The Southern League`s Outstanding Teams - Wealdstone 1973/74

In 1971 Wealdstone left the ranks of amateur football and turned professional, joining the Southern Football League.

The first league championship won after turning `pro` was the Southern League First Division South in 1973/74, resulting in promotion to the Premier Division where they spent five seasons before becoming one of the founder members of the Alliance Premier League.

And many Stones fans believe that 73/74 team was one of the best to watch – and it was certainly an entertaining one, scoring 20 more goals than any other side in the division that season.

The 73/74 team was built by shrewd manager Sid Prosser, who took over at Lower Mead in March 1972.

The side finished eighth in his first full season in charge in 72/73 – ironically his last full season as well – after the club had ended their first campaign in the Southern League`s Division One North down in twelfth place before being switched to Division One South the following season.

In the 72/73 season, Prosser was also able to coax former Fulham and England star Johnny Haynes to play a handful of games after he returned from a spell in South Africa with Durban City.

But, more significantly, Prosser also signed players who would become Wealdstone `legends1, including the man who replaced him in the managerial hot seat, Eddie Presland.

Presland (left) started his career as a junior with West Ham United before signing as a professional in October 1960.

He made only 6 appearances for West Ham before moving to Crystal Palace in 1967.

He had a spell on-loan with Colchester United signing in October 1969, but again, he made only 6 appearances for Colchester in all competitions, his last being in November 1969.

After leaving Palace he played for Chelmsford City and then Jewish Guild in South Africa before being signed by Prosser for Wealdstone.

When Prosser left in March 1974 to take over as manager of ambitious Southern Premier Division side Chelmsford City, Presland was recommended as his successor as player boss at the age of 31.

Presland, who also played 30 first class games of cricket for Essex, subsequently managed Dulwich Hamlet, Hendon, Gravesend and Northfleet, again with Dulwich Hamlet before moving to Dagenham as a coach.

In 1980 he became the Daggers` manager and led them to their victory in the 1980 FA Trophy Final, beating Mossley 2–1 at Wembley.

He was sacked almost immediately after the victory and left football before returning in the 1990s as a scout for Ipswich Town.

He was also chief scout for Tottenham Hotspur and later worked for Norwich City.

Another West Ham product to join Wealdstone under Prosser turned out to be one of the best players in non-League football of his era.

John or `Willie` Watson was released by Ron Greenwood at West Ham in his youth and was snapped up by Prosser on the recommendation of Eddie Presland.

He went on to make 334 appearances for the Stones, scoring 11 goals, and became a true giant of the non-League game in the 70s and 80s.

Hugely talented, he captained Wealdstone, Scarborough, Maidstone United and the England semi-professional international team, winning 18 caps.

Another massive signing for Wealdstone at the time – and another to earn hero status at the club – was George Duck.

A phenomenal goalscorer, he was as instrumental as anyone in having the championship flag flying at Lower Mead as he contributed a record 62 goals in 73/74 alone!

In total, Duck scored 223 goals for the Stones in 349 appearances and went on to enjoy a successful career after leaving Wealdstone in 1979 at Dagenham, for who he scored in the FA Trophy Final under Presland, and at Harrow Borough, with whom he won an Isthmian League championship.

Two veterans of the game also had an influential presence on the title success under Prosser that season.

The best-known was former Tottenham Hotspur `double` winner Terry Dyson.

He played for the Stones between 1972 and 1976 and was arguably the most famous player ever to have donned a Wealdstone shirt.

As well as being one of the unsung heroes of the Spurs `double` winning side of 1961, he scored twice in that club’s victory over Atletico Madrid in the European Cup Winners Cup Final of 1963.

Despite being 37 years of age when joining Wealdstone, he played 112 times.

Skippering Prosser`s side was big centre-half John McCormick (left).

The tough Glaswegian turned out for Third Lanark and Aberdeen before being brought `south of the border` to Crystal Palace in 1965.

He went on to make 225 appearances for the Eagles and scored 7 goals during his time at the club until 1973.

He was part of the Palace squad in 1969 when the club gained promotion to the top-flight for the first time and won the club’s first ever player of the year award in 1972.

But just over a year later he was allowed to leave on a free transfer and was persuaded to sign for Wealdstone.

Among the other notable players in that Stones side of 73/74 were two others who were to become much better known as managers – Paul Fairclough and Chris Kinnear.

Lancastrian Fairclough was originally on the books at Liverpool, Wigan Athletic and Witton Albion before his teaching job took him south to London when he signed for Wealdstone.

The attacking midfielder went on to make over 100 appearances for the club in two spells as well as turn out for Cheshunt and St Albans City.

