Up for the Cup in 1996

Every so often it behoves all of us to spend time clearing out, or maybe tidying the piles of stuff we hoard.  A while back we were undertaking a similar task at Fleetville Community Centre, although the intention had been solely to discover records of the Centre's early years from 1982.  But you know what it's like; you discover interesting programmes, minutes or newspaper articles, stop to read them, and later two hours progress remains slow.

The 1995-6 squad.  Back L-R: Robert Ade, Nick Malham, Jonathon Smithers, David Adams, Elliott Ryan, Jonathan
Michie, Tom Price, Stuart Hames.  Front L-R: Sam Parratt, Ben Herd, Chris Seeby (Captain), Matthew Jones, James Buck.

Among the miscellaneous documents were the three images shown on this post.  They were familiar and the reason became clear later when I consulted Bob Bridle and Duncan Burgoyne's book "100 Years, a History of Schools' Football in St Albans".  1995/6 was the final year described and illustrated – that year was Bob Bridle's final year overseeing the fortunes of schools' football in the district.  The book shows a squad line-up, the three goalscorer from the Cup match, and captain Chris Seeby holding aloft the trophy after the match against Hackney.

Goalscorers David Adams, Ben Herd and Jonathon Michie
in the Southern Counties quarter-final.

In a box of documents at the Community Centre is also a set of three photos, though not originals.  The squad from that year has fewer players than the one in the book, the goal scorers photo is in the collection, and another threesome pic is from an earlier match against Sutton, with the two team captains and the "regular referee".  The photos are all captioned and probably came from a local newsletter.  The locations may well have been at Fleetville Junior School, and at least some of the team will have had Fleetville connections.

Captains Chris Seeby (SA) and Ben Harding (Sutton), with
referee Chris Wood.  Southern Counties quarter final.

So we ponder over their futures, both in football or other sports, and in life.  All will now be in their mid-thirties and it would be great to hear from any of them, wherever they are now living – anywhere between Colney Heath Lane and the Falklands – as they reflect on their team recollections.  No distinctions will be made, so comments from ex pupils of other parts of the city are also eagerly sought.

The owner of these pics isn't known and so can't yet be acknowledged.