A brief history - Peter Simpson former Club president

Old Edmontonians Football Club was founded in 1926 by former scholars and staff of Edmonton County Grammar School. The club followed the route of most former grammar school ‘Old Boys’ and joined the Old Boys League ("OBL"), since renamed the Amateur Football Combination. Apart from a break of 10 years during the late seventies and early eighties, when the club switched to the Southern Olympian League, it has been a member of the OBL ever since.

Little is known of the history of the club prior to World War 2, save for its successes on the field which are documented in the journals of the OBL. With the passing of Alf Gant, who played a major role in the club from the post-war years until the 1990’s, the club lost a valuable servant and a historical source.

The fortunes of the club from the 1960’s onwards, though no better documented, are fresher in the memory. In those days, all of the club’s players were former ‘County’ pupils and a close relationship with the school was at the heart of the club’s success. Home games were played at Delhi Road, opposite the school, and Churchfields, a few hundred yards along the A 10. The luxury of goalposts permanently in place was not one enjoyed by the Old Eds of the 60’s and 70’s. In those days players had to carry goal posts, bars, stanchions, nets, balls, flags (and occasionally referees) from the school to the pitch. Crossing the A 10 with all that equipment could be extremely hazardous. The school also provided training pitches in the summer and gym facilities in the winter months and after match refreshments were taken in the school dinner halls. A mass exodus took place every week at 5:20 to the Stag and Hounds. Old Boys football was just as competitive then as now; what has changed is the camaraderie between clubs. In times past we always joined our opposition for a beer or two after the match, not always staying long, but sometimes staying too long! Trips south of the river usually entailed a few drinks at the home club’s bar, a visit to one or two Fuller’s or Young’s establishments in south London, a meet up with another returning Old Eds team in a pub off the North Circular Road and then home. The evening was often rounded off at the Oakwood Palace. Happy days. Nowadays it is not unusual for visiting teams to walk past the door of the clubhouse on their way home without bothering to call in for a beer. Change isn’t always for the better.

The clubhouse during the 80s before the fire.

The quest for a home of our own ended in the early 1970’s when we secured the lease on premises at the Henry Barrass Stadium. The original clubhouse, constructed of healthy asbestos, may not have looked much from the outside but it became the heart of Old Eds. So many happy hours were wiled away, so many characters passed through its door (or roof) and so much is etched forever in the memory that I couldn’t do it justice here. Suffice to say that when it was burned to the ground in 1987 many felt they had lost an old friend. The phoenix which rose from the ashes was the splendid new brick-built clubhouse which opened in 1989 with a disco that was sold-out months in advance, although in true Old Eds style two thirds paid for their tickets on the night. Mark Perren was mein host of the ‘new’ clubhouse for several years and he created a unique, boisterous atmosphere remembered by many with great affection. Fred Merrill and Jenny Oyston took over the reins in the late 1990’s and were responsible for the transformation of the clubhouse into one that rivals the best in the league. We are all justifiably proud of our home and we owe Mark, Fred and Jenny a great debt.

Inside the 'new' clubhouse

Over the last couple of seasons, stewardship of the bar has passed to Luke Hooper whose enthusiasm and hard work have made a great impression on Eds young and old. His commitment to the club has ensured the doors have stayed open and he too is deserving of our warm thanks.

The club is currently home to six league sides, a remarkable achievement in an era when there are so many choices other than football open to young people. With the flow of players from school to Old Boys now little more than a trickle, the club has had to look elsewhere for new recruits. Current players bring friends along and some new members come by way of advertisements in the local press. They find a thriving club that is well set-up on the field and off and ready to meet the challenges of the coming years.

On the field

The welcome addition to the clubhouse of honours boards displays the achievements of the club for all to see. As a club, the 1990/1 and 2001/2 seasons were hugely successful and these are the years the current players seek to emulate. In the first of these the team won four league championships and in the second three league championships and the LOB cup. At the presentation ceremony for 2001/2 every one of the six elevens had at least one trophy (winners or runners-up) to collect, a sign of the club’s strength. Individual highlights are the league and cup ‘doubles’ achieved by the 4th XI and 5th XI in xxxx and xxxx, but the top individual achievement is undoubtedly that of the 1st XI who won the AFA Cup (the Old Boys equivalent of the F.A. Cup) in 1975/6 at Enfield F.C.’s late, lamented stadium in Southbury Road.

A few names from past and present

The major part that Alf Gant played in the revival of the club in the years following the war should not be underestimated. He was still with us until 1997 and his name sits proudly atop the list of Club Presidents. Unfortunately we have little knowledge of those who served the club alongside Alf in the period 1945-1965. Hopefully visitors to this site may be able to shed some light on other names from that era.

