Some Hendon Teams Through The Years
Hendon FC was originally formed as Christ Church Hampstead in 1908 and became Hampstead Town F.C. a year later. In December 1919 it was reported that the London F.A. had agreed that Hampstead Town F.C., would in future be known as Hampstead F.C., however this name change was only reflected in the press for a few weeks at the start of 1920 before the club seemed to have once again reverted back to the name Hampstead Town F.C. The Club eventually succeded in dropping "Town" from the name at the beginning of the 1926/27 season becoming just Hampstead FC. Then in April 1933, the club adopted the name Golders Green F.C. In May 1946 the club elected to take on the name that it retains to this present day - Hendon F.C.
Hampstead Town FC 1912.
In his first season with the club (sitting on the ground, third from the left) is my grandfather, J. H. "Chummy" Parker of Child's Hill.
He had previously played several seasons for West Hampstead and had spent the previous season playing for Finchley FC.
He made his debut for the club in September 1912 in a 5 - 1 win over Kilburn in what was the Club's first ever game at its new "Avenue" ground in Cricklewood Lane.
The local press reported at the time "J. H. Parker, the clever right-half, late of Finchley, has signed on for the Town and this local player is considered a great acquisition".
During his time with the Town, the local press also reported him to be "a popular and hard working right half".
Hampstead Town FC 1913.
J. H. "Chummy" Parker again, pictured here on the left of the front row at Stade Bauer in Saint-Ouen France, before a prestigious "international" match with Red Star of Paris on Sunday 28th September 1913. The Town had won an FA Cup tie at Marlow the day before undertaking the arduous journey by train and boat to Paris. Somewhat fatigued, they lost 5 - 0 to a strong Red Star team.
This was not my grandfather's first trip to the Continent. In 1910, while playing for West Hampstead, he was selected for the Middlesex FA representative side on a Christmas tour to Belgium. My grandfather received plaudits for his performances in the 6 - 1 defeat of the Belgium full international team in Brussels on Christmas Day and the 4 - 3 defeat of Liege on Boxing Day.
My grandfather would return to the Continent during the First World war, camping with his regiment on one of the very grounds he had previously played on.
Hampstead Town FC 1919.
The first full season after the end of the Great War. After returning safely from his time with the Royal Engineers, my grandfather had rejoined the Club.
On his first appearance back playing in his customary right half position, the local press reported that he "revealed all his old time cleverness and well-timed effort". Although nearing the end of his playing career, he was also reported to still be "vigorous and safe".
My grandfather's experiences in the Royal Engineers served him well as he undertook much of the building work required for the development of the Club's Cricklewood Lane ground including the construction of the cinder bank terracing.
My grandfather was made an Honorary Life Member of the Club in 1922 in recognition of his services.
Golders Green FC 1936
Standing (left to right): Dave Walker, Jimmy Shorland, Bill Boston, Davis Miles, Joe Bloxham, Bert Broadis.
Front (left to right): Billy Breagan, Johnny Browne, George Bucci, Tommy Evans, Fred Boston.
Team captain George Bucci was the son of Domenico Bucci who had been one of the founders of the club in 1908.
George became one of the clubs most loyal servants, playing from 1925 until 1945 and never having another senior club. During his playing career he turned out in every position including goalkeeper.
After retiring George served the club as a committee member and officer.
Golders Green FC 1939
Back Row (left to right): A. E. Earl, Ted Owen, Bill Boston, Stan Barlow, Tommy Caswell, George Bucci.
Front Row (left to right): A. Lovell, Billy Breagan, Jock Ellison, Ron Graves, Fred Boston, Bob Thomas.
Green shirted team captain Ron Graves is seen holding the Middlesex Senior Cup after the Club had won it for a second time, comprehensively beating holders Wealdstone 4 - 0 in the final. In 1938, the Club had made the historic decision to change the club’s colours to green and white.
As Golders Green, the club also made its first Wembley appearance when in 1945, just eight days after Victory in Europe, they played Tufnell Park there in the final of the wartime Middlesex Red Cross Cup. Golders Green won 4 - 1 with George Bucci scoring two goals in what was his last appearance for the club.
Hendon FC 1948
Back Row (left to right): Roy Stroud, Bob Avis, K. Scott, R. Kemp, J. Weeks, Bill Fisher.
Front Row (left to right): R. Wright, W. Reay, Laurie Topp, Pat Lynch, J. Watson. Insets (left): W. Prior, (right): L. Fontana.
