Corsham Print
Wiltshire Senior League
Season 1976-77

The top division of the Wiltshire County League could not have been closer than in its first ever season when the championship was decided in the final game of the season and goal average had to be used to determine the winners. In 1976-77 goal average was still being used rather than the now traditional method of goal difference to determine champions.

Just as the First Division, then the top division of the English Football League, had been decided on goal average back in 1952-53, when Arsenal (goal average 1.51) pipped Preston North End (goal average 1.41), so was the case with the Wiltshire County League Division 1 in its inaugural season.

The title race that season was between Park and Malmesbury Victoria. Due to a tough winter Malmesbury Victoria were behind with their fixtures and playing catch-up as the season drew to a close. Park had completed their fixtures and led the table by two points (remember it was also still two points for a win in those days) with a goal average of 3.75. Malmesbury Victoria were home to Highworth Town in their final game and had a goal average of 3.381 and went into the match knowing that they needed to win by at least eight clear goals to pip Park for the title. Highworth Town were set to finish in the top half of the table and it was a big ask and so it proved. The report in the Gazette & Herald noted that whilst Malmesbury created ample chances they were denied by their own over anxiety in front of goal and the brilliance of the Highworth keeper Gale. In the end it took two penalties to beat him and the game ended 2-0 to Malmesbury Victoria and meant they finished level of points with Park but with a goal average of 3.476, just short of what was needed to deny Park. Park had the league’s leading scorer in Steve Burson who finished the season on 21 goals, one ahead of Graham Cox of Malmesbury Victoria (see below for list of top scorers). At the other end of the table Westbury United, Chippenham Town Res and Ferndale were relegated.

All the results for both Division 1 and Division 2 have now been traced. This exercise was greatly assisted by Vice President Harry Beattie logging many of the results in his handbook, as well as the details of all the Wiltshire County cup competitions. The first ever handbook had been given to Dennis Kilford a number of years ago and has proved invaluable in compiling the history of the season and correcting some of the mathematical anomalies that appeared in the goals scored and conceded in the tables published in the newspapers. The missing results for the top two divisions have been traced from the copies of the Football Pink and the Gazette & Herald held in Swindon Library. The results for the two Junior Divisions still have a few missing results to find but hopefully these can eventually be tracked down. The results are shown after this summary below.

Division Two had also been tight with just 4 points separating the top 5 sides. In the end Warminster Town were crowned champions and promoted alongside runners-up Corsham Town and Pewsey Vale who were both two points behind the champions, the runners-up spot also being decided on goal average. Fourth placed Purton were also promoted. With just 12 teams in the division the league also ran a Subsidiary Cup for the Division 2 sides. The 12 teams were split into 4 groups of 3 with the top 2 from each group progressing to the quarter-finals. The Cup was won by Wroughton who defeated Rowde 3-0 in the final at Avebury. Details of the cup are found below although not all results from the “group” games have been traced as yet.

The two Junior Divisions were not quite so close. Junior Division Section A winners were Walcot Boys Athletic who finished 7 points clear of Park Res. Walcot averaged over 4 goals a game with Basil Coates and Colin Lashmar both scoring 35 goals during the season. Also featuring in the top scorers list for the season was a 17-year-old Andy Neal of Sherston whose side finished bottom of the table having scored only 45 goals from their 30 games but Neal had bagged 31 of those goals!

Junior Division Section B winners were Devizes Town Res who finished 4 points clear of Malmesbury Victoria Reserves helped by the goals of Tony Baleki who scored 35 during the title winning season. At the end of the season the top half sides from each division formed Division 3 of the league for the next season and the bottom half formed Division 4.

Other than the Subsidiary Cup there were no league cup competitions in that first season but there were the usual County Cup competitions. The Wiltshire Senior Cup was dominated by teams from the Wiltshire County League with Division 2 Corsham Town causing something of a surprise defeating Division 1 Champions Park 3-2 in the final at Melksham. Full details of all the rounds are shown below.

The League were also successful in the Wiltshire Junior Cup with Penhill YFC defeating Airsprung from the Trowbridge & District League 4-2 in the final. Details from the quater-finals onwards are shown below.