In the sixties and seventies the following are just a few of the individuals who gave their time and effort to ensure the club ran smoothly and was able to provide football for up to eight league elevens: Keith Walker, Peter Stechman and Ian Day served as Chairman with invaluable assistance from Gordon Leggett, Geoff Pierson, Alf Tester and Hilary Walker. All of the above were instrumental in securing the clubhouse and Ian and Alf in particular gave excellent service behind the bar. In those far-off days, bar duty was shared between the elevens until stewardship was taken up by one or two hardy souls prepared to devote many long hours to the job. One thinks particularly of Pete Stewart and later Dickie Bird although the host of characters who adorned the bar (both sides) is too long to record here.

Many of the players and officers who were with the club in the 1980’s are still around today and their names and faces will be familiar to you. Pete Simpson who joined the club during the 1971/2 season took over as Chairman in 1986 having previously been Hon. Secretary, Team Secretary, captain and barman. Fred Merrill became firstly Match Secretary and later Treasurer and Jenny Oyston, among many other jobs, also took on the role of Treasurer. A young[er] Len Hayward joined us towards the end of the decade, becoming Match Secretary and then Chairman. Less familiar, but nonetheless just as important are Mark Walsh and Mark Perren (Vice Chairmen), Mick Devlin and Alan Harding (Hon. Secretaries), John Mills ("Mr. Football") who was Match Secretary and kitman and Dickie Bird, Ray Corner and Jan Leeks (Social Secretaries). The 1990’s saw Trevor Bellis become firstly Vice Chairman and then Chairman in 1997 when Pete Simpson became President. Steve Evans took over as Hon. Secretary to be followed in 2001 by Martin McBride. Steve Thomas enjoyed two very successful years ‘in the Chair’ between 2000 and 2002 to be followed by Danny Rumens, who sadly passed away in 2003. Len Hayward took over the reins before stepping down in 2007 when Mark Collicott assumed the hot seat. These are but a few of the many who have played a part in the Old Ed’s story, but there are countless others who as players, captains, bar staff, providers of food and supporters deserve a mention here.

Ten years an Ed and still going strong

Ten years is a long time to spend with any one club and we are fortunate in having a number of members still actively involved with the club who have reached that milestone. So here they are and if I’ve missed anyone out please let me know:

Pete Simpson, Len Hayward, Gary James, Fred Merrill, Trevor Bellis, Gary Butterworth, Jennie Oyston, Dave Queen, Nick Simpson, Alan Hewitt, Pete Conway, Dan Simpson, Jason Leeks, Martin Hough, Kieran Delaney, Jan Leeks, Martin Bull, Ronnie Perkins, Danny Parris, Richard Eckelegbu, Dale Clinton, Bobby Ross, Alan Jones, Darren Kelly, Kevan Peek, Martin Costello, Rowan Richards, Andy Nicolaides.

The OEFC Committee - Season 2008/09

President	TBC
Chairman	Mark Collicott
Vice Chairman	Luke Hooper
Secretary	Martin McBride
Treasurer	Martin McBride
Match Secretary	Terence Moore
Social Secretary	Luke Hooper
Players Representative	Vacant

First Team Manager	Luke Hooper
Reserve Team Manager	Richard Ley
3rd Team Manager	Rafael Modeste
4th Team Manager	Gareth Barnett
5th Team Manager	Mark Collicott
6th Team Manager	Ian Rands
Youth Team Representative	Vacant

All committee members give up their spare time free of charge to keep our club up and running. If you wish to get involved in helping run the club, please speak to your team manager or email us.

The OEFC Club Crest

Evolution of the OEFC crest

Above is an image of our original club crest, followed by the redesign completed around the year 2000 (by myself). The previous crest was designed when the club was founded in 1927. The original crest is made up of an image of a stags head, the crest of Middlesex and the phrase 'Quis Separabit'.

The Stags head was the original meeting place of the Old Eds.

Edmonton was originally within the borders of Middlesex, and this the symbols, originally placed on the Edmonton County School crest, were employed upon the Old Edmontonians Football Club Crest.

More information on the Edmonton Crest available here

As for 'Quis Separabit' well I have managed to research this a little, but hope an OLD old edmontonian may be able to help us with where this actually came from. It is Latin, there seems to be some translation problems, but we (Thanks Peter) believe it means 'Who shall separate us', which would definately be apt for a team sport motto.

Further research has also pointed me to the Philip Joseph Holdsworth Poem of the same name...

Quis Separabit?

All my life's short years had been stern and sterile --,
I stood like one whom the blasts blow back --
As with shipmen whirled through the straits of Peril,
So fierce foes menaced my every track.

