0 to Brentwood 

 

Hendon would have to wait another five years for their first and so far only appearance in the Third Round.  

Peter Deadman blasts a sensational goal from the edge of the area in the Amateur Cup semi final game against Wycombe Wanderers at Griffin Park Brentford in 1972. 

 

The goal sealed a 2 - 1 win for Hendon. It sent Hendon through to the final and sent the Hendon fans behind the goal wild with joy. (It also made the other three sides of the ground go very quiet). 

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Some members of "the minibus crowd", a gallant band of Hendon supporters, after the long trip to Plymouth Argyle for the 1972 FA Cup First Round match. 

 

In a game where Plymouth had much of the play, Hendon defended resolutely and a breathtaking fingertip save from John Swannell denied Plymouth a first half lead. 

 

Hendon themselves had their moments and Rod Haider's shot hit the post following a goalmouth scramble. 

 

Cruelly for Hendon, two minutes from time Plymouth scored a scrappy goal that just barely crossed the line to snatch the win and deny the valiant Hendon side what would have been a well deserved replay. 

 

Argyle had progressed "by the skin of their teeth" reported the Plymouth evening paper.

Neil Henry fires in a shot during the Middlesex Charity Cup Final as Hendon FC are victorious at Wembley again in their last ever appearance at the old stadium on 2nd June 1988. 

 

TV astrologer Russell Grant had sponsored the hiring of Wembley Stadium for the Middlesex Festival of Football, the highlight of which was the Charity Cup Final between Hendon FC and Wembley FC. 

 

In front of a crowd of 3,715 the Hendon side, which included Iain Dowie won 2 - 0 with goals from Dowie and Dermot Drummy.  

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Hendon captain Roger Wade holds aloft the Middlesex Charity Cup after their victory at Wembley in 1988. 

 

Roger Wade and team mate Alan Campbell had both previously missed out when within touching distance of Wembley having been members of the Dagenham side that had lost two consecutive FA Trophy semi finals in 1983 and 1984. Alan Campbell summed up how much appearing at Wembley had meant to the players, "It's like a dream come true. I have always wanted to play here. We might have got in by the back door - this might not be the FA Trophy - but once you are here it does not matter". 

 

Hendon goalscorer Dermot Drummy declared afterwards "It is a dream to play here, to score is a bonus and it is great to win. I must admit I wouldn't like to come here and lose though". Later he added "I even nicked a couple of blades of grass and put them in a paper cup in my bag". 

Former long serving Hendon FC manager Gary McCann in his playing days as a goalkeeper in action during a First Round FA Cup match against Leyton Orient at Claremont Road in November 1997. 

 

This game ended in a 2 - 2 draw and in the replay at Brisbane Road, McCann gave an outstanding performance.

 

Junior Lewis scored a late goal to give Hendon a famous 1 - 0 win - only their second ever over league opposition. 

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On a bitterly cold day in November 1998, Hendon entertained Notts County at Claremont Road in an FA Cup First Round match in front of an all ticket crowd of 1,627 fans, none of whom can actually be seen in this photo. 

 

Hendon had chances early on to score but had to settle for a 0 - 0 draw. 

 

Notts County won the replay 3 - 0 at Meadow Lane.

Bontcho Guentchev pictured with the FA Cup during Hendon's cup campaign in 1999. 

 

Hendon had reached the first round proper for the fourth consecutive season. Drawn away to Bath City, Hendon won with late goals by Dominic Gentle and Bontcho Guentchev to set up a second round tie with Blackpool at Bloomfield Road. 

 

Blackpool won the game 2 - 0 but only after Hendon had dominated for long periods of play. Bontcho hit the Blackpool bar with a fierce shot from the left hand edge of the penalty area and then forced a reaction save from a surprised Blackpool goalkeeper with one of his trademark overhead kicks. 

 

The defeat was doubly disappointing for Hendon as the winners were rewarded with a dream draw against Arsenal at Highbury.

 

Bontcho Guentchev, along with Iain Dowie, is probably one of Hendon FC's most famous players of recent times. He had played in the 1994 World Cup Finals, scoring in a penalty shoot out against Mexico and appearing in the semi final against Italy. He spent the majority of his career in England playing for Ipswich Town. In a throw back to the golden days of non league football, he chose to play for Hendon because he lived locally and could walk to the ground in Claremont Road. 

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The goals from Hendon FC's memorable 1 : 1 draw with Newcastle United at St James Park in an FA Cup third round tie on 5th  January 1974. As the last amateur team remaining in that year's competition, Hendon can lay claim to being the last amateur team to have appeared in the FA Cup. By the start of the next season, the FA had removed all distinction between amateur and professional players.

Very rare footage from Hendon's last ever appearance at the old Wembley Stadium in that 1988 Middlesex Charity Cup Final when Hendon defeated Wembley F.C. 2 : 0 in front of 3,715 supporters.

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