They`ve Played For Your Club……Basingstoke Town

Continuing the series on players who have represented the current clubs in the Southern Football League.

Like the majority of clubs of over 100 years standing, Basingstoke Town has endured its ups and downs.

The last few years have been as tough as any, having to play away from their old Camrose ground after former chairman Rafi Razzak attempted to sell the stadium for development.

The team were forced to play at Winchester City until October 2020 when the club returned to Basingstoke at the upgraded Winklebury Sports Complex in the Winklebury area of the town.

Basingstoke first joined the Southern League in 1971 after being Hampshire League champions for the third time in four seasons.

They had 16 seasons in the league before being switched to the Isthmian League in 1987.

They won a place in the newly formed Conference South in 2004, the club satisfying the guidelines developed by the National League Systems Committee.

They have 12 somewhat varied seasons in the Conference – the best being fifth in 2011/12 and third in 2014/15, both times losing in the play-offs.

They finished bottom in 2015/16 and were relegated back to the Southern League Premier Division.

However, fortunes on-the-field suffered as a result of off-the-field problems and the team were relegated to the Division One South in 2018/19.

Ironically, two of Basingstoke`s playing record holders are both named Coombs.

Billy Coombs spent 15 years with the club and still holds the record for the most league appearances.

A strong, hardworking midfielder who started and ended his playing career at the Camrose in 1977.

In between, he turned out for then-Athenian League side Fleet Town before re-joining `Stoke in 1981.

Striker Paul Coombs is the club`s record goalscorer with 164.

He began his career with Aldershot and went on to make 16 League appearances for the old club before moving to Farnborough Town, where he helped the club to promotion to the Conference in 1990/91.

However, instead of moving up into the top level of non-League football, he moved to Basingstoke in July 1991.

He stayed until January 1999 when he transferred to ambitious Isthmian Premier side Purfleet for £3,500.

But the travelling to Essex for home games proved too much and he moved a bit nearer home by joining rivals Slough Town in November 2000.

But his goals dried up and he left the Rebels in September 2001 at the age of 31.

Jack Howarth was born in Crook, County Durham where he began his playing days as an amateur with Stanley United.

He joined Chelsea in October 1963 but within 12 months was signed by Swindon Town where he enjoyed considerable scoring success for the reserves in the Football Combination.

Only two first-team appearances were recorded whilst at the County Ground but his career was to really blossom after signing for Aldershot in July 1965.

He stepped straight into the first team and was seldom missing from the manager's team sheet, and his exceptional heading ability made him a feared opponent.

The supporters warmed to his old-fashioned centre-forward style and made him their player of the year at the end of the 1966/67 season.

He became the club's leading scorer in each of his six full seasons at the Rec, gradually clawing his way to a century of goals, a milestone he achieved in an away fixture against Grimsby Town in January 1971.

Four goals later against Exeter City at the Rec, Howarth broke the club`s all-time league scoring record held previously by Norman Menzies.

He continued to entertain the fans and Liverpool and Reading expressed an interest in his goalscoring prowes but it came as a complete shock to the supporters when he was signed by Rochdale in January 1972 for an £8,000 fee.

However, 40 appearances and 12 goals later he was re-joining the Shots in exchange for £7,000 and it was to result in a happy reunion, especially in the 1972/3 season with Howarth helping the club to promotion, being ever-present in the side with his 46 appearances bringing 25 goals - a new club record of league goals in a season, and again receiving a personal accolade from the supporters with their player of the year award.

Howarth`s final appearance for Aldershot was against Bournemouth in January 1977, signing for the Cherries shortly afterwards for £7,000.

His two stints at the Recreation Ground had realised 421 appearances with a total of 171 goals scored which is a club record.

Howarth made 42 appearances, scoring 6 goals for Bournemouth before joining Southport on non-contract forms where he made 9 appearances.

He spent a period playing in the United States National League for Southern California Lazers before returning to England where he resumed his playing career in non-League circles, firstly with Andover and then with Basingstoke early in the 1980/81 season.

He finished his playing career with Hampshire League side Romsey Town, where he was working for the Post Office.

Defender Steve Richardson began his career at Southampton, spending three seasons at The Dell, before moving to Reading in 1982.

