The origins of Fleet Spurs Football Club can be traced back to 1948, shortly after World War II, when a group of young footballers began playing friendly matches in the Fleet and Aldershot area. Opponents included the Royal Medical Corps, Royal Engineers, Royal Artillery, Royal Army Service Corps, Parachute Regiment, and Wellington Press.

A small (3×2 inch) fading photograph, from Eric Heanes’ rich collection of photo memorabilia, shows an unnamed group of 11 teenagers and young men that are allegedly the founding members.

They are gathered in a relaxed, friendly pose, wearing a variety of shirts, short trousers and long socks, with heavily laced and toe-capped football boots and a weighty looking new leather football. In the distance, there is a goal-mouth and a familiar looking screen of mature trees, at Oakley Park in Albany Road, Fleet.

In 1951, Fleet Spurs FC first gained admittance to Aldershot and District League. The first club badge was a cockerel on ball, the same as for Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, the rising stars of English Football at the time (for more on this connection see “Why Fleet Spurs Football Club?).

Club colours were originally black and white, again as for Tottenham. Subsequently, they changed to red and black stripes (AC Milan), and eventually became the present red and blue. Tradition holds that Fleet Spurs FC was formed as a reaction, or an alternative, to the long-established “semi-professional” Fleet Town FC.

This was to provide an amateur football club for local players with a strong social environment. Notwithstanding, the proud Fleet Spurs FC cockerel motto has undergone several transformations over the years.

The current depiction is more chicken without ball than proud cockerel, shown perhaps looking more for crumbs (of comfort?) than for rivals, suggesting humility rather than pride, and possibly more friendly than the original fighting cock.

The founding committee comprised President Ralph Watts (1951-1975), Chairman Reg Driver (1951-1957), Secretary Stan Burton (1951-1965), and Treasurer Don Ancell (1951-1956). (N.B. Many dates are indicative rather than definitive, based on information at the time of writing). Thus began a long tradition of officials serving Fleet Spurs FC, for significant periods of office, and many in more than one capacity.

Past Chairmen also include R Cox, C Mitten, K Donegan, D Richards, R Marsh, R Taylor, and now since 2001, Chris Stokes.

Past Secretaries include W Nichols, R Letford, J Palfrey, A Fitzpatrick, B Covey, E Heanes, P Hampshire,C Fitzpatrick, C Filkins, and now since 1999, Steve Houghton.

Past Treasurers include E Heanes (at least three spells), C Soane, B Stevens, R. Hammond, J Sturgess, M Lambert, P Hampshire, and now since 2001, Roger Farmiloe.

Past Presidents include S Burton, G. Richards, D Black, M Black, and now from 2006, Paul Hampshire.

The first honours were awarded in 1952-53, when Spurs were Hants Junior Cup B Winners and Aldershot Junior Cup Winners. From the Aldershot and District League, the club moved briefly in 1954-55 to the Hampshire League, North Hants Division, then effectively the 4th Division of the County

League. Spurs finished bottom with only 7 points out of 20 games, and were promptly relegated back.

Then, after winning various League and Cup honours with the Aldershot and District League, the Reserves were formed in 1965. From 1965-1971, Spurs 1st team saw a spell in the Surrey Premier League, B and then A division, becoming League A Champions in 1968-69 and Cup Finalists in 1970-71. The Reserves remained with the Aldershot League.

Spurs 1st team returned to the Aldershot and District League from 1971, where Spurs have continued to field teams to the present. The A Team was formed in 1977, and the B Team in 1991. A period of almost continuous League and Cup honours flowed from 1979-1990, with significant achievements at 1st, Reserves and A Team levels. Notably, for the 1st Team, this period included 4 seasons as Aldershot Senior League Champions and 3 seasons as Runners-Up.

Then in 1991, as dual Aldershot Senior League Champions and Peter Benyon Cup Winners, promotion was gained to Hampshire League Division 3. The Reserves, A team, and newly formed B Team remained with the Aldershot League. Then, promoted to Hants Div 2 in the first season (from 3rd place), the 1st team progressed to become Hants Div 2 Champions in 1998.