Amesbury won the league's inaugural E C Mills Sportsmanship Award. At the AGM following the inaugural season it was noted that the league had ended the season with a credit balance of £412 but the cost of acquiring the trophies for the four divisions and one cup competition at the end of the season would make a big hole in that figure.
Top Scorers - Division 1
S. Burson  (Park)  21
G. Cox (Malmesbury Vics)  20
P. Back  (Westbury United)  19
J. Murphy  (Park)  17
S. Cox  (Amesbury)  16
T. Pike  (Sanford)  16
M. Abbott  (Malmesbury Vics)  16
R. Miller  (St Josephs)  15
D. Sheppard  (Malmesbury Vics)  15
S. Abbley  (Park)  15

Top Scorers - Division 2
A. Brown  (Avebury)  19
D. McDonald  (Warminster Town)  19

Top Scorers - Junior Division A
D. Andrews  (Shrewton Utd)  52
A. Higgs  (Frogwell)  49
B. Coates  (Walcot Boys Ath)  35
C. Lashmar  (Walcot Boys Ath)  35
A. Neal  (Sherston)  31
H. Zabinski  (Croft)  26
L. Curtis  (Park Res)  25
D. Fuller  (West Swindon)  24
T. Smithers  (Park Res)  22

Top Scorers - Junior Division B
T. Balecki  (Devizes Town Res)  36
Division Two Subsidiary Cup - 1976-77
Group A
Ludgershall  4 Burbage Sports 5       
Pewsey Vale 1 Burbage Sports 0       
Burbage Sports 3 Pewsey Vale 1       
Other group results still to be traced

Winners - Burbage Sports
Runners-up - Pewsey Vale

Group B
Wroughton 1  Purton  1 
Wroughton 1  Lawn  1
Other group results still to be traced

Winners - Wroughton
Runners-up - Lawn

Group C
Corsham Town 0  Warminster Town  2  
Corsham Town 3  West Lavington  2
Warminster Town 2  Corsham Town  2    
West Lavington 0  Warminster Town  1
West Lavington  1  Corsham Town  1
Warminster Town  8  West Lavington  0
Group D
Marlborough Town 1 Rowde 2* 
Avebury 0 Rowde 0   
Avebury 0 Marlborough Town 0   
Marlborough Town 2 Avebury 2   
Malrborough Town 1 Rowde 0   
Rowde 1 Avebury 0   
Rowde 2  Marlborough Town 1   
*Game replayed due to use of ineligible player
Quarter Final
Burbage Sports  2   Marlborough T 5
Warminster T 0  Pewsey Vale 1 (aet)
Wroughton  2   Corsham Town 0
Rowde  4   Lawn 2

Semi Final
Marlborough Town  1  Wroughton 4
Pewsey Vale  1  Rowde 2

Final
Wroughton 3  Rowde 0
(Scorers: Ridout 2, Eatwell)
Wiltshire Senior Cup
Season 1976-77
Teams from other leagues in italics
Preliminary Round
Pewsey Vale  0  Downton  0

Preliminary Round Replay
Downton  4  Pewsey Vale  0

First Round
Avon Bradford  2  Wootton Bassett T 0
Calne Town  1  Bemerton Athletic  2
Corsham Town  2  Warminster Town  1
Ferndale Athletic  2  Chippenham T  3
Garrad  5  Bromham  2
Highworth Town  2  Westbury United  2
Lawn  5  Ludgershall  1
Malmesbury Vics  2  Devizes Town  1
Marlborough Town  1  Downton  3
Melksham Town  7  West Lavington  1
Mere Town v Avebury*
Park  4  Purton  0
Rowde  4  Burbage Sports  4
Sanford  1  Amesbury  3
St Josephs  0  Vickers  0
Wroughton  1  Pinehurst  0

*Game awarded to Avebury

First Round Replays
Burbage Sports  1  Rowde  0
Vickers  1  St Josephs  2  (aet)
Westbury United  1  Highworth Town  4

Second Round
Avebury  2  Garrad  2
Chippenham T  0  Melksham T  0
Downton  2  Corsham Town  3
Lawn  2  Amesbury  1
Malmesbury Vics   5   Bemerton Ath  4
Park  4  Avon Bradford  0
St Josephs  11  Burbage Sports  0
Wroughton  0  Highworth Town 0