The Slough-born left-back was twice named the Royals` player of the year and made more than 450 appearances.

He was part of the Reading team that won the Simod Cup at Wembley in 1988.

He had a two-year spell with Newbury Town in the Isthmian League before joining Basingstoke in the 1995/96 season after Newbury folded.

He went on to make around 200 appearances for `Stoke, many of them as skipper, before being appointed the first-team coach under Ernie Howe.

He was then promoted to the role of assistant manager under Francis Vines and took over as caretaker boss when Vines left in March 2008.

To honour Richardson's 13 years at the Camrose, Basingstoke held a testimonial for one of the most popular players to have worn a Town shirt in recent decades.

He left to become assistant manager under Vines again at Farnborough.

Another defender, Sean Hankin, started his career as an apprentice at Crystal Palace where he turned professional in 1999.

He made one substitute appearance for the club but failed to make a real impact.

He was loaned out to Torquay United in 2001 which soon became permanent, and he made over 40 appearances for the Gulls, but injury cut his time their short.

He then had spells with Margate, Northwich Victoria, Crawley Town, Lewes and St Albans City.

He joined Farnborough Town in 2005, following a very brief spell with Welsh Premier side Llanelli, and remained at Cherrywood Road until they folded in 2007 when he joined Basingstoke.

The 2007/08 season saw Hankin playing more as a holding midfielder and went on to make over 100 appearances for Basingstoke.

He left the Camrose in March 2011 to join AFC Totton, where he helped the Stags to win the Southern Division One South & West title.

But he didn’t stay for Totton`s inaugural season as a Premier Division side and finished his playing days in the Combined Counties League with Badshot Lea.

During the 1980s in particular, Basingstoke had several local players who enjoyed lengthy spells with the club.

Defender Steve Haysom moved to the Camrose from neighbours Andover in January 1981 and quickly established himself in the right back role.

Originally with Hampshire League side Brockenhurst, he went on to skipper Basingstoke and was a firm favourite at the Camrose until leaving in 1987.

On the opposite flank was Steve Frangou, another local lad who, apart from a spell with Hampshire League side Portals Athletic, had been with Basingstoke since leaving school.

Another who went on to give excellent service to the club.

Forward Steve Trotter originally joined the club from another Hampshire League side, Romsey Town, in 1979.

He was sold to Fareham Town in 1981 but returned a year later and finished as leading scorer in 1982/83 and hit double figures again the next two seasons.

Striker Dave Eddie was another local player who first joined Basingstoke in the 1975/76 season from Brockenhurst but who had two spells with Fleet Town before returning to the Camrose in October 1979.

The 5`6” pacey forward went on to make over 200 appearances for the club, with over 80 goals.

Goalkeeper Keith Champ signed for Basingstoke at the start of the 1983/84 season from then-Athenian League neighbours Fleet Town.

He went on to serve the club for several seasons, and even scored from a drop-kick during his first season!

He also served the likes of Hampshire League side Malshanger and Isthmian League sides Tooting & Mitcham United and Epsom & Ewell.

Another goalkeeper, Tony Godfrey, started and ended his senior playing career with Basingstoke.

After being in the Army and being on Norwich City`s books as a youngster, Godfrey joined then-Hampshire League `Stoke in 1955, becoming their youngest-ever player.

In April 1958 he caught the eye of Southampton and moved to The Dell.

He made 149 appearances for the Saints, winning a Third Division winners medal and a Second Division runners-up medal before losing the goalkeeping jersey to Scottish international Campbell Forsyth.

Aldershot negotiated a transfer to the Recreation Ground for a four-figure fee in December 1965.

Despite being short in stature, Godfrey was an extremely agile and competent keeper who gave sterling service to the club, being ever-present in seasons 1966/67 and 1967/68 and recording 172 appearances before being allowed to join Rochdale at the same time as winger Peter Gowans in July 1970.

He stayed at Spotland for two seasons, making 71 appearances before returning to the Rec to play under manager Tommy MacAnearney in the. 1972/73 promotion winning season, appearing in all 46 League games.

Godfrey was to remain with Aldershot for a further three seasons but with the emergence of Glen Johnson, first team chances became rare and when he was released in the summer of 1976, his second spell at the club had realised just 68 games.