Bill Fisher and Laurie Topp were two of Hendon's longest serving players and both would appear in Hendon's first ever Amateur Cup winning team in 1960.
Hendon FC 1949
Back Row (left to right): Pat Lynch, Bill Fisher, Reg Hill, Dexter Adams, Pat Austin, Mickey Lane.
Front Row (left to right): Roy Stroud, Len Berryman, George Wakeman, Bill Reay, Bob Avis.
The team are pictured at Claremont Road on 17 December 1949 prior to a 3 - 1 defeat by Barking.
As can be seen in this photo, goalkeeper Reg Hill was reknowned at the time for wearing spectacles whilst playing.
Hendon FC 1952
Back Row (left to right): Roy Evans, Pat Austin, Arthur Phebey, Reg Ivey, Dexter Adams, Mickey Lane, Jerry Marrable.
Front Row (left to right): Bob Avis, Roy Stroud, Pat Lynch, Laurie Topp and Bill Fisher
This team finished runners up in the Athenian League. Hendon would win their first Athenian League title in the following year after thirty three years of trying.
Topp, Fisher, Adams, Ivey, Lane, Avis, Stroud, and Phebey would all be key members of that Championship winning side.
Hendon FC 1972
Back Row (left to right): Tony Bass, Alan Phillips, Tony Jennings, Arthur Paisley, John Swannell, John Baker, Derek Baker, Jimmy Wilsonham, Fred Pudney, John Muir.
Front Row (left to right): Phil Fry, Bobby Childs, Peter Deadman, Walter Koller, Gary Hand, Rod Haider and John Evans.
The team is pictured in Italy in October 1972 with the Barassi Cup, having just defeated Italian Amateur Cup holders Unione CV 3 - 1 on aggregate to claim the title "European Amateur Champions".
Hendon FC 1974
Back Row (left to right): Kieron Sommers, Derek Baker, John Swannell, Phil Fry, Tony Jennings, Alan Phillips, Mickey Cooper.
Front Row (left to right): Peter Deadman, Rod Haider, John Baker, Gary Hand, Bobby Childs.
This is the team that achieived the most incredible result in the club's history when they drew 1 - 1 against Newcastle United at St James's Park in the FA Cup Third Round on 5th January 1974. The game was watched by crowd of 31,606 spectators.
After winning the replay played at Watford, Newcastle went on to reach the Final at Wembley.
Hendon FC 1977
Back Row (left to right): Tony Williams, Jimmy Quail, John Butterfield, Peter Deadman, Arthur Paisley, Roy Butler, Alan Campbell, Gary Steel, Glenn Swaby, David Hogwood, John Muir.
Front Row (left to right): Dave Holden, George Brooks, Bobby Southam, Gary Hand, Rod Haider, Tony Field, Denis Holder and Ray O'Callaghan.
The team is pictured with the Isthmian League Cup and the Middlesex Charity Cup.
Hendon FC 1994
Back Row (left to right): Peter Lawrence, Dave Stephenson, Greg Sadler, Stan Blair, Dave Hudson, Andre Nolan, Nick Chilvers, Rodney Richards, Sam Old, and Mick Browne.
Front Row (left to right): Richard King, Lee Smart, Tony Matthias, Brian Lalor, Steve McKimm, Mick Dalton, Bradley Anderson, Uche Egbe, Lee Fiori and Carl Procopi.
The most remarkable thing about this Hendon team is that it even existed. Just weeks before the start of the season the club was put up for sale and a failure to find a buyer would have led to the team withdrawing from the league and folding.
At the eleventh hour the club was purchased by the Arbiter Group and the team was registered with the league just twenty four hours before the opening game.
Hendon FC 1996
Club Chairman Ivor Arbiter pictured in the centre of the front row with the Hendon team. Ivor, an entreprenueur in the music industry, was famously credited with designing The Beatles' original drop-t logo which appeared on Ringo Starr's bass drum.
Ivor's company, the Arbiter Group, were exclusive stockists of the Fender range of guitars, hence the iconic Fender logo appearing on the Club's shirts. Hendon's "Fender shirts" from this era, are now considered collectors items.
Sitting next to Ivor Arbiter is former Chelsea and Scotland international player David Speedie, considered an important signing at the time, he was released by the Club after only five somewhat ill-disciplined performances.