Second Round Replays
Highworth Town  2  Wroughton  0
Garrad  6  Avebury  1
Melksham T  0  Chippenham T  1

Quarter Final
Corsham Town  2  Garrad  1
Highworth Town  0  St Josephs  0
Lawn  1  Chippenham Town  7
Park  1  Malmesbury Victoria  1

Quarter Final Replays
Malmesbury Victoria  0  Park  1
St Josephs  1  Highworth Town  2  (aet)

Semi Final
Highworth Town  0  Corsham Town  4
Park  2  Chippenham Town  0

Final
Corsham Town   3  Park  2

As reported in the Swindon Advertiser:
Corsham, on the verge of promotion to the First Division of the Wiltshire County League, showed Park what to expect next year by beating them 3-2 in the Wiltshire Senior Cup Final at Melksham. Park, second in the senior division, were perplexed by Corsham’s resistance to their opening salvo and an injury to Corsham goalkeeper Dawson seemed to affect them more than it did Corsham. Corsham took advantage of the lull to strike back, although Moss almost upset the apple cart with a shot which hit the inside of the Corsham bar. McCrum shocked Park with a goal from the penalty spot and Gordon out Dennis through to find the net again but he was offside. Park rallied five minutes before the interval and Murphy rammed in the equaliser.  Bush put Corsham in front again in the second half but with 20 minutes to go O’Rourke headed in for Park. Dawdrey held on grimly to a ball crashed in by Weicek following a corner, but Corsham went on to win with a goal by Kelland.
Wiltshire Senior Cup Winners Corsham Town
Back Row (L-R): Keith Dawdry, Clive Dennis, Colin Bush, Mel Cooper, Mike Smith, Paul Kelland, Eamon Scully, Dave Pearce (Manager).
Front Row (L-R): Bob Farion, Robbie Swain, Keith McCrum (Capt), Tim Boddy, John Gordon.
Picture and programme below courtesy of John Cuthbertson
Mr Bill Humphries, chairman of Wiltshire FA, presents the trophy to Keith McCrum, captain of Corsham Town.
Wiltshire Junior Cup
Season 1976-77
Teams from other leagues in italics
 
Preliminary Round
Clarendon Spts 0 Durrrington Spts 6
Rudloe 1 Stratton BL 2
Southbrook 4 Blunsdon 0
Tisbury 22 Ludgershall Res 0
Winsley 0 Airsprung 14

First Round
Airsprung 5 Laverstock & Ford 1
Avon Bradford R 7 Burbage Spts Res 0
Box Rovers 4 Highworth Town Res 3
Broughton Giff'd 5 Winterbourne Spts 1
Corsham Town Res 4 Croft 3
Dolphin Hotel 1 St Josephs Res 9
Dowty DFS 0 Devizes Town Res 1
Durrington Sports 8 Westbury Rovers 0
Enford 3 South Newton & Wishford 0
Frogwell 5 Terry Warners Sports 1
GEC Melksham 1 Heytesbury 4
Lavington & Easterton 8 Seend Utd 1
Lawn Res 2 G H Sports 4
Malmesbury Victoria Res 2 Park Res 3
Oaksey Terriers 2 Sutton & Seagry 1
Old Sarum 4 Horningsham 4
Purton Res 4 Marlborough Town Res 1
Ramsbury 2 Ashford Road 0
Redlynch 2 West Lavington Res 0
Sarsen United 4 Cricklade Town 2
Shrewton United 6 Bromham Res 0
Southbrook 6 Ferndale Ath Res 3
Steeple Ashton 2 Stockton & Codford 3
Stratton BL 11 Sherston 2
Tisbury 4 Amesbury Res 3
Trowbridge "A" 4 Woodfalls 0
Trowbridge Cricketers 4 W. Harnham 3
Trowbridge Yth 7 British Road Serv.1
Union Carbide 1 Walcot Boys Ath 3
Vickers Res 5 Halcrow 1
West Swindon 4 Shaw 3
Wroughton Res 0 Penhill YC 2