But it was as a manager that he is best known, honing his skills at Hertford Town before having two spells with Stevenage Borough and four years at Barnet and also, since 2003, England`s C international side.

Sid Prosser`s friendship with West Ham manager Ron Greenwood led him to signing Chris Kinnear as a 19-year-old.

Kinnear, of course, went on to become a hugely successful manager with Dover Athletic and Margate.

Eric Burgess made over 150 appearances in the Football League for the likes of Watford Torquay United Plymouth Argyle and Colchester United.

He was a member of the Colchester team that won the 1971 Watney Cup before joining Wealdstone.

Ray Fulton played just once in the Football League for Leyton Orient before joining the Stones and eventually left for Folkestone in 1975.

Bill Byrne spent five years with the club, making 243 appearances and chipping in with 72 goals.

He provided the perfect foil for George Duck and even covered at centre-half at times and prematurely retired at the age of 26.

John Henderson was an out and out winger who spent three years with the Stones, making 157 appearances and scoring 31 goals.

But he was also responsible for many `assists` for the Duck and Byrne attacking axis

Became renowned for being able to cross the ball whilst being on his bottom!

The 1973/74 season began with a tough-looking away game at Victoria Park against Salisbury.

Prosser`s men got off to a good start though, winning 2-1 with goals from Bill Byrne and George Duck.

Their first home game saw Minehead make the long journey from north Somerset and a Duck brace, including one from the penalty spot, saw the Stones record another 2-1 success.

Prosser`s side completed a 100% record in August with wins at home to Bletchley Town in the League Cup, where Duck notched a hat-trick and Terry Dyson the other in a 4-1 win, and 2-0 away at Bexley United in the league and a repeat of the scoreline in the second leg of the League Cup tie at Bletchley with Duck from the spot, John Henderson with a brace and Jim Godfrey on target.

September began with an early FA Cup tie at home to Athenian League side Marlow where a crowd of 800 saw Duck, of course, and Henderson secure a 2-0 win.

But the following week saw Wealdstone suffer their first defeat of the season – a 3-0 loss at Canterbury City.

Two days later though, Prosser`s men got themselves back on track with a Monday night win over Southern Premier Division side Barnet in the London Challenge Cup, with another Duck hat-trick and one from Eddie Presland sealing an emphatic 4-1 win.

The First Qualifying Round of the FA Cup saw Wealdstone paired with Isthmian League Division Two side Chesham United at the Meadow.

The Generals held the Stones to a 1-1 draw in front of 970, with Duck rescuing his team with the equaliser, before Chesham ended Wealdstone`s interest in the competition with a surprise 4-2 win at Lower Mead in the replay in front of over 1,000.

Four days later, a 2-2 draw at Ramsgate, thanks to a Duck double, was followed two days after that with a trip to White Hart Lane to play Tottenham Hotspur in the London Challenge Cup.

A strong Spurs reserve side ran out comfortable 4-0 winners, but it was a special night for Terry Dyson, the Stones` former Tottenham `double` winner, nevertheless.

So, that was two cup competitions out of the way and Prosser`s men could now concentrate on the league, and September ended with another 2-1 win at home to Salisbury with Byrne and an own goal achieving the `double` over the Wiltshire side.

The new month of October started well with yet another 2-1 success at Dorchester Town, thanks to Duck and a first of the season for Paul Fairclough.

Metropolitan League side Hatfield Town were next on the agenda as the Stones started their hope of a cup run in the still fairly new FA Trophy.

A comfortable 4-0 win with Duck, Henderson, Fairclough (right) and an own goal all on the mark.

Three days later, Wealdstone entertained Premier Division high-flyers Wimbledon in the League Cup and the sides shared a 1-1 draw at Lower Mead, with Duck once more on target.

Bath City were beaten 3-0 in the league the following Saturday, with another brace for Duck and one for his partner in attack, Bill Byrne, before the long journey to Devon to take on Bideford ended in a rare goalless draw.

A crowd of 1,267 saw Poole Town beaten 2-0 at home in the next league game, thanks to Jim Godfrey and John Henderson efforts, and next came the League Cup replay at Plough Lane against a Wimbledon side who were building up towards their domination of the Premier Division of the Southern League which was to eventually lead to promotion to the Football League in three season`s time.

But the Stones were more than a match for the Dons at this point and even extra-time failed to separate the sides in a 2-2 draw in which Henderson and veteran centre-back John McCormick scored for the visitors.

The next weekend saw Wealdstone take on Southern Division One North strugglers Dunstable Town in the Second Qualifying Round of the FA Trophy.

Dunstable had been league rivals until being switched north during the close season, and it certainly didn`t suit them as they finished rock-bottom of the table and would fold a couple of years later.

