Are you watching Essex F.A......?

[jonw]

On Saturday I had the privilege of being at the Sussex Senior Cup Final, between Lewes and Whitehawk, played at Brighton’s American Express Community Stadium. Both teams respected the competition, and have fielded their strongest teams throughout the tournament. In an earlier round Whitehawk beat League One side Crawley Town 6-1 and Crawley fielded a strong team too. The result of playing first teams and putting the match on a Saturday at the end of the season resulted in an amazing attendance of 2,585. Whitehawk won 5-0, playing the best football I have seen from a non-league team all season. Things do have to be put in context though, as their opponents had finished just a couple of places above Witham Town in the Ryman Premier.
Just imagine what an event the Essex Senior Cup Final could be if it was taken seriously by the competing clubs and played on a Saturday at the end of the season? Despite the dangers of clashing with various play-offs, it is possible. Whitehawk had competed in the Conference South play-off final six days before this game.

I’d like to think that Danny Cowley will take the cup seriously next season, as he has won it twice in a row. If home matches were advertised, and announced as being full first team fixtures and at a knockdown price of £2 or £3 we could get some sizeable gates and generate some excitement for the cup again. It’s the only competition we go in each season that we can win so surely its time to try and win it?

Back to the Sussex Final. The huge attendance was in spite of high admission costs - £13.50 for adults on the day, and at a ground where its even harder to get to than Colchester’s.
Whitehawk’s former Braintree defender Paul Lorraine did not play. He has been out for most of the season with a serious knee injury.
One curiosity from the game (see link)….Whitehawk supporters rattle their car keys at every corner???
www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3o31-yjcww

[ozbrit]

A few things popped into my head while reading your very interesting report Jon, the Essex FA soured things for us at the club when in a cup tie we received a ban from the competition after the Chelmsford Manager at the time tripped up our player (Robbie Martin) as he attempted to retrieve the ball for a throw in, which culminated in a melee. The justice for the common assault - both clubs equally receiving a fine and ban from the competition.

Sussex county FA, unlike they Essex FA aren't including a bunch of London teams for historical or nostalgic reasons and point three the final was actually played in the shire county of Sussex and not outside the county as was in the London borough of Barking and Dagenham as I believe the last few have been.

[dbbn]

Having lived in the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham for near on 30 years before moving here; I can confirm that Dagenham is in the county of Essex.

[e7cm7]

It can't be in London & Essex.

[steelcityiron]

Historically, yes, Dagenham and Redbridge was part of Essex as was Romford, Hornchurch (now in London borough of Havering) etc. . but since 1965 (yep, as long ago as that) it has been part of Greater London and therefore no longer part of Essex - check the maps etc on wikipedia. Same goes for loads of places now in Greater London e.g. Bromley is no longer in Kent

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Borough_of_Barking_and_Dagenham

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essex

[oranjeboom]

At one time the whole of London was in Essex as was Liverpool (now merseyside) was part of Lancs. Hey-ho times change but not for the Essex FA where things change around them and they don't even seem to notice, or is it about hanging on to an empire?

I am amused at dbbn having lived in Dagenham & Barking, where he must have encountered some of the worst levels of English language anywhere - both grammar and spoken.

[dbbn]

May 20, 2015 22:11:08 GMT oranjeboom said:

At one time the whole of London was in Essex as was Liverpool (now merseyside) was part of Lancs. Hey-ho times change but not for the Essex FA where things change around them and they don't even seem to notice, or is it about hanging on to an empire?

I am amused at dbbn having lived in Dagenham & Barking, where he must have encountered some of the worst levels of English language anywhere - both grammar and spoken.

No worse than anywhere else; look at any other club forums and you'll find the same thing. Interesting item on the news this morning; Scrabble have introduced "new words" (ahem) to be allowed in the game such as bezzy, lolz, ridic - now I am despairing!

As for the Dagenham debate; I worked for B & D council and all letters were addressed to Dagenham, Essex.

[e7cm7]

Essex for postal purposes only - similarly Ilford, Romford etc. Middlesex no longer exists, but many addresses still include it.

[Res Match Day Sec]

May 21, 2015 10:31:42 GMT e7cm7 said:

Essex for postal purposes only - similarly Ilford, Romford etc. Middlesex no longer exists, but many addresses still include it.

www.middlesexfa.com/

[oranjeboom]

May 21, 2015 10:55:34 GMT Res Match Day Sec said:

May 21, 2015 10:31:42 GMT e7cm7 said:

Essex for postal purposes only - similarly Ilford, Romford etc. Middlesex no longer exists, but many addresses still include it.

www.middlesexfa.com/

Yep they're a dinosaur FA as well. I've worked for Royal Mail then Parcelforce and can confirm that people put county names as part of an address only for their own satisfaction, the habit it appears is a hard one to break but does no one any harm. Royal mail introduced postcodes nearly 50 years ago and that is all that is needed on an envelope or parcel to get it delivered.