Second Round
Box Rovers 7 Corsham Town Res 1
Broughton Gifford 1 Redlynch 3
Durrington Sports 2 Heyetsbury 5
Horningsham 8 Trowbidge Cricketers 1
Lavington & Easterton 6 Enford 6
Oaksey Terriers 0 Sarsen United 3
Park Res 3 GH Sports 2
Ramsbury 6 Vickers Res 0
Southbrook 1 Walcot Boys Ath 3
St Josephs Res 2 Penhill YC 3
Stockton & Codford 3 A. Bradford R 1
Stratton BL 3 Purton Res 0
Tisbury 1 Airsprung 6
Trowbridge A 1 Shrewton United 2
Trowbridge Yth 1 Devizes T Res 2
West Swindon 2 Frogwell 3

Replay
Enford 0 Lavington & Easterton 3

Third Round
Airsprung 2 Redlynch 0
Frogwell 1 Park Res 4
Heytesbury 0 Devizes Town Res 1
Lavington & East'n 3 Stockton & Cod. 9
Ramsbury 4 Box Rovers 3
Shrewton United 3 Horningsham 0
Stratton BL 1 Sarsen United 2
Walcot 1 Penhill 4

Quarter Final
Airsprung  2 Shrewton  0
Devizes T R 1 Stockton & Codford  2
Penhill YC 4  Ramsbury  1
Sarsen  2  Park Res  3

Semi Final
Airsprung  2  Park 1 
Stockton & Codford 0  Penhill YC 4

Final(at Bromham)
Penhill  3  Airsprung  2

Management Committee Members and Club Secretaries


The following Officers and Committee were elected at the inaugural meeting held in Devizes:

D S Paget (President), J R Nunn (Chairman), W L Miles (Vice-Chairman), E S M Ashman (Secretary), F E Jones (Assistant Secretary), C G Scott (Treasurer), P J Ackrill (Registration Secretary), K J Mulraney (Referees' Appointments Secretary) and a Management Committee of C W Cousins, D B Cradock, T K Dowty, G A Highmore, D C Kilford and I K Strange.


There were fourteen Vice-Presidents: H Beattie, A E Beavis, W H Brown, M A Cutforth, T Gillingham, Mrs E T Mills, D S Mills, E G Newman, F J Oatridge, W A Shail, W W Sherwood, H J Stevens, P E Stone and H W Todd.


Sixty teams entered the League and were grouped in four Divisions: two Senior and two Junior Divisions.
Division 1
Clubs & Secretaries
Amesbury -  W J Spreadbury   
Avon (Bradford) -  D Jones   
Bemerton Athletic -  G P Broad   
Bromham -  B Amor   
Calne Town - A G Merrett   
Chippenham Town Res -  A L Knee   
Ferndale Athletic - P D Bathe succeeded by: I E Sumbler   
Highworth Town - V Y V Attwood  
Malmesbury Victoria - T J C Brown
Park YC - D J Prothero
Salisbury City Res - D F Sharp
Sanford - J A Leeson
St Joseph's YC -  B W Phillips
Vickers - A L Cox
Westbury Utd - E L Barber
Wootton Bassett Town -  L S Dixon

Division 2
Clubs & Secretaries
Avebury - V R Blake   
Burbage Sports - R M Cady   
Corsham Town - S Jackman   
Lawn - I R Titcombe   
Ludgershall - M A Couch   
Marlborough Town - M K Messenger   
Pewsey Vale - E J Sheppard
Purton - A C Mills
Rowde - B Webb
Warminster Town - W J C Durham
West Lavington - B K Hartley
Wroughton - C G Swatton
Junior Division - Section A
Clubs & Secretaries
Box Rovers - J Gingell   
Corsham Town Res - S Jackman   
Croft - J Turner   
Frogwell - K Applegate   
Highworth Town Res - V Y V Attwood   
Laverstock and Ford - C R Hoskins   
Park YC Res - D J Prothero   
Penhill YC - M K Whittaker   
Sarsen Utd - K Burleigh
Sherston Town - R E Davis
Shrewton Utd - F H Matthews
Sutton and Seagry - B Porter
Trowbridge Youth - K Gardner
Walcot Boys Athletic - S W Moore
West Lavington Res - B K Hartley
West Swindon - A C Fall