The 1st team then played 2 seasons in Hants Div 1, at the highest Hampshire League level, finishing near the top of the League (6th), before cruelly being demoted from this lofty position immediately down to Div 2 for failure to meet new Hampshire League grounds standards.

Meanwhile, the Reserves and A Team rose by promotion to the Aldershot Senior League and Division 1 respectively, after which the Reserves joined the new Hampshire Combination. In 2002, the Hampshire League merged with the Wessex League.

Now, the 1st Team play in Wessex League Division 3, at Step 7 in the FA Pyramid, and the Reserves play in the Wessex Combination Division 2.

Significantly, in 1991, Fleet Spurs FC formed an association with Fleet Spurs Youth Football Club. Formed in 1981, FSYFC is a member of the North East Hampshire Youth League, entering typically 10 teams, ranging from Under 8s through to Under 18s. Led by J Lee, J Porter, C Filkins, J Cottrell, G Walker and in particular, K Gurrie, this most successful initiative, provides a broad local club environment, and sharing of resources and expertise, energy and enthusiasm.

It offers a natural feeder base for developing young local players, bringing them through smoothly to men’s football under the club’s multi-level structure. Now the majority of the current 1st team and many of the Reserves squad played for the Youth set-up before joining the men’s teams.

At the opposite end of the scale, and reflecting the maturity of the club, in 2003, led by Manager J Winter, the B Team became established as a veterans side in Aldershot and District League Division 2, eligible for over-35’s cup competitions.

Plotting this long course, there has been a number of captains, coaches and managers, appointed and watched-over by the committee members. Early records show C Fuller as captain in 1953, and P White as captain in 1959-60. From 1965-71, while in the Surrey Premier League, the 1st Team was selected “by committee”.

Subsequently, the 1st Team has been managed by D Black (1973-79), R Marsh (1979-82), J Bone (1982-87), R Taylor (1987-88), D Black (1988-92), R Stacey (199293), C Stillwell (1993-94), J Winter (1994-97), G Bond (1997-1999), P Hampshire (1999), A Jolly (1999-2000), G. Bond (2000-2004), K Gurrie/G Streeter (2004-2005), to the present 1st Team Manager (and goalkeeper), Geoff Walker.

Throughout, these managers have been assisted by a legion of individuals, too many to mention here, who have managed the Reserves, A Team and B Team, and coached at training. Geoff Walker’s current management team comprises Paul Filkins (Reserves), Gary Mist (A Team) and Steve Houghton/Roger Farmiloe (B Team Veterans).

As with any club, a number of special people work busily behind the scenes in essential supporting roles, with little recognition, to make football possible. The club remembers with great appreciation and affection the assistance provided by Mrs Worsfold, and her late husband Dick Worsfold, with years of loyal support, making teas and washing kits, after many muddy games at Oakley Park.

Particular mention should be made of Eric Heanes, loyal club servant in many official and unofficial roles. In 2000, Eric was honoured by Hampshire FA in recognition of over 40 years of service to football with Fleet Spurs FC. Eric is still very active today as caretaker of the Spurs FC Southwood home-ground facilities.

In the course of this journey, and as Fleet Spurs FC have expanded to field four teams, the club has been based at a number of home grounds in the Fleet area. Oakley Park in Albany Road, Fleet was the first home ground and this would be used by various teams until 1995.

The changing facilities at Oakley Park were built by the players and supporters of Fleet Spurs. These facilities were eventually taken over by the Council, when the whereabouts of the lease became uncertain. In recompense, money was paid into a Club trust fund, for release when a new home could be found, and governed by designated club trustees.

From 1977, with the formation of the A team, Peter Driver Sports Ground, with 2 pitches and good drainage, became used increasingly more frequently, along with Oakley Park. Then, with the addition of the B Team, and the more stringent ground requirements of the Hampshire League, from 1991-96, a new pitch at Ancells Farm was used, provided on a lease from Hart Council. This was in addition to the Peter Driver facilities. In 1994, the club applied for, but failed to obtain, planning permission at the Ancells Farm site for a proposed Clubhouse development.