But I steeled my soul to a strong endeavour,
I bared my brow as the sharp strokes fell,
And I said to my heart -- "Hope on! Hope ever:
Have Courage -- Courage, and all is well."

Then, bright as the blood in my heart's rich chalice,
O Blossom, Blossom! -- you came from far;
And life rang joy, till the World's loud malice
Shrilled to the edge of our utmost star.

And I said: "On me let the rough storms hurtle,
The great clouds gather and shroud my sun --
But you shall be Queen where the rose and myrtle
Laugh with the year till the year is done."

So my Dream fell dead; and the fluctuant passion --
The stress and strain of the past re-grew,
The world laughed on in its heedless fashion,
But Earth whirled worthless, because of you!

In that Lake of Tears which my grief discovered,
I laid dead Love with a passionate kiss,
And over those soundless depths has hovered
The sweet, sad wraith of my vanished bliss.

Heart clings to Heart -- let the strange years sever
The fates of two who had met -- to part;
Love's strength survives, and the harsh world never
Shall crush the passion of heart for heart;

For I know my life, though it droop and dwindle,
Shall leave me Love till I fade and die,
And when hereafter our Souls re-kindle,
Who shall be fonder -- You or I?

Philip Joseph Holdsworth

Stirring stuff, but is this where the line is from? For now this remains a mystery, but maybe soon someone can shed some light on it for us.

It was decied by the Club at the AGM in either 1999 or 2000 that the club needed a new crest. There were very many options designed, but the one at the top of the page was chosen.

It still has the stag symbol, and the Middlesex Crest, although they have been somewhat streamlined.

There is also the line "Founded 1927" something we are particularly proud of, and thought warranted being on our club crest.

I hope you like the new crest

Jan Leeks

Club Member since 1990

1927	Founded
1929 – 30	Winners – Junior Division North (1st team)
1952 – 53	Winners – Division 3 North (1st)
1954 – 55	Winners – Division 2 North (1st)
1955 – 56	Winners – LOB Cup Minor Section (3rds)
1956 – 57	Winners – Division 4 North (2nds) Winners – LOB Cup Minor Section (3rds)
1957 – 58	Winners – Division 2 North (1st)
1960 – 61	R-up – LOB Cup Senior Section (1st)
1965 – 66	R-up – LOB Cup Senior Section (1st)
1967 – 68	Winners – Senior Division 2 (1st) Winners – Division 4 North (3rds)
1968 – 69	Winners – Senior Division 1 (1st) Winners – Division 1 North (2nds)
1972 – 73	Winners – Division 1 North (2nds)
1974 – 75	Winners – Division 2 North (3rds) Winners – LOB Cup Veterans
1975 – 76	Winners – LOB Cup Senior Section (1st) R-up – LOB Cup Veterans
1979 – 80	Winners – Division 3 North (4ths) Winners – Division 4 West (7ths)
1980	Left Old Boys League and joined Southern Olympic League
1980 – 81	Winners – LOB Cup Veterans
1981 – 82	Winners – LOB Cup Veterans
1982 – 83	Winners – LOB Cup Veterans Winners – Minor Division G (5ths)
1983 – 84	R-up – LOB Cup Veterans
1984 – 85	Winners – LOB Cup Veterans Winners – Senior Division 3 (1st)
1985 – 86	Winners – LOB Cup Veterans Winners – LOB Cup Minor Section (4ths) Winners – SOL Mander Cup (4ths) R-up – Junior Division 4 (3rds) R-up – Minor Division F (6ths)
1986 – 87	Winners – Minor Division C (4ths)
1987 – 88	R-up – Minor Division B (4ths)
1988 – 89	R-up – Minor Division A (4ths) R-up – SOL Mander Cup (4ths)
1990	Re-joined The Old Boys League
1990 – 91	R-up – Senior Division 2 (1st) R-up – Division 5 North (7ths)
1991 – 92	Winners – Division 2 North (2nds) Winners – Division 4 North (4ths) Winners – Division 6 North (6ths) Winners – Division 7 North (7ths)
1992 – 93	Winners – Division 1 North (2nds) Winners – Division 4 North (4ths)
1993 – 94	Winners – Division 4 North (4ths)
1994 – 95	R-up – Division 2 North (3rds)
1997 – 98	Winners – Division 1 North (1st)
1999 – 00	R-up – LOB Cup Novets Section (4ths)
2000 – 01	Winners – Division 3 North (3rds) Winners – Division 6 North (6ths) R-up – Division 4 North (4ths)

To be completed

The Club Constitution

The Old Edmontonians Football Club Constitution is available to download below as a PDF.

Old Edmontonians Football Club Constitution (PDF236KB)