Junior Division - Section B 
Clubs & Secretaries
Amesbury Res - W J Spreadbury   
Avon (Bradford) Res - D Jones   
Bemerton Athletic Res - G B Broad   
Bromham Res - B Amor   
Calne Town Res - A G Merrett   
Devizes Town Res - R P Broomham   
Ferndale Athletic Res - P D Bathe succeeded by: I E Sumbler   
Lawn Res - I R Titcombe   
Malmesbury Victoria Res - T J C Brown
Marlborough T. Res - M K Messenger
Pewsey Vale Res - E J Sheppard
Purton Res- A C Mills
Sanford Res - J A Leeson
St Joseph's YC Res - B W Phillips
Vickers Res - A L Cox
Wootton Bassett Town Res - L S Dixon
Formation of the Wiltshire Senior League
The formation of the Wiltshire County Football League resulted from the amalgamation of the Wiltshire Combination and Wiltshire Leagues.

How the Swindon Football Pink reported the start of the league on Saturday August 21 1976
What Football Pink article stated......
The launching of the brand new Wiltshire County League reaches its final stage next Saturday when the clubs make a start with their fixtures. With it comes the fulfilment of a pipe-dream of the Wiltshire FA for one big united county league. Like most dreams when they materialise, circumstances shape them slightly differently than the original conjectured image. The FA wanted to see all the strongest senior clubs in the county forming the top division of their proposed league with the next best in a second division and with promotion and relegation between them to keep everybody on their toes.

In order to make sure it was the best clubs they instituted a rigorous examination of their strengths and amenities before issuing them with the label “senior” which would let them enter the senior divisions of the new league. Prior to that a club gained senior status simply by managing to get itself voted into a senior league. In other words, it was the league – there were three of senior status in the county – that was the deciding factor, not the club’s facilities. Thus, on a vote at a league AGM a club’s status could turn from junior to senior as at the snap of a finger. And, if it left that league, it could change back again to junior without any change in its ground and amenities over that period. All that is now changed.

The Wiltshire FA and not the leagues grant senior status to clubs and that body designed the new league to cater for clubs whose standards meet their requirements and to whom they have previously granted senior status. That was one part of their dream the FA could make come true. But they were powerless to decide on the allocation of the clubs to the two senior divisions. That was left to the clubs themselves and, when the allocation was made, it was not as the FA would have wished.

Long before the final meeting they sensed that the clubs forming last season’s Wiltshire Combination were going to be “difficult”. These clubs did not want the new league and had asked the Wiltshire FA, without success, to continue with the Combination. It soon became obvious that they were determined that, if the new league were to be forced upon them, they would form the top senior division. And, that is exactly what happened at the allocation meeting when none but Combination clubs were voted in. There was not even a place found for the current Wiltshire Senior Cup winners, Pinehurst, who beat Western League Devizes Town in the final and two of the strongest clubs, Park and Amesbury, on the way to that game. Pinehurst, who won over £300 in sponsorship money in Rothmans Hellenic League, gave up a lot to play their part in getting the new Wiltshire League started and the cold shoulder they received for their trouble was more than they could take. So they went back to their old league.

With Pinehurst gone Garrard – runaway Wiltshire League winners and one of the most exciting teams of the day – felt they should have been included in the top division. But they were not. Therefore, instead of getting all the best clubs in the new league’s top division, two of the most desirable have been lost to Wiltshire football. One regrets this and feels that it would have been better for our football had they accepted a place in Division 2 and moved up next season by promotion, as they would undoubtedly would have done. One can also understand, or try to do so, the Combination clubs’ point of view. They felt they had remained loyal to Wiltshire football when others had deserted it. All the best clubs in the Wiltshire League had joined them over the past few seasons, some of them only last season, and as a division they already represented the strongest possible combination of clubs playing in the county. Was it fair they argued, that any of their clubs should have to win their way back again in order to make way for others whether they be Devizes, Melksham, Pinehurst or Garrard.