Then, in 1997-98, the club moved to play football at the new £560K Hart Council development, with a joint Hart/Spurs Sports Council funding award, sited at Kennels Lane, Southwood. Kennels Lane provides pitches and modern dressing room facilities catering for all four teams if necessary, with a small kitchen and refreshment area, substantial spectator shelter, and a pitch surround and hard-standing for the main pitch. Fleet Spurs FC have remained at Kennels Lane since 1997, and look forward to a long future using, and hopefully improving, when possible, on these excellent facilities.

Despite all these years with no designated Clubhouse, Fleet Spurs FC have long held a strong tradition of a friendly sports and social club environment, mostly pub-based, but crowned with a semi-formal end-of-season Annual Presentation Dinner Dance. In recent years, the Annual Presentation Dinner Dance has been held at the Lismoyne Hotel in Fleet, almost always on the Friday eve of the FA Cup Final in May.

Trophies currently presented, and hotly contested, include the John Hawkins Trophy for Top Goal Scorer, the Stanley Burton Trophy for Young Player of the Year, the Kierin Gurrie Trophy for Veteran of the Year, the Valerie Richards Trophy for the A Team Player of the Year, the Sturgess Trophy for Reserve Team Player of the Year, the David Black Trophy for First Team Player of the Year, and finally and most treasured, the Francis Trophy for Sportsman of the Year.

The 25th Anniversary Dinner and Dance was held at the Civic Hall Fleet on 14 May 1976, and included dancing to the Chris Allen Orchestra, until 2.00 a.m. The 50th Anniversary of the Fleet Spurs FC was recently celebrated in grand style at Potters International Hotel in May 2001.

Nearly 200 players, ex-players, families and friends were in attendance, with dancing to Ivor Newcombe’s Band, the Nighthawks. At this 50th Anniversary event, the Club President, the late Dave Black presented six Life Vice Presidency Awards for services to the club, to Eric Heanes, Alec Fitzpatrick, Ray Marsh, Jesse Bone, Paul Hampshire and Bob Taylor.

Another important social tradition of Fleet Spurs FC is the annual football game between the Over 30’s and the Under 30’s. This always occurs on Boxing Day, 26th December, around 1100 hrs, no matter what the weather, or hang-over. The outcome, usually contrived by dubious refereeing, is traditionally celebrated, with families and friends, down the pub

.

Without a Clubhouse base, Fleet Spurs FC has visited a number of “social headquarters” over the years. In the 1970’s, the Fleet Hotel was the popular meeting place and social focus for Fleet Spurs FC, owned by past Club Presidents and most genial hosts, Gordon and Doug Richards.

When the Fleet Hotel was sold (currently, The Links Public House), the Club moved on briefly to the Broadway Social Club in Albert Street, Fleet. Then through successive periods, the club enjoyed the hospitality of a series of local hostelries and clubs. These included the North Horns Pub, Frames (pre-Shotts era), The Fleet British Legion, The Tweseldown Pub (formerly North Horns), The Foresters Pub, and most recently, The Wyvern Pub in Church Crookham.

Presently, from 2005, Fleet Spurs FC meet at the Clubhouse at Calthorpe Park, off Reading Road North in central Fleet, leased and operated by Fleet Cricket Club. Here, at this joint FCC/FSFC Clubhouse, a true sense of home base and meeting place of historical record is being built for the future.

Fleet Spurs FC is primarily about providing and playing local amateur football in a social football club environment. The club has provided a principled, robust and enduring organisation and structure under sound administration, through which local people can enjoy local football competitions at various sporting levels.  We hope that, together with Fleet Cricket Club, after 55 years, we have finally found a lasting home base at “the other” Calthorpe Park Clubhouse.

(If you are able to correct, or add to, this brief historical record, please contact the administrator, or any club official)

RM Taylor, 31 January 2006