Tony INCENZO
TALKING POINTS
IN my role as a roaming reporter for competition sponsors Isuzu, it has been fascinating to monitor Romford’s progress to the Isuzu FA Vase Final.
It really is a major milestone in the renaissance of this famous old Non-League club who used to play at a huge stadium and harboured plans of dramatically climbing the football ranks.
Just to clarify, the original Romford FC began in 1876. They went on to become such a strong force in the Southern League that 12 consecutive applications were made to join the Football League between 1960 and 1972. Home was the palatial Brooklands Stadium in Romford holding a capacity of up to 20,000.
Alas, use of Brooklands was lost in 1977. The team struggled on for another season prior to disbanding.
The present Romford club relaunched in 1992. They perennially groundshared until taking over the former East Thurrock United FC stadium at Rookery Hill, Corringham last year for Es- sex Senior League fixtures. Accordingly their current Vase run provides a colossal boost.
I spoke to Romford chairman Steve Gardener to find out more. He began by filling me in on an illustrious past.
“Brooklands was a magnificent stadium,” he said. “Certainly worthy of Football League status. It was an imposing sight. The Clockside terrace being a particular favourite for supporters.
“This was an era preceding streaming, the internet or even football on the telly. If you wanted to see a game of football, you had to go in person. And in their droves to Romford they did. Crowds of 6,000-plus were not unusual. Unfortunately though the money ran out. In an effort to make it up to the Football League, club officials may have overspent.
“Romford vacated Brooklands in 1977 and played the concluding season of matches away from home. Obviously it wasn’t sustainable. Despite having a replacement site at Oldchurch Park lined up, funds simply weren’t there to start work. Once Brooklands was sold for redevelopment, the club sadly ceased to exist.” Some 14 long years elapsed before Romford resurfaced. Indeed, events unfolded which Gardener recalls with immense warmth.
Emotional
“Local police sergeant Dave Howie made a newspaper appeal in the ‘Romford Recorder’ stating Romford was too big a town not to house a senior football team,” Gardener added.
“Nevertheless he couldn’t have expected more than 200 people to turn up for the inaugural meeting. Dave spoke passionately for a new club and many fans stood up to voice their own experiences of standing on the Clockside. So things were very emotional when we resumed playing in the traditional colours using the old badge.”
It has bee