The Duns were duly despatched 3-0 with veteran winger Terry Dyson, Paul Fairclough and an own goal sealing the Stones` progress.

It was back to the saga of the League Cup with Wimbledon three days later – and once more, even an extra half-hour failed to separate the teams in a 3-3 draw at Lower Mead in which Duck, Byrne and Eddie Presland found the net.

Wealdstone hadn`t played in the league for three weeks and on November 24th took on an Andover side struggling at the foot of the table at Lower Mead.

An almost assured win?

Well, there was a major kick up the backside for Sid Prosser`s men as the Lions inflicted a 5-1 hammering on them on their own patch, with just a Duck penalty in response.

Four days later and it was back-to-back defeats for the first time for the Stones as Wimbledon finally ended the League Cup saga with a comfortable 3-0 Plough Lane victory.

The Third Qualifying Round of the FA Trophy was next up for Prosser`s side and they had a good chance to get back on track after being drawn at home to then-Midland League side Boston FC – later to become Boston Town.

It proved to be a turning point for the Stones who comfortably progressed 6-1 with Duck netting four times – including one from the spot – with Byrne adding the other two.

Wealdstone could now concentrate on the league for the rest of December and, after a 1-1 home draw with Waterlooville, won the remaining four games against Metropolitan Police, Minehead, Gravesend & Northfleet on Boxing Day and Hastings United, with George Duck`s remarkable season continuing with five more goals in those wins.

January 1974 began with a 4-1 home win over Ashford Town in which Duck bagged another brace, but Bognor Regis Town held the prolific marksman and his team-mates in a 0-0 draw at Lower Mead on a rare Sunday game which certainly proved popular with fans as a best-of-the-season crowd of 1,550 were in attendance.

The First Round of the FA Trophy was up next – and it was to be another cup tie with Wimbledon!

This time, however, no replays or extra-time was necessary as the Stones won 1-0 with an Eddie Presland goal.

However, a week later, Prosser`s side suffered a third league defeat, losing 1-0 at home to Ramsgate and followed that up with a 0-0 draw at Waterlooville.

February started with a double-header against Hastings – the first in the Second Round of the Trophy in which George Duck netted another four times – including the unusual feat of a hat-trick of penalties – in a 5-2 win, which was surprisingly followed by a blank scoreline at the Pilot Field in the league game!

There was new opposition for Wealdstone in the Third Round of the Trophy as Northern Premier League South Shields travelled down to north London, and a best-of-the-season crowd of 2,010 saw John Henderson score to share a 1-1 draw, meaning a long trip north for a replay.

Fortunately, it was played the following Saturday, but the Stones bowed out 2-1 after extra-time to a Shields side who eventually made it through to the semi-final.

The cups were now all out of the way and it was full concentration on the league campaign, with Bath, Waterlooville and the likes of Poole, Minehead and Bideford biting at their tails.

Two of the contenders, Bideford and Poole, were seen off 3-1 and 3-2 respectively – the Dolphins game being another played on the Sabbath and attracting a crowd of 1,100 – 300 more than the game against Bideford on a more traditional Saturday when there were other attractions about.

Crawley Town away and at home came next and both were comfortably won by Wealdstone 3-0 and 4-1 with Duck bagging braces in both.

Basingstoke Town were beaten by a Bill Byrne brace at the Camrose, but March ended with a potentially crucial 2-0 loss at Twerton Park against nearest challengers Bath City.

Perhaps the news of manager Sid Prosser`s surprise decision to leave the title contenders to become the new boss of ambitious Southern Premier Division Chelmsford City affected the outcome that day?

Keen not to rock the boat, the Wealdstone Board decided to appoint Prosser`s successor from within – and on the former boss`s recommendation – so Eddie Presland was handed the task of keeping the team on track.

It proved to be the correct decision as the Stones failed to lose a game in April, dropping just a point in a 1-1 draw at Trowbridge Town, as Canterbury City, Dorchester Town, Basingstoke and Bexley United were all beaten at home and there were away victories at Andover, Bognor, Ashford, Gravesend and Met Police.

Saturday, May 4th saw Trowbridge come to Lower Mead for the final game of the season and a crowd of 2,396 saw Duck`s amazing campaign end with a 62nd goal.

But the visitors slightly spoiled the celebrations by holding the champions to a 3-3 draw, with John Henderson and Bill Byrne adding to Duck`s opener.

Of course, Wealdstone would go on to achieve plenty of other honours, including the non-League `double` of Alliance Premier League and FA Trophy in ten years` time but the 1973/74 season will always be remembered as a pivotal one for Stones fans.