So the die was cast with the Combination clubs getting their way which means that this season will see a re-run of the Combination so far as senior Division 1 is concerned. Then at the end of the coming season, the bottom four will be replaced by the top four from Division 2, without the certainty that some of the promoted four will be stronger than those they replace – as would have been the case had Pinehurst and Garrard swallowed their pride. These two were not the only clubs to resign after entering the league. For various reasons Plessey also resigned from Senior Division 2 and Broad Hinton and Park A from the junior divisions. Teams who comprise Senior Division 1 are Amesbury, Avon Bradford, Bemerton, Bromham, Calne, Chippenham Town Reserves, Ferndale, Highworth, Malmesbury Victoria, Park, Salisbury Reserves, Sanford, St Josephs, Vickers, Westbury and Wootton Bassett – 16 in all.

Unfortunately, the withdrawals of Pinehurst, Garrad and Plessey have left Senior Division 2 with only 12 teams. But it is expected that others with junior status will have improved their amenities in time to qualify for senior status the following season and so increase the division in number. The 12 who will compete this season are:  Avebury, Burbage, Corsham, Lawn, Ludgershall, Marlborough, Pewsey, Purton, Rowde, Warminster, West Lavington and Wroughton.

With Senior Division 1 being more or less a re-run of last season’s Combination, one feels fairly safe in predicting another exciting fight at the top. And if the battle continues until the very last game of the season, as it did last April, it will be very rewarding.

Everybody will be keyed up to be the first winners of the new league and have their name at the top of the list of winners for posterity to see. Vickers, the last Combination champions will be especially keen to achieve the distinction.

They feel well equipped to do so with all last season’s first team squad again available and have reinforced with new signings Bob Mason from Clanfield and Jock Usher. They have improved their referee’s dressing room, re-painted their stand during the summer and reseeded parts of their ground.

Park, by winning the Sanford Charity Cup by defeating Malmesbury Vics and Western League Melksham last week, have already shown they will be a power in the new league. If they have an Achillies heel, it might be from the loss of Roger Sawford, the only really experienced man in their defence now Bob Woodfield had left them. But high-scoring forwards might counterbalance this deficiency.

If anything, Amesbury expect to be stronger than last season, which means a most determined attack on the title. Not only have they all of their last year’s squad available, except for Mick Crook, but also former stars like Eugene Harrington, Terry Plank and Andy Strange. These three who were in their championship winning team of two years ago, have returned to them. They also have Brian Pearce, who broke his leg 16 months ago, back in training and have signed Paul Bishop from Downton. Neighbours Bemerton are not so well-placed. Neil Blake has returned to them and Tim Rhind-Tutt, the former county youth winger has signed. Mostly, however, they will rely on last season’s team.

St Joseph’s, after finishing third in their first season in the Combination last spring look strong. They reckon they learnt a lot last season and have all their first team squad intact, with new signings Keith King, Dave Crocker and Kevin Haugh to add strength to it.

Some good players seem to go on forever and among them are Sanford stalwarts Keith Colsell and Tony Pike, who will again be seen gracing the Youth Centre’s red and black shirts. Sanford were not quite so much in the Combination hunt as usual last season, but could be well in it in the new league. They have strengthened their squad with Derek Wordsworth from Park and Tye Meare from Pinehurst, as well as signing new goalkeepers Paul Scarrott and Peter Nash.

Ferndale, a struggling club last season, look due for another fight to escape relegation after losing several of their players, including ace forward Mick Fowler. They have, however, fixed themselves up with a good goalkeeper in David Elkins.

Wootton Bassett have a new coach in former player Bob Thomas. He has all his old colleagues signed together with nine new men who include Norman Shears and Steve Smith from Highworth. He will be assisted by Amble Sheen. They have completed their stand and are busy installing training floodlights. The clubhouse with bar attached is also finished and they are now getting businessmen taking a greater interest than in the past.

Over at Highworth, much will depend on the younger players. They have lost John Simpkins to Fairford and Dudley Cheeseley has retired to be assistant first team trainer to Chelsea Smith.  It is a similar position at Bromham, whose bottom position in the Combination last season is not an attraction to established players from outside. Calne, however, fresh from a pre-season win against Winchester City, display an intense feeling of optimism. They have a bunch of promising youngsters training with the old hands and have signed high-scoring Paul Kelland.
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