Godfrey then returned to Basingstoke in a player-coach role until 1979, before spells as manager at Andover, Alton Town and Fleet Town, followed.

In 1985, aged 45, Basingstoke were suffering an injury crisis, so Godfrey returned for one match, thus becoming their oldest-ever first-team player, having been their youngest player 30 years earlier!

Mick Doherty went on to become not only one of the most sought-after strikers in non-League football, but also an England semi-professional international.

Born in Liverpool, his playing career was spent both north and south of Watford.

He started out as an apprentice with Southampton before moving back north to sign for Wigan Athletic in 1979.

A return south saw him turning out for Harrow Borough in the Isthmian League and Hounslow in the Southern League before joining Basingstoke in 1981.

He scored 19 goals in his first season with the club in the Southern League Southern Division and his goalscoring form soon attracted attention.

He didn`t have to go far for his first taste of Football League action as he signed for Reading in 1983 and played 25 games, scoring 5 goals.

But he was back in non-League football a year later, having spells with Slough Town, Yeovil Town and Wycombe Wanderers before joining Weymouth in 1984.

He went on to net 103 goals in 159 appearances for the Terras and win his England honours.

He left in 1987 for Maidstone United, returned to Yeovil in 1988 and went `home` to Runcorn in 1989.

A year later he was back in Hampshire with Farnborough for two seasons before going back to the north west to sign for Macclesfield Town for a fee of £3,000, half of which was met by the Supporters’ Club.

He remained at the Moss Rose until the end of the 1992/93 and on leaving Macclesfield he signed for Altrincham briefly, and later played for Knowsley United, Runcorn (for a second time) and Bamber Bridge.

On retiring from playing Doherty has been employed as a football scout at a high level.

He was with Everton and Doherty was the man who unearthed Wayne Rooney, as well as the likes of Seamus Coleman, Shkodran Mustafi, Francis Jeffers, Victor Anichebe and Jack Rodwell.

He went on to be Chelsea`s European scout, Sunderland`s chief scout and has been Celtic`s first team international and UK scout since July 2017.

Murray Brodie was a Scottish midfielder or forward who began his career with Cumbernauld United, before signing for Leicester City in 1969, making his League debut and scoring just three days later against Watford.

The following game with Middlesbrough, Brodie again found the net. However, in his next outing he was injured, and first team opportunities ended at Filbert Street.

He moved to Aldershot in September 1970 as part of a then-record £43,000 deal that took Joe Jopling to Leicester.

He made his Shots debut on his 20th birthday and it was the start of a long career at The Rec for the popular Scot, who went on to record the highest League appearances for the club, totalling 461 with 84 goals to his credit.

He was voted the player of the year for 1979/80, and his loyal service to the Shots was rewarded in April 1981 with a testimonial game with West Bromwich Albion.

On leaving Aldershot in the summer of 1983, Brodie joined Basingstoke and spent two and a half seasons at the Camrose before retiring to become a police officer and is now a member of the CID in Surrey.

Inside forward or half back Stan Woodhouse came through Cheshire County League football with Monk`s Hall before signing for Second Division Bury in 1921.

Woodhouse played in a quarter of the Shakers` games in the promotion season of 1923/24. However, he was denied First Division football.

Instead, he was transferred in the deal that took Bill Turner to Gigg Lane from Southampton, who had finished three points behind Bury.

Used spasmodically in 1924/25, mainly at inside-left, Woodhouse became the established left-half the following season and seldom missed a game over the next four seasons.

By the time of his last game in March 1936, he had made 383 appearances in the first team, an inter-war record bettered only by Bert Shelley.

He signed for Basingstoke in the Hampshire League in the summer of 1936 and had a couple of seasons with the club before retiring at the age of 37 to become a pub landlord as many footballers did in those days after hanging up their boots.

He returned to Southampton in 1951 and coached the youngsters in the `A` and `B` sides in the Hampshire League.

He later became the steward at Romsey Golf Club and passed away in March 1977 at the age of 78.

There hasn`t been many full international players in Basingstoke`s colours over the years.

Striker Benedict Akwuegbu played for only one club in the United Kingdom – Basingstoke Town!

Capped 25 times by Nigeria from 2000 to 2005, he joined `Stoke in 2009 during their time in the Conference South.

Before joining the club, he had played all over world, in Belgium for RC Lens, KSC Eendracht Aalst, Harelbeke. Waregem and Tienen, in Austria with Grazer AK, FC Karnten and Wacker Innsbruck, Switzerland with St Gallen, in Germany for Siegen, in Greece for Panserraikos and China with Qingdao Jonoon and Beijing Hongdeng.

His spell at the Camrose was a brief one before he joined Nigerian side Heartland as assistant manager and then managed Austrian side FC Gratkom before becoming technical director with Nigerian outfit Mighty Jets in 2016.

Striker Greg Draper won caps for New Zealand at under-17, 20, 23 and full international level.

Born in England, before moving to New Zealand as a boy, he represented the All Whites in the 2007 Under-20 World Cup.

In addition, he made his senior international debut for New Zealand in 2008, in a FIFA World Cup qualifier against Fiji.

Also, in 2008, he was involved in the Beijing Olympics.

While in New Zealand, Draper played for Canterbury United, Wellington Phoenix, Melbourne Knights and Team Wellington.

After returning to England in 2010 he was signed by Frank Gray, who was manager of Conference South side Basingstoke at the time.

It proved a shrewd move as the forward notched 15 goals in 28 games for `Stoke.

But his stay was a brief one as a year later his agent set him up with a move to full-time Welsh Premier side The New Saints.

In his first season at the Saints he finished as top scorer and saw the team lift the Welsh Premier title.

In 2017/18 and 2018/19, he was the Welsh Premier’s `golden boot` winner, with 22 and 27 goals respectively.

On October 2020, Draper’s 5 goals in the 10-1 victory against Flint Town United meant that he passed the previous all-time TNS league goals scored record of 153, set by Mike Wilde.

Midfielder Louis Soares made over 100 appearances for Basingstoke, mostly in the Conference South.

He won two full international caps in 2007 for Barbados in the Caribbean Nations Cup tournament and became the first Aldershot Town player to be capped whilst playing for the club.

He started his career at Reading before a spell at Barnet.

He then moved to Aldershot Town and made almost 150 appearances for the Hampshire side over four years.

After spells at Southend United and Hayes & Yeading United, he joined Grimsby Town before moving back into the non-League game in 2013 with Basingstoke Town.

He went on to join Oxford City and then Hungerford Town, for whom he played 68 times, scoring 20 goals.

In June 2018, Soares signed for National League South rivals Slough Town.

He made 35 appearances for the Rebels and was part of the side which won the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup before having a spell with rivals Hampton & Richmond Borough.

He re-joined Slough in January 2020 but played only once more for the club before joining Isthmian League Division One South Central Division side Bracknell Town in February 2020, having been on loan with league rivals Staines Town and Southern Premier Division Central outfit Biggleswade Town.

Forward Manny Williams, an England Schools representative, won one full international cap for Sierra Leone against São Tomé and Príncipe in 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification in 2012, whilst on Basingstoke`s books.

He began his career at Notts County and Millwall

Subsequent moves took him to Concord Rangers, Bowers United, Leyton, Yeading and eventually Maidenhead United, with whom he signed in July 2007.

During his single season with the Magpies, he scored 30 goals in 47 games, leading him to become the players’ and supporters’ player of the year for 2007/08.

He transferred to Woking for the 2008/09 season where he played 12 games before going back on loan to Maidenhead in November 2008, and then Weston-super-Mare two months later.

He then returned to Woking for the end of the season, before joining Havant & Waterlooville on his release from the Cards during the summer of 2009.

He scored 24 goals for the Hawks in a difficult season that saw him struggle through injury to appear 42 times before leaving in June 2011.

Originally joined Basingstoke in December 2012, he went on to make 116 appearances, scoring 37 goals before moving to Hungerford Town and then, in January 2017, Slough Town.

He did have a brief, loan, return to Basingstoke on loan in 2019/20 as well as with Beaconsfield Town, Harrow Borough and Staines Town and then took over as player/assistant manager of Hellenic League outfit Burnham ahead of this season.

Basingstoke Town Web Site