Return to 1997 SPRING Index
The New Millennium's football coverage has up till now dealt purely with the professional game. This page, however, will be devoted entirely to local league football particularly the Corinthian exploits of Priory Rovers from the H.F.C Bank Southampton Saturday League. competing in Junior Divisions 2 with a reserve team in Junior 6.
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Founded in 1992 the club are celebrating the fifth anniversary by going global via the Internet, for the interest of devotees of local league football and former players scattered around the world.
On Sunday mornings five years ago the embryonic club could be found practising skills on the tarmac six a side pitch in the St Denys community centre, opposite the Junction Inn at the end of Priory Road - hence the name. When, exhausted by exercise, refreshment was sought in the above pub, where the formation of a side and entry into local league football was planned over pints of Marstons Pedigree Ale. It was here that Greg Wilks (if memory serves me) coined the club's name. Greg, incidentally played for the club for three years, winning the Clubman trophy for two years on the trot in recognition of his enterprise and duties and club treasurer.
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A bleak mid winters day at the Swaythling playing fields - north of M27, Southampton |
2nd Team captain, Chaz Roath gives the lads a pre-match pep talk |
The credit for pushing this raw talent into a local league is claimed by Lee Bennett, player for four seasons and resident hairdresser, which reminds me that I must pop over to his shop in Swaythling for my six monthly trim. The deadline for applications to the Southampton League had passed so an application was made to the New Forest League and accepted, numbers swelled so training moved to nearby Riverside Park where, during a work out, a passing Ukranian astro-physicist named Victory joined the team. He stayed for two years before American Research facilities lured him across the Atlantic. He is fondly remembered for referring to his strip as his uniform in true communist fashion.
This mixture of affable, free spirits began to weld together as a club. A standing committee was voted in. My younger brother, Andy Dunkley, became chairman for the first of his four-year tenure. His unrivalled service to the club recognised with the Clubman award once the treasure had loosened his grip. The unenviable position of secretary (paperwork, phone calls etc.was filled by the ample frame of Marcus Broughton, Locksmith, carpenter and goalkeeper extrordinaire, stalwart of the club during its days in the New Forest League.
The first game of the clubs history against future close rivals, the New Forest Ceilings in Div 3 on a mud bath of a pitch at Langley Manor ended in 6-5 defeat. After the game Paul O'Donoghue (last heard of backpacking in India) related how he's lost his boot in the mud during a mistimed kick.
Sunday morning football can sometimes evoke images of the Somme.
As the club results improved, a promotion to the second division was the reward for an unspectacular yet successful first season. Pete Belward, the first of many physiotherapists to grace the team, begun his monopoly of top goal scorer and most valued player award. Pete is still with the club, contributing on and off the field as enthusiastically as ever. He is now watched from the sidelines by his new-born daughter. The club's tradition for socialising together took firm root from the early days, usually instigated and hosted by two club members I shall call the 'entertainment's committee' - the irresponsible Derek Doddington (& louise) and Andy Turner, Generosity personified, currently chairman and nursing a broken ankle in front of a warm computer.
In the next issue New Forest Ceilings get plastered and so do the Rovers on Tour in Amsterdam
