Post by jonw on Feb 11, 2016 20:44:03 GMT
Don't miss out on the next issue of the Braintree Town programme on Tuesday night. Each issue carries interesting articles and information on Iron.
For those that missed it, the following feature appeared in last week's issue v Welling United.
IRON GAMES ABROAD
Within the pages of this programme we recently covered Iron’s first visits to each of the counties in England. Taking that a step further, there have been a number of occasions on which we have travelled abroad for games. These have obviously always been in the summer and have usually involved at most a two night stop over. A notable exception to that was in 1997 when a 52 strong party from Braintree spent two weeks in Barbados, and played two games in the Caledonian Cup.
The first trip abroad was to Dusseldorf in Germany in 1937. The full story of that trip was recounted a few years ago in this programme and will be covered in full in the forthcoming first volume of our history book. On that occasion we played two matches and in a chilling copy of the England national team’s experiences in Berlin had to endure the experience of the opposition lining up to give the Nazi salute prior to kick off. In 1962 a party from the club returned to Dusseldorf to play two further games. Our link with the city was Fenestra, a window company linked to Crittall Windows.
Despite our close proximity to France it took 90 years to play there. In 1988 a coach party travelled by ferry from Felixstowe to Zeebrugge and then through Belgium to the French border town of Maubauge. We stayed for two nights and played matches in U.S. Maubauge’s impressively large stadium. The hosts at the time were in the regionalised French Third Division. We drew the game which was part of a three-way tournament, but then lost a penalty shoot-out. We then faced Valenciennes II, the reserve team of the side who are currently in Ligue 2. At the time the second X1 were in the regionalised fourth division. This game also finished in a draw and once again we lost on penalties to finish bottom of the mini group.
In 1993 we undertook a trip from Harwich to the Hook of Holland, this time heading for Yerseke for a one day four team tournament that included the hosts, an Under 21 representative side from the area ‘Jong Zeeland’ and a Sunday League team from Kent who accompanied us on the ferry, Sheerness Steel United.
A year later we were back in Holland, attending the Jan Havenaar Under 23 Tournament in Tonegido. Despite the age parameters our own side were not restricted by age and reached the final before losing on penalties. In a busy day numerous games were played against clubs from Belgium and Holland. The next year we were invited back and this time won the tournament with ease. It was another busy day with five group games and a final against D.W.O. which we won 3-0.
During the 1990’s there were advanced plans for the club to go to Perth in Western Australia to play some games. This ultimately fell through as not enough players could commit to the trip but in 1997 we did undertake a massive trip to Barbados, staying in Holetown on the west coast. Chairman George Rosling had a home nearby. Fellow Isthmian Leaguers Metropolitan Police F.C. accompanied us on the flight and took a far more serious approach to the Caledonian Cup competition that we both competed in. Their outlook was one of professionalism, heavy training and a desire to win the cup (which if I remember correctly they did). Our approach was one of a holiday with some games thrown in. Our first round game was in searing heat against a very skillful Barbados Defense Force team on the worst pitch we ever played on. There was a deep crater on the field that had to be covered over and a giant oil drum that was reluctantly rolled off moments before kick off! We won 4-2 but then came up against the Police team and bowed out at the semi-final stage 5-1. We were offered a third game but politely declined.
Those games in 1997 were the last ones we have played overseas although in recent times we have left England frequently to play Newport County and Wrexham!
The article also included a list of all the games we have played abroad, with dates and results. The programme is still available in the Supporters Club Shop for £2.
For those that missed it, the following feature appeared in last week's issue v Welling United.
IRON GAMES ABROAD
Within the pages of this programme we recently covered Iron’s first visits to each of the counties in England. Taking that a step further, there have been a number of occasions on which we have travelled abroad for games. These have obviously always been in the summer and have usually involved at most a two night stop over. A notable exception to that was in 1997 when a 52 strong party from Braintree spent two weeks in Barbados, and played two games in the Caledonian Cup.
The first trip abroad was to Dusseldorf in Germany in 1937. The full story of that trip was recounted a few years ago in this programme and will be covered in full in the forthcoming first volume of our history book. On that occasion we played two matches and in a chilling copy of the England national team’s experiences in Berlin had to endure the experience of the opposition lining up to give the Nazi salute prior to kick off. In 1962 a party from the club returned to Dusseldorf to play two further games. Our link with the city was Fenestra, a window company linked to Crittall Windows.
Despite our close proximity to France it took 90 years to play there. In 1988 a coach party travelled by ferry from Felixstowe to Zeebrugge and then through Belgium to the French border town of Maubauge. We stayed for two nights and played matches in U.S. Maubauge’s impressively large stadium. The hosts at the time were in the regionalised French Third Division. We drew the game which was part of a three-way tournament, but then lost a penalty shoot-out. We then faced Valenciennes II, the reserve team of the side who are currently in Ligue 2. At the time the second X1 were in the regionalised fourth division. This game also finished in a draw and once again we lost on penalties to finish bottom of the mini group.
In 1993 we undertook a trip from Harwich to the Hook of Holland, this time heading for Yerseke for a one day four team tournament that included the hosts, an Under 21 representative side from the area ‘Jong Zeeland’ and a Sunday League team from Kent who accompanied us on the ferry, Sheerness Steel United.
A year later we were back in Holland, attending the Jan Havenaar Under 23 Tournament in Tonegido. Despite the age parameters our own side were not restricted by age and reached the final before losing on penalties. In a busy day numerous games were played against clubs from Belgium and Holland. The next year we were invited back and this time won the tournament with ease. It was another busy day with five group games and a final against D.W.O. which we won 3-0.
During the 1990’s there were advanced plans for the club to go to Perth in Western Australia to play some games. This ultimately fell through as not enough players could commit to the trip but in 1997 we did undertake a massive trip to Barbados, staying in Holetown on the west coast. Chairman George Rosling had a home nearby. Fellow Isthmian Leaguers Metropolitan Police F.C. accompanied us on the flight and took a far more serious approach to the Caledonian Cup competition that we both competed in. Their outlook was one of professionalism, heavy training and a desire to win the cup (which if I remember correctly they did). Our approach was one of a holiday with some games thrown in. Our first round game was in searing heat against a very skillful Barbados Defense Force team on the worst pitch we ever played on. There was a deep crater on the field that had to be covered over and a giant oil drum that was reluctantly rolled off moments before kick off! We won 4-2 but then came up against the Police team and bowed out at the semi-final stage 5-1. We were offered a third game but politely declined.
Those games in 1997 were the last ones we have played overseas although in recent times we have left England frequently to play Newport County and Wrexham!
The article also included a list of all the games we have played abroad, with dates and results. The programme is still available in the Supporters Club Shop